The former CEO of The Painted Turtle, a nonprofit camp for children with serious medical conditions, has been charged with embezzling $5.2 million from the organization over a seven-year period.
Christopher L. Butler, 48, of Porter Ranch faces 15 felony counts including nine counts of grand theft, five counts of forgery and one count of fraudulent use of a computer, according to charges filed Dec. 29 in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Butler served as CEO of the Santa Monica-based organization from 2018 to 2025.
He is being held on $835,000 bail and is scheduled for arraignment Jan. 15 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. If convicted as charged, Butler faces more than 18 years in state prison.
"Abusing a position of power to steal funds from a camp dedicated to helping children with serious medical conditions is an affront to both the law and our deepest values," Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. "My message is crystal clear: If you steal from the most vulnerable members of our community or the organizations that serve them, this office will use every tool the law allows to hold you fully accountable."
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Steve Dickman of the White Collar Crime Division and remains under investigation by the District Attorney's Bureau of Investigation.
The D.A. said Butler is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Painted Turtle's board has said it brought in independent auditors and cooperated fully with law enforcement once financial irregularities came to light following Butler's departure in 2025.
Founded in 1999 by actor Paul Newman and philanthropists Page and Lou Adler as part of Newman's SeriousFun Children's Network, The Painted Turtle opened its doors in 2004 at a 173-acre campus in Lake Hughes. The camp has since served tens of thousands of children and their families, all at no charge.
The organization's mission is to provide a year-round, life-changing camp experience for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses, supporting their medical needs while inspiring them to reach beyond their conditions.
Week-long summer sessions are organized by diagnosis, allowing children with illnesses ranging from kidney disease and hemophilia to muscular dystrophy and rare genetic disorders to meet peers with similar conditions. Professional medical staff supervise all activities, enabling campers ages 7 to 16 to safely participate in horseback riding, swimming, archery, ropes courses and boating.
The nonprofit also runs Family Weekend camps during spring, fall and winter where entire families can experience camp together. Additionally, The Painted Turtle operates an Outpost in-hospital program, bringing camp activities into hospital playrooms for children too ill to travel.
All programs are funded entirely through donations and partnerships, ensuring families pay nothing to attend.
The organization faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, suspending in-person sessions in 2020 and 2021. Staff adapted by launching Virtual Camp, an online platform sharing crafts, games and activities, and introduced Camp on the Move in 2021 — drive-through parking lot parties across California that let campers safely enjoy music and games from their cars.
The Painted Turtle resumed on-site programs in summer 2022 with new health protocols and added accessibility upgrades including improved paths during the facility's closure.