No criminal charges have been filed against Reina in Sacramento County as of Thursday morning, according to a search of the county’s criminal case portal. Updated 4:56 p.m. CapRadio made no fewer than four attempts to reach Reina’s lawyers, Bird & Van Dyke, Inc., for a response to the lawsuit, but did not hear back […]
No criminal charges have been filed against Reina in Sacramento County as of Thursday morning, according to a search of the county’s criminal case portal. Updated 4:56 p.m. CapRadio made no fewer than four attempts to reach Reina’s lawyers, Bird & Van Dyke, Inc., for a response to the lawsuit, but did not hear back as of Thursday afternoon.
Though he was the only individual identified by name, Reina is not the only defendant of the lawsuit. CapRadio is also suing an additional 50 individuals, referred to as “DOES 1 through 50” (in reference to John/Jane Doe) in the complaint. What followed has been an extensive look into CapRadio’s finances, sparked by an audit commissioned by the California State University Chancellor’s Office detailing years of financial mismanagement by previous leadership at the public media station — which is an auxiliary of Sacramento State. These details span nearly 130 pages of exhibits and attachments, as well as the names of all subjects, board members, individuals and businesses included in the examination. Two months later, CapRadio laid off 12% of its staff and canceled four longtime music programs. Reina was hired by CapRadio in 2007 as its chief financial officer. His role grew in 2013 to include chief operating officer and he was subsequently promoted in 2020 to executive vice president and general manager. He resigned in June 2023. The public media station in November also explained progress on its debt repayment plans. Most of CapRadio’s debt — an estimated .7 million — is owed to Sac State, which it will pay back a portion of through hourly on-air messaging promoting the university. The agreement does not technically require CapRadio to spend any money, in what’s called an “in-kind” service. CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you. As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today. The lawsuit was filed in Yolo County Superior Court last month in connection with a 2023 audit that found significant financial mismanagement at the public media station. In November 2024, CapRadio released its audited financial reports, revealing million in debt — the majority of which is tied to two costly Downtown projects. Key details that were blocked out upon initial release in August — like credit card statements and emailed correspondence between Reina and others — were included in Wednesday’s update.
CapRadio’s main allegations
As Chief Financial Officer, and later while holding all of CPR’s executive titles, Reina had access and control over CapRadio’s bank accounts, station lawyers argued. Reina is accused of opening corporate credit cards in CapRadio’s name, over which he gave himself exclusive access and control, without the knowledge or authority from CapRadio’s Board of Directors.
Reina is accused of transferring more than $370,000 of CapRadio funds to his personal accounts from 2017 until his resignation in 2023 as well as using corporate credit cards to pay for family plane tickets and vacations, personal memberships and golf course fees, fine dining, personal groceries and alcohol, home utilities, personal vehicles, charitable donations in his name, college tuition, entertainment tickets, as well as home mortgage payments and taxes.
In addition, Reina is accused of using CapRadio credit cards to pay for more than $100,000 in improvements to his West Sacramento home.
CapRadio lawyers argue Reina hid his unauthorized use of the public media station’s bank accounts and credits, submitting no expense reports or supporting receipts for nearly all of his personal use of corporate credit cards.
Response from Jun Reina
When asked for a response to the lawsuit and allegations against Reina, Eytcheson said in an email, “This is the first I’ve heard of it. I really can’t comment.” CapRadio is an auxiliary of Sac State. The university holds the licenses to the public media station, which includes CapRadio Music, North State Public Radio (NSPR) based at Chico State and KHSU at Cal Poly Humboldt.
After an August 2024 forensic examination of the station’s finances that found Reina had received nearly 0,000 in unsupported payments, Mary Ann Bird, his attorney, emailed a statement suggesting all of CapRadio’s management “needs to be scrutinized” and that “the issues are under investigation and NO charges have been filed.” As for the lawsuit against Reina and Does 1 through 50, a case management conference is scheduled for April 21.
Sac State response
Some information in the document is still redacted, including the names of four individuals listed as Witness #1-4. On Wednesday, Sacramento State released a mostly-unredacted version of the forensic examination it first released in August 2024. The release comes after lawyers for The Sacramento Bee in December sent a letter to the university demanding the release of the full document, which was prepared by the Roseville firm CliftonLarsonAllen. One of the two projects is a Downtown office space CapRadio had planned to make its new headquarters. The station scrapped plans to make that move this year. The other project is a live event space on 8th Street. CapRadio is partnering with Sac State to use it as a learning lab when it opens sometime this year.
Others played role in station accruing debts
Both the university and the CapRadio Board of Directors are charged with overseeing the station’s financial management. The board during the time of Reina’s employment included several Sac State administrative officials, including the university’s former chief financial officer and a director of academic affairs resources.
“Our intent has always been to update the site once law enforcement confirmed that the release of the information would no longer hamper their investigation,” university spokesperson Lanaya Lewis said in an email. In August 2024, a spokesperson for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to CapRadio it was investigating Reina, but would not give further details about the basis of the investigation. CapRadio reached out to the Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday for an update on the investigation, but did not get a response.
Sac State releases largely-unredacted forensic examination
The complaint says CapRadio is seeking at least 0,000 in damages, as well as for Reina’s home to be placed in a trust. Bruno said CapRadio management officials would not comment further, citing the ongoing litigation. When CapRadio reporters asked Sac State to comment on the lawsuit this week — and discuss how one employee became the sole executive at the public media station, plus clarify what checks and balances were in place during Reina’s tenure — the university declined to comment. The 0,000 CapRadio is seeking in the lawsuit is a fraction of the overall debt the public media station faces following years of financial missteps. Reporters reached out to CapRadio attorneys for comment. They declined, adding they were “bound to the attorney-client privilege” and “must maintain the confidentiality of any advice I have given the client as to what will occur in the future regarding this and/or any other claims my client may have against others not named in this lawsuit.” The West Sacramento home is currently for sale. Attorneys for CapRadio believe Reina may leave the state with proceeds from his residence, according to the lawsuit. “Sacramento State is not a party in this litigation and won’t be commenting,” university spokesperson Lanaya Lewis said in an email. The lawsuit was filed in Yolo County, where Reina owns a home and lives. Reina is identified in the suit by his full name, Fidias “Jun” Reina, Jr.
Next steps
Capital Public Radio has filed a lawsuit against its former general manager Jun Reina, alleging he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the NPR member station “to secretly enrich himself,” using the station’s funds for “personal expenses that had no business purpose,” including home improvements, family vacations and mortgage payments, according to the civil complaint. You can read our independent ongoing coverage of financial issues at Capital Public Radio here. “CapRadio is actively pursuing all avenues to ensure that there is remediation and accountability for past actions that have impacted the station,” Chris Bruno, CapRadio’s chief marketing and revenue officer said in an emailed statement. Sac State published an earlier version of the largely-unredacted forensic examination — without the exhibits or attachments — on their website by Dec. 23.
Reina’s attorneys did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Station lawyers wrote that they will update the complaint when they have more information about these 50 individuals. They added that CapRadio management “is informed and believes” each of these people or groups “was in some manner responsible for the debt” accrued by the station. “The names and capacity of the Defendants sued herein as DOES 1 through 50 … are unknown to the Plaintiff at this time, and therefore, the Plaintiff sues said Defendants by such fictitious names,” the complaint reads. Lawyers added that these 50 defendants could include individual people, corporations or associations. Following NPR’s protocol for reporting on itself, no CapRadio corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted or broadcast. Editor’s note: CapRadio is licensed to Sacramento State, which is also an underwriter. Andrea Clark, who led CapRadio’s Board of Directors during Reina’s time as general manager, did not respond to a request for comment. CapRadio also reached out to Rick Eytcheson, who was the president and general manager of the station from 2006 until retiring in 2020, then served as President Emeritus until 2023. Disclosure: This story was reported and written by Insight Host Vicki Gonzalez and Politics Editor Chris Nichols. It was edited by Assignment Manager Claire Morgan, Producer Sarit Laschinsky and Producer Jen Picard.
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CapRadio also requested the full forensic examination under the Public Records Act on Aug. 5. The request was denied on Aug. 15.
