Amy Knox, who was COO of Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego, pleaded not guilty to charges brought by DA Summer Stephan.

A nonprofit executive accused of stealing $132,000 in public money to fund her lavish lifestyle is being held behind bars.

Amy Knox, who was COO of Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego, pleaded not guilty to allegedly stealing cash for plastic surgeries, credit card bills and luxury vacations to Hawaii and Disneyland.

The 45-year-old faces six felony counts of fraud and misappropriation and faces up to seven years in prison.

Late Wednesday Knox pleaded not guilty to the charges in San Diego State Supreme Court. Her bail was set at $200,000.

On Thursday she remanded in custody at the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry jail facility. Her attorney, Richard Katzman, did not respond to calls for comment.

Knox is accused of pilfering tens of thousands of dollars on a high-flying lifestyle that included buying purebred dogs, training them and taking martial arts classes.

The former COO, who also went by the names of Amy Hernandez and Amy Ketchum, allegedly spent another $30,000 on plastic surgeries including breast implants, breast lifts, a tummy tuck and arm and thigh lifts.

The money, raised from tax contributions, grants and opioid settlement funds, was meant to be spent on free anti-overdose medication and fentanyl tests for drug users in the city.

Knox appeared drawn and tired behind a glass window at Wednesday’s hearing. She is due back in court on Feb. 25 for a bail hearing.

Harm Reduction Coalition CEO Tara Stamos-Buesig told the California Post on Thursday that she’s been receiving threats since Knox’s story went public this week.

“I’ve been receiving tons of threatening phone calls,” said Stamos-Buesig. “They’re saying that Amy is innocent and it’s all my fault, and I’m the one that’s bad person.”

Stamos-Buesig insists she is the whistle blower who brought Knox’s alleged thefts to the attention of the District Attorney’s office.

She said Knox has deep connection in San Diego’s community of recovering addicts and that a man she identified as Knox’s husband, Jeffrey Knox, is involved in the city’s biker community.

Property records show Jeffrey Knox with the accused fraudster bought a 2,900-square-foot luxury home in San Diego in 2023 for $1,375,000.

Reached by phone on Thursday, Jeffery Knox declined to comment on the case. “I’m not talking to anybody right now,” he said.

Stamos-Buesig said her organization has been destroyed since she went to the DA with her concerns about Knox in May.

Weeks later the County of San Diego canceled two contracts it had awarded the Harm Reduction Coalition that were worth more than more than $11 million.

Stamos-Buesig said she’s had to fire her staff and is now facing homelessness herself since she’s been unable to pay rent for two months.

San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan said in Wednesday’s news conference that Stamos-Buesig’s tips were instrumental in launching the investigation into Knox.

Stephan blamed the County for failing to notice that Knox had been previously charged in San Diego County with taking over $500,000 from a prior employer.

Court records show Knox pleaded guilty to felony grand theft charges in that case in 2015 and was sentenced to prison.

San Diego County spokeswoman Tammy Glenn said the county ended all of its contracts with the Harm Reduction Coaltion in June.

“The County takes all reports of fraud, waste and abuse seriously,” said Glenn. “County staff referred information to the District Attorney’s office and continues to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.”

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David Luna, professor emeritus of political science at San Diego Mesa College and an expert in local politics, said it the Harm Reduction Center should’ve run it’s own background check on Knox.

“The nonprofit leadership would bear the first line of responsibility here,” said Luna.

Stamos-Buesig, who hired Knox to work at the Harm Reduction Coalition, said that she knew Knox for years before deciding to hire her.

Stamos-Buesig said Knox disclosed an prior arrest but said it was for a minor theft and that she had since mended her says.

“I thought she was legitimate, and it was all on the up-and-up,” Stamos-Buesig said.