38-912. Civil liability; restitution or payment of fine; forfeiture of benefits; violation; classification; offset of benefits

A. A person who defrauds the plan or who takes, converts, steals or embezzles monies owned by or from the plan and who fails or refuses to return the monies to the plan on the board's written request is subject to civil suit by the plan in the superior court in Maricopa county. On entry of an order finding the person has defrauded the plan or taken, converted, stolen or embezzled monies owned by or from the plan, the court shall enter an order against that person and for the plan awarding the plan all of its costs and expenses of any kind, including attorney fees, that were necessary to successfully prosecute the action. The court shall also grant the plan a judicial lien on all of the nonexempt property of the person against whom judgment is entered pursuant to this subsection in an amount equal to all amounts awarded to the plan, plus interest at the rate prescribed by section 44-1201, until all amounts owed are paid to the plan.

B. If a member is convicted of, or discharged because of, theft, embezzlement, fraud or misappropriation of an employer's property or property under the control of the employer, the member is subject to restitution and fines imposed by a court of competent jurisdiction. The court may order the restitution or fines to be paid from any payments otherwise payable to the member from the plan.

C. A person who knowingly makes any false statement or who falsifies or permits to be falsified any record of the plan with an intent to defraud the plan is guilty of a class 5 felony. If any change or error in the records results in any member or beneficiary receiving from the plan more or less than the member or beneficiary would have been entitled to receive had the records been correct, the local board shall correct the error, and as far as practicable shall adjust the payments in a manner that the actuarial equivalent of the benefit to which the member or beneficiary was correctly entitled shall be paid. If a member is convicted of a crime pursuant to this subsection, section 13-713 applies.

D. Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, the board may offset against any benefits otherwise payable by the plan to a member or survivor any court ordered amounts awarded to the board and plan and assessed against the member or survivor.