Jury selection begins for trial of former UNM athletics director

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Former UNM Athletic Director Paul Krebs is in court Monday as jury selection begins for his embezzlement trial. 

Back in 2015, Krebs was indicted for seven different seven charges, including embezzlement, larceny, and tampering with evidence. Five of those charges were felony charges. 

These charges stem from Krebs allegedly using school money to pay for a golf trip to Scotland, according to court documents.

Former Attorney General Hector Balderas first filed the charges against Krebs in 2019.

In late June 2023, the Attorney General’s Office dropped many of those criminal charges in his five-day trial this week. Krebs faces two counts of felony embezzlement.

The prosecution will be led by Attorney General Raul Torrez.

According to court documents, count one is for embezzlement of $24,500. Three people, who were not UNM employees or associated with the university, allegedly received that money for golf tours.

Count two of embezzlement is for using $13,625 to pay the Lobo Club – the nonprofit that raises money for UNM Athletics – its initial down payment to the travel agency for the Scotland golf trip.

The witness list consists of 20 different people who will testify in this case. It includes former UNM employees, many “Lobo Club” executives, workers, and Lobo boosters. Not to mention a former UNM president too.

Krebs, who worked as a UNM Athletic director from 2006 until 2017 when he retired, could be facing up to nine years in prison and a $10,000 fine.