On Thursday, a former Santa Cruz County official, Elizabeth Gutfahr, pled guilty to embezzlement, money laundering, and tax evasion for her role in stealing more than $38 million of Santa Cruz County funds between 2014 and 2024 and failing to pay income tax of more than $13 million while she was serving as Santa Cruz County Treasurer.
According to court documents, the 62-year-old Gutfahr, who served as Santa Cruz County Treasurer from 2012 through 2024, embezzled and laundered approximately $38 million by wiring funds from Santa Cruz County’s Account directly to accounts in the name of companies that Gutfahr had created for purposes of stealing the county funds. Gutfahr then wired the money from these fraudulent business accounts to her personal account, where she used the money to purchase real estate, pay operating expenses for and renovate her family ranch, pay expenses for her cattle business, and purchase at least 20 vehicles.
Court documents detailed that the scheme involved approximately 187 wire transfers, which Gutfahr completed by subverting the two-step approval process for the wire transfers by using the token of a subordinate Santa Cruz County employee so that Gutfahr could both initiate and approve the wire transfers. Additionally, to cover up the scheme, Gutfahr falsified accounting records, cash reconciliation records, and reports of the County’s investment accounts to conceal the millions of dollars that she had stolen from Santa Cruz County. Gutfahr also failed to report any of the stolen funds as income for tax purposes.
Gutfahr pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement by a public official, one count of money laundering, and one count of tax evasion. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 6, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the embezzlement count, 20 years in prison for the money laundering count, and five years in prison for the tax evasion count, as well as restitution to Santa Cruz County or other identified victims for all losses. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Where is her picture?
I take it the family was unaware of how they were living.
Another great AZ county!
Where does this kind of money come from in tiny Santa Cruz County? The Sinaloa Cartel, maybe?
Stealing from the public treasury is itself despicable but moreso when done from a position of public trust. If convicted, the court should show little mercy for this crime against family, friends, neighbors, citizens, residents, affecting the prosperity, safety and future of the whole county as well as the reputation of the state of Arizona and its people.
If she can just stay out from behind bars like she’s done so far, with the name recognition she has in Santa Cruz County, she could probably win election to public office again!
You would think that Sante Cruz would do spot audits to catch things like this. There are reasons why checks and balances should be an everyday occurrence.