Overview
- The Oct. 15 transfer was flagged by the bank, prompting Treasurer Melinda Casillas to alert county administration and file a fraud claim with the FBI.
- Investigators say someone posing as a construction contractor used a vendor change request to insert falsified details and reroute the money.
- The payment was approved by the Auditor-Controller’s Office, which verifies claims and is led by elected Auditor-Controller Joe Paul Gonzalez.
- The Sheriff’s Office reports the funds have been returned to the county and says it is pursuing the perpetrators with FBI partners.
- County leaders plan a meeting as early as next week to address how the breach occurred and to strengthen financial controls following the recent library embezzlement case.