Wednesday, June 10, 2026
LA fiduciary, accountant charged with stealing $6M from clients
A licensed Los Angeles-area fiduciary and his accountant have been arrested on allegations they stole more than $6 million from trusts, estates and conservatorships they were hired to manage, according to California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Tuesday announced the arrest of a licensed professional fiduciary from the Los Angeles area and his accountant on charges they stole more than $6 million from client accounts they had been entrusted to manage.
Prosecutors allege the pair diverted money from five clients' trusts, estates and conservatorships between August 2018 and October 2025, using the fiduciary's authority over the accounts to write unauthorized checks to themselves.
The defendants face charges including grand theft, grand theft from an elder or dependent adult, and failure to file income tax returns. Authorities did not immediately release additional details about the identities of the suspects in the announcement.
According to the California Department of Justice, a forensic accounting investigation conducted with assistance from the California Franchise Tax Board uncovered what investigators described as a pattern of unauthorized transfers and violations of probate court rules involving assets the fiduciary had been hired to safeguard.
Investigators allege the fiduciary and his accountant conspired to steal more than $6 million while also evading state income taxes.
"Bad actors who intentionally prey on the most vulnerable within our state will be swiftly brought to justice," Bonta said in a statement. "Our elders deserve to be treated with respect, care, and dignity, not victimized."
The Department of Justice's white collar investigation team led the investigation, serving four search warrants before arresting the two suspects. The team investigates complex financial crimes, including fraud, money laundering, embezzlement and other large-scale schemes.
The case is being prosecuted by the Department of Justice's special prosecutions section, which handles major financial crimes and other complex cases involving multiple jurisdictions.
The criminal complaint has been filed, but prosecutors emphasized that the charges are allegations and that both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Prosecutors allege the pair diverted money from five clients' trusts, estates and conservatorships between August 2018 and October 2025, using the fiduciary's authority over the accounts to write unauthorized checks to themselves.
The defendants face charges including grand theft, grand theft from an elder or dependent adult, and failure to file income tax returns. Authorities did not immediately release additional details about the identities of the suspects in the announcement.
According to the California Department of Justice, a forensic accounting investigation conducted with assistance from the California Franchise Tax Board uncovered what investigators described as a pattern of unauthorized transfers and violations of probate court rules involving assets the fiduciary had been hired to safeguard.
Investigators allege the fiduciary and his accountant conspired to steal more than $6 million while also evading state income taxes.
"Bad actors who intentionally prey on the most vulnerable within our state will be swiftly brought to justice," Bonta said in a statement. "Our elders deserve to be treated with respect, care, and dignity, not victimized."
The Department of Justice's white collar investigation team led the investigation, serving four search warrants before arresting the two suspects. The team investigates complex financial crimes, including fraud, money laundering, embezzlement and other large-scale schemes.
The case is being prosecuted by the Department of Justice's special prosecutions section, which handles major financial crimes and other complex cases involving multiple jurisdictions.
The criminal complaint has been filed, but prosecutors emphasized that the charges are allegations and that both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
