$90K returned to out-of-state fraud victim

On Jan. 26, 2026, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department Fraud Unit returned $90,000 to a fraud victim in California following a months-long investigation.

The case began on Sept. 11, 2025, after a local credit union reported suspicious activity involving an 80-year-old Pima County resident who had deposited a $90,000 check for someone she did not know and could not explain.

Detectives learned the woman had received a phone call from someone claiming to be her late father’s accountant, saying a friend wanted to “bless her with money.” She later received the check by mail from an unknown sender.

Investigators traced the funds to a 92-year-old man in San Jose, Calif., who was found to be the victim of a lottery scam. He had been falsely told he won an $8 million lottery and was instructed to send money for taxes on the supposed winnings.

PCSD detectives recovered the full $90,000 and returned it to the victim, ensuring no funds were lost.