San Mateo Man Indicted In $1.1 Million Embezzlement Scheme: DOJ

SAN MATEO, CA — A federal grand jury has indicted a former San Mateo resident charged with depositing hundreds of unauthorized checks from the San Francisco law firm where he worked, in a scheme that netted him nearly $1.2 million.

A federal indictment filed in late July alleges Jairo Tomas Santos, 42, started embezzling from the firm in March 2016 and continued the scheme through this February, writing more than 800 checks that were deposited into personal checking accounts.

"As part of the scheme, Santos obtained checks from the victim law firm, filled out the payee line of those checks, addressing them to 'Jairo Santos,' and signed each check with the signature of the law firm's senior partner, even though Santos was not authorized to do so," the U.S. Attorney's Office alleged. "Santos then deposited these checks into his personal checking accounts at Wells Fargo Bank."

According to prosecutors, Santos worked as the firm's office manager and manipulated the general ledger to conceal payments made out to himself, making unauthorized deposits that totaled $1,191,683 over nearly seven years.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Santos was arrested Friday and appeared in court Monday to face three federal bank fraud charges. He has not entered a plea and is scheduled for an initial distinct court appearance later this month.

If convicted on all counts, Santos faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and $1 million in fines, along with potential restitution.

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office's Corporate and Securities Fraud division following an investigation by the FBI.