TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A more than two million dollar spending spree—-funded by taxpayer dollars. Santa Cruz County claims former country treasurer Elizabeth Gutfahr let her son and daughter in law put that much on her credit card. Santa Cruz County says the money paying the card account was part of $38 Million Gutfahr allegedly stole from the Santa Cruz County treasury.
When former Santa Cruz County Treasurer Elizabeth Gutfahr was accused of taking more than 38 million dollars in county money people asked, what did they use it for? Now a court appointed receiver says her son and daughter in law used more than two million for everything from fashion items from Gucci to trips to Disney.
Elizabeth Gutfahr is not facing criminal charges, but a civil lawsuit that aims to recover money for Santa Cruz County claims she used county money to buy a large collection of ranchland and other real estate.
The judge in the case appointed a receiver to control and sell off the property.
Now the receiver wants to take control of assets from her son Davian and his wife Ana.
A court document claims the receiver found more than $2.2 Million in purchases from Davian and Ana on Elizabeth Gutfahr’s American Express card over the last six years.
Charges include more than $175,000 on Amazon, $63,000 at Walmart, and $26,000 at Disney.
The report claims Davian and Ana Gutfahr spent more than $37,000 at Gucci and 15,000 at Louis Vuitton. The receiver says getting around on Uber came to more than $21,000.
The receiver told the judge those expenses and more were bankrolled by Elizabeth Gutfahr and Santa Cruz County should be able to get that money back.
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Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
