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OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT
NEWS RELEASE
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INCIDENT: |
Tax Preparer Arrested for Fraud |
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DATE: |
May 29, 2019 |
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LOCATION: |
City of Oxnard |
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VICTIM(S): |
Names Withheld |
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SUSPECT(S): |
Steven Cervantes, 42-year-old, Oxnard Resident |
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PREPARED BY: |
Senior Detective Erica Escalante |
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CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO: |
Senior Detective Erica Escalante (805) 385-7661 |
DETAILS:
The Oxnard Police Department, Property Crimes Unit, conducted a three-year-long investigation into the fraudulent practices of an Oxnard tax preparer, Steven Cervantes.
Cervantes worked for several tax preparation businesses throughout the City of Oxnard from 2017 through 2019. The investigation showed that Cervantes defrauded his clients and the businesses he worked for of thousands of dollars. Cervantes’ fraud schemes included cashing clients’ refund checks to steal refund payments, providing counterfeit refund checks to clients’, and opening fraudulent pre-paid debit accounts using the clients’ personal identifying information. Cervantes did all of these activities without the knowledge or permission of his clients.
Cervantes was arrested on May 29, 2019, when he surrendered to investigators at the police station.
Community members can stay up to date on the latest fraud and scam schemes by accessing the Oxnard Police Department’s web page www.OxnardPD.org/Fraud. From the web page, community members can file reports related to fraud and can access information on how to recover from and prevent further victimization.
Anyone with information regarding this case or other criminal activity is encouraged to contact the Oxnard Police Department at (805) 385-7600 or online via the Oxnard Police Department’s website (www.oxnardpd.org) by clicking on “Report Suspicious Activity.” Anonymous reports are accepted.
You can also anonymously report criminal activity by calling the Ventura County Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477 or visiting www.venturacountycrimestoppers.org to submit a tip via text or email.
DATE / TIME PREPARED: June 5, 2019, 12:00 P.M.
