Elizabeth Gutfer, a former Santa Cruz County treasurer, was sentenced to 10 years in prison this week for stealing nearly $40 million in county funds.
According to a press release from the Arizona U.S. District Attorney’s Office, Guffer had previously pleaded guilty to embezzlement, money laundering and tax evasion.
Gufar served as county treasurer from 2012 to 2024.
She was accused of wired public funds in Santa Cruz County to wash $387.7 million into an account named after a fake company she created.
The attorney’s office says Gutfahr falsified records and reports of the county’s investment account.
She was ordered to pay approximately $52 million in reparations to the US Treasury Department and Santa Cruz County.
Former Santa Cruz County treasurer Liz Guffer recently pleaded guilty to theft of more than $38.7 million in public funds and waived his right to trial. Daisy Zavala Magaña of Nogales International took part in the show to talk about what happened.
