Tucson, Arizona (KVOA) – One of Arizona’s most important government embezzlement cases is approaching its conclusion. Former Santa Cruz County treasurer Elizabeth Guffer faces a sentence soon after admitting to stealing nearly $40 million from taxpayers.
On Monday, Gutfer returns to federal court to learn about her fate. She previously pleaded guilty to charges of embezzlement, money laundering and tax evasion.
Santa Cruz County Supervisor John Fanning has expressed relief at the impending conclusion.
“To be honest, it’s about county time, Santa Cruz County constituent time,” Fanning said.
Fanning suspects that this sentence coincides with the gravity of the crime.
“Maybe it’s going to be much shorter if you’re honest with you,” Fanning said. “For almost five to six and a half years, my humble opinions and perhaps the others in our county have not even been that they should be.”
Gutfahr’s lawyer Joshua Hamilton described the crime as one of the “idiotious” things in Arizona history. He cited her religion and honorable life, demanding generosity.
“All religions I know don’t tolerate stealing in any way,” Fanning said. “In my opinion, it’s not an honorable life for 38 million people to agree with.”
The county is planning to recover approximately $12 million from sales of Gutfahr’s assets. However, the full impact on local schools and fire districts remains uncertain.
News 4 Tucson will cover Gutfahr’s ruling on Monday and provide an update.
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