How An Elected Official Stole $38 Million From Arizona

America is a democracy. That means that the people, no one else, chooses those who will be in charge of our government. Many times, this works exactly as it should, but unfortunately, this can allow some bad apples to make their way into our government.

That's exactly what Arizona is dealing with right now.

How $38 Million Went Missing

To find out where this money went, we have to look towards Santa Cruz County, a small border county with a population of around 48,000. Enter Elizabeth Gutfahr, the treasurer for the county from 2013 to early 2024. She was found to have embezzled the county for a whopping $38 million from public funds that she was in charge of securing.

She didn't just sit on that money though, she used the millions to buy nearly 24 cars, real estate, and renovations for her family's ranch. These weren't exactly 1996 Corollas, they were Cadillacs, Mercedes, and Jeeps, all highly expensive, and once again, all bought with taxpayer money.

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How Did She get Away With It?

This is where things get interesting. This scandal started almost immediately after Gutfahr took office, around 2014. In the ten-year stretch between them and 2024, she sent approximately 187 wire transfers to herself, slowly building up the amount of money stolen from the county. She was able to do this by using another county employee's token to override the two-step authentication needed for wire transfers.

She immediately plead guilty when caught, and hopes to be held accountable for her actions. She is facing up to 35 years, and will stand trial in February 2025.

[The New York Times]