FROM:
Stephen Gibbons, Assistant District Attorney CONTACT PERSON:
Dale B. Lohman, Deputy District Attorney
Major Fraud Unit
(408) 792-2599 For release on April 13, 2005 FATHER AND SON ARRESTED IN PROBATE FRAUD CASE Ludwig F. Hurtado, 28, of Hayward and his father, Franz V. Hurtado, 61, of San Jose, have been arrested on charges filed by the Santa Clara County Office of the District Attorney. The criminal complaint charges Ludwig Hurtado with five felony counts including four counts of grand theft and one count of conspiracy to cheat and defraud. Franz Hurtado is charged with one count of grand theft and one count of conspiracy to cheat and defraud. The complaint alleges that Ludwig and Franz conspired to cheat and defraud a San Jose widow out of the home that she had lived in with her husband for many years by arranging an estate sale based on a phony appraisal. At the time of this transaction Ludwig was the administrator of the estate of the widow’s late husband. Franz Hurtado is also charged with submitting a false loan application in order to fund the fraudulent purchase of the home. Ludwig, who was the administrator for another probate estate in San Jose, is also charged with misappropriating over $260,000 from this second estate and illegally using estate funds to purchase items for his own personal benefit including a $45,000 Hummer vehicle. If convicted, Ludwig Hurtado could face over twelve years in state prison and Franz Hurtado faces over four years in prison. It is believed that there may be other victims of this fraud. Anyone with information or questions is encouraged to call Santa Clara County D.A. Investigator Bev Bourbon at (408) 792-2850. ###
Stephen Gibbons, Assistant District Attorney CONTACT PERSON:
Dale B. Lohman, Deputy District Attorney
Major Fraud Unit
(408) 792-2599 For release on April 13, 2005 FATHER AND SON ARRESTED IN PROBATE FRAUD CASE Ludwig F. Hurtado, 28, of Hayward and his father, Franz V. Hurtado, 61, of San Jose, have been arrested on charges filed by the Santa Clara County Office of the District Attorney. The criminal complaint charges Ludwig Hurtado with five felony counts including four counts of grand theft and one count of conspiracy to cheat and defraud. Franz Hurtado is charged with one count of grand theft and one count of conspiracy to cheat and defraud. The complaint alleges that Ludwig and Franz conspired to cheat and defraud a San Jose widow out of the home that she had lived in with her husband for many years by arranging an estate sale based on a phony appraisal. At the time of this transaction Ludwig was the administrator of the estate of the widow’s late husband. Franz Hurtado is also charged with submitting a false loan application in order to fund the fraudulent purchase of the home. Ludwig, who was the administrator for another probate estate in San Jose, is also charged with misappropriating over $260,000 from this second estate and illegally using estate funds to purchase items for his own personal benefit including a $45,000 Hummer vehicle. If convicted, Ludwig Hurtado could face over twelve years in state prison and Franz Hurtado faces over four years in prison. It is believed that there may be other victims of this fraud. Anyone with information or questions is encouraged to call Santa Clara County D.A. Investigator Bev Bourbon at (408) 792-2850. ###