​NEWS RELEASE

FROM:
Nick Muyo, Public Information Officer
(408) 792-2826   CONTACT PERSON:
Sgt. Ken Taylor, REACT Task Force
(650) 444-4703 or (408) 210-6386   For release on December 28, 2009     REACT TASK FORCE AGENTS MAKE ARREST IN MAJOR INTERNET FRAUD OPERATION   Agents from the Santa Clara County D.A.’s REACT Task Force arrested Pascal Christian Chaubard, a French national who was residing in San Francisco. In December 2008, REACT Agent Josh McFall received two fraud reports from the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. In these crime reports, two unrelated victims alleged that they had fallen victim to a Craigslist fraud perpetuated by Pascal Christian Chaubard. Chaubard had offered to sell both victims discounted airline tickets on the Internet site, Craigslist. He then met with them, took their money, and failed to provide the tickets.   Agent McFall discovered that Chaubard had been investigated by numerous police agencies around the country. In each instance, the case was closed without prosecution because of a problem with jurisdiction or because it appeared to be a civil matter. Agent McFall also determined that Chaubard was on active probation in San Mateo County for check fraud.   Agent McFall used several internet fraud websites to locate approximately 34 more victims and documented a total loss of over $22,000. Unfortunately, many more victims were unable to provide any documentation to support their losses due to the amount of time that had elapsed since the crimes occurred. Agent McFall described Chaubard as a serial scam artist who would not have been brought to justice if not for REACT’s ability to investigate cases that cross traditional jurisdictional boundaries, and its close working relationship with the District Attorney’s Office.   Currently, the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office has filed 35 counts of theft by false pretenses and 35 counts of grand theft against Chaubard.   ###