Desert Hot Springs man accused of embezzling over $300,000 from Mojave Desert Land Trust
JOSHUA TREE, Calif. (KESQ) - A Desert Hot Springs man was arrested after being accused of embezzling over $300,000 from his former employer, the Mojave Desert Land Trust.
Ernesto Jose Frias Ybarra, 45, was arrested on Wednesday. He has been charged with 23 counts of Embezzlement with an enhancement for Aggravated White Collar Crime and 20 counts of Money Laundering.
Ybarra's arrest came after staff at the Mojave Desert Land Trust, a nonprofit that acquires and permanently protects ecologically significant land throughout the California desert, reported a suspected embezzlement of hundreds of thousands of dollars from their account via fraudulently written checks.
The case was assigned to the Morongo Basin Detectives' Bureau for further investigation. After extensive investigation, detectives discovered Frias Ybarra, a former employee of MDLT, embezzled over $300,000 over a period of several months by depositing MDLT checks into his own bank accounts at various banks, which he had opened under fictitious business names.
Frias Ybarra then made several transactions with the money, including written checks and online transfers to other accounts in attempt to conceal the source of the money and carry on the fraudulent activity.
The case was presented to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office, who filed felony charges and obtained an arrest warrant.
Frias Ybarra was located Wednesday in Desert Hot Springs. Detectives served a search warrant at his residence and reported finding additional evidence of the crime.
Frias Ybarra was booked at the Morongo Basin Jail and is being held in lieu of $750,000 bail.
Detectives believe there may be additional victims related to this investigation and are releasing Frias Ybarra's booking photograph.
If you have any information related to this investigation, you are asked to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Morongo Basin Station at (760) 366-4175. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may contact We-Tip at 1-888-78-CRIME.
