Santa Cruz County leaders join investigation into $4 million allegedly missing from county funds | Local

SONOITA, Ariz. (KVOA) – The $4 million reportedly missing from Santa Cruz County funds is sparking concern among those who are now learning they may have been hit.

Last April, the FBI began its investigation into current Santa Cruz County Treasurer Elizabeth Gutfahr.

This comes after the bank reported suspicious transactions under its name.

There are still many unknowns, but as the investigation continues, community leaders are learning more and are now being asked to help.

“This shouldn't have happened. I mean, it's really concerning. We're all public servants and the public trusts us,” said Sonoita-Elgin Fire Chief Marc Meredith.

Sonoita-Elgin's fire chief now faces reality: The $4 million in allegedly missing county money could have starved his district of funds.

“As a small, rural organization, we could always benefit from more funding than we actually have,” Chief Meredith said.

Now, she and others around the county are being asked to assist in the investigation of former Santa Cruz County Treasurer Elizabeth Gutfahr.

“We were asked to go back 10 years to look at our finances to see if we noticed any irregularities,” Chief Meredith said. “But the county both tells us the amount we're supposed to get and sends us the amount we're supposed to have, so as long as those two things line up, it's going to be difficult for us to understand what might have happened on the land on the county side.

Santa Cruz County Supervisor Manuel Ruiz said that until the FBI completes its investigation, “what is missing or not missing at this point, we don't know,” said Supervisor Manuel Ruiz of Santa Cruz County. “What funds were affected? Was it school district funds? Was it fire district funds? Was it community college?

Fire Chief Meredith doesn't believe this will impact future funding, but uncertainty about the past still raises concerns.

“Most of our funding to create a fire district comes from residents and people who own businesses in our district and the money goes from them to the county and then to us. So if something goes missing along the way, it affects our ability to serve our community,” said Chief Meredith.

Our News 4 Tucson chief investigative reporter called Gutfahr, but after he introduced himself, she hung up.