Fillmore resident sentence to one year in jail for defrauding Covid-19 relief programs
Also announced March 4, Fillmore resident Claudia Portugal Cornejo was sentenced to twelve months in jail for defrauding Covid-19 relief programs and stealing more than $101,000 from the County of Ventura, the State of California, and individual victims.
Cornejo, 52, pleaded guilty to five felonies on Oct. 21.
These included two counts of grand theft, presentation of a fraudulent claim, false personation, and conspiracy to commit a crime.
“The defendant stole tens of thousands of dollars from taxpayers and hardworking individuals, lining her own pockets at the expense of those in real need,” Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said.
“Through the hard work and investigative eye of the Sheriff’s Office and County CEO’s Office, her schemes were exposed and brought to the attention of our prosecutors.”
Cornejo stole $70,000 and $25,000 from the County of Ventura and the State of California, respectively, according to court documents.
In June 2020, the County of Ventura launched the Business Assistance Grant Program to support local businesses impacted by the pandemic.
Similarly, the California Relief Grant Program was a Covid-19 program funded by the state.
Cornejo allegedly orchestrated a scheme to submit fraudulent applications, according to court documents.
The fraud was discovered in October 2021, when the County of Ventura’s Executive Office identified suspicious documents in BAG Program applications, including forged business certificates and doctored tax forms, according to court documents.
An investigation was then headed up by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit which found that Cornejo submitted multiple fraudulent applications, often charging victims to submit the paperwork, and taking a portion of approved grants.
She carried out the scheme from her business, Fillmore General Services, according to court documents.
The County also determined that outside of the frauds perpetrated by Cornejo, the fraud was not widespread.
In addition to the twelve-month jail sentence, Cornejo was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $92,659 to the County of Ventura for loss to the County and the costs associated with investigating the fraud.
She was also ordered to pay $25,000 to the State of California and $6,800 to two individual victims.
Those victims paid Cornejo to submit grants on their behalf but did not know Cornejo was engaged in fraud, according to court documents.
Cornejo kept the money and did not submit the promised grant applications, according to court documents.
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