Ventura woman pleads guilty to grand theft and 7 other felonies

A Ventura woman, Maria Victoria Santos, will plead guilty this week to grand theft and unlawful acts by a foreclosure consultant stemming from a real estate case.

Santos, 55, pleaded guilty to eight felony charges for her involvement in a foreclosure-rescue operation she ran out of an office in Oxnard.

She victimized predominantly Spanish-speaking residents by promising to save their homes from foreclosure and collecting thousands of dollars in upfront fees.

Under terms of her plea agreement, Santos will have to pay $76,000 in restitution to 15 victims. She paid $15,000 of it when she pleaded Tuesday. She is scheduled for sentencing on May 24.

If your or someone you know has been charged with grand theft and/or fraud in the Ventura County area, you need an experienced criminal defense lawyer.

Grand theft may be committed in a few different ways. If committed by way of fraud or misrepresentation, a defendant may face fraud or embezzlement charges. A standard grand theft conviction may result in up to 2-3 years in state prison.

Contact Ventura County Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend for a lawyer who understands how serious grand theft charges can be. He has been helping clients since 1984 and will provide an aggressive defense on your behalf.