Klamath County deputies and federal agents simultaneously served warrants at six sites Thursday morning, as part of a massive operation targeting a local fraud ring. By afternoon, at least 30 suspects were in custody and two businesses were shut down.
At least 32 more suspects were being sought Thursday night, with arrest warrants issued throughout the day. The three suspects allegedly in charge of the fraud ring were arrested Thursday.
kAmz=2>2E9 r@F?EJ $96C:77 uC2?< $<C29 D2:5 9:D 56AFE:6D[ 2AAC@I:>2E6=J a_ 7656C2= 286?ED 2?5 A@=:46 @77:46CD 7C@> ?62C3J 4@F?E:6D DE2CE65 D6CG:?8 H2CC2?ED %9FCD52J 27E6C 2 =@?8\CF??:?8 :?G6DE:82E:@?]k^Am
kAm“%9:D :D E96 4F=>:?2E:@? @7 H6== @G6C 2 J62C’D H@CE9 @7 :?G6DE:82E:@?[” $<C29 D2:5 5FC:?8 2 AC6DD 4@?76C6?46] “%9:D :D ?@E 2 =@42= @C 2 DE2E6 G6?EFC6[ E9:D :D 52C? ?62C ?2E:@?2=]”k^Am
kAm%6C>65 ~A6C2E:@? v@=5 r2C5[ E96 :?G6DE:82E:@? DE2CE65 =2DE J62C 5FC:?8 E96 6G6?ED @7 2?@E96C =2C86[ :?E6C\286?4J G6?EFC6[ ~A6C2E:@? %C@;2? w@CD6]k^Am
kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ zr$~ 56E64E:G6 tC:4 $96A96C5[ @?6 @7 E96 :?:E:2= DFDA64ED :? E92E @A6C2E:@? H2D 23=6 E@ A@:?E 9:> E@H2C5 2 z=2>2E9 u2==D >62E >2C<6E H96C6 A6@A=6 H6C6 EC25:?8 E96:C ~C68@? %C2:= r2C5 36?67:ED 7@C 42D9[ 5CF8D 2?5 @E96C 8@@5D]k^Am
kAm%C@;2? w@CD6 D2H 23@FE d_ DFDA64ED :?G@=G65 :? >6E92>A96E2>:?6 5:DEC:3FE:@? 2CC6DE65 E9C@F89@FE E96 4@F?EJ =2DE DAC:?8]k^Am
kAm$96A96C5 D2:5 E96 >62E >2C<6E[ r2C?:46C:2 |: !F63=@[ 2E bbb t] |2:? $E] — =@42E65 24C@DD E96 DEC66E 7C@> |:==D t=6>6?E2CJ $49@@= — 3642>6 E96 7@4FD @7 E96 :?G6DE:82E:@?] w6 4@?E24E65 E96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 p8C:4F=EFC6[ ~77:46 @7 E96 x?DA64E@C v6?6C2= W&$sp ~xvX[ E@ 96=A AFCDF6 F?56C4@G6C H@C< 2E E96 >2C<6E]k^Am
kAm&?56C4@G6C A@=:46 @77:46CD H6C6 23=6 E@ FD6 ~C68@? %C2:= r2C5D DA64:2==J >256 3J E96 &$sp E@ 3FJ D6G6C2= :E6>D[ :?4=F5:?8 >6E92>A96E2>:?6] %96 :?G6DE:82E:@? 3682? E@ >2<6 9625H2J 3J }@G6>36C[ $96A96C5 4@?7:C>65]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8md_ 46?ED @? E96 5@==2Ck^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm%96 7C2F5[ 2==6865=J A6CA6EF2E65 2E r2C?:46C:2 |: !F63=@[ H@C<65 @? 2? 6I492?86 @7 DE2E6 36?67:ED 7@C 42D9]k^Am
kAm$96A96C5 6IA=2:?65 5FC:?8 E96 AC6DD 4@?76C6?46 E92E C64:A:6?ED @7 DE2E6 36?67:ED G:2 2? ~C68@? %C2:= r2C5 H@F=5 8@ :?E@ E96 >2C<6E 2?5 DA6?5 E96:C 7F== 32=2?46 @? ?@E9:?8[ :? 6I492?86 7@C 42D9]k^Am
kAm“*@F 8@ :?E@ E96 |: !F63=@ >2C<6E 5@H? E96C6] *@F DH:A6 J@FC 42C5[ E96J DH:A6 7@C Sa__[ E96J 8:G6 J@F S`__ 324<[ D@ E96J :?DE2?E=J 5@F3=6 E96:C >@?6J] $@ E96J 86E E96 7F== Sa__ 56A@D:E65 :?E@ E96:C 244@F?E 6=64EC@?:42==J]”k^Am
kAm%96 >62E >2C<6E H2D 6DE:>2E65 E@ 36 E2<:?8 :? 2?JH96C6 7C@> S`a[___ E@ Sa_[___ 2 >@?E9[ 244@C5:?8 E@ $96A96C5]k^Am
kAmp?@E96C 3FD:?6DD[ E96 %2BF6C:2 |: !F63=@ 2E ~C68@? pG6?F6 2?5 q:69? $EC66E[ H2D 7@F?5 E@ 36 2==6865=J :?G@=G65] $96A96C5 D2:5 E96 AC@4665D 7C@> E96 >62E >2C<6E D42> H6C6 FD65 E@ 3FJ 7@@5 7@C E96 E24@ DE2?5[ H9:49 @A6C2E65 2D 2 42D9\@?=J 3FD:?6DD]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m}@ A2A6C EC2:=k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm$96C:77 $<C29 ?@E65 E96 DE2?5 4@F=5 92G6 366? FD65 E@ =2F?56C >@?6J H:E9@FE =62G:?8 2 A2A6C EC2:=]k^Am
kAm}@ 72<6 ~C68@? %C2:= r2C5D H6C6 2AA2C6?E=J FD65 5FC:?8 E96 A2DE E9C66 J62CD E96 D42> H2D 2==6865=J FA 2?5 CF??:?8]k^Am
kAm“xE H2D 2== =68:E:>2E6 42C59@=56CD[ 7F?565 3J =68:E:>2E6 E2IA2J6CD[” $96A96C5 D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 ~C68@? %C2:= r2C5 FD6CD H6C6 2==6865=J EC25:?8 :? E96:C 36?67:ED D@ E96J 4@F=5 3FJ 2?J :E6>D E96J H2?E65[ 244@C5:?8 E@ &$sp ~xv $A64:2= p86?E y@9? $96C>2?] w6 D2:5 D@>6 @7 E96 36?67:ED AFE :? E96 42C5D H6C6 6BF:G2=6?E E@ 7@@5 DE2>AD[ D@ E96J 4@F=5 92G6 366? FD65 @?=J @? 7@@5 :E6>D]k^Am
kAm“!6@A=6 2C6 @?=J 2==@H65 E@ 3FJ 7@@5 :E6>D[” $96C>2? D2:5] “%96 &$sp ~xv 5@6D E2<6 E92E G6CJ D6C:@FD=J]”k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m!C:>2CJ DFDA64EDk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm%96 @H?6CD @7 E96 >2C<6E 2?5 E24@ DE2?5 H6C6 :56?E:7:65 2D $6G6C@ %@C@\r2DE6==@?[ da[ 2?5 #2726= ~CE682\'2C82D[ cd] q@E9 H6C6 3@@<65 :?E@ E96 z=2>2E9 r@F?EJ y2:= @? `_ 4@F?ED @7 7:CDE\568C66 288C2G2E65 E967E[ 4C:>:?2= 4@?DA:C24J 2?5 @E96C 492C86D] q@E9 H6C6 96=5 @? :?:E:2= 32:= 3@?5 2>@F?ED @7 S`f_[___]k^Am
kAm%96 E9:C5 AC:>2CJ DFDA64E H2D :56?E:7:65 2D y@D6 |@C6?2 w6C?2?56K[ bb[ 2=D@ :? 4FDE@5J]k^Am
kAm“(6’C6 ECJ:?8 E@ D6?5 2 4=62C >6DD286i s@ ?@E 3C:?8 J@FC 4C:>:?2= 24E:G:EJ 2?5 5@ ?@E 3C:?8 J@FC 5@A6 E@ z=2>2E9 r@F?EJ] (6 H:== E9C@H J@FC 2DD :? ;2:=] !6C:@5[” $<C29 564=2C65]k^Am
kAm“%96D6 5@==2CD H6C6 56D:8?65 7@C 7@=<D :? ?665[ E96J H6C6 ?@E >62?E E@ 96=A 5CF8 42CE6=D @C 96=A :?5:G:5F2=D >2<6 2 AC@7:E @C =:?6 E96:C A@4<6ED] %96D6 A6@A=6 2C6 A2C2D:E6D E2<:?8 25G2?E286 @7 E9@D6 7@=<D E92E 2C6 :? ?665] $92>6 @? E96>[” 96 25565]k^Am
kAm%96 $96C:77’D ~77:46 H@F=5 ?@E 4@?7:C> 5:C64E 42CE6= 4@??64E:@?D E@ E96 >62E >2C<6E D42>] r@??64E:@?D @FED:56 @7 z=2>2E9 u2==D 2?5 z=2>2E9 r@F?EJ H6C6 9:?E65 2E[ 3FE ?@E 5:C64E=J 4@?7:C>65] $<C29 ?@E65 E96 :?G6DE:82E:@? :D @?8@:?8]k^Am
kAm“(6’C6 ?@E ;FDE 8@:?8 E@ @A6? 2 5@@C[ 8C23 E96D6 A6@A=6 2?5 4=@D6 E96 5@@C] }@[ H6’C6 8@:?8 E@ 4@?E:?F6 E@ =@@<]”k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m&A4@>:?8 AC@D64FE:@?k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmz=2>2E9 r@F?EJ s:DEC:4E pEE@C?6J #@3 !2EC:586[ H9@ H2D AC6D6?E 2E E96 AC6DD 4@?76C6?46[ D2:5 9:D DE277 :D 8@:?8 E@ 92G6 E@ 4@?5F4E >@C6 E92? e_ :?E6CG:6HD E@ 56E6C>:?6 E96 492C86D E96J H2?E E@ AFCDF6 282:?DE E96 G2C:@FD DFDA64ED]k^Am
kAm“(6 92G6 E@ 92G6 2 32=2?46[ 2?5 H6 H2?E E@ 36 4@>A2DD:@?2E6 H:E9 H92E H6’C6 5@:?8[ 3FE H6 H2?E E@ DE@A H92E’D 8@:?8 @? 96C6[ 2?5 E92E’D H92E’D 4C:E:42=] (6 ?665 E@ D6?5 2 >6DD286 E@ E96 4@>>F?:EJ E92E E9:D 92D 8@E E@ DE@A]”k^Am
kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ !2EC:586[ 7656C2= 2DD:DE2?46 D9@F=5 36 AC6D6?E E9C@F89@FE 7@C76:EFC6 AC@4665:?8D @? E96 t2DE |2:? $EC66E >2C<6E]k^Am
kAm“(6 92G6 DF3DE2?E:2= DFAA@CE @7 E96 &]$] pEE@C?6J’D ~77:46 E@ 5@ E96 D6:KFC6 @7 E96 3F:=5:?8[ @7 E96 >62E >2C<6E[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 DFDA64ED H9@ 2C6 4FCC6?E=J :? 4FDE@5J 2?5 H9@ 5@ ?@E >2<6 32:= 3J uC:52J D9@F=5 92G6 E96:C :?:E:2= 4@FCE 2AA62C2?46 2E `ib_ A]>] !2EC:586 D2:5 96 6IA64ED E@ E2<6 >2?J @7 E96 42D6D E@ 2 8C2?5 ;FCJ @? |@?52J[ 2?5 E9@D6 DFDA64ED @FE @7 4FDE@5J D9@F=5 92G6 E96:C 7:CDE 4@FCE 52E6D uC:52J[ |2J `e 2E `ib_ A]>]k^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ>2:=E@iE9:68=6Co96C2=52?5?6HD]4@>QmE9:68=6Co96C2=52?5?6HD]4@>k^2mj ow:68=6Cw}k^Am
kAmk6>mwU2>Aj} C6A@CE6C s2G6 |2CE:?6K 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ E9:D C6A@CE]k^6>mk^Am