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Suspected scam artist arrested, more victims sought

by The AV Times Staff • April 16, 2015

Katherine Gonsalves (Booking photo courtesy LASD)
Katherine Gonsalves (Booking photo courtesy LASD)

LANCASTER – Authorities are searching for additional victims of a 62-year-old Lancaster woman suspected in a wide range of scams, including identity theft and fraudulent fundraising.

Katherine Gonsalves was arrested March 18 for “multiple charges of identity theft” and she is currently being held on federal probation violations, according to Lancaster Community Relations Deputy Miguel Ruiz.

“Detectives have an ongoing investigation and discovered this suspect had been using at least 74 different aliases when committing her crimes,” Ruiz stated. “It is believed suspect Gonsalves has victimized other people and organizations in the past.”

“She has been known to rent properties and activate utilities in different names. She has acted as a representative/owner of fictitious companies in an attempt to organize fraudulent fundraising events. She has also been accused of affiliating with well-known people in the entertainment industry and misrepresenting them,” Ruiz continued.

Detectives are asking for any victims to come forward. They can do so by contacting Detective Gore of the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station at 661-940-3851.

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Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

10 comments for "Suspected scam artist arrested, more victims sought"

  1. BIKER CORY says

    April 21, 2015 at 10:16 am

    ALL OF YOU ARE JUST MAD THAT YOU CANNOT GET BENEFITS AND ARE SLAVES OF YOUR BOSS PAYING U MINIMUM WAGE, WHY WORK WHEN U CAN GET MONEY TO STAY HOME SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING YOU PEOPLE CRITIZE US, WE NEED OBAMA TO RAISE THE WELFARE BENEFITS OF US

  2. lola says

    April 19, 2015 at 10:03 am

    there is a lot of people who screw the government and they are the ones doing all kinds of crimes not only in east Lancaster but everywere they need to get their buts off the couch and go look for a job and not wait for the government check lazy people always want the other hardworking people to pay for all there things all they want to do is make babies to get more money that’s what I call worthless people. (Welfare )

  3. dumbandblind says

    April 17, 2015 at 8:21 am

    There is no great genius without a mixture of madness.

  4. Bikerbob says

    April 17, 2015 at 7:45 am

    Uhh, half of the people in East Lancaster are scamming the Government and have been for years. It’s a way of life here and nobody seems to care or do anything about it.

    • Not my friend says

      April 17, 2015 at 11:13 am

      Not just East, Bikerbob.
      I’ve been seeing lots of young pregnant women with toddlers still in strollers. Do the stroller babies time out of welfare at 2 yrs old or something?

    • LAURA ROSS says

      April 17, 2015 at 12:25 pm

      BIKERBOB YOU MUST BE RELATED TO THIS SCUM LADY THATS WHY YOU ARE TRYING TO BLAME IT ON OTHER HONEST PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN EAST LANCASTER WHY DON YOU GO GET A JOB INSTEAD OF SCAMMING WELFARE YOU UNPRODUCTIVE PIECE OS SCUM BIKER

  5. Not my friend says

    April 16, 2015 at 8:47 pm

    Why do some people who commit fraud against County, State and Federal programs go unpunished, when people like this woman get prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law?

    • Tony says

      April 16, 2015 at 8:58 pm

      I agree, there is tons of people collecting all the benefits that the goverment offers when this people are ok to work but instead choose to do nothing but make line at the welfare office to collect the big check every month.
      and there are real people in need of this services but some times the goverment makes it so vomplicated for them to get them and the ones that commits fraud they get it so easy.
      it just dont make any sense!

    • wth says

      April 17, 2015 at 6:12 am

      I agree people get section 8 have their whole family living with them charging each workin person an exaggerated amount of rent and have a man that don’t kno her scam and that Idjit gives her full money for rent and bills cuz she is a single mother and no one ” helps her” then still own a business under someone else’s name of course still collect county funding….but people who really need it always get screwed

    • mark says

      April 17, 2015 at 11:25 am

      everyday average people commit fraud against the county, state, and federal government all the time. Every time somebody buys something on line, and doesn’t pay the sales tax. listing donations of things that were never donated to your tax deductions for tax breaks. Look at all the people putting their money over seas to avoid taxes. I’m only assuming you’re talking about government assists programs I’m sorry if you’re not. The truth is we hear about the fraud with these programs more, but there very little fraud with these programs.

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