*

6.23.2008

financial adviser accused of stealing millions from seniors

Asian behaving badly... shady financial planner edition. Hitomi Tsuyuki, a financial planner from Coto de Caza, California, is accused of stealing more than $2.8 million from elderly people: Coto financial adviser arrested in thefts from seniors.

The Orange County District Attorney's office said that Tsuyuki faces more than 90 counts of grand theft, 78 counts of the use of untrue statements in the sale of a security, 29 counts of theft from an elder, and one count of the use of a scheme to defraud.

The guy's a crook! According to the DA, between Nov. 22, 1997, and Nov. 8, 2007, Tsuyuki stole more than $2.8 million from clients by convincing them to invest in bonds and instead spent the money for personal use. Many of the victims became associated with Tsuyuki while attending a church where Tsuyuki's father was a minister.

Worst of all, Tsuyuki was arrested last in Costa Mesa while attending his daughter's high school graduation ceremony. He's being held pending the posting $3 million bail—bail money he has to prove comes from a legitimate source.

Investigators said they began to review the case after receiving complaints from victims realized their investments were lost when they attempted to liquidate several years after making the original investment. To date, 35 victims have been identified by investigators. Most of them are Japanese American.

Anyone with additional information or believes they have been a victim is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Bob Helvin (714)347-8691. Deputy District Attorney Yvette Patko of the Major Fraud Unit is prosecuting this case.