Santa Maria investment advisor pleads guilty to defrauding elderly clients out of more than $2 million

Santa Maria investment advisor pleads guilty to defrauding elderly clients out of more than $2 million 
Office of Inspector General - Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Los Angeles, CA; 3/4/25
A Santa Barbara County investment advisor pleaded guilty today to stealing approximately $2.25 million from elderly clients of her investment advisory business – some of whom were receiving end-of-life care.  Julie Anne Darrah, 52, of Santa Maria, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. She remains free on $50,000 bond. ... During the scheme, Darrah stole approximately $2.25 million from her firm’s clients. She did so by obtaining control of her victims’ assets, and then – without the victims’ knowledge or consent – she liquidated their security holdings and transferred the proceeds to accounts she controlled.