A Santa Barbara County investment advisor pleaded guilty on Tuesday to stealing about $2.25 million from her elderly clients – some of whom were receiving end-of-life care.
The Department of Justice announced that Julie Anne Darrah, 52, of Santa Maria admitted to one count of wire fraud and will face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
According to the DOJ, Darrah stole her clients’ money from around November 2016 to July 2023 while running a locally-based investment advisory business called Vivid Financial Management Inc. (VFM).
In order to carry out her fraud scheme, the DOJ said Darrah would first gain her clients’ trust – oftentimes by convincing them she would take care of them in their older years like a daughter.
Darrah then used this trust to convince her clients to give her control of their assets.
Then, without the victims’ knowledge or consent – the DOJ said Darrah liquidated their security holdings and transferred the proceeds to accounts she controlled.
In addition, down the line, Darrah convinced her victims to sign documents that she then used to steal money from them.
These documents would make Darrah the trustee of the signees’ trusts, a signatory on their bank accounts, or the documents would give her power of attorney over their brokerage accounts and allow her – as their investment advisor – to transfer funds from their accounts to other bank accounts, including to her own accounts.
With the stolen funds, the DOJ said Darrah would buy properties for herself, pay other personal expenses, buy luxury vehicles and operate other business ventures.
“Some victims were left in desperate circumstances, without the money to pay for end-of-life care, when the fraud was discovered,” said the DOJ.
The DOJ noted that Darrah also convinced a company – referred to as “Business Victim 1” in the plea agreement – to acquire VFM.
Darrah gave Business Victim 1 false and misleading statements and concealed material facts, including her theft of individual client funds.
After the fraud was discovered, the DOJ said Business Victim 1 suffered about $5.4 million in losses.
“The defendant took advantage of her clients’ trust,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Many of them were elderly and she stole from them using their funds as her own. Our seniors should never have to question whether their money is safe.”
In December 2024, a judge found Darrah liable to pay $2,416,511, including interest.
Darrah is scheduled for sentencing on May 19 and is currently free on a $50,000 bond.
The DOJ added that if you or someone you know is 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
