Wasco Deputies arrest H&R Block embezzlement Suspect.

This is a news release of the Kern County Sheriff's Office.
Please do not contact the Sheriff's Communications Center.

Date:  Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Time:  8:10:45 AM

Deputies from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, Wasco Substation ended the investigation into the embezzlement at H&R Block today when Detectives arrested 50 year old Yolanda Rivera of Wasco.  Rivera was arrested as a result of a series of embezzlements that were reported to the Sheriff’s Office by H&R Block.  H&R Block initiated an investigation after discovering Rivera, then a employee in the Wasco office, was stealing customer information.  H&R Block cooperated with investigators and referred their customers to the Sheriff’s Office when evidence showed Rivera was committing the thefts.

The investigation showed that between 1 December, 2008 and 15 January 2009, Yolanda Rivera stole H&R Block customer’s information.  She then fraudulently entered the information into a computer data system used to take cash advances against the customer’s 2008 federal tax returns. Rivera cashed the advances at several local banks.  In all, 13 victims were identified in whose name Rivera took approximately $8200.00 in advances.   12 of the 13 victims are from Wasco.

Rivera was booked in the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, Central Receiving Facility on 13 counts each of Identity Theft, Altering/Editing/ Falsifying Computer Data, Embezzlement, Forgery, and Commercial Burglary.