TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) – The Pima County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD) Fraud Unit has returned $90,000 to a fraud victim in California after a thorough investigation.

The case originated on September 11, 2025, when a local credit union alerted the PCSD about suspicious activity involving an 80-year-old Pima County resident.

The woman had deposited a $90,000 check into her account from a sender she did not know.

Detectives discovered the check was sent by a 92-year-old man from San Jose, California.

He was a victim of a lottery scam, believing he had won $8 million and needed to send the check as a tax pre-payment.

The PCSD Fraud Unit worked diligently to ensure the entire $90,000 was recovered and returned to the rightful owner.