![\"Arrests](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/kswb_articles_601\/3e6e58761ba9bd14bc87a3ee41ed83e9.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Arrests made in massive Southern California fraud case<\/p>\n
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5\/KUSI) \u2014 A North County fraud investigation has expanded to potentially more than 100 victims after sheriff’s investigators arrested a man and a woman and seized boxes of evidence, including drugs, passports, stolen credit cards and forged documents.<\/p>\n
Investigators arrested 44-year-old Katie Ann Rhew and 46-year-old Michael Sundstrom on Thursday after serving search warrants at Rhew’s home in Temecula and Sundstrom’s home in San Marcos, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.<\/p>\n
Detectives say the investigation is focused on fraud, forgery and burglary.<\/p>\n
Investigators say a surveillance camera captured Rhew during a 2024 burglary at a home in San Marcos. In that case, she was arrested two blocks from her Temecula home, where detectives said they found stolen designer bags worth about $5,000.<\/p>\n
Investigators also said they found two packages inside a white Chevrolet Suburban that had been stolen from homes in Deluz.<\/p>\n
Sheriff’s detectives returned to Rhew’s Temecula home Thursday as part of the larger investigation.<\/p>\n
“Mail, credit cards, personal identifying information stolen from either a mailbox or it could have been someone’s vehicle,” Detective Brian Bentley said, describing the types of property investigators believe may have been stolen.<\/p>\n
After searching the homes of Rhew and Sundstrom, investigators said they found boxes of evidence connected to identity theft, including forged documents, stolen credit cards and passports.<\/p>\n
Bentley said investigators believe there could be dozens of victims throughout Southern California and Arizona.<\/p>\n
“We are in the process of going through all of that evidence and trying to contact as many of these people as possible, so I don’t have an exact number yet,” Bentley said. “But I can say we seized a lot of evidence yesterday. There was well over 100 different individuals’ personal identifying information.”<\/p>\n
Before their latest arrests, both Rhew and Sundstrom had been released on bail in connection with a February 2025 case in Escondido, according to court records.<\/p>\n
In that case, they face more than 40 misdemeanor and felony charges related to alleged drug possession and the theft of firearms.<\/p>\n
As the investigation continues, Bentley urged people to closely monitor their financial accounts and personal information to help prevent becoming victims of financial crimes.<\/p>\n
“You really have to be on top of monitoring your online financial presence,” Bentley said. “One of the ways I tell people quite often is managing and monitoring your own bank accounts. It has to be a regular kind of a thing.”<\/p>\n
Bail was set at about $600,000 for each suspect. They are scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.<\/p>\n