Hernandezes Waive Right to Preliminary Hearing

Danny and Susie Hernandez, the high-society couple from Mission Viejo who were arrested and charged in connection with the disappearance of nearly $8 million from a precious-metals company in Santa Fe Springs, waived their right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday, the U.S. attorney’s office in Santa Ana said.

Federal prosecutors had until Friday to bring a case against the Hernandezes before a grand jury. With the preliminary hearing waived, the government now has until March 19 to secure an indictment against the Hernandezes. If an indictment is not handed down by that time, the complaint against the couple must be dropped.

The couple’s attorneys did not return calls for comment Wednesday, but defendants sometimes waive their rights to preliminary hearing in order to buy time to negotiate deals with prosecutors. Assistant U.S. Atty. Stephen Wolfe would not comment on the possibility of a plea bargain.

The couple’s arrest last month on charges of mail fraud, conspiracy, money laundering and illegal wire transfers shook the Orange County social set because the couple had donated generously to arts programs and charities.

Authorities have said that Danny Hernandez, 40, fabricated transfers of precious metals among customers of the company where he worked and deposited some payments for the phony transactions into bank accounts controlled by him and his wife. Following their arrest, Danny and Susie Hernandez each posted bail of $100,000.

They have steadfastly refused comment about the allegations.