Orange County Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud
An Orange County man purporting to represent a charity called Aid for Humanity pleaded guilty in Santa Ana to defrauding an elderly Canadian man who donated $5 million, federal prosecutors said.
Thomas Baribeau of Coto de Caza pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to a single wire-fraud count in a deal to limit his prison sentence to three or four years, said Assistant U.S. Atty. Michael Wilner. Sentencing was scheduled for March 5.
Wilner said Baribeau used the “donation” from 87-year-old Theodore Rozsav of Calgary on a mobile home and other items.
Baribeau’s lawyer couldn’t be reached for comment.
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