An apparent alleged grifter from San Luis Obispo has been arrested and her web of deceit unraveled after police said she allegedly bilked an Alzheimer’s patient of money and commandeered his car.
According to SLOPD Sgt. Chad Pfarr, the department got a call from the out-of-state family of a local man, who had recently been moved to a nursing home out of the state, “to be closer to family after an Alzheimer diagnosis and deteriorating health,” Sgt. Pfarr said in a news release. “The family contacted law enforcement after they began seeing amounts of money being withdrawn from the victim’s accounts, which were not authorized. The family also reported the victim’s car had been taken and the current location of the vehicle was unknown.”
The family reportedly told police they suspected someone they knew as “Sapphire Grace,” to be the culprit.
“An investigation lasting 2 months identified the true identity of ‘Sapphire Grace’ as ‘Candice Kato,’” Sgt. Pfarr said. He added that suspect Kato “has been using the alias of Sapphire Grace for the past 20 years.”
The alleged theft was steep. “Our investigation led to the discovery of approximately $100,000 in fraudulently obtained money from the victim’s accounts,” Sgt. Pfarr said.
They conducted a sting operation to identify and catch her, “as she was attempting to cash a forged check belonging to the victim,” Sgt. Pfarr said. “The operation also led to the recovery of the victim’s stolen vehicle, which was being driven by Kato.”
Kato was arrested and charged with suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle, trying to pass forged checks, burglary and “being in possession of a fraudulent California driver’s license in the name of Sapphire Grace.”
Additional charges of elder financial abuse are being sought, he added. Kato’s bail was set at $250,000 cash or bond, no checks accepted.
Police suspect Kato or Grace has been up to this for some time. “The Police Department believes this is not the first time Kato has victimized elderly acquaintances,” Sgt. Pfarr said. “Investigators are actively looking for others who may have been victimized by Kato and we believe her victims are probably not aware she has victimized them.”
If readers have information about this crime, or suspect someone they know to have fallen prey to Kato-Grace, call SLOPD and speak with Det. Mike L’Heureux at (805) 594-8038 or Crime Stoppers at (805) 549-STOP.
