Photo: Teresita Del Rosario
PITTSBURG — The owner of a real estate and financial services agency is currently facing charges for allegedly stealing money from her clients. The suspect is identified as 49-year-old Teresita Del Rosario of Pittsburg.
Del Rosario was arrested on warrants related to investment fraud involving several victims. However, authorities believe there may be additional victims who were cultivated as clients.
Del Rosario is owner of Best Haven Realty & Mortgage, located at the Atlantic Plaza Shopping Center on Harbor Street. It is through her Pittsburg-based agency that victims were allegedly duped.
Her agency offers tax preparation services, notary, and dubious financial services. Authorities searched the agency for evidence of crimes and arrested Del Rosario on April 17th.
In a prepared statement, Pittsburg police said. “Del Rosario used her authority and trust placed in her by customers to prey on unsuspecting victims.”
Multiple charges filed against Del Rosario include grand theft, theft by false pretenses, and elder abuse. Alleged victims include a 74-year-old person, and an elderly couple who have been clients for 17 years.
As is often the case, investors were told tales about offshore accounts and given promises too good to be true. In one instance, a victim handed over $12,000, expecting to receive back $24,000 in one week.
More scams remain under investigation. All involve obtaining money under false pretenses and promising high investment returns. Investigators estimate some victims lost in excess of $75,000.
Anyone who suspects they may have been a victim can contact Pittsburg police detective Jonathan Elmore at 925-252-4875.
