Santiago Garcia Gutierrez, a man from Salt Lake City, has confessed to carrying out a series of elaborate fraud schemes that cost victims millions of dollars. Over several years, Garcia used false promises and deceit to scam people out of large sums of money. His crimes took place between 2018 and 2024 and involved pretending to be a federal agent, impersonating a lawyer, and making up fake opportunities to steal from his victims.
Between 2018 and 2020, Garcia convinced one victim to hand over more than $2.8 million. He falsely claimed that he could buy exotic cars, private planes, and luxury boats at discounted prices, saying these items had been seized by the U.S. government. Garcia used multiple phone numbers to contact the victim, impersonating a federal agent, a government informant, or even his own lawyer to gain trust. However, the luxury items Garcia promised never existed, and the victim’s money was never used for any purchases.
In addition to this scam, he also defrauded eight other victims across the United States from 2019 to 2024. This time, he tricked people into investing in federal oil wells, offering them the opportunity to make huge profits. However, no one received any returns on their investments, as Garcia used the money for his own personal gain. These frauds amounted to over $775,000 in stolen funds. To make his lies appear more legitimate, Garcia impersonated his lawyer in an attempt to make the deals seem trustworthy.
Violations Go Beyond Fraud
Garcia’s fraudulent actions were not limited to scams involving stolen money. He also violated legal regulations related to oil production. Garcia owned federal oil wells and was legally required to pay royalties to the government for the oil that was extracted and sold. Despite this, Garcia knowingly avoided paying the required royalties, further adding to the severity of his crimes.
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In total, Garcia admitted to a number of serious offenses, including wire fraud, impersonating a federal officer, aggravated identity theft, and making false statements. These crimes carry severe penalties. For wire fraud, he could face up to 20 years in prison for each offense. Impersonating a federal officer could result in up to three years for each count, while making false statements can lead to up to five years in prison per count. Furthermore, aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison.
Legal Action and Ongoing Investigation
Santiago Garcia Gutierrez is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19, 2025. The sentence could involve decades of prison time, along with the possibility of restitution to victims and monetary penalties. The final sentencing will be determined by a federal judge, who will take into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors.
The case against Garcia was announced by the Justice Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, and the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) division. Several federal agencies, including the IRS, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General, and the Environmental Protection Agency, have all been involved in the investigation.
This case serves as a reminder of the importance of checking the legitimacy of offers before giving away large sums of money. Santiago Garcia Gutierrez’s actions have left victims with devastating financial losses. His guilty plea marks an important step toward justice for those who were deceived by his elaborate fraud schemes.
