A Salinas woman will spend more than three years in jail for defrauding at least five people out of more than $1 million through a mortgage scam and a fake informal savings club.
Monterey Superior Court Judge Jennifer O'Keefe sentenced Esmeralda Hernandez Pulido, 36, to three years and four months in jail on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, after Hernandez Pulido pleaded guilty to four counts of felony theft, the Monterey County District Attorney's Office announced. The charges included mortgage fraud and theft by false pretenses.
District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni's office said Hernandez Pulido told victims she needed cash for a down payment on a house and promised each one first position on the deed. In reality, she collected far more than the home's value and never delivered the promised returns, according to prosecutors.
She lied to each victim about how much she was borrowing and how secure their loans were, the DA's office said.
Beyond the mortgage scheme, Hernandez Pulido stole from tenants, friends and acquaintances by pretending to run a tanda. A tanda is an informal savings club common in Latino communities where participants pool money on a regular schedule and take turns receiving the full pot. The arrangement depends entirely on mutual trust. Instead of making the expected payouts, Hernandez Pulido pocketed the contributions and lied when victims asked for their money, prosecutors said.
The total estimated loss across all victims exceeds $1 million.
Victims addressed the court at the sentencing hearing, describing how the crimes damaged their financial security.
The DA's office credited Investigator Justin Bell with building the case, saying the prosecution would not have been possible without his investigation. Pacioni's office said it would continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute real estate fraud and other financial crimes in Monterey County.
A restitution hearing to determine the full amount owed to victims has not yet been scheduled.
Monterey County residents who believe they have been victims of real estate fraud can contact the DA's Real Estate Fraud Unit by emailing [email protected], calling (831) 647-7770 or mailing a complaint to 1200 Aguajito Road, Suite 301, Monterey, CA 93940.
