IRVINE, Calif. – Two suspects, Christian Margel, 22, of Anaheim, and Teresa Margel, 20, of Fullerton, were arrested on grand theft charges following a police pursuit in Irvine.
The Irvine Police Department said authorities had been investigating a “complex transnational fraud scheme” where criminals steal Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) funds soon after they are deposited into victims’ accounts. On Dec. 2, detectives were checking local banks when they noticed “suspicious subjects possibly involved in fraudulent activity” at a bank near Culver and Irvine Center Drives.
When officers attempted to pull the suspects over, they fled the scene, sparking a chase. After a short pursuit, the suspects stopped their car near Culver Drive and Irvine Boulevard, where Teresa Margel was immediately detained. Christian Margel jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot, but officers soon located him hiding inside a nearby dumpster.
Both suspects were arrested and booked at the Orange County Jail on charges of grand theft, felony evasion, and resisting arrest. While detectives have not confirmed whether the pair is connected to the larger transnational fraud ring, the investigation remains ongoing.