A realtor from the Virgin Islands, who fled prosecution of embezzlement charges, was located Thursday living in Fallbrook, after four years on the run.
Rosemary Sauter-Frett, 62, was arrested and taken into custody by FBI agents at her Fallbrook apartment Jan. 30 on suspicion of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, according to federal court documents.
Sauter-Frett fled the Virgin Islands in 2010 after thousands of dollars worth of checks related to her real estate business began to bounce.
According to the Virgin Island Daily News, the woman was " was a successful Realtor and had the largest realty office on St. Thomas by early 2010."
Court records filed by the federal government allege Sauter-Frett was trying to avoid prosecution for embezzling at least $122,900 from customers of her Remax Dreams Properties escrow account. She is currently in custody at the Metropolitan Correction Center, according to an online inmate search.
News reports in St. Thomas say Sauter-Frett left behind her husband and children after being accused of stealing more than $3 million of her clients' and fellow investors' money. She faces charges of embezzlement, grand larceny and obtaining money by false pretenses brought in 2010 by the District Attorney of the Virgin Islands Division of St. Thomas and St. John.
FBI Spokesman Darrell Foxworth said Sauter-Frett was taken into custody without incident with assistance from the San Diego Sheriff's Department. She will appear in court Thursday, Feb. 13.
