An Escondido man is accused of setting up a bogus fundraising campaign to solicit money for the family of slain Officer Laura Perez.
Sami Ahmed Saeed, 25, was arrested and faces 62 charges, including attempted grand theft.
Police said they received a report of a fundraising website that appeared bogus and purported to be raising money for Perez’s family, specifically her 4-year-old daughter.
Perez, a 25-year-old rookie Escondido police officer, was found dead after a house fire July 23 and her husband is charged with her murder.
Police said fortunately, no one had donated to the fundraiser and Saeed was pinpointed as the suspect and arrested.
He also was a suspect in several fake fundraisers for a young cancer victim.
Serving a search warrant, police said they found numerous items of evidence related to the scams, as well as possession of stolen credit cards. They also found items commonly used to manufacture credit cards and I.D. cards.
He faces multiple charges of fraudulent solicitations for charitable contributions, unauthorized use of personal information to obtain goods or services, commission of a felony while out on bail, attempted grand theft and possession of stolen property.
Saeed is being held on $200,000 bail.
