Taxpayers flood Napa Co. Tax Collector's Office after payments vanish in check fraud scheme

NAPA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- 7 On Your Side is continuing to follow a growing crisis at the Napa County Tax Collector's Office, where property tax checks mailed to the office are being stolen. Many of the stolen checks are being altered and cashed through a type of fraud known as check washing. It is a story we first reported last week, and on Monday, even more victims came forward after receiving delinquent notices saying their tax payments were never received.

A steady crowd filled the Napa County Tax Collector's Office on Monday morning, including residents George Turnbull and Victoria Jacileo.

"I got a letter saying Napa County did not receive my tax payment. They said there's a theft problem, checks are being grabbed," Turnbull said.

"Our lobby has been full all day," said Tax Collector Bob Minahen.

Minahen said he believes most of the people showing up did make their property tax payments on time by mail, but his office never received them.

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"Most people are coming in here because their checks have been 'lost in the mail.' The number of them is staggering," he said.

According to Minahen, more than 150 taxpayers have now reported their property tax checks missing or stolen. At least 60 of those checks have been altered and cashed by criminals across the country in a check-washing scheme. Homeowners - and even Napa Valley vineyards - have been victimized.

"We now have Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina. This network isn't just the Bay Area. It has tentacles throughout the nation," Minahen said.

How the thefts are happening, and who is responsible, remains unclear.

"The first point in time when all these checks are in one place is the Oakland mail processing center," Minahen said.

The FBI has joined the Napa County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Postal Inspectors in the investigation.

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"Unfortunately, there are multiple avenues to steal mail. The network is complicated. We know they're being done by criminal organizations that recruit desperate people to go and steal mail," said U.S. Postal Inspector Matthew Norfleet.

Frustrated taxpayers say they want answers.

"This case is a massive screw-up by the U.S. Postal Service. Normally, they are very good," said taxpayer Nicholas Weaver.

The Tax Collector's Office is waiving all late fees for victims of the thefts and is urging anyone who paid by mail to check their accounts.

"Sixty-five percent of our taxes in Napa County go to our schools," Minahen said.

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He said county finances likely will not be affected, but finding and stopping the fraudsters remains the top priority.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service hotline at 877-876-2455.