California Woman Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud In Arizona

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A California woman has pleaded guilty to her role in a wire fraud scam involving real estate in Arizona.

The Office of the Arizona Attorney General said Wednesday that Alysia Franco entered a guilty plea to one count of attempted money laundering.

Prosecutors say Franco, who also goes by the name Martha Orozco, and her associates conned unsuspecting homebuyers.

Investigators say a Tucson resident wired more than $189,000 in closing funds as part of a real estate transaction in September 2015.

The victim later discovered the company that received the money was a front.

An ensuing FBI investigation led to the discovery of a second Tucson victim.

The attorney general's office has since returned the funds to the victims.

Franco faces up to nearly four years in prison.