SALINAS — Monterey County District Attorney’s Office announced Oct. 18 that Karen Rodriguez, 38, and Elizabeth Vargas, 34, both current residents of Arizona, have been charged with embezzling more than $3 million from Taylor Farms.
Rodriguez and Vargas were employed in the Human Resources department of Automated Harvesting LLC, a subsidiary of Taylor Farms, between 2019 and 2023. During that time, they issued and cashed hundreds of fraudulent checks that were made out to former employees who had returned to Mexico and were no longer working for the company.
Vargas is charged with 15 counts of grand theft by embezzlement, and Rodriguez is charged with 14 counts of grand theft by embezzlement.
Salinas Police Department Detectives Byron Gansen and Pete Gomez began an investigation after Taylor Farms discovered the theft in 2023. The District Attorney’s Office then continued the investigation with assistance from District Attorney Investigator Rachel Maldonado and Forensic Auditor Sandra Kyzivat.
On Oct. 11, the District Attorney’s Office sought, and the Monterey Superior Court issued, arrest warrants for Vargas and Rodriguez. On Oct. 16, Rodriguez was arrested by the San Luis Police Department at the San Luis Port of Entry in Yuma, Ariz. On Oct. 17, Vargas was arrested by the San Luis Police Department during a traffic stop in Somerton, Ariz.
The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office will seek extradition to Monterey County. Their bail is set at $200,000 each.
Anyone who has information about Vargas or Rodriguez is encouraged to contact District Attorney Investigator Rachel Maldonado.
