Woman’s Suit Says Mayor Swindled Her

A woman has sued Santa Ana Mayor Miguel A. Pulido, alleging that he swindled her out of $43,000 after promising a high rate of return by investing the money building homes.

Ana B. Rangel of Santa Ana says in the suit that she was first contacted by Pulido’s father and then met Pulido, who told her she should invest funds with him from a settlement she received after her husband died in a car crash.

According to the lawsuit filed in Superior Court this week, Pulido told Rangel that she would receive a higher rate of interest than if she deposited the money in a bank.

In an interview Friday, Pulido denied that he defrauded Rangel and said the lawsuit is more about a jilted woman’s scorn against his father, Miguel A. Pulido Sr. Rangel could not be reached for comment.

“This involves my father and [Rangel],” Pulido said, adding that the two were romantically involved but the relationship has ended. “I never had any agreement or contract with her,” Pulido said.

The lawsuit alleges that Rangel and Pulido had an oral contract under which Rangel would give him $43,000 to invest in building houses. A copy of a check made out to Miguel A. Pulido Jr. was included in the lawsuit.

Pulido agreed to give Rangel two checks a month for $344 each as interest payments, the suit says. After two years, he would repay her the $43,000.

A year later payments stopped. Pulido “refused to make any payments either interest or principal,” the suit said.

Pulido is accused of breach of contract, fraud and intentional infliction of emotional distress.