• Support
  • Advertise
  • Locations
  • Contact
Friday, March 24, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTERS
San Clemente Times
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Best of San Clemente
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Go See Do
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Money Matters
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
    • Triton Football Preview
  • SC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Best of San Clemente
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Go See Do
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Money Matters
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
    • Triton Football Preview
  • SC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
No Result
View All Result
San Clemente Times
No Result
View All Result

Woman Suspected of Holy Fire, Pregnancy Scam on Social Media Pleads ‘Not Guilty’ to All Charges

Staff by Staff
January 29, 2019 5:04AM
in EYE ON SC, News Headlines
Woman Suspected of Holy Fire, Pregnancy Scam on Social Media Pleads ‘Not Guilty’ to All Charges

Ashley Bemis

0
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Article updated at 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 29; original article published Dec. 18, 2018

By Eric Heinz

The woman accused of orchestrating several social media scams and defrauding victims in San Clemente has pleaded not guilty to one felony count of grand theft, several charges of dissuading a witness from testifying and more than a dozen misdemeanors of fraud of less than $400. her next court appearance, a pre-trial hearing, is scheduled for Feb. 1 in Orange County Superior Court.

Ashley Bemis, 28, of San Juan Capistrano was arrested Tuesday, Dec. 18 by Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) on suspicion of “multiple felonies” related to social media scams she’s accused of orchestrating.

Bemis is accused of starting a social media campaign earlier this year when the Holy Jim fire was burning 23,000 acres between Riverside and Orange counties. She claimed her husband (who doesn’t exist) was part of the teams fighting the fire and she asked for donations on his and the firefighters’ behalf.

According to a press release from OCSD, firefighters from the area became suspicious when the name Bemis used in her social media posts didn’t come up in local fire department rosters. Eventually, sheriff’s deputies looked into the matter.

Peters told the San Clemente Times in September that Bemis was using multiple locations including storage facilities and office spaces to have the donations delivered, making it seem like a sophisticated scheme. Bemis is suspected of soliciting cash donations as well as goods totaling about $11,000.

Ashley Bemis
Ashley Bemis

This may not be the only time Bemis has scammed people online. It was reported by some of the victims that she ran a similar scam in 2011, stating she was pregnant and that her husband had died and that she was in need of assistance.

Bemis revealed on the television show Dr. Phil in November that she custom built her own suit of some sorts to make it look as though she was pregnant through photos on social media. People donated to her baby shower and donated items to her, just like the scam she’s accused of this year. Bemis was later confronted by her victims on the Nov. 1 episode, and she admitted to just about everything of which she’d been accused.

Bemis was booked on $50,000 bail and was reportedly still in custody as of Tuesday after 5 p.m. Her first court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 19, according to the “Who’s In Jail” page by OCSD.

Editor’s note: OCSD officials said Bemis is a resident of San Juan Capistrano, although it had been originally reported she was from San Clemente. Many of the alleged victims are San Clemente residents and San Clemente Police Services investigated the case

Video of Ashley Bemis being taken into custody at San Clemente Police Services 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Tags: ArrestAshley BemisCourtFelonyFraudOrange CountySan ClementeSocial Media
ShareTweetPin
Staff

Staff

Related Posts

Local Film Festival Organizer Honored for Pursuits in Storytelling

Local Film Festival Organizer Honored for Pursuits in Storytelling

March 23, 2023

Obituary: Anthony “Tony” Cappa

March 23, 2023
Student Mask Requirements Dominate Discussions at Tense CUSD Meeting

UPDATE: Council Approves Contract for New Legal Services Provider

March 23, 2023
San Clemente Boys Soccer Continues Championship Legacy, Shuts Out Long Beach Poly in Division 2 Final

Triton Report: Seven SCHS Athletes Named to All-CIF-SS Winter Teams; Girls Lacrosse Turns Up Heat in 3-Game Streak

March 23, 2023
Next Post
In God’s Hands: Local Sand Sculptor Calls for Prayer over State Of The Country

In God's Hands: Local Sand Sculptor Calls for Prayer over State Of The Country

Discussion about this post

No Result
View All Result

SC Times Daily
Get important news and updates delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

Subscriptions
Don’t get the SC Times delivered to your home? Subscribe today.

Advertising
Get new customers and drive traffic to your business. Advertise with us.

Support Local Journalism
For less than the cost of a couple of cups of coffee a month, become an “Insider” member and continue to get “Local News You Can Use” from the only independently owned, dedicated local news organization in South Orange County.

Contribute today.

Picket Fence Media is a proud member of the SoCal Media Network.

  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Dana Point Times
  • The Capistrano Dispatch
  • Terms of Use
  • About Us

© 2023 Picket Fence Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Best of San Clemente
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Go See Do
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Money Matters
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
    • Triton Football Preview
  • SC Guide
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who

© 2023 Picket Fence Media