A Utah man was arrested by California authorities, who worked for more than a year to secure his return from the Republic of the Philippines to face charges for allegedly taking $270,000 in annuity distributions from a senior citizen.

Donald Martin Steffensen, 70, of Saint George, Utah, was recently arrested by California Department of Insurance (CDI) investigators and members of the Madera County District Attorney’s Office.

Steffensen faces 38 felony counts of grand theft and financial elder abuse.

Steffensen had been licensed as a non-resident life insurance agent but his license was revoked in August 2006 after a CDI investigation revealed that his unethical investment advice had caused a partially disabled senior citizen to lose $165,000.

California insurance department investigators learned that Steffensen, between 2002 and 2005, used his position of trust as a life agent for a senior citizen (now deceased) to embezzle and convert for his own use more than $270,000 from an annuity owned by the senior. Authorities say some of the annuity distributions were allegedly stolen by Steffensen after his victim had passed away.

The Madera County District Attorney filed 38 felony counts of grand theft and financial elder abuse against Steffensen in April 2008.

Steffensen, who is a U.S. citizen, fled the country prior to the issuance of an arrest warrant and was known to be living with his family in the Republic of the Philippines.  In 2008, CDI began working with the U.S. State Department to have Steffensen deported.  Philippine authorities agreed to deport Steffensen after determining that he illegally entered the country. The Philippine Bureau of Immigration, U.S. Customs, the Los Angeles Police Dept. at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and the Madera County District Attorney’s office assisted CDI with its efforts to bring Steffensen back to the U.S. to face charges.

Accompanied by members of the Philippine Bureau of Immigration, Steffensen arrived at LAX on Dec. 12. Steffensen was taken into custody by CDI investigators and the Madera County District Attorney’s office and immediately transported to Madera County Jail. Bail was set at $300,000.