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Beaumont city treasurer faces six felony charges after corruption investigation
Beaumont City Treasurer Anup Giresh “AJ” Patel is facing six felony charges following a public corruption investigation, according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors accuse Patel of submitting false Transient Occupancy Tax, or TOT, returns for a motel he operated in Beaumont.
According to the DA’s office, Patel submitted multiple tax returns stating he received $0 in gross rent from April 2020 through December 2023.
A city audit covering January 2021 through December 2023 found the motel collected $1,667,300.68 in gross rent during that period, prosecutors said. The DA’s office alleges Patel owed the city $166,730.07 in TOT, plus additional penalties.
The six felony counts include three counts of perjury, one count of identity theft, forgery and false personation.
Investigators also accuse Patel of using another person’s identity to create a fraudulent lease agreement and communicate with the City of Beaumont regarding the tax owed.
Patel posted $30,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 26, 2026, according to the DA’s office. If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum sentence of six years and four months in state prison.
The City of Beaumont said Patel’s alleged conduct involves his private business activities and is separate from his official duties as city treasurer. The city also said it filed a civil lawsuit against Patel and reported the underlying matter to the DA’s office.
Patel remains an elected Beaumont city treasurer, according to the city’s official website.
The charges are allegations, and Patel is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
September 15, 2026
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