Delecia Holt, Aliso Viejo, a former congressional candidate was arrested this morning for committing thousands of dollars in fraud against Orange County hotels and stealing a Mercedes Benz from a local car dealership, according to the Orange County District Attorney's office.


Holt will be booked at the Orange County Jail and the People will request she be held on $55,000 with the requirement that she prove any money is from a legal and legitimate source before posting bond.

In July 2005, Holt is accused of going to a Mercedes Benz dealership in Orange County and writing a bad check for just under $13,000 as a down payment for a $32,000 car. She is accused of leaving the dealer lot in the car and never making any legitimate payments for the vehicle. Holt's account from which the $13,000 down payment check was written had insufficient funds and the dealership never received any monthly payments.

Between July 2007 and September 2007, Holt is accused of defrauding the Comfort Suites in Lake Forest out of $5,000. She is accused of living at the Comfort Suites and writing three separate checks over the course of three months with insufficient funds. She is accused of fleeing the hotel after failing to make any legitimate payments for her bill.

In August 2007, Holt is accused of committing perjury by intentionally deceiving the Orange County Social Services Agency by lying on a welfare document and failing to disclose that she had received income in the form of child support. She is accused of committing welfare fraud by accepting welfare funds for which she was ineligible. The amount is to be determined.

In October 2007, Holt is accused of writing several bad checks amounting to thousands of dollars following a failed fundraiser. She is accused of hosting a comedy night fundraiser at a Dana Point hotel under the pretense of raising money for Habitat for Humanity. The event did not raise any money. Holt is accused of writing a check for $15,000 to the hotel from a personal account to cover the cost of the event. She is accused of writing a check to the four comedians for $2,000. She is accused of intentionally writing the checks knowing the account had insufficient funds. The checks were declined when the victims attempted to deposit them. She is accused of failing to pay the photographer and videographer.

In 2005, Holt ran as a write-in candidate for the 47th Congressional District in Orange County. In 2006, Holt was a candidate for the 53rd Congressional District in San Diego.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Bob Helvin at (714) 347-8691.