A Southern California jeweler allegedly stole nearly $1.5 million from customers through a fraud scheme involving Rolex watch sales.

Nelson Andres Holdo is accused of scamming 22 victims in Orange and Los Angeles counties from 2021 to 2026, according to the California Attorney General’s Office.

Prosecutors said Holdo specifically targeted buyers who wanted to purchase high-end Rolex models priced between $50,000 and $100,000. 

He would falsely promise to source the clients’ requested watches through his overseas brokers and would convince customers to wire him the full purchase price upfront, prosecutors said.

The victims were told that the watches would arrive within four to six weeks. When the timeline lapsed and no watches arrived, Holdo would reportedly offer “endless excuses and reassurances as the weeks turned into months,” investigators said.

“When buyers finally demanded their money back, the jeweler agreed to issue refunds, but ultimately pocketed the cash, leaving most victims without their money,” court documents said.

Holdo was also accused of not paying a watch distributor for high-end watches that were sold to him, worth over $400,000.

Holdo was charged with grand theft, writing a fraudulent check and other white-collar crime enhancements.

The case will be prosecuted by the California Department of Justice. The DOJ received assistance from the Newport Beach Police Department in the investigation.

More than 43,000 Simi Valley residents are under evacuation orders, while hundreds of others under evacuation warnings wait to see if they are next as the stubborn, wind-whipped Sandy Fire continues to rage.

The fire erupted around 10:45 a.m. Monday in the area of Sandy Avenue, before quickly spreading amid gusty winds and burning a home on Trickling Brook Court to the ground, as well as two vehicles that were outside the residence.

As of Cal Fire’s latest advisory at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night, the fire has scorched nearly 1,700 acres, with firefighters gaining 5% containment on the blaze.

While cooler overnight temperatures diminished the intensity of the fire, unpredictable winds proved a challenge, igniting a spot fire that forced Ventura County Fire Department officials to deploy more than 100 additional firefighters, bringing the total to 869 crew members battling the blaze.

Firefighters from several different agencies made structure protection their top priority, preventing flames from encroaching on homes with combined ground and air assaults.

Many residents under evacuation warnings have already left their homes, though many others, like Tadd Wooton, have chosen to remain and keep a close eye on the conditions.

“We’ve got a good fire break here, so we’re not leaving,” he told KTLA’s Chris Wolfe. “We’re hoping for the best. It is a little scary, but the wind is going the other direction. So, we’re going to wait it out. We’ve got the cars packed and ready to go.”

Chris Martinez told KTLA that while they are under evacuation orders, they plan to wait and see if the fire gets worse and, if so, they will be ready to go.

“We have our bags ready and we’ll be ready to go if needed,” he explained. “I want to thank all the firefighters. They are truly one of our greatest heroes.”

One resident shared time-lapse footage from her doorbell camera that shows just how fast clear skies devolved into a firestorm barreling through the neighborhood, chasing people and their pets out of their homes.

“You saw what we got engulfed by,” Jen Borrow, who shared the footage with KTLA, said. “It was like the middle of a tornado.”

Officials with Simi Valley Unified School District announced that all campuses will be closed Wednesday, with only essential personnel reporting for work.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Evacuation orders have been added to areas east of the fire. All residents are encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts through the Ventura County website.

Additional information on the Sandy Fire can be found through Cal Fire advisories.

Two firefighters were rushed to the hospital after a multi-vehicle collision that left their firetruck overturned on top of a vehicle on the sidewalk and against a Sunland business Tuesday evening.

Details are limited and it’s unclear exactly how the crash occurred, but crews with the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the 8200 block of Foothill Boulevard near McVine Avenue where the crash scene ended up against an H&R Block building at around 6:45 p.m.

Officials said the involved fire engine was responding to a structure fire when the crash occurred, leaving both firefighters with minor injuries. They were taken to the hospital for evaluation.

Footage of the incident posted to Citizen and captured by Sky5 showed a massive response by first responders, with at least a half-dozen fire engines and three ambulances at the scene. The crash also brought out crowds of onlookers and snarled traffic in the area.

The overturned firetruck was resting on top of what appeared to be a dark-colored SUV that sustained serious visible damage.

Crews cordoned off the area around the crash, while the cause of the incident was being investigated.

The identities of the two injured firefighters are being withheld pending notification of their families. No civilians were injured in the incident, officials said.