Supervisors Authorize Transfer of Unclaimed Monies to General Fund

RIVERSIDE (CNS) – The Riverside County Board of Supervisors Tuesday authorized the transfer of nearly a half-million dollars from the sheriff’s repository of unclaimed monies to the General Fund, while allowing the agency to retain a portion of the sum to cover administrative costs.

In a 5-0 vote without comment, the board directed that $430,910 in unclaimed money be made available for discretionary purposes. The original amount totaled $551,184. However, the supervisors granted sheriff’s administrators’ request to reserve $120,274 to pay for expenses tied to advertising the unclaimed money and related costs.

According to sheriff’s documents, nearly 4,100 individuals were entitled to sums over $15, while another 1,068 people had sums less than $15 due back to them.

Sheriff’s officials told City News Service that some of the unclaimed money stemmed from third-party levies administered by the agency’s Court Service Division, while other funds were left over from checks due to inmates who left correctional facilities without ever picking up the demand deposits and cashing them.

In a few cases, money belonged to inmates who died in custody, and their next of kin couldn’t be found or never appeared to claim the money confiscated from the detainee when he or she was booked into custody.

The California Government Code requires that the unclaimed money remain in a trust for a minimum of three years before it can be converted into a county asset.

Undersheriff Donald Sharp said the funds, most of which had become available in fiscal year 2017-18, were advertised in newspapers in 2022. It was unclear how many prospective claimants came forward.

Most of the amounts listed in sheriff’s documents were less than $100. However, in a few instances, the unclaimed sums exceeded $3,000.

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