Glendale Man Cashed In With Death Threat
Using a dangerous phone scam proved costly for a Glendale man busted last Thursday, May 22, for allegedly swindling money from a family with a phony threat to murder a relative, law enforcement sources stated.
Police identified the suspect as 22-year-old Tom Cruz, who was taken into custody last Thursday, May 22, on 70th Street in Glendale and later arraigned in Brooklyn on grand larceny and related charges.
According to information provided by the Kings County District Attorney’s office, the scam occurred on the afternoon of Feb. 16, when Cruz allegedly sent several calls and text messages to a woman.
Reportedly, Cruz threatened to kill a relative if the victim did not immediately wire funds to an individual named Jason Ortiz. The scheme was similar to phone scams which police officials have warned about in recent weeks.
Police said the family wired the cash, as instructed, to a Pay-O-Matic check cashing store located at 1756 Bushwick Ave. in Bushwick
Security camera footage from the shop and a review of Pay-O-Matic records documented that Cruz allegedly visited the location soon after the wire transfer was made and received funds under Jason Ortiz’s name.
Hours after the family complied with the suspect’s request, the criminal complaint noted, Cruz allegedly contacted them a second time and ordered that additional funds be wired to the name David Ortiz at a Pay-O-Matic branch on Saratoga Avenue in Ocean Hill.
As in the first instance, authorities said, he reportedly threatened to kill a relative.
Shortly after the victims wired the second amount of money, authorities said, Cruz was allegedly seen entering the Ocean Hill Pay-O-Matic branch and obtaining funds, using the alias David Ortiz.
Following an investigation, Cruz was tracked down last Thursday and taken into custody by P.O. Ronald Scrimenti of the 104th Precinct Detective Squad. He was charged with second- and fourth-degree grand larceny, first- and second-degree coercion, petit larceny and harassment.
Court records noted Cruz was arraigned in Kings County Criminal Court last Friday, May 23, and ordered held on $15,000 bail.
