Cops are looking for a crook who is behind a fake legal fee scheme that targeted three senior citizens in Queens and Manhattan.
According to police, the first incident took place on June 3. At 10:30 a.m. that morning, an 82-year-old man was at his home, located in the vicinity of Langdale Street and 83rd Avenue in New Hyde Park, when he received a phone call from an unknown man.
Law enforcement sources said the caller claimed that the victim’s grandson had been arrested and to address legal fees, the victim must pay $10,000 in cash.
Police said the victim agreed and handed over the cash to an unknown man, who came to his home a few hours later.
Cops said the con man struck again on June 12, this time in Manhattan. At 10 a.m. that day, the suspect called a 93-year-old woman at her home, located in the vicinity of Madison Avenue and East 86th Street, and told her that her grandson had been arrested.
Authorities said perpetrator also told the victim that to address the legal fees, she would need to pay $9,500 in cash. The victim agreed, and gave the cash to an unknown man who came to her home a few hours later.
Finally, at 3 p.m. on June 15, a 94-year-old man was at his home, located in the vicinity of 26th Avenue and 210th Street in Bayside, when he received a phone call from an unknown man. The suspect told the victim that his grandson was arrested and address legal fees, the victim must pay $9,500 in cash.
The victim agreed and gave the money to an unknown man who came to his home a few hours later.
On July 3, the NYPD released video of the suspect taken from the third incident:
The suspect is described as a Hispanic man between the ages of 20 and 30 years old. He last seen wearing a dark track suit with animal print stripes.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
