Three Men Arrested in Grandparents Scam

Three men 'tried to extort $80,000 from an elderly New York man by posing as lawyers for his grandson' in so-called 'grandparents scam'

2/11/2019

Three men in Florida were arrested on Saturday for trying to extort $80,000 from an elderly Long Island man by posing as his grandson's attorneys.

Leevansky Lambert, 22, and Eghosasere Auboraye, 24, of Florida, along with Keon Smith, 24, of Maryland, have allegedly been targeting elderly people in so-called 'grandparents scams,' ABC News reports.

The three suspects allegedly posed as lawyers for 'Austin' the grandson of Norman Geller, 78, from East Norwich, New York, and claimed over the phone on February 5 that he needed money after getting into a car accident.

Geller was instructed to send $9,800 via FedEx to an address in Florida address to bail out him out, according to the police.

He then received another phone call from someone posing as an attorney, according to an arrest warrant, where 'he was informed that one of the passengers in the vehicle were pressing charges and they needed more money.'

The grandfather was then contacted to send $18,000 to different Florida address, and then another two times to send $30,200 and $22,000 to even more locations.  Geller said he sent $80,000 in total in those FedEx shipments, before being asked to send another $32,000 or there would be an arrest warrant out for his grandson.

At times these callers identified themselves as attorneys 'Marc Rockwell' and 'Michael Spencer,' according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

After being contacted by Geller's daughter, Florida detectives eventually staked out the vacant home in Lake Worth where the three suspects were caught picking up the money.
Lambert, Auboraye and Smith were charged with grand theft over $20,000, burglary of a dwelling and conspiracy to commit extortion.

Police were able to recover some of the cash that Geller had sent to the men.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6691 ... ns-lawyers.html

Someone desperately needs to get Power of Attorney over Norman Geller's accounts!

When I see something like this, I am very proud that I am so clever, haha, and I would never fall for something like this.
Same when I watch Hoarders on TV, I am looking around my house and thinking how neat and clean I am :)

That's exactly why I like watching Hoarders.  It raises my self-esteem in the house-cleaning department!  Plus, it's also a cautionary tale as to what can happen if you don't stay on top of keeping your stuff organized.

Kellie don't brake your arm patting yourself on the back.  Unfortunately there are too many predators in the world not enough of the good folks to overcome the dishonest/bad folks.

Talk to us again when you're 80+ years old and in mental decline.  This is what the predators depend on.

I can forget food on the stove, forget to close the door, but I can't start to believe in Santa or believe in Scammers.
But you are right, what I know.

First thing that cam\e to mind is why did not the grandfather call his daughter first.

Also attorneys will not call you without having their client contact you first.

Committing crimes against elderly people... they better hope they are tried in NY and not FL.

I don't think Kellie was being self-congratulatory, she was expressing irony.  I read her "ha-ha" as a mantra to keep what is inevitable at bay for as long as possible...Whistling past the boneyard. All of us have some vulnerability as we get older, even the smartest scam busters here.  On a good day for the scammers and a bad day for oneself, any of us can be took.

When you think you won't fall for it think again, they work on parents & Grandparents emotions, the word needs to get out there to let the elderly know to ask questions only the Grand kids can answer that was a suggestion from one predator that was caught & or have a word that only your Grand kids or kids will know that they are fine.  These people will burn in hell for taking advantage of Grandparents who love their Grand children so much that they are willing to give it all.  Pass the word since their are other so called Attorney's in Canada & other locations.

I know I'll never fall for it as I don't have kids so can't have grandkids.

Set an example and THROW THE BOOK at these guys.

Wow. Great to hear of some of these cretins actually getting arrested. But it has to be said that these appear to have been exceptionally dumb ones. I mean, giving out physical addresses to get the money sent to? Any crooks who carry out this scam via gift cards or wire transfer won't be fazed in the least by this bust :(