Monday, October 6, 2014

Quintessential Confidence Man

I don't think I've ever gotten more phone calls -- not for murders or rapes or, well, anything -- than I did about this guy: by all reports the quintessential con man. It started with a simple theft by swindle of the St. Paul Hotel, a couple thousand dollars. In the following weeks, I made contact with two ex-girlfriends who said he'd taken them for tens of thousands.

At first it was hard to believe -- but after some follow-up, the stories were all the same. In time, five ex-girlfriends, none of whom knew each other, all said the exact same thing:

1.) He met them online, posing as a millionaire.

2.) Took them out house hunting, going so far as to put in purchase agreements, for million-dollar homes.

3.) Would show documents and screen-shots proving his riches/debts paid.

4.) After weeks, months, and in one case years, it became evident he never had any money, and had sucked their funds away. The purchase agreements were never followed up on. Any access he had to his girlfriends' finances was exploited.

He was released by the judge, and never showed up for sentencing. But I have a feeling he'll turn up someday.