NC victim got scared out of $20,000. But that helped bust a nationwide scam, cops say

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Joe Marusak
·2 min read
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Iredell County sheriff’s investigators said they cracked a coast-to-coast scam after a frightened victim sent $20,000 in cash to a man at a Florida hotel.

A caller claiming to be a law enforcement officer convinced the victim to send the money via overnight FedEx to “help clear up the confusion” and take care of outstanding warrants against the victim, Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell said Thursday.

The victim’s family quickly notified sheriff’s deputies after the victim sent the package on April 21 to an Extended Stay America hotel in Gainesville, Florida, Campbell said.

The victim addressed the shipment to a man who used a California identification to check in at the hotel, the sheriff said.

Sheriff’s investigators immediately contacted FedEx and Florida law enforcement officials to stop the shipment, according to Campbell.

FedEx officials intercepted the package in Memphis, Tenn.

Sheriff’s investigators said they worked with the Gainesville Police Department, U.S. Homeland Security agents and FedEx Security team members to find the suspect.

On April 22, Gainesville police arrested 51-year-old Tampa resident Carlton Ross Thomas, according to the Alachua County Jail website. Police found him at the hotel, Campbell said. Thomas was charged with obtaining property by false pretense and exploitation of an elder adult, both felonies.

Authorities have identified two other victims of the scam so far, the sheriff said.

“A package from Iowa was also stopped before its shipment,” Campbell said in a statement. “Money from a victim in Los Angeles, Calif., was recovered at the front desk of the hotel in Florida.

“In total, $60,000 in cash was recovered through this investigation.”

Campbell in part credited the Iredell County victim’s family for the arrest and recovery of the swindled cash.

“It is because of the quick actions of family members, and our investigators working this case we were able to recover the $60,000 for these three victims, and stop this suspect from harming other elderly victims across the country,” the sheriff said.

Thomas remained in a Gainesville jail on Thursday on $720,000 bail, pending extradition to Iredell County, Campbell said.

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