LI man scammed investors of $60K, police say

A Rocky Point man was arrested Wednesday on fraud and theft charges linked to a scam in which he bilked victims out of a $60,000 for investing in a nonexistent marijuana farm, Suffolk police said.

Matthew Gallagher, 36, promised high return on their investments and conned three victims out of money by telling them they were buying into a legal marijuana farm in California that did not exist, police said Wednesday night.

Gallagher is expected to be arraigned Thursday in First District Court in Central Islip on charges of first-degree scheming to defraud, three counts of third-degree grand larceny and first-degree identity theft, police said.

Information on whether Gallagher retained a lawyer was not known late Wednesday night. The investigation is ongoing, officials said.

Police urged anyone with additional information, or anyone who believes they have been victimized by Gallagher, to call Seventh Squad detectives at 631-852-8752, or they can call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 800-220 TIPS.