Police: LI man scammed potential renters

Suffolk County police say they are looking for additional victims in a rent scam after a Brentwood man allegedly defrauded a prospective renter and then gave the person a deposit check that bounced.

Aleandro Claudio, 59, showed an apartment to the renter in January and took a deposit, but later told the person the unit was not available. He returned the deposit with a check that bounced, and the victim failed to get Claudio to resolve the problem, police said in a news release.

Police investigated and found Claudio had committed other rental scams in January and February whose victims included two young women, a double amputee, a homeless woman and a family with a newborn, Suffolk police said.

Police arrested Claudio at his Blacker Street home Friday night and charged him with fourth-degree grand larceny, first-degree scheme to defraud and three counts of issuing bad checks. He was also charged with petit larceny and driving without a license. He was booked at the Third Precinct and held overnight.

Claudio was arraigned Saturday in Suffolk County First District Court in Central Islip, according to court records, and held on a bail of $7,500 cash or $15,000 bond. The name of his attorney wasn't immediately available.

Police said they are continuing to investigate, and anyone who may have been a victim of the alleged scam is urged to call the Third Precinct Crime Section at 631-854-8332, or anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS. 

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.com,antonio.planas@newsday.comJohnAsbury,

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.