Police seek suspects in $14G lottery scam in Setauket
Suffolk County police said they want to talk to this man, photographed by a surveillance camera, in the theft of $14,000 in a lottery scam. This picture was captured on Sept. 1, 2015, at an HSBC branch on Nesconset Highway in Setauket. Credit: SCPD
They scammed the victim out of about $14,000, claiming they needed the money to help collect a million dollars in lottery prize winnings.
Now, Suffolk County police are asking the public to help locate the man and woman who pulled off the scam, in which they persuaded the victim to withdraw the money from her accounts at the HSBC Bank branch on Nesconset Highway in Setauket at about 10 a.m. on Sept. 1.
Police have released surveillance photos of the male suspect, taken inside the bank.
He is described as being in his 70s, about 5-foot-5 with a medium build. The female suspect is believed to be in her 40s and about 5-foot-3.
She drove what police described as possibly a green Dodge Caravan.
Police ask anyone with information regarding the scam to call Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS. All calls will remain confidential.
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
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'It's personal to me' The law would require businesses to have proper state licensing, prove that their employees are paid and ban staff from living at the spas or sleeping there overnight. Repeat offenders could face penalties up to $25,000. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn has more.
