A Pennsylvania man was arrested in Geneva on Tuesday after police say he scammed a local resident out of $80,000 by pretending to be a federal agent.
Abhishek Rameshbh Patel, 25, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, was taken into custody around 3:00 p.m. by members of the City of Geneva Police Department’s Detective Bureau. He was charged with grand larceny in the second degree, a class C felony, according to a press release issued Wednesday.
Police say Patel contacted the Geneva victim by phone on two occasions in June, posing as a Federal Trade Commission officer. He allegedly convinced the resident they owed money and coerced them into handing over a total of approximately $80,000.
Detectives then devised a plan to lure Patel back to Geneva by making him believe he would be collecting more cash. Patel returned to the victim’s home, received what he thought was additional money, and left the area.
Shortly after, the Geneva Road Patrol Division pulled him over and arrested him. Patel was processed at the Geneva Police Department and transported to the Ontario County Jail for arraignment. He was later released on his own recognizance to answer the charges in court.
The Geneva Police Department stated it believes Patel may have committed similar scams in other parts of New York. The agency also thanked the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office for assistance in the investigation.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Geneva Police Department or Detective Steven Vine. Tips can remain anonymous.
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