$10,000 In Cash Sent To Darien Home Leads To Fraud Investigation

DARIEN, CT — A package containing $10,000 in cash was mailed unsolicited to a vacant home on Middlesex Road in Darien last month, and as a result Darien police detectives opened an investigation and discovered it was part of a multi-state fraud case, according to Det. James Palmieri.

The package was discovered on March 19 by a real estate agent who is selling the house, which is located in the 100 block, and it was addressed to someone named "Thomas McKnight" with a return address of Phoenix, AZ.

"Neither the agent nor the homeowner recognized either names," stated Palmieri. "Thinking there may have been an error, as the address was correct, the homeowner instructed the realtor to open the package. Inside the package was $10,000 in one-hundred dollar bills."

The package and the cash was turned over to Darien police, and the real estate agent told detectives that after she found the package, and while showing the home to prospective buyers, a man came to the door and asked about it.

"At this time, the agent became suspicious and told the male that the homeowner had taken the package from the residence," said Palmieri. "The male would return two more times demanding to know where the package was. The male was described as a tall, thin, black male with dreadlocks and a tattoo on his neck."

Darien detectives discovered that the cash had originated from an elderly victim in Maryland, who had been told in a phone scam that her son had gotten into legal trouble.

"The victim thought they were sending cash to a lawyer for his legal defense," Palmieri said. "Further, the caller had informed the victim that there had been a 'gag order' imposed and they were not to tell anyone, to include the victim’s spouse."

In addition to the $10,000, the victim told detectives that she had been asked to send another $5,000 to an address in Haverstraw, NY.

"Detectives obtained tracking information for that package and contacted the Haverstraw, NY police. Officers there were able to make an arrest in their jurisdiction of the person who came to retrieve the package."

The Darien case remains under investigation.