Man, 94, Loses Nearly $247K In Scam; Man Arrested: Nassau Police

VALLEY STREAM, NY — A man was arrested Friday in connection with a 2022 scam that saw a 94-year-old man lose $246,968, Nassau police said.

Jamario Smellie, 27, of Brooklyn, was arrested at 6 a.m. and charged with second-degree grand larceny, police said.

The man, 94, received a telephone call at his Valley Stream home from someone he didn't know claiming to work for Publishers Clearing House on Sept. 22, 2022, police said. The caller said the man won a large sum of money but needed to pay the taxes before receiving the winnings, police said. The man wrote multiple cashier checks to various people totaling $246,968, police said. The man later realized it was a scam and contacted the police, the department said.

"The Nassau County Police Department urges the community to be on alert and to remind vulnerable family members, friends and neighbors about potential scams or fraud," the department stated.

Detectives asked anyone with information on the scam to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS or call 911. All callers will remain anonymous.