Man Arrested For Robbing Women in Lottery Scam: Nassau Police

ELMHURST, NY - A Queens man was arrested in Elmhurst on Thursday for stealing from two women who gave him cash after he told them that he had a winning lottery ticket, according to Nassau Police.

Hernaldo Saldarriaga-Lopez, 61, (along with another individual who has not yet been arrested) told a 41-year-old woman in New Cassel on July 1 and a 29-year-old woman in Valley Stream on July 6, that he had a winning lottery ticket and solicited their help in cashing it, police said.

He told both the women he will share the prize money but they need to provide cash or jewelry to him until the ticket is cashed, police said.

He then drove them to a location and asked to pick up the ticket, police said. As soon as they exited the vehicle, Saldarriaga-Lopez drove away leaving them behind, police said.

The combined investigation led to his arrest on Grand Avenue and Seabury Street in Elmhurst at about 7:45 a.m., police said.

Officers found two pills believed to be Alprazolam, a forged Social Security Card and a forged driver’s license from Puerto Rico during the arrest, police said.

Saldarriaga-Lopez is charged with two counts of grand larceny, two counts of possession of a forged instrument, two counts scheme to defraud and criminal possession of a controlled substance, police said.

He will be arraigned on Friday.

Police are asking anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a similar crime to contact the Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.