Suffolk County Man Tries To Extort Money From His Mother By Faking His Own Kidnapping: Police

A Huntington man was arrested after he tried to extort money from his mother by telling her that he had been kidnapped, police said.

On Friday morning, a 62-year-old Elmont woman received text messages on her cellphone from her 31-year-old son Michael Sorbera stating that he was in trouble, Nassau Police said.

The woman later received a call from an unknown man, who has not yet been arrested, on Sorbera’s cellphone, police said.

The caller directed the woman to wire money to Western Union in her son’s name and threatened to physically harm her and her son if she did not comply, police said.

During the same phone call, Michael Sorbera stated he had been kidnapped and begged his mother to send money, police said. Sobera's mother reported the incident to police.

Police located Sorbera at his apartment at 320 Nassau Road in Huntington. He was arrested after police determined that he had not been kidnapped and was not in extreme danger, police said.

Sorbera is charged with second degree grand larceny and fourth degree conspiracy. He will be arraigned Saturday at First District Court in Hempstead.