Bronx Man Charged With Scamming Thousands From LI Senior Citizens

A man from the Bronx was charged with stealing tens of thousands of dollars out of an elderly Oceanside woman earlier this month.

According to police, Frederick Espinal, 23, of Bronxwood, the Bronx, called an 81-year-old woman on Dec. 3 and told her that her son was involved in a car crash that caused injuries, and that he needed $7,500 for bail money. The woman arranged for Espinal to pick up the money at her home, police said.

After receiving the money, police say Espinal called the woman to tell her he needed an additional $7,500 because the bail was raised. He told the woman that a pregnant woman had been injured in the accident and her baby had died. Again, the woman paid the money.

Espinal called the woman a third time, police said, and said that he now needed $30,000 to cover medical costs. Police say he told the woman that if she paid in cash, it would expunge her son's criminal record. He then came to the woman's house and collected the money, police say.

According to ABC, police said Espinal carried out similar scams on other Nassau County seniors, stealing about $90,000 in total.

Espinal is charged with four counts of third-degree grand larceny.

Photo courtesy Nassau County Police Department