Roll his old bones on in here...
Posted on 11/15/2021 1:53:05 PM PST by nickcarraway
A judge ordered a Florida man arrested after he missed a court date last week on charges he helped scam an 82-year-old Milford woman out of $83,000 — despite the fact that the man’s lawyer said his client died months ago.
Johnny Masesa, 45, was due in court Nov. 4 on a first-degree larceny charge connected to the 2018 theft from the woman, who told police a man claiming to be from Publisher’s Clearing House sweepstakes called her saying she “was in the running for a prize,” but needed to transfer money to claim it.
Over the course of a week, according to an arrest warrant, the woman withdrew $83,000 out of her accounts and deposited them into others — $25,000 of which went to an account in Masesa’s name.
Masesa allegedly told police he withdrew the money and gave it to his cousin Francis Kabulo, who has also been charged in the case.
Publishers Clearing House maintains a page on its website headlined “the winning is always free!”
“If someone contacts you claiming to be from PCH, and tells you that you’ve won a prize — then asks you to send a payment or money card in order to claim the prize — STOP!” it says. “You have not heard from the real PCH.”
Masesa was arrested in January 2019 in Massachusetts and waived extradition to Connecticut, after which he pleaded not guilty in the case. He posted a $25,000 bond using a Florida address.
But when the case was called in court last week, Masesa wasn’t there.
His lawyer, Douglas Rudolph, said the reason was simple: Masesa died from complications of malaria months ago in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he has family.
Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Howard Stein said Rudolph emailed him in June letting him know of his client’s death.
“At that time I asked for a death certificate,” the prosecutor said. “After some period of time, I received a death certificate, or at least what was purported to be a death certificate.”
He said the document was hand-written and had what appeared to be several corrections using correction fluid.
What’s more, he said: neither the Milford cops nor federal authorities have been able to verify Masesa’s death.
Stein said he was hesitant to drop the case, while noting he didn’t suspect Masesa’s lawyer of any wrongdoing.
“I have absolutely no reason to think Attorney Rudolph in any way shape or form has any independent knowledge other than what is being communicated to him and then to me,” he told the judge.
He asked Judge Peter Brown to order a rearrest in the case.
“Obviously, if Mr. Masesa is in fact deceased, it would be difficult for the authorities to execute that warrant,” Stein said.
On the other hand, if the state verifies Masesa is dead, the arrest order could be vacated and the charges dropped.
Rudolph did not oppose the prosecutor’s request.
He said he’s tried to reach the doctor listed on the death certificate to no avail and that there are issues between Masesa’s wife in Orlando and his family in Africa.
“My understanding is that Mr. Masesa’s family in the Congo isn’t too fond of Mr. Masesa’s wife, who lives in Florida,” he said. “She seemed upset at the fact that the family wasn’t being transparent with her in providing some of the documentation I needed to put this matter to rest.”
The judge then ordered Masesa rearrested, and to be held on $100,000 bond if he does turn up.
Masesa’s co-defendants, Arsene Masesa and Francis Kabulo, are next due in court Nov. 23 and Jan. 12, respectively.
Whether he’s dead or not, being in the DRC would make it hard to execute a warrant.
Flee to the Congo.
That’s a new one…
He’s in the Congo, Jim.
DEAD....bring him in anyway.
He got better!
If the dead can vote they can show up for court too..
If I were Johnny Masesa, I would change my name to Brian Laundrie.
Roll his old bones on in here...
I’m good with digging up his bones and seizing his estate.
Shouldn’t put up much of a fight then...
“Obviously, if Mr. Masesa is in fact deceased, it would be difficult for the authorities to execute that warrant,” Stein said.
Why not say the word “impossible” instead of “difficult”? WTF is wrong with these people?
Old people need to be trained to NOT answer their phones - let it go to voicemail.
And all people need to be trained to NOT answer their doors.
OK, which one of you sent in Obama's birth certificate?
Give him ‘The JAB’ it cures everything!!
Well, they can vote. Why not go to jail?
“...or at least what was purported to be a death certificate.”
Should have ordered it from those who made up Obama’s birth certificate.
Oh-h-h! We thinking alike!
My wife’s grandpa fell for this exact scam. But he’s poor. Social Security only poor. He only gave the scammer $6k. We started yelling at him to stop it when we found out at $1000.
But, why would someone lie about giving him money? He has to try to get it! So says he.
Wouldn’t be so bad if this wasn’t the first scam he’s fallen victim to.
My wife is now joint account holder on his account. We pull his SS check immediately to our account to ensure his lights and water stay on and that he can eat for the month.
Even after all that, he called a few days ago saying “Mike,” his scammer, was going to give him one last chance to pay $400 more dollars to get $2 million. He wanted us to let him have $400.
It’s his money, but my wife wouldn’t allow it. She’s cried so much over this.
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