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The accused, Aleandro Claudio, 59, was arrested on Wednesday, July 31 on the additional charges in connection with the alleged crime.
The Third Precinct Crime Section received multiple phone calls in response to the original rental scam report and identified seven additional victims, according to Suffolk County Police.
Claudio was arrested at his Brentwood home at 10:04 p.m. and charged with three counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, four counts of petit larceny, and one count each of scheme to defraud and issuing a bad check said police.
He is being held overnight at the Third Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Thursday, Aug. 1.
Original story:
A Long Island man has been charged with scheming to defraud, grand larceny and issuing bad checks in connection to a rental scam, Suffolk County Police said.
Aleandro Claudio of Brentwood showed an apartment to a prospective renter in January 2019, took a deposit, then later stated the apartment was not available, according to police.
When the prospective renter requested a refund, Claudio issued a check that was returned for insufficient funds, said police. Several attempts by the victim to rectify the situation were unsuccessful.
Third Precinct Crime Section Officer Michael Scaturro initiated an investigation and discovered four additional rental scams committed by Claudio in January and February 2019. The victims included two young females, a double amputee, a family with a newborn child, and a homeless female.
Claudio, 59, was arrested at his home, located on Blacker Street in Brentwood, on Friday evening, May 31 and charged with fourth-degree grand larceny, first-degree scheme to defraud, three counts of issuing a bad check, petit larceny and third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
The investigation is continuing. Anyone who has additional information or believes they have been a victim of this rental scam is asked to call Third Precinct Crime Section at 631-854-8332 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
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