WISCASSET & BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Maine (WGME) — Maine authorities say a multi-town bank fraud scheme in the midcoast led to the arrests of three New York men.
According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, a man tried to impersonate a customer at the First National Bank in Wiscasset on Jan. 16 by using the customer’s information on a fake military identification card. The suspect tried to withdraw $6,700 from the victim’s account.
The suspect failed to answer security questions and left the bank. Deputies say he was described as wearing a white leather jacket, using a cane, and having an earpiece, all of which are tactics consistent with organized imposter fraud schemes.
Deputies say the same suspect tried an identical transaction at a bank in Boothbay Harbor about 30 minutes earlier using the same victim’s account information.
The suspect was later spotted getting into a black SUV near a bank in Brunswick.
Police stopped the vehicle and found 66-year-old George Mendez, 35-year-old Miguel Molinar, and 34-year-old Leigh A. Jackson, all from Brooklyn, New York, inside.
According to deputies, the men each possessed fraudulent identification, including fake passports, military identification cards, and state issued licenses. They also had notes with sensitive customer information, leading investigators to believe there may be other victims.
The trio was arrested and charged with theft by deception, misuse of identification and criminal conspiracy.
They are each being on $10,000 cash bail at Two Bridges Jail in Wiscasset.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Jared Mitkus at (207) 882-7332 or jmitkus@lincolnso.me. People can also provide information regarding this event via our tip411 line anonymously by texting the keyword LTIP and your tip to 847411.