EASTON, MD - The Easton Police have announced the arrest of a Hartly, DE man on multiple charges after they say he scammed an Easton, MD couple out of large amounts of money by posing as law enforcement.
Police say they were contacted by a husband and wife in Easton on December 16 in regards to an ongoing fraud investigation. The couple told police that Allen Andres, 81, visited them frequently to collect money and had taken them to the bank to make large wire transfers, according to authorities.
The victims gave investigators an invoice they said Andres had personally delivered to them on December 13 with the header “Internal Revenue Service” and a total of $12,500. Police say instructions on the back of the invoice directed the victims to pay $5,500 with a written “cheque” to Andres, as well as $2,000 in cash.
Police say the victims had already paid Andres in separate instances after he had identified himself as a police officer and an FBI agent. The victims showed investigators an image of what appeared to be an authentic FBI badge, a Police ID card, and a Law Enforcement badge from a California agency. The victims also told police Andres carried a firearm.
The Easton Police said they then confirmed with the FBI that Andres is not an agent and the badge he showed to the victims was either stolen or a good counterfeit.
On January 28, Easton Police extradited Andres from Delaware and charged him with 28 counts of theft, forgery, impersonating a police officer, theft scheme, and other charges. On January 29, Andres was released on a $5,000 unsecured bond following a bond hearing before a Talbot County District Court Judge.
Police say the investigation is ongoing and other victims may be idenitified.