DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. – A South Florida man was arrested Tuesday on charges that he conned an elderly couple who lives in Minnesota.
According to an arrest report, Ariel Paul, 38, called the couple on March 31, pretending to be their grandson.
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Deputies said Paul told the victims that he was in jail and needed $6,000 to be bailed out. He gave them the phone number of his supposed attorney, "John Bradford," so they could be told how to send the money.
According to the report, the couple called "Bradford Associates," and the person on the phone told them to withdraw $6,000 in cash and send it overnight to an address in the 3300 block of Southwest Second Court in Deerfield Beach.
The grandmother was told that the money would be refunded within a week, detectives said.
Authorities said the woman became suspicious after Bradford called her multiple times to confirm that the package had been sent.
She told detectives that she called her grandson, who said he was at work and had not been arrested.
The woman said she tried to stop the FedEx delivery, but it had already been sent.
According to the victim, Bradford called her the next day to say that the money had been seized.
Detectives spoke to the homeowner in Deerfield Beach, who said Paul lives with her and told her that he was expecting a package on April 1.
She said she opened the door when the delivery arrived and noticed that it was not addressed to Paul, but did not remember whose name was on the package.
She said Paul took the package into the bathroom for about 20 minutes and told her to "mind your business" when she asked what was in it and why it wasn't addressed to him.
Authorities said 12 new $100 bills were found inside Paul’s wallet when they arrested him.
Paul faces charges of exploiting an elderly person, larceny against someone 65 years or older and violating probation.