STANDISH, Maine – Authorities in Maine arrested a South Florida man after they said he flew to New England in order to steal money from a woman who had been scammed into believing her grandson had been arrested.
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Deputies in Cumberland County, Maine said they arrested Julius Bighoro, 48, of Miami, on Tuesday after he came to the state.
Authorities said Bighoro flew to Boston and rented a car to drive north to victimize the Standish, Maine woman, who had obtained $9,500 to pay who she thought was an attorney for her grandson.
Instead, deputies said she was the victim of a “grandparent scam,” where fraudsters target older adults and pose as loved ones in a crisis.
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Deputies said they took Bighoro into custody in Standish, located near Portland, after the money exchange had occurred.
He’s facing charges of theft by deception and operating after license suspension in the Pine Tree State.
Miami-Dade and Broward court records show Bighoro also has an extensive history of arrests in South Florida.