Police: NY Man Arrested for $150K+ Real Estate Fraud

A Long Island man is accused of real estate fraud over the span of three years totaling more than $150,000, police say.

Rickie Roberts was arrested Tuesday and is charged with two counts of grand larceny following an investigation by the Nassau County Police Fraud and Forgery Unit in conjuction with the New York State Department of Financial Services, according to police. The investigation started after authorities received a mortgage complaint made by two victims from Freeport on Aug. 24, 2015.

The victims, ages 63 and 26, said that Roberts, while acting as a real estate agent, showed them multiple porperties over the course of three years, police say.

Allegedly, during the course of this time, Roberts told the victims they had to make payments to cover banking fees and down payments to show good faith.

Police say that the victims provided Roberts with multiple cashier’s checks totaling more than $150,000.

Following the investigation, police say, Roberts turned himself in.

Roberts is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in Hempstead on the charges he faces. Attorney information for Roberts was not immediately known.

Authorities urge anyone who feels they may have been a victim of a similar crime to contact their local police department.

Photo Credit: Nassau County Police Department

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