Former cop was himself scammed and "trying to get his money back" by joining scammers
A retired New Jersey police chief pleaded no contest this morning to charges that he participated in a scam that cost a 95-year-old Northampton Township, Pennsylvania, man almost $29,000.
Robert Ryan, 71, of Factoryville, PA, told Bucks County President Judge Jeffrey L. Finley that he, too, had lost $30,000 to a Jamaica-based lottery hoax and that his crimes were an attempt to recover his losses.
"He seems to be a very nice man. I never intended to hurt him," Ryan said of the victim, who sat in a wheelchair in the back of the courtroom and did not speak. "I was just trying to get my money back. It was a very foolish mistake for me to make, being a former law enforcement officer."
Ryan told Finley that he had worked 30 years as a police officer in New Jersey, retiring in 2000 as police chief in Garwood, NJ. By the time of today's hearing, he had spent five months in the Bucks County Correctional Facility, an experience he described as "horrendous."
Ryan pleaded no contest to charges that included four felony counts of theft by deception. Finley gave him a sentence of time served to 23 months, followed by five years of probation. Ryan was ordered to repay the victim's losses, totaling $28,900, in monthly increments of no less than $200 each.
At a minimum payment of $200 per month, it will take more than 12 years for the 95-year-old to collect the repayment.
Ryan was arrested on Dec. 22, 2016, after Wells Fargo Bank employees summoned Northampton police to their branch in Richboro. Investigators found Ryan there with the victim, who was attempting to withdraw $3,800 from two accounts.
Bank employees blocked the transaction because more than $20,000 already had been withdrawn that month from the victim's accounts, court records show.
The victim told police that he had been contacted earlier in the month by a man calling himself James Holliday, who told the victim that he had won $33 million in a lottery. The man told the victim that a courier would be coming by to pick up money needed to pay taxes before the prize could be claimed.
The victim told police that Ryan had stopped by several times to pick up five other checks he had written so that he could claim the alleged jackpot. Each of the checks had been made out to, and endorsed by, Ryan.
Ryan told Finley that he had lost about $30,000 to a similar scheme, causing the judge to exclaim, "Come on!", noting that Ryan was a law enforcement veteran.
Ryan said he had suffered a series of strokes that he believed had affected his judgment. He said he never learned the true identities of the scammers, and that he had given them all but $1,000 of the money he received from the victim.
Police said that after Ryan's arrest, his phone rang continuously from what purported to be a Jamaican callback number.
The case was investigated by the Northampton Township Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kathleen G. Byrne.
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I would make a comment about this piece of garbage, but then Todd would just have to delete it.
I have little sympathy for either of them. The lottery scam is well worn and pre-dates the world-wide-web. Furthermore, many lotteries post bulletins warning people of such scams; lottery will never ask for money to redeem a prize. Also, one must have bought a ticket or entered a drawing to win.
It's sad how powerful the force of greed is to cause some to convince themselves that they can win without participating, and sending money to claim money is a normal thing.
At $200 minimum per month, as pointed out in the article, it could take upwards of a decade to get their money back. Many scammed out of money never get full restitution. While the few that do often don't receive the full amount back when adjusted for inflation.
I agree that I do not have much sympathy for either party. However, at 95 years old, the man's judgment may be nearly gone and we don't know the level of coercion applied to him. The former law enforcement officer should have known better and he probably did.
He worked in Law Enforcement for 30 years, but is/was dishonest his entire life.
Ummmmm, Excelent Question, maybe another Sheriff Arpaio?
I agree, He's a dirt bag.
Thank you sully16, I could not have said it any better, and kept the post up.
~Michael
I highly doubt if Mr. Ryan had not been a former "public servant" he would have gotten such a light sentence.
Should not he and all law enforcement be held to a higher standard?
Sheriff Joe enforced the law!
That's why he needed a Pardon, for enforcement of the law, give me a break!
How by creating an illegal tent city in 130 degree plus heat. Ignoring the constitution and arresting and profiling innocent people. I can not feel you are in some way connected to that pos cop.
Nothing will be done to him since he was a "cop".
Ryan was ordered to repay the victim's losses, totaling $28,900, in monthly increments of no less than $200 each.
At a minimum payment of $200 per month, it will take more than 12 years for the 95-year-old to collect the repayment.
Well he will not have to pay back the money since I suspect the vitum who is 95 years old will not live long enough to see it all back.
Ryan said he had suffered a series of strokes that he believed had affected his judgment.
What a pos excuse.
This whole scenario just makes me want to vomit. I expect this sort of thing out of certain other stereotypes, but when someone of this background does it, man, it makes me sick down to the very depths of my soul.
If the victim dies before restitution is fully paid, it is then paid to his estate.
And yes, I believe strokes and age may have affected the defendant's judgement, too. However, I dont remember if te defendant submitted medical records indicating he had strokes.
I did not see anything about payment being made to the man's estate anywhere. Do you have some kind of first-hand knowledge that was included in the settlement, or are you guessing?
Well, that's not true -- something was indeed "done to him." He was charged and plead no-contest, then sentenced. That was the point of the article. The fact that he was a "cop" as you say actually worked against him, it did not help him in any way.
It may be SOP when someone passes:
http://m.lawqa.com/qa/what-happens-to-settlement-funds-if-it-awarded-to-me-after-i-die
Call it an educated guess. I've handled many a court ordered restitution case and that is how it is handled in my state.
For the life of me I cannot figure out why people fall for that scam. I just don't get it ! I think we all have received at one time, these fake emails saying we've won the lottery; now I hit the trash can button even though I'm furious that someone think I'm that stupid. I feel sorry for the victim.
The victim is a 95-year-old and an easy mark especially when an ex cop is running the scam.
I'm not buying his story. He said he was trying to recoup but then it says he gave all the money from the victim to the people he lost the money from in the first place. Doesn't make sense. Something ain't right in this picture. ANYBODY KNOWS THAT IF YOU WIN THE LOTTERY THE TAXES ARE PAID FROM THE WINNINGS. Yes in the future your tax bracket may change and you may pay higher taxes but that is to the Federal government. I don't know what this guy was up to but he was up to something. The 5 months in correctional facility as "horrendous". LOL. Yeah no kidding. What is he surprised or something.
I don't know about New Jersey in regards to pensions that cannot be used to pay off lawsuits; i.e. a judgment held against you and your pension is untouchable. I know SD and FL have this. OJ Simpson's 25K/month pension from the NFL is off limits in Florida and the Goldman's sued for wrongful death.
Guess the only silver lining is that he is a convicted felon, though I don't see it hurting him any.
This is court ordered restitution as part of his sentence - not a civil judgement.
Move to Mexico!
Is that YOUR best answer?
What a shame.Retired Police Chief must collect a handsome pension and resorts to the dark side.
Why would a US citizen need to move to Mexico for agreeing with the justice system of the United States? How does that make any sense whatsoever?
He spent 30 years on the force. He didn't accidentally choose a 95 yr old to swindle. That was a deliberate targeting of an elderly man because he'd make an easy mark. Do you really have no sympathy for a person that age getting conned by a guy who spent his entire working life engendering trust in the public and fellow law enforcement officers?
.
Thanks, but unless I misread the article, the ex cop was scammed first. The ex cop should have known better to fall to a scam.
Yep, he should have. Which is what the judge said. He's blaming his falling on the scam on his strokes, which he said impaired his judgement. Not buying that as an excuse since he had the wherewithal to turn around and scam someone else. He didn't file a report. He didn't do anything someone in law enforcement should know to do. Instead, he found and targeted an easy mark on whom to perpetrate the same scam so he wouldn't be broke. If it weren't for bank employees he would have gotten away with it.
Ugh this makes mad
he’s a sorry SOB........