There are no markers for this video.
00:00:01>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
THE FAIRFIELD COUNTY AND
00:00:08INDICTED SEVEN INDIVIDUALS
SUSPECTED OF RIPPING OFF THE
00:00:12ELDERLY AND A SCAM.
OUR PART TO DEAL WITH THIS IS A
00:00:19TEAM EFFORT.
ATTORNEYS AND INVESTIGATORS AND
00:00:23AGENTS IN OUR OFFICE HAVE WORKED
WITH FOUR SEPARATE POLICE
00:00:27DEPARTMENTS, TWO SHERIFF'S
OFFICES, ONE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
00:00:30TO STOP THE SCAM.
IT IS A REAL TEAM EFFORT.
00:00:35AWAY LAW-ENFORCEMENT WORKS BEST
IS WHEN WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.
00:00:40FOR TWO OF THE SUSPECTS, THE
SCAM WAS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AS
00:00:48WHAT THEY PULLED OFF MORE THAN A
DECADE AGO AS PART OF THE
00:00:51CIRCLEVILLE 30.
MEMBERS OF THAT GROUP TROLLED
00:00:57DOOR-TO-DOOR, TARGETING SENIOR
HOMEOWNERS, COMPLETED FEW IF ANY
00:01:01ACTUAL REPAIR JOBS, DECEIVED OR
STRONG ARMED THEIR VICTIMS INTO
00:01:06PAYING EXORBITANT CHARGES,
EVENTUALLY, TURNED THEMSELVES
00:01:10CONVICTIONS AND PRISON TERMS A
DECADE AGO.
00:01:12THE ORIGINAL GROUP RIPPED OFF 24
SENIOR CITIZENS FOR MORE THAN
00:01:20$200,000.
THEN ATTORNEY GENERAL BUT IN A
00:01:23DUMMY.
MANY AWAY DURING HER TIME IN
00:01:25OFFICE -- BETTY MONTGOMERY BUT
MANY OF THEM AWAY TO HER,
00:01:32OFFICE.
TWO ARE OUT AND ADDED AGAIN.
00:01:34THIS TIME WITH A NEW CREW.
THEY HAVE ALSO FINE TUNE THEIR
00:01:41SCAMMED.
THE TARGETED AN ELDERLY
00:01:45HOMEOWNER, IDENTIFY SOME REPAIR
TO THE ROOF FORTUNATE, TO THE
00:01:50YARD.
THEY SAY YOU HAVE GOT TO DO IT.
00:01:52THEN THEY CHARGE AN OUTRAGEOUS
SUM OF MONEY TO TAKE CARE OF THE
00:01:56PROBLEM.
OR THEY GO AHEAD AND FIX SOME
00:02:01SORT OF SUPPOSED HOUSE ISSUE AND
JUST NOT ON THE DOOR.
00:02:06NOT ON THE DOOR AND SAY, A JUST
FIX YOUR PROBLEM AND THE PERSON
00:02:11HAS NEVER EVEN SEEN THEM BEFORE.
THEY ASK FOR MONEY.
00:02:13ONCE THE HOMEOWNER RIGHTS THE
FIRST CHECK, THEY COME BACK IN A
00:02:20FEW DAYS OR WEEKS AND CLAIM, I
HAVE BEEN OVERPAID.
00:02:24DON'T WANT TO CHARGE THAT MUCH.
THEIR REQUEST ANOTHER CHECK FOR
00:02:29A LESSER AMOUNT.
THE PROMISE TO RIP UP THE FIRST
00:02:37CHECK, BUT THEY DO NOT.
NOW THEY HAVE TWO CHECKS.
00:02:39THIS HAPPENED 29 TIMES TO A
FRANKLIN COUNTY MAN WHO WROTE 29
00:02:58SEPARATE CHECKS AND LOST NEARLY
$50,000.
00:03:01SO FAR, MORE THAN A DOZEN
OHIOANS HAVE LOST A TOTAL OF
00:03:10102,000 -- EXCUSE BECOME A
$102,000 FROM THIS LATEST SCAM.
00:03:15VICTIMS WITH AN AVERAGE AGE, AN
AVERAGE AGE OF 84 YEARS OLD ARE
00:03:22FROM FAIRFIELD, FRANKLIN,
PICKAWAY AND ROSS COUNTIES
00:03:29RANGING FROM $250 TO $49,300.
OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN
00:03:37THREE WAYS.
FIRST, OUR CONSUMER ECONOMIC
00:03:39CRIMES UNIT BEGAN LOOKING INTO
SOME COMPLAINTS WHEN WE BEGAN TO
00:03:42HEAR THEM.
THEY REALIZED THEY WERE PART OF
00:03:45A LARGER AND ALL TOO FAMILIAR
PATTERN.
00:03:49THEY BROUGHT ALL OF THE PIECES
TOGETHER AND A COMPREHENSIVE
00:03:53INVESTIGATION.
SECOND, THE SYSTEM WITH A
00:03:58CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONAL.
THIRD, OUR CONSUMER ECONOMIC
00:04:02CRIMES UNIT IS PROSECUTING THE
CASE AT THE REQUEST OF THE
00:04:06FAIRFIELD COUNTY PROSECUTING
ATTORNEY.
00:04:06HERE WITH ME TODAY IS JONATHAN
BLANTON FROM OUR OFFICE.
00:04:15WE GOT INVOLVED IN THE SITUATION
LAST MAY WHEN AN 81-YEAR-OLD
00:04:20WOMAN COMPLAINED TO OUR CONSUMER
PROTECTION SECTION ABOUT BRUCE
00:04:24MACFARLANE WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE
INDICTED.
00:04:25HE ASKED THIS WOMAN IF SHE
WANTED HIM TO FIX A FEW LOOSE
00:04:31SHINGLES ON HER ROOF.
SHE SAID, YES, EXPECTING TO PAY
00:04:35$50.
HE CAME BACK TO HER DOOR AFTER
00:04:40THE JOB SUPPOSEDLY WAS OVER WITH
AND CLAIMED HE WRAPPED SAMASZKO
00:04:45AROUND HER TO ME, REMOVED THREE
SQUIRRELS FROM THE CHIMNEY, AND
00:04:50INSTALLED SHEETING RUN THE
FURNACE AND HOT WATER HEATER.
00:04:52HE DEMANDED $900.
AT THAT POINT, HE WAS ALREADY IN
00:04:58HER HOUSE.
SHE FELL VERY UNEASY -- SHE FELT
00:05:04VERY UNEASY AS HE WATCHED HER
WHILE SHE WROTE HER CHECK.
00:05:07SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, THE MAN
RETURNED.
00:05:13HE SAID THAT SHE PAID HIM TOO
MUCH.
00:05:16HE ASKED HER FOR ANOTHER CHECK,
PROMISING TO RIP UP THE FIRST
00:05:19ONE.
SHE DID THAT.
00:05:23SHE WROTE ANOTHER CHECK, THIS
TIME FOR $400.
00:05:25OUR CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR
QUICKLY LOOKED INTO THIS
00:05:31SITUATION, RECOGNIZED A PATTERN
FROM OTHER CASES AND CONNECTED
00:05:34THE DOTS TO REVEAL A LARGE HOME
REPAIR SCAM.
00:05:36THEN IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE MORE
VICTIMS SURFACED.
00:05:42LAST SUMMER AND 81-YEAR-OLD
WOMAN CLAIMED THE SUSPECT TOLD
00:05:48HER HE CAPTURED NINE RECKONS ON
HER ROOF, WHICH WOULD COST HER
00:05:54$4,300.
AN 89-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WROTE 14
00:06:00CHECKS TOTALING $23,800 TO
CHECKS TOTALINGSCAMMERS TO
00:06:06REMOVE "SWIRLS" FROM THE ATTIC.
ALL FOUR -- ALL 14 CHECKS WERE
00:06:12CASHED.
AN 86-YEAR-OLD MAN LOST THE
00:06:16MOST.
THE SCAM CAN TO LIGHT AFTER HE
00:06:18CONTACTED A FRIEND WHO NOTICED
SEVERAL RECEIPTS THAT ONLY SAID
00:06:23"PAID IN FULL" WITHOUT
INDICATING WHAT WORK WAS
00:06:26PERFORMED.
ANOTHER INDICTED INDIVIDUAL
00:06:32STAMP APPEARED ON A COUPLE.
THE MAN WAS CONFUSED AND
00:06:37INTIMIDATED.
HE WROTE SEVERAL DIFFERENT TAX
00:06:50TOTALING NEARLY $50,000.
THIS WAS THE POSTER OF THE
00:07:00INDIVIDUALS.
[INAUDIBLE]
00:07:13THESE ARE THOSE INVOLVED IN THE
SCAM.
00:07:22THEY'RE FACING FELONY CHARGES,
WHICH INCLUDE ENGAGING IN A
00:07:29PATTERN OF CORRUPT ACTIVITY,
CONSPIRACY, THEFT FROM AN
00:07:33ELDERLY PERSON, AND MONEY
LAUNDERING.
00:07:35AS OF THIS MOMENT, WE'RE STILL
LOOKING FOR MARKED -- MARK
00:07:42KITCHEN.
THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE CRAFTY AND
00:07:45CLEVER.
THEY MADE POSSIBLE PAYMENTS TO
00:07:50THOSE WHO WERE VULNERABLE AND
TRY TO CAPITALIZE ON CONFUSION
00:07:54IT.
WITH MULTIPLE WORKERS,
00:07:57PROJECTS, AND INVOICES.
THERE WERE ALTERNATELY CAUGHT BY
00:08:00THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF LOCAL
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE ATTORNEY
00:08:03GENERAL'S OFFICE.
AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
00:08:06TO ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS
THAT WORKED ON THIS.
00:08:08WE APPRECIATE THE OUTSTANDING
WORK OF THE OFFICERS, THE
00:08:13AGENTS, INVESTIGATORS WHO HELPED
IN THIS INVESTIGATION FROM THE
00:08:17COLUMBUS POLICE
DEPARTMENT,V,ILLE PLEASE,
00:08:21FAIRFIELD COUNTY SHERIFF'S
OFFICE AND OTHERS.
00:08:24THEY ALL WORKED EXTREMELY WELL
AND HARD AS CONSUMER ECONOMIC
00:08:35CRIMES UNIT AND THE BUREAU OF
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION.
00:08:37THE INVESTIGATION IS NOT OVER.
THE INVESTIGATION WILL CONTINUE.
00:08:44WE BELIEVE ADDITIONAL CHARGES
WILL BE FILED AGAINST MORE
00:08:48INDIVIDUALS.
THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHY
00:08:53I CREATED THE ECONOMIC CRIMES
UNIT IN OUR CONSUMER PROTECTION
00:08:57SECTION.
TO HELP LOCAL AUTHORITIES
00:08:59INVESTIGATE AND PROSECUTE
CRIMINAL MISCONDUCT AND CONSUMER
00:09:03FRAUD CASES.
WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT
00:09:07ECONOMISTS TODAY TRAVEL FROM
COUNTY TO COUNTY TO COUNTY.
00:09:09IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO PULL
EVERYONE TOGETHER, DIFFERENT
00:09:15DEPARTMENTS, DIFFERENT COUNTIES,
AND TO WORK ON THIS TOGETHER.
00:09:17SINCE MARCH 2011 WHEN I CREATED
THIS UNIT, THIS COLLABORATION
00:09:22HAS RESULTED IN 64 SEPARATE
INDIVIDUALS BEING CHARGED WITH
00:09:26CRIMES INCLUDING THE SEVEN FROM
CIRCLEVILLE.
00:09:29SO FAR, 35 OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS
HAVE BEEN CONVICTED.
00:09:33I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE BY
OFFERING A LITTLE ADVICE TO OHIO
00:09:38CONSUMERS.
KNOWLEDGE IS THE BEST DEFENSE
00:09:43AGAINST SCAMMERS LIKE THE SEVEN
WHO WERE INDICTED ON FRIDAY.
00:09:45WE ARE REALLY ENTERING THE BUSY
SEASON.
00:09:50IT IS SPRING.
PEOPLE ARE OUTSIDE.
00:09:53PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AROUND AT
THEIR HOUSE TO SEE WHAT NEEDS TO
00:09:57BE DONE.
THIS IS THE TIME WHEN DOOR-TO-
00:09:59DOOR CONTRACTORS COME TO YOUR
HOUSE LOOKING FOR BUSINESS.
00:10:01MANY OF THEM ARE LEGITIMATE.
SOME OF THEM TRAGICALLY ARE NOT.
00:10:08DO NOT FEEL PRESSURE IF SOMEONE
COMES TO YOUR DOOR.
00:10:12YOU DON'T NEED TO MAKE A QUICK
DECISION.
00:10:15YOU DON'T NEED TO DO WITH THEM
AT ALL.
00:10:17BEFORE HIRING SOMEONE OR
COMPANY, ASKED FAMILY AND
00:10:23FRIENDS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS.
CHECK OUT THE PERSON OR PERSONS
00:10:26ON RECOMMENDATION.
ANYONE WHO COMES TO YOUR DOOR
00:10:29AND WANTS TO DO WORK, THEY
PROBABLY HAVE DONE WORK BEFORE.
00:10:35YOU NEED TO CALL THAT PERSON.
GET REFERENCES FROM THEM.
00:10:38MAKE THEM GIVE YOU THE NAME AND
PHONE NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO
00:10:42YOU CAN CHECK.
OR YOU CAN CALL OUR OFFICE.
00:10:45WE CAN TELL YOU WHETHER WE HAVE
RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT
00:10:49THESE INDIVIDUALS.
NEXT COME ALWAYS GET A WRITTEN
00:10:53CONTRACT WITH TERMS SPECIFIED.
NEVER PAY ALL OF THE MONEY UP
00:10:57FRONT.
KNOW THAT THE OHIO'S HOME
00:11:00SOLICITATION CELLS ACT GIVES
CONSUMERS THREE DAYS TO CANCEL
00:11:04MOST CONTRACTS.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE IS
00:11:09HERE TO HELP GUIDE CONSUMERS
THROUGH THESE ISSUES AND HELP
00:11:13ANY INDIVIDUAL THAT MAY BECOME A
VICTIM.
00:11:15I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CALL OUR 1-
800 NUMBER.
00:11:18OR VISIT OUR WEB SITE.
THIS TIME TO BE MORE THAN HAPPY
00:11:28TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
00:11:30>> CLEARLY, THE HAVE TARGETED
THE ELDERLY.
00:11:43THE AVERAGE AGE OF THEIR VICTIMS
IS WELL OVER 80.
00:11:46IT IS JUST DESPICABLE ANYONE
COMMITTED ANY CRIME THAT SEEMS
00:11:55TO ME JUST TO BE WORSE WHEN THEY
PREY ON SOMEONE WHO IS IN THEIR
00:12:0480S, 90S.
AND TRY TO RELY ON THEIR
00:12:09FRIENDLINESS, TRY TO RELY ON
THEIR GOOD MANNERS, TRY TO RELY
00:12:13ON THE FACT THAT MAYBE THEY
DON'T SEE AS WELL, MAYBE THAT
00:12:17DON'T HEAR AS WELL.
IT IS JUST DESPICABLE.
00:12:21WE'RE GOING AFTER THESE PEOPLE.
THE ELDER ABUSE TAKES MANY
00:12:28FORMS.
ONE FORM OF ELDER ABUSE IS A
00:12:31SCAM ARTISTS WHO NOT ON THE
ELDERLY STORE AND TRY TO GO
00:12:36AFTER THEM.
LOOK, THE TRUTH IS, ANY LAW-
00:12:39ENFORCEMENT OFFICER CAN TELL
YOU FROM TALKING TO, ARTISTS,
00:12:44THEY TARGET NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEY TARGET HOUSES.
00:12:46THERE ARE WAYS THEY KNOW OR HAVE
A PRETTY GOOD IDEA IF THERE IS
00:12:52AN ELDERLY PERSON BEHIND THAT
DOOR.
00:12:53THERE ARE SIGNS OUTSIDE, THINGS
THEY CAN TELL.
00:12:56THEY LEARN HOW TO DO THAT.
THAT IS TO THE TARGET.
00:13:00IT IS JUST DESPICABLE.
OUR JOB AT THE ATTORNEY
00:13:04GENERAL'S OFFICE IS TO PROTECT
OHIO FAMILIES.
00:13:07THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE GOING
AFTER OHIO FAMILIES,
00:13:11PARTICULARLY TARGETING THE
ELDERLY.
00:13:13>> [INAUDIBLE]
>> WHAT IS SHOCKING TO ME, AND I
00:13:28SAW THIS A LITTLE BIT WAS A
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY, WE WOULD
00:13:31HAVE PEOPLE COME BACK TIME AND
AGAIN AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD BE
00:13:34THE SAME GROUP, WHAT IS SHOCKING
TO ME IS THE TWO RINGLEADERS
00:13:42HERE, WE HAVE DEALT WITH THEM
BEFORE BACK WHEN BETTE MIDLER,
00:13:46WHO WAS ATTORNEY GENERAL.
SHE WAS OUT OF TOWN -- WHEN
00:13:50BETTY MONTGOMERY WAS ATTORNEY
GENERAL.
00:13:56I ASK TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT SHE
WAS OUT OF TOWN.
00:13:58>> [INAUDIBLE]
>> I WAS NOT SURPRISED THERE
00:14:15WERE BACK OUT.
HOPEFULLY THIS TIME WE CAN LOCK
00:14:18THEM AWAY FOR A LONG TIME SO
AWAY FORPREY ON THE ELDERLY
00:14:22AGAIN LIKE THEY HAVE.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID THIS
00:14:26BECOMES A FAMILY BUSINESS.
THEY TRAINED YOUNG ONES HOW TO
00:14:30DO IT AND THEY KNOW HOW TO GO
OUT AND PREY ON THE ELDERLY,
00:14:35WHAT SIGNS TO LOOK FOR.
THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE
00:14:38CONSTANTLY WATCHING.
RECENTLY WE HAVE SEEN THE HAVE
00:14:42EXPANDED WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THEY'RE GOING OUTSIDE PICKAWAY
00:14:46COUNTY.
THERE TOO WILL KNOW BECAUSE OF
00:14:51ALL OF THE PRESS.
THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO
00:14:55UNDERSTAND.
JUST LIKE TO GET UP IN THE
00:14:58MORNING AND GO TO WORK, THESE
GUYS GET UP EVERY DAY AND GO
00:15:02SCAMMING.
THIS IS WHAT THEY DO.
00:15:04THIS IS HOW THEY FUNCTION.
THIS IS WHAT THEY DO FOR A
00:15:08LIVING.
THIS IS THEIR BUSINESS, TO GO
00:15:12RIP OFF ELDERLY PEOPLE.
THEY HAVE EXHAUSTED THEIR
00:15:18TERRITORY AROUND PICKED --
PICKAWAY COUNTY.
00:15:23THEY GO FURTHER OUT.
JUST LIKE OTHER PEOPLE WITH
00:15:28LEGITIMATE BUSINESSES, THEY'RE
BRINGING IN NUMBER PEOPLE INTO
00:15:34THIS ENTERPRISE, THIS BUSINESS.
IT IS WHAT THEY DO.
00:15:38>> [INAUDIBLE]
>> IT IS DIFFICULT.
00:15:46I MEAN, THE HISTORY OF
RESTITUTION WITH SCAM ARTISTS IS
00:15:51TOUGH.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN DO IT, BUT I
00:15:54WOULD NOT HOLD OUT A LOT OF
HOPE.
00:15:56>> [INAUDIBLE]
.
00:15:57YOU CAN TRY TO GET THEIR MONEY
AND A GEORGE CAN ORDER
00:16:03RESTITUTION, BUT FINDING THE
MONEY IS ALWAYS THE PROBLEM.
00:16:05>> GET IT LEGITIMATE JOB TO PAY
BACK TO WORK FOR THE
00:16:12RESTITUTION.
THE JUDGE TO ORDER RESTITUTION,
00:16:15BUT THEY HAVE TO SCAM MORE
PEOPLE TO PAY THOSE PEOPLE BACK.
00:16:17>> [INAUDIBLE]
>> IS THIS A SEGUE?
00:16:25[LAUGHTER]
GRAND JURY HAS BEEN SELECTED AND
00:16:37THE GRAND JURY HAS BEEN
SELECTED OF OUR PROSECUTORS TO
00:16:42OR OVER THEIR HANDLING IT THIS
MORNING.
00:16:43WE WILL HAVE NOW, WE WILL
CONTINUE TO EVALUATE EVIDENCE.
00:16:49I WOULD ANTICIPATE THIS GRAND
JURY WILL BE BACK IN SESSION IN
00:16:53APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS.
ONCE THE GRAND JURY GOES BACK
00:16:57INTO SESSION, I WOULD LOOK FOR
MANY WITNESSES TO BE CALLED AND
00:17:02WE WILL PLOW RIGHT AHEAD WITH
THE CASE OR CASES.
00:17:05>> [INAUDIBLE]
>> WE ARE ROUGHLY TWO WEEKS TO
00:17:11GO.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
00:17:13>> IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF
VALUATION, IT IS STILL
00:17:18PROCESSING.
THERE IS A MOUNTAIN OF
00:17:21INFORMATION.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
00:17:22>> THAT IS WHAT I HEARD, YES.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
00:17:30>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, DAVID IS
A VERY NICE PERSON.
00:17:45I KNOW HIM.
MY FOCUS EVERY DAY, FRANKLY, IS
00:17:52ON PROTECTING OHIO FAMILIES AND
DOING MY JOB.
00:17:54AS YOU WILL SAY, THIS IS GOING
TO BE A BUSY WEEK.
00:18:00WE'RE STARTING OFF TODAY AND
WE'RE GOING HAVE OTHER
00:18:04ANNOUNCEMENTS AS THE WEEK GOES
ON, SO THERE IS A LOT GOING ON
00:18:08THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE,
AND FRANKLY I'M NOT FOCUSED ON
00:18:10THE NEXT ELECTION.
I DO MY JOB EVERY DAY.
00:18:14THE JOB IS TO PROTECT ALLOW
FAMILIES.
00:18:16-- PROTECT OHIO FAMILIES.
ANYBODY ELSE?
00:18:24THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
Note : Transcripts are compiled from uncorrected captions