By Jeff Lipton
Two more Five Towners came forward last week after reading a story in the Herald about a man who has been impersonating former New Jersey Nets point guard Kenny Anderson to gain their trust and dupe them out of cash. But these victims told him to take a hike before he got very far in his swindle.
Since the Herald broke the story last month, several residents have called or e-mailed the newspaper saying that they were also confronted by the con man.
Luciano Morello, 39, of Hewlett, said he was taking a coffee break from his job as a groundskeeper for the Hewlett-Woodmere School District about two weeks ago when he was approached by the man inside the Pen-Mil Shopping Center at about 9 a.m. The man came running up to his truck, identified himself as the former basketball player and told Morello that he was locked out of his vehicle and needed a ride to a locksmith on Mott Avenue in Far Rockaway.
He told Morello that he had a check from Western Union for a $150,000 child support claim and needed to bring it to court within the hour. He offered to give Morello $2,000 for a ride.
"Right there, I knew something was suspicious," said Morello. "He wanted to give me two grand for a cab ride that would have cost him $5. It started to get a little fishy with me. I'm not a pushover."
Morello, who was wearing an expensive necklace, which he said probably drew the con man's attention, said he felt that if he took him in his vehicle, he may have been a robbery victim, so he told the man to get lost.
"He was a smooth talker," said Morello. "He had me going for a while."
Morello said he never reported it to authorities because he didn't think much about it and told others about the encounter but they didn't believe him.
"And then I read it in the Herald and I couldn't believe the same thing happened to them that happened to me," he said.
Morello said he fears that the con artist may get desperate enough to hurt someone during one of his scams.
"If he finds the right victim, he may lure him to a pack of guys who will give him a beating, and really hurt someone," said Morello.
Mark Carter, 45, of Inwood said he was approached by the con man twice, with the first time being two years ago. Carter said he was fishing on Beach 9th Street in Far Rockaway in the summer of 2006, when the con man told him he locked his keys in the car and asked to use his cell phone. He then asked him to drive him to Stop 'N Shop on Burnside Avenue in Inwood, which he did. At that point, he told him he needed $300 and would later pay him $1,000 in return if he would drive him to Kennedy Airport.
"Obviously, I was trying to help the guy," Carter said. "But I realized something was not right with this, so I told him, 'I don't want your money.'"
He was again approached by the con man, this time in the Boston Market parking lot on Rockaway Turnpike in North Lawrence about a month ago.
"He yelled at me, 'Hey, you want to make some money?'" Carter said. 'Take me to Kennedy Airport.' I looked him in the face, and I said, 'You don't remember me, do you? I should punch you in your face,' and he started running," Carter said. "I felt insulted that he tried to pull the same scam on me twice. The scam has to be working for him because he's still in the same neighborhood."
Carter thinks it's just a matter of time before he harms a victim. "He's trying to get into people's cars and taking them out of the way. He's really going to hurt someone. This guy has got to be stopped," Carter said. "I really want this guy to get caught."
One victim, who did not want to be identified, told the Herald that he picked the suspect out of an array of mug shots at Long Beach police headquarters last Thursday.
"I picked him out right away," he said. "I think they will find him now that his face is out there. I think more people are coming forward because of the Herald article."
Detectives at the 4th Squad said police were on the lookout for the con artist and urged residents to be careful in dealing with anyone who offers them a large sum of money.
Lt. Bruce Meyer of the Long Beach Police Department said anyone approached by a stranger requesting assistance should be directed to the police department.
"Common sense should prevail," Meyer said. "People in distress should call the police, that's what we get paid for. We will assess the situation and we will take appropriate action."
Comments about this story? Jlipton@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
