Florida man arrested for reportedly scamming an elderly Utahn out of thousands

ENOCH – A Florida man is in the Iron County Jail as investigators say he conned an elderly man out of thousands of dollars over the phone. 

Prosecutors say the scammer used a technique that is very effective in tricking older people.  The victim got a phone call in early 2019 from someone claiming to be a family member.

“This individual is alleged to have targeted an elderly person, made them believe they were a grandson who was in trouble and needed money for bail,” according to Iron County Attorney Chad Dotson.  “The alleged victim in this case, trying to be a good grandfather, was willing to send money to this individual.”

However, Dotson says the “grandson” actually was Guerby Saint Cyr, a man who lived in Florida.  Prosecutors still don’t know how Cyr found his victim, but Cyr was able to convince the man to send more than $15 thousand.  Luckily, a bank manager spotted the suspicious transaction and froze it, although Cyr was able to get roughly $6,000 before the transfer stopped.

If Cyr was operating outside of the U.S., Dotson says it’s likely the case would have never been solved.  Fortunately, Dotson says they were able to track the transfer to an account in Palm Beach, Florida.  Cedar City police asked Palm Beach officers to keep an eye out for anyone who as withdrawing money from it.

Dotson says, “They were able to help us isolate the individual who was taking money out of the account.”

Cyr is in the Iron County Jail, booked for theft by deception and communications fraud.  Cyr is scheduled to have a detention hearing next week.

“Our position is that he’s a flight risk and that he’s a danger to the community where he’s preying on vulnerable populations,” Dotson says.  “So, we’re going to ask that he remain detained.”

 

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