MARION, Ill. (WSIL) -- A Georgia man faces theft charges after police say he tried to scam a Marion woman out of nearly $100,000.
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Samir K. Mehta, 50, of Suwanee, Georgia was taken into custody Thursday night and faces a charge of 'Theft over $10,000.'
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Investigators say a woman on the 1900 block of Dawn Drive called police Thursday saying she had been contacted Wednesday morning by a person posing as law enforcement.
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According to police, the person instructed the victim to drive to a specific bank, withdraw $35,000, return to her home, place it on the front porch and wait for an agent to grab it. An unidentified person later retrieved the package containing the currency.
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While the woman reported the incident to police, she was again contacted by a person posing as a federal agent, according to investigators. The subject told the victim to withdraw $50,000, place it in an envelope and await further instructions, police say.
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Anticipating that the suspect would attempt to collect the money, officers and detectives orchestrated a simulated withdraw process with the victim. Police say once the simulated withdraw was complete, the suspect instructed the victim to place the money on the front porch.
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At about 11:30 p.m. a man, later identified as Mehta, arrived in a grey SUV, pulled into the victims driveway, exited the vehicle and retrieved the money, police say.听
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When Mehta returned to his vehicle, multiple officers took him into custody. Mehta was taken to the Williamson County Jail and is awaiting his first court appearance.
