Atlantic Beach couple bilked woman out of $6,500, police say

February 4, 2010
By JOHN VALENTI. AND MATTHEW CHAYES john.valenti@newsday.commatthew.chayes@newsday.com

An Atlantic Beach husband and wife are facing charges of grand larceny after bilking an investor out of $6,500 in a house-flipping transaction.

Nassau police said Nancy Friedman, 60, and her husband, Ronald Friedman, 61, both of 1262 Park Ave., pulled the scam in July 2009. Both are charged with first-degree defraud and third-degree grand larceny when they were arrested Tuesday at about 7 p.m.

The Friedmans were arraigned Wednesday in First District Court, Hempstead, where a judge released them without bail.

Police said the incident began when Nancy Friedman, working as a real estate agent, showed a house in Plainview to a client. On July 14, police said, Ronald Friedman told the client he bought foreclosed homes, selling them for a profit.

"He saw her at a train station and they started talking," said Det. Sgt. Lucy Graziano, commanding officer of the county police Crime Against Property Squad.

He and his wife asked the client if she'd be interested in investing in a venture and promised to double her money when the house was sold.

The defendant gave the Friedmans $3,000, police said. A few days later, police said the victim was approached by Ronald Friedman, who asked if the woman would like to make even more money. She gave the Friedmans an additional $3,500, police said. She was hoping to get a return of about $13,000.

But the victim became suspicious when she didn't get paid as agreed in a promissory note, Graziano said.

The victim took it upon herself to identify and contact the owner of the property who said the house had never been in foreclosure. And, police said, the Friedmans had no financial interest in the property, located on Sylvia Lane.

An investigation was launched and the Friedmans were arrested.

The $6,500 hasn't been recovered, Graziano said.

The case was investigated by squad detectives Ronald Rispoli and Anthony DiCaprio.

Posted Thursday, February 4, 2010

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