Although several months have passed since the arrest of a man posing as a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) detective to defraud Latino workers, victims of this impostor continue to come forward.
Desperate and helpless, Carlos Lozano, defrauded by Martin Alexander 57 years old.
The bogus detective was arrested on October 27, 2022, after reporting at least 9 people he stole from, in total, more than $100,000.
The suspect defrauded several Hispanic victims, stealing thousands of dollars from them. Investigators will be looking for other victims of this man.
Authorities say Alejandro used Spanish-language ads to get close to his victims, most of whom were construction workers. Once he hired them to do maintenance work, he offered to have them seize vehicles from the police.
“We are like narcotics and we take cars away from people who are doing badly, with bad manners,” Lozano recounts as Alejandro told him. “And for being you, that I liked you, I’ll give it to you for $25,000.”
Lozano liked the offer. He claims that in total, he gave the suspect $35,000 and in exchange he allegedly gave him a vehicle seized by authorities.
However, he never received the car or got his money back, until he realized it was a scam.
“(They were) pure lies,” Lozano says. “It was the police who told me that I was already behind bars and I have already gone to the authorities to declare everything.”
Authorities say the suspect was primarily looking for Latino workers who, like Carlos Lozano, offer their services, believing they are more vulnerable.
Burbank police are looking for two suspects posing as Burbank officers to commit a robbery.
“He abused my trust. Also because I had savings and it was to do my daughter’s quinceañera,” says Lozano. “Well, what was this man’s pure scam.”
Alejandro was out on bail. However, after racking up new complaints against the suspect, authorities re-arrested him on February 9. On this occasion, he was released on $470,000 bail and is due in court on March 2.
Alejandro was arrested for similar crimes in 2014 and 2019, authorities said.
Authorities believe there may be more victims who have not yet filed a complaint.