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Man Tells Woman She'll Inherit $1 Million, Charged With Scheme To Defraud

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By LISA A. DAVIS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 5, 2008

  Arnold Vallombroso

PORT RICHEY - Arnold Vallombroso told his 82-year-old neighbor in Shalimar Trailer Court he could make her some serious cash, according to authorities. All he needed was her to help a bit.

Late last year, he told the woman he had a $900 million inheritance coming from Nigeria, a Pasco County Sheriff's Office report states. Because Vallombroso was out of work, he reportedly told her, he needed cash to pay customs so he could get the money. She bit but in the end wound up being out thousands of dollars.

On Monday, Pasco deputies caught up with Vallombroso after receiving a tip that he was at his mother's home at 9033 Shawn Ave. He was arrested on a charge of scheme to defraud. He was being held Tuesday in the Land O' Lakes Jail with bail set at $5,000.

On Dec. 4, 2007, the woman wrote him a check for $212, followed by another for $390, and then one in January for $2,500 supposedly to pay for a hotel for an emissary who would deliver the inheritance to the United States, according to sheriff's office reports.

In exchange for her help, Vallombroso promised the woman he would pay her $1 million upon receiving the inheritance. Instead, Vallombroso, according to detectives, kept asking the woman for more and more money. In all, she wrote him more than $13,000 in checks of which more than $9,100 has been cashed, according to authorities.

On two occasions in January and February, Vallombroso went with the woman to Publix at the Shoppes of Golden Acres and asked her to wire money to Nigeria, which she did, according to reports.

It wasn't clear Tuesday who, if anyone other than Vallombroso, received that wired money.

"We're not sure if he got a kickback for wiring the money. We don't know who was on the receiving end," said sheriff's office spokesman Doug Tobin, who added that the wired money could be picked up any where in the world.

At some point, Vallombroso asked the woman to purchase a lock box and then he went with her to the Bank of America and had his name placed on her account, saying the money would be arriving shortly, and she would need to the lock box to place it in, the reports state.

The woman often asked why the money hadn't arrived and Vallombroso kept feeding her excuses, according to reports, saying that agents delivering the money were in Switzerland and didn't have the money to pay for U.S. Customs to bring it to the United States. He asked for another $2,000 but this time the woman refused.

On Feb. 29, she called the sheriff's office and filed a complaint against Vallombroso, who then disappeared.

She told detectives she though the money would be a good inheritance for her children. She couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday.

"If you have to spend money to get money, it is a scam," Tobin said. "Just keep that in mind."

Detectives continue investigating Vallombrose. They think there could be other victims and ask that they come forward. Anyone with information contact Detective Darcy Ganger at 1-800-854-2862, Ext. 7441.

Reporter Lisa A. Davis can be reached at (727) 815-1083 or ldavis@tampatrib.com.

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