February 7, 2003

I would like to pass along to members of the ABA Elder Abuse email list information on a subject named Pablo Zarte DOB 11/11/56. Pablo Zarte works his scam with an unidentified Hispanic female. The female starts the scam usually by contacting their victim in a parking lot of a shopping area. Our cases were in the parking lot of 98 cent, Factory 2 You type stores. The female partner contacts the victim claiming to have a winning lottery ticket and to be in the country illegally. The main suspect over hears the situation and advises the victim they should assist the Hispanic female to cash the ticket. He has even appeared to call the lottery and had a person on the phone tell the elder that the ticket was worth a certain amount.

Our county is in central California. He also has a pending case in Santa Crus Ca. and maybe related to a open case in Sacramento, Ca.. He was arrested in Abline Texas by Texas Highway Patrol and his extradition is in the works. Anyone in California and between California and Texas should review their open cases for similar facts.

If you have any open cases where a man and woman work as a team to drive the victim to their bank, social security office, and home to obtain good faith money for the fake lottery ticket holder while the elder turns in the ticket to cash it please contact me. I can provide a mug photo and current location of the male suspect.

Also consider protecting all paper items for finger prints. One of our cases has the suspect's finger print on the lottery ticket that was left with the victim. If you would like a copy of an information flier and local newspaper article about the scam email me off the list please.