Two men arrested after Westlake police said they scammed a 78-year-old woman of approximately $200,000 in gold over a seven-month period.
Police claimed the woman’s ordeal began in August 2025, when she dialed a false “Apple Security” number that appeared in a red box on her home computer, claiming she had been hacked.
The scammer who answered the phone pretended to be an FBI agent and began spinning her a tale that led her to feel she was legally required to cooperate in a federal inquiry. According to police, the woman was also ordered not to inform anyone about the inquiry.
Woman bought gold coins and bars
Eventually, the woman was directed to withdraw huge quantities of cash from her account and purchase gold coins and bars. The woman informed the bank that she required the money for a home improvement project.
The bogus agents arrived at her Westlake home to take the gold, and she was promised that it would be returned once the investigation was concluded.
The victim went to Carat Coin in North Olmsted to collect additional gold, and the shop owner was able to persuade the woman she was being duped.
“What kind of hurry are you in here?” Maroon Mandalek questioned the victim. Mondalek owns Carat Coins in North Olmsted. “And she said, ‘Well, it has to do with the FBI.’ “I can’t say much more. And I was like, ‘Oh no, hun, it’s a scam,'” Mandalek added, playing out his discussion with the victim.
Police set up sting operation
On March 26, the woman filed a report with the Westlake Police Department.
Westlake police officers and detectives then began scamming the scammers. Officers claimed they used the victim’s devices to consent to another gold pick-up and pulled the phony agents in with forged receipts and images of realistic-looking synthetic gold.
“Our detectives effectively stole her identity and led the scammers to believe she had finished everything.” We sent them photos of the gold,” said Capt. Gerald Vogel of the Westlake Police Department.
On March 25, the scammers returned to the victim’s home and took the phony gold, but cops and drones were watching. Drone cameras followed them from the moment they stepped out of the woman’s home.
A short time later, the suspects were pulled over near Crocker and Detroit Roads and arrested.
“These people actually had the audacity to show up in the City of Westlake and collect gold from our victim,” Vogel told us.
Two Pennsylvania men are currently in custody after being charged with felony theft by deceit and cooperation to conduct theft.
Vogel stated that the two men are couriers and members of a broader organization. Police stated the nearly $200,000 in gold is most likely gone for good.