1. Missing Petaluma male victim coerced into withdrawing funds for perpetrator
2. Disappeared Petaluma man pressured to take out cash for criminal.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
A man from Sacramento has been arrested for allegedly selling fake jewelry to an elderly resident in Petaluma last month. Florian Matei, 25, is facing charges of theft from an elderly or dependent adult, as per Sonoma County Superior Court records.
The incident took place on May 16, when the 85-year-old victim went missing after leaving his home to go to a store. His family reported him missing at around 5:45 p.m. that day. Police later found his unoccupied vehicle outside Trader Joe’s on N McDowell Blvd.
According to the Petaluma Police Department, the victim’s family had a brief phone conversation with him before he went missing. They overheard someone trying to sell him jewelry during the call. Police were able to trace his cell phone to the Cotati area, where he had made withdrawals at a local casino.
It is believed that Matei coerced the elderly man into withdrawing money from ATMs before dropping him off in a parking lot. The withdrawals amounted to over $4,000. The victim was later found with fake jewelry in the same parking lot where he was dropped off.
Authorities used surveillance footage from the casino to identify Matei, whose license plate led them to his whereabouts. Matei is also suspected of similar activities in Daly City in December. Additionally, he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest in Virginia for charges related to abduction by force and robbery.
Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com or reach out on Twitter @colin_atagi.
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“Lost Petaluma man forced to withdraw money for suspect”
“Petaluma man forced to withdraw money for suspect”.
