A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced for faking his own mafia kidnapping to scam ransom money out of his victims, abc27 reported.
“Joshua B. Fernando, 27, of Salisbury Township, was sentenced to 6-23 months in prison after pleading guilty to faking his own kidnapping, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office,” the outlet said. He was also sentenced to two years of probation.
According to the DA’s office, Fernando told victims he was captured by the mafia when he traveled to Europe in May 2024 for a business trip. Fernando told the victims that the mafia would kill him if he did not receive ransom money.
Victims told the DA’s office that “Fernando first told them he was in a car accident with a bullet-proof vehicle owned by a mafia boss while in the United Kingdom.” Fernando told the victims he needed money to pay off the damage from the accident.
Fernando called the victims again telling them the mafia boss would kill him if he didn’t receive the money, the DA’s office detailed. Fernando continued calling over several days.
“Fernando would send the victims pictures of his bruised face and use a VPN to hide his true location, per the DA’s office. One video sent to the victims showed Fernando on his knees with a masked man behind him holding what appeared to be a gun,” according to the report.
Fernando ended up scamming $126,500 from the victims, according to the DA’s office. Victims reported the incidents to the London Metropolitan Police and the U.S. Embassy because of Fernando’s frequent phone calls and requests for cash.
Victims told the Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI about being scammed “when Fernando returned from his supposed kidnapping.”
Police found evidence on Fernando’s phone during the investigation that he had plotted a fake kidnapping. Police also discovered that Fernando had attempted to withdraw $130,000 from a bank account while he was in Lancaster County.
Fernando ultimately admitted to police that he faked his own kidnapping to obtain money from the victims, according to the DA’s office.
