A Miami man has been indicted in Arizona after prosecutors said bank impersonators convinced seniors to withdraw tens of thousands of dollars and hand the cash to unsuspecting rideshare drivers who delivered it to him.
Andre Hart, 22, is accused of traveling from Miami to the Phoenix area on three separate dates in July to collect packages containing money taken from victims.
The callers posed as representatives of the victims’ financial institutions and claimed there were problems with their accounts. Victims were instructed to withdraw large sums and turn the money over to someone they believed was an undercover or private investigator.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, Hart has been indicted in connection with more than $65,000 allegedly stolen from several Maricopa County seniors. He remains accused, not convicted.
The First Victim Handed Over $14,850
Court records provide more detail about the first documented incident. On July 8, a woman received a call from someone posing as a Chase Bank representative who claimed fraud had been detected involving her account.
The caller told her to withdraw her money and turn it over to a private investigator. She withdrew $14,850 and took the cash to a Glendale business parking lot, where she handed it to the driver of a black Hyundai, according to ABC15 Arizona.
Five days later, another woman received a call from the same phone number and was given a similar story. She withdrew $18,500 from a Chase branch in Glendale and handed the cash to a man driving a maroon minivan. Together, those two documented handoffs involved $33,350.
The Minivan Driver Turned Out to Be a Lyft Driver
Investigators later found the man driving the maroon minivan and learned that he was a Lyft driver who did not know the package contained money from an alleged fraud.
The driver told detectives he believed he had simply been hired to pick up and deliver a package. He said he took it to a McDonald’s parking lot in Phoenix, where he handed it to a heavy-set man in his 20s.
That information gave detectives a location where they could search for surveillance evidence. Video from the McDonald’s and a neighboring motel showed the man who received the package, while the motel manager provided investigators with a copy of the passport used by a guest they identified as Hart.
Detectives compared surveillance images with Hart’s passport and Florida driver’s license photograph and said they positively identified him as the person who received the package. Cellphone records also placed him in the Phoenix area on July 8 and July 13, according to the court records.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office describes unwitting Uber drivers being used for pickups on the three dates tied to the indictment, while the more detailed court reporting identifies at least one courier specifically as a Lyft driver. The prosecutors say the rideshare drivers did not know they were carrying alleged scam proceeds.
Police Were Waiting When Hart Returned on July 30
Hart returned to the Phoenix area on July 30 for what prosecutors describe as a third round of pickups. By then, Glendale police detectives had identified him and were conducting surveillance.
Detectives watched as a gray Toyota Prius pulled into a Phoenix restaurant parking lot and a package was handed to Hart. Officers arrested him after the exchange and found $25,000 in cash in his possession, according to the court records.
The operation was still unfolding after Hart was taken into custody. Minutes later, an Uber driver arrived at the same location with another package that the driver believed was supposed to be delivered there.
That package contained $9,000 in cash. Police seized it as evidence, meaning officers intercepted $34,000 between the money found with Hart and the second package that arrived after his arrest. Police subsequently obtained a search warrant for Hart’s motel room. Investigators found another $53,000 in cash, along with his passport and clothing they said matched apparel visible in surveillance footage from earlier pickups.
Hart Faces Four Fraud Counts and Three Theft Counts
A Maricopa County grand jury indicted Hart on four counts of fraudulent schemes and artifices, which prosecutors classify as Class 2 felonies, and three counts of theft, classified as Class 3 felonies.
The indictment covers conduct involving several Maricopa County seniors and more than $65,000 in alleged losses. The county attorney announced the charges Aug. 12.
Hart is being held on a $100,000 cash bond. At his initial court appearance, he asked whether he could return to Florida or use an ankle monitor if he posted bond because he does not live in Arizona.
The judge declined to modify the conditions and ordered Hart to remain in Arizona if released while the felony case is pending. According to ABC15, the judge cited concerns that Hart might have access to significant illegitimate funds and could pose a flight risk or danger to the community.
Never Withdraw Cash Because a Caller Says Your Bank Account Is in Danger
The Federal Trade Commission warns that scammers increasingly target older adults by posing as banks, businesses or government agencies and claiming something is wrong with the victim’s accounts. The supposed solution frequently involves moving savings, withdrawing cash or handing money to another person.
If a cash pickup has already been arranged but has not happened, contact police before meeting the courier. The FTC specifically advises calling law enforcement if someone claims another person is coming to collect cash or valuables. Do not confront or follow the collector yourself.
Anyone who has already handed over money should immediately tell the bank and law enforcement what happened and preserve the call logs, texts, withdrawal receipts, rideshare information, pickup locations and descriptions of anyone involved. The FTC accepts impersonation-scam reports through ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Internet- and technology-enabled fraud can also be reported to the FBI through IC3.gov.