Philly District Attorney Give Update On Senior Citizen Scam Case
by Alex Lloyd Gross
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner gave an up date on Patrick Vassor, from Florida, who is accused of scamming 72 year old Greg Sclight out of $13,000 in April of 2025. All of Vassor’s charges, including theft a Dealing in Funds From Unlawful Proceeds were held for trial. Six charges total, all felonies.
Sclight, joined Krasner to talk about how he was scammed. It was a day in April when he responded to a text message from what he thought was his bank. He responded. When he spoke to the fraudster on the other line, they kept transferring him to different people, then finally he was told he was the subject of a fraud, he had to withdraw $13,000 from his account and place the cash into another account. He did as he was told, then realized he got scammed. After all the voice on the phone told him that he was an FBI Agent.
“Getting scammed is nothing to be embarrassed about, any more than getting hit by a car”, Krasner said. People who thought they were sophisticated, educated and savvy then find themselves swindled out of tens of thousands of dollars in cash.
“Slow down, take a few minutes and do not allow yourself to be rushed. Scammers like to rush people because when they stop they think, ” said Alex Bluementhal, who is prosecuting the case. In this case, he is going to ask for restitution.
Krasner said that Vassor’s account was traced by police. He also said that the fraud mimics other, similar frauds. Vassor gets to go back to court for a formal arraignment on April 24, 2026.
Should you get an email from your bank or a text message, do not respond, not matter what. Call the main number for your bank and discuss the issue with the people on the phone that you called. Even if you bank calls you about a fraud, call them back and dial the number yourself, do not just hit redial or *69 on your phone.
After the press conference Krasner said he wanted Vassor to go to jail for 200 years. This is National Crime Victims Rights Week. Some of the activities the Philly DAO has includes a hotline for crime victims (215) 696-8019 this Wednesday from 10 to 4.