3rd man charged in scam Gloria Gemma donation booth at St. Mary’s Feast

Daniel Kittredge
Posted 8/3/15

A third suspect has been arrested in connection with a scam Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Research Foundation donation booth set up during St. Mary’s Feast last month.

Sheldon Luther, 28, of 442 …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

3rd man charged in scam Gloria Gemma donation booth at St. Mary’s Feast

Posted

A third suspect has been arrested in connection with a scam Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Research Foundation donation booth set up during St. Mary’s Feast last month.

Sheldon Luther, 28, of 442 Taunton Ave., Apt. 4, in Seekonk, Mass., was taken into custody by Portsmouth police on Monday after Cranston detectives secured a warrant for his arrest, according to a Cranston police news release. He is charged with conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretenses, and is being held as a bail violator pending an Aug. 17 hearing date.

Two other men – Matthew Murphy, 30, previously of North Kingstown, and Alan Ponte, 46, of Pawtucket – have already been charged in connection with the scam booth, which claimed to be collecting donations for the Gloria Gemma Foundation.

According to Cranston police, detectives “continued to receive information that a third suspect was involved in the scam” after the apprehension of Murphy and Ponte. A Gloria Gemma worker also is said to have confirmed that two individuals had walked into the foundation on Friday, July 17 – the day before the scam booth was reported – to inquire about fundraising.

“This worker explained to both individuals the protocol and parameters that need to be met in order to fundraise and made it clear to both individuals that they would need prior approval to use the name and logo of the Gemma Foundation,” the police release states. “The worker was able to positively identify the two subjects as Sheldon Luther and Alan Ponte.”

Police further learned a cancer survivor who attended St. Mary’s Feast had witnessed two men set up the unauthorized collection table and take money. That witness became suspicious – knowing information the men were giving out incorrect information about the foundation – and took photos of them on her phone.

On July 25 – the day Ponte was arrested – police say a man identifying himself as “Sheldon” left a message with the foundation “making reference that his brother (Ponte) was arrested and he was very upset because he had approval to collect donations from the Foundation.”

“Sheldon stated he had collected $186 … for the Foundation and he would be turning the money over the next day, which the Gemma Foundation never received,” the police release states. “Detectives were able to confirm through phone records that the call made to the Gemma Foundation was from a cell phone number belonging to Sheldon Luther.”

Comments

1 comment on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here

  • RISchadenfreude

    This is what a criminal mastermind looks like, folks.

    Wednesday, August 5, 2015 Report this