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Perth man allegedly used lure of fictional marron to con seniors out of money

Jon Bassett and Giovanni TorreEastern Reporter

A PERTH man allegedly conned senior citizens out of almost $10,000 using the lure of a fictional marron farm.

The 52 year-old man was originally charged on May 7, leading to a number of other alleged marron scam victims coming forward.

“After the first charge we received 40-odd bits of further information from people, from which the current 29 charges originated,” Sergeant Paul Vojkovich said.

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It is alleged the man targetted older people on the streets of West Perth and Subiaco for money to help him get to his marron farm in the Perth hills, promising he would return their money and throw some marron in to sweeten the deal.

Wembley police found the man living in a Perth CBD hotel room in which no marron could be found.

The man could face a 10-year prison sentence because 20 of his victims were aged over 60.

It will be alleged he may have obtained just under $10,000 in total from the frauds, but the amount may increase as police investigate more reports.

This morning the man was remanded to reappear at Perth Magistrates Court on June 1.

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