Reporter Exposes & Confronts Scam Artist Who Told Fake Story
- 16 years ago
So many that are need have a rough going this time of year and with the holidays in full swing there are no shortage of scam artists out there who are willing to prey on innocent people.
A man had claimed burglars busted into his apartment and literally stole Christmas from he and his kids. Almost immediately the phones and emails lit up at KTRK's news station with Houstonians offering to help. The story got around nationally and locally especially to news stations like Tampa Bay 10 in Florida but now we've learned that the man who calls himself 'Santa' may be a Grinch himself. The station started digging into his questionable past. Four aliases and that's not all.
Less than 24 hours after Roberto Luis (his real name is Reuben Garibay) told us his sad story of thieves stealing Christmas while he was out playing Santa, an outpouring of generosity and a confrontation ensued.
After seeing his story on Eyewitness News, people came to Roberto's southwest Houston apartment from all over to help. Little Kinley drove with her mother from Pasadena but in the end it was all for nothing as you will see in this interview.
Reporter Jessica Willey said he told the same story on another television station but he still claimed both were true. After several denials, he finally confessed.
A man had claimed burglars busted into his apartment and literally stole Christmas from he and his kids. Almost immediately the phones and emails lit up at KTRK's news station with Houstonians offering to help. The story got around nationally and locally especially to news stations like Tampa Bay 10 in Florida but now we've learned that the man who calls himself 'Santa' may be a Grinch himself. The station started digging into his questionable past. Four aliases and that's not all.
Less than 24 hours after Roberto Luis (his real name is Reuben Garibay) told us his sad story of thieves stealing Christmas while he was out playing Santa, an outpouring of generosity and a confrontation ensued.
After seeing his story on Eyewitness News, people came to Roberto's southwest Houston apartment from all over to help. Little Kinley drove with her mother from Pasadena but in the end it was all for nothing as you will see in this interview.
Reporter Jessica Willey said he told the same story on another television station but he still claimed both were true. After several denials, he finally confessed.