U.S. Marshals catch fugitive Navy charity scammer

Portland, OR, United States (AHN) – U.S. Marshals announced Tuesday the arrest in Oregon of the man behind a multi-million dollar Navy charity scam that victimized Ohio donors. The fugitive’s identity, however, is fake and he refuses to give his real name.

Bobby Thompson was arrested Monday night at the doorstep of his home in Portland and is now detained at the Multnomah County Jail pending his extradition to Ohio.

Thompson had been on the run for two years after authorities in Ohio learned in 2010 that his U.S. Navy Veterans Association charity, which raised more than $100 million from donors, was bogus. The association’s board members could not be located and there was no accounting of the cash donations.

The scammer was later charged with identity theft, fraud, and money laundering.

Meanwhile, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said investigators do not yet know who is Thompson as he has been using the identities of different people from different states. The real Bobby Thompson is a man from Washington State.

Thompson also uses the identity of Ronnie Brittain, head of a veterans group in New Mexico.

 

---

---