Fake UN worker arrested
Published:Tuesday | August 10, 2010 | 5:54 PM
New York Police have arrested a Haitian man claiming to be an employee of the United Nations.
The fake UN worker was seeking assistance for earthquake victims in Haiti.
Police say 28-year-old Marc Payen, pleaded not guilty to charges he posed as an immigration lawyer, or claimed to be employed by the UN, in order to get more than 12 thousand 500 US dollars from at least six persons.
They said Payen offered to help his victims file for temporary protected status in the wake of the massive earthquake that struck the French-speaking Caribbean country on January 12.
According to the authorities, Payen would use the UN's lobby to meet with his victims, claiming his offices were upstairs.
However assistant Manhattan district attorney, Daysi Mejia, said Payen was not a lawyer and did not work for the UN but was merely a volunteer there.
Majia said Payen was already on probation for admittedly bilking immigrants out of 40 thousand US dollars by posing as a lawyer in Queens, New York.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance has urged anyone who has fallen victim to this or similar scams to contact his office's immigrant affairs programme.