Man faked kidnapping to attract help from estranged spouse, cops say
Blue lights shining on a police car. Photo by Lino Mirgeler/picture alliance via Getty Images)
NEW YORK - A Long Island man faces charges for allegedly faking his own kidnapping in an effort to gain favor with his estranged spouse.
The Suffolk County Police say they arrested Luis R. Umanzor on Friday afternoon in Brentwood. Police say the man claimed he was abducted by three unknown men in the parking lot outside an Islandia business on Veterans Memorial Highway on Thursday morning.
Officers say Umanzor said he was held at an unspecified location for several hours before the abductors dropped him off at a Long Island hospital.
Umanzor, 49, filed a police report about the kidnapping on the same day. Police say that following an extensive two-day investigation, Umanzor was brought in to a police precinct for further questioning where police say he admitted to lying in an attempt to gain favor with his estranged spouse.
He was arrested and faces two charges related to the false report. He was released and is due to go back to court at a later date.