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Iin yet another story of a con artist duping an elderly person, an 81 year old astronomer was bilked by a 31 year old scammer out of over $200,000. The fact that Joseph Gossner is a prominent city philanthropist lands him on the cover of the Daily News - he was taken in by Janet Costello, who told him she suffered from breast cancer and needed money to pay the bills, but actually used the money to buy a Hummer among other things.
Gossner, who lives in a Sutton Place townhouse, sits on the Metropolitan Opera's board of directors, and also donates to the New York Presbyterian Hospital, gave her many checks met Costello while "posing as a visiting nurse doing community outreach." The old "visiting nurse" rountine! It gets even more depressing:
"I'm a widower, what could you do?" said Gossner, who wore dress slacks and a tie as he spoke outside the multimillion-dollar home. "After my wife died, I was alone."And this is a scam story we know about! Old men (and women) out there, if a cute young thing is suddenly interested in you - and the money you can give him/her - it's okay to be suspicious. Do you really want to have to tell the Daily News that you were really lonely and fooled by a busted looking grifter? (Earlier this month, a young woman was charged with taking the money of two old men in Queens.)Even though his late wife, Simone, died nearly five years ago, Gossner still buys two tickets to every opera and Philharmonic performance he attends.
"I sit with an empty seat next to me," he said....
...He also took her out to dinner and the opera - although he said she showed up in a tacky outfit more suited to a "rock concert at Jones Beach" than the Met.
"It was company, in a way," he said. "It was bad company as it turned out."
Anyway, Gossner's niece noticed the huge payments to Costello when she was looking at his finances, and then the matter ended up in the hands of the Manhattan DA's office. Costello was indicted on grand larceny charges. The best quote is from 87 year old Manhattan DA Robert Morgenthau, "You know how these old guys are - they're sympathetic to people." But not you, Morgy!
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Bah, that makes me angry, taking advantage of elderly people like that. Show a little respect. I hope that they throw the book at her.
"gave her many checks met Gossner while"
it looks like a sentence, but isn't. it's gothamist!
How embarrassed and humiliated that poor man must feel! It must have taken a lot of guts for him to admit that he was conned by that grifter.
". . .fooled by a busted looking grifter." Gothamist, I don't quite follow that statement. Did you mean "busty-looking grifter?" (I know I'm being a little snarky.)
Grammar I tend to give a little leeway, but come on, is it asking too much to do a little spell check now and again?
"Iin yet another"
"The old "visiting nurse" rountine!"
Perhaps she only stole the share of the national debt he is leaving to her!
Ugh, this is making me teary. Also the part where he still buys an extra ticket for his dead wife when going to the opera. It's so sad to live through the death of your partner when you're old and alone....
Was she another one of them "gypsy" grifter swindlers? Good thing the old guy had a niece that looked after him. But really, some people need to knock some sense into these old guys. Throw tact out the window and tell them, these young broads only want you for your money and that brownstone you're gonna sign over.
and she wasn't even hot
what can I say, 81 yr old men can't be picky if a passable 30 yr old grifter comes a callin'. It was probably those pouty lips that got him hooked.
#3 - I dunno, she is pretty busted-looking.
i think its his falt to if he thinks hes so smart he should have know and wut if she really liked him u never no