Robert Wickboldt III: Accused of being a Fraudster. The Truth Exposed (Update 2024)
At Essex Investments, Robert Wickboldt III manages the company’s investment strategy as a member of the investing and financial services industry.
Robert Wickboldt III was accused of cashing big checks that bounced
At the Houston Zoo’s February Gala, there was a commotion when Robert Wickboldt III, who no one seemed to know, began making bids on nearly every item in the silent auction.
The aristocrats who frequently visit the zoo’s humanitarian events observed the 37-year-old in a black T-shirt and gray sport coat among the blue cocktails, an ice sculpture, and live animals being displayed by zoo personnel.
He appeared to be a generous donor as he placed winning bids on a sea lion-created painting and photos with other creatures. He ultimately wrote two checks totaling $5,000.
After that, he posed beside his “personal assistant” for a society photographer who was covering the event on February 4.
Robert Wickboldt III received an invitation to the $100 per ticket event because he had given the zoo a check for $50,000 the day before.
He claimed that he wished to aid the animals. Unfortunately for the zoo, a call from the bank a few days later revealed that Robert Wickboldt III‘s cheques were worthless, just like many of the ones he had previously made.
After being accused of forgery last week, Robert Wickboldt III is being sought by the authorities. The zoo’s management declined to comment.
Why would a convicted felon try to become friends with Houston’s elite, even if it was only for a brief period? Robert Wickboldt III didn’t appear to gain anything from writing a sizable check to a charity.
His astounded father remarked, “Maybe he just wants to be a part of a crowd. You’ll be caught if you try to write a $50,000 fake check.
Robert Wickboldt III stole Dad’s identity
West Virginian Robert Wickboldt said that his son had a history of stealing and had used his identity to take more than $25,000 from him.
Wickboldt exclaimed, “I can’t even imagine what’s going through his mind.” He has destroyed our family, I say.
Since he was 20, Wickboldt has spent time in and out of jail for thefts, forgeries, and auto thefts.
He attempted to use an American Express Black card in Houston when he was 22 years old. The fraudulent card has Rupert Murdoch’s name on it.
A Fraudulent charge occurs when a third party uses your card without your permission to gain goods, services, credit, or money (for example, by stealing your card number). Fraud is NOT the misuse or abuse of a credit card, a disputed transaction, a billing issue, or an inability to pay.
Although it’s unclear from the court papers, it appears that someone did not think the young man was the CEO of the global giant NewsCorp.
A Houston Club member reported to police in 2006 that his wallet and Rolex had been stolen from his locker.
When he quickly called his credit card provider, he learned that the card had already been used at a downtown department shop. There, staff members recalled Robert Wickboldt III spending $240 on cologne and cosmetics.
A staffer of the exclusive downtown club remembered a similar heist from 2001 after he was apprehended. Robert Wickboldt III was found guilty of both club thefts.
Robert Wickboldt III was Recently paroled
Robert Wickboldt III was apprehended in 2007 after eluding police in a stolen automobile.
He was found to be mentally incompetent while awaiting trial. Five months after his competency was reestablished, he entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to 10 years in jail.
He recently received parole after that sentence was reduced.
$50,000 was donated to the Houston Zoo using forged checks
Forgery is a charge against 35-year-old Robert Wickboldt III. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office was informed by a director at the Houston Zoo that Robert Wickboldt III offered her a check for $50,000 on February 3 and then invited her to a gala for benefactors. Robert Wickboldt III wrote two additional checks totaling more than $5,000 at the event.
After discovering that all three cheques were written on invalid accounts, the zoo director alerted the authorities. A bank representative claimed that the checks were fakes. Both the account number and the bank routing number were wrong.
Robert Wickboldt III was selected by the zoo director from a lineup of pictures. A $100,000 bail has been imposed in this case.
Conclusion
It’s unclear what the alleged con was here, but in Houston, Texas, Robert Wickboldt III gave the Houston Zoo three checks totaling more than $55,000. the zoo believed, at least. The bank informed them that the accounts on which the cheques were drawn did not exist when they attempted to deposit the funds. With forgery, Robert Wickboldt III is charged.
He reportedly offered to donate to the organization over the phone, and a few days later, in a meeting, he gave them a check for $50,000. He was then invited to a gala, where he used two more checks to pay for some auction goods.
Perhaps he was interested in those auction items? Even if this incident is still somewhat mysterious, the lesson is obvious: don’t spend it until the bank has cleared it. –Ruth McCambridge
