Miniatures Scam

Thief Apprehended

by Edward Patrick,
Pendragon Miniatures/Wargames Foundry

The Nassau City Sheriff's Office in New York State arrested a man earlier this year in connection with a "Scam to Defraud", operating out of the Locust Valley/Long Island vicinity. Identified as "Michael S. Abbott," a native of the U.K., Mr. Abbott had been operating for years in the U.S. defrauding countless miniatures retailers and manufacturers throughout the U.S. and the U.K. out of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise. In addition large quantities of electronics products such as stereo components and computer equipment were also obtained fraudulently. This was accomplished through the use of numerous stolen or illegally obtained credit cards and checking accounts that were either closed, NSF, or stolen. District Attorney's Officer Investigator Pamela Luhrs stated that Mr. Abbott was "A very professional confidence man" and had attained somewhat of a "Celebrity status" around the DA's Office. When arrested Mr. Abbott was sitting down in his dwelling and taking it all in quite calmly. That is until Sheriff's Deputies began confiscating items from his house.

In particular Mr. Abbott's enormous collection of figures -- many of them painted. When investigators began throwing them into boxes to be taken as evidence Mr. Abbott became quite agitated and pleaded for them to stop. Working out of an unoccupied estate home in Locust Valley New York and living on the grounds as caretaker, Mr. Abbott was able to conduct his extensive criminal activities. Pleading guilty on February 19, 1991 and given an appearance date in March for final sentencing, Mr. Abbott soon after being released on bond resumed his criminal activity -- attempting to use another stolen credit card on Wargames Foundry in the U.K. An alert employee spotted the by now familiar handwriting and address of Mr. Abbott and was able to alert Mr. Cliff Ansell of Wargames Foundry of the bad credit card.

In April of this year Mr. Abbott was again brought before the court and was sentenced to 60 days in the Nassau City Correctional Facility and was given 3 years probation. Additionally Mr. Abbott was ordered to pay $12,000 in restitution along with being required to undergo Psychiatric evaluation. At the time of this writing no photograph of Mr. Abbott was available but one may be forthcoming along with a more comprehensive biography to be contained in a future article. If anyone has information about or has charges pending against Mr. Abbott, please call or write to The DA's off ice listed below.

Special thanks goes out to the following for their help in bringing about Mr. Abbofts apprehension and conviction: Investigator Pamela Luhrs - District Attorney's Office, Nassau City, NY; Mr. Johnson Hood of "Wargames", Triadelphia, WV; Mr. Cliff Ansell of Wargames Foundry, U.K.; Mr. Richard Bryant - Editor of the Courier Magazine.

(ED NOTE: Mr.Patrick besides operating Pendragon Miniatures is a Police Officer in Ohio. Mr Abbott duped friends and acquaintances into receiving packages for him or had them drop-shipped to painters who also got ripped off for their paint jobs. Even in a hobby as close as this one you must be very careful!).

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