California Man Arrested for Allegedly Swapping Lego Pieces with Pasta in Fraud Scheme
Jarrelle Augustine, a 28-year-old man from Paramount, California, has been arrested for allegedly executing a fraudulent scheme involving Lego sets. According to the Irvine Police Department, Augustine purchased expensive Lego sets from Target stores nationwide, replaced the Lego pieces with bags of uncooked pasta, and returned the sets for refunds. This scheme reportedly occurred at least 70 times, resulting in over $34,000 in fraudulent transactions. Target officials became aware of the scam after customers complained about receiving pasta instead of Lego pieces. Augustine was identified as a suspect after police staked out various Target stores in Orange County. He was charged with grand theft and booked into the Orange County jail, although he has since been released. Target is continuing to audit its inventory to identify any remaining pasta-filled boxes, and prosecutors are reviewing the cases for potential additional charges.