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A Melbourne, Florida man was arrested after allegedly extorting greater than $80,000 from his spouse to gasoline his cocaine habit by falsely claiming he was concerned in a drug cartel.
Eric Paul Johnson, 29, was charged with theft of $100,000 or extra, organized fraud to acquire property valued at greater than $50,000 or extra, extortion and illegal use of a two-way communications gadget – all felonies.
Court docket information present Johnson’s spouse got here house from work in December 2023 and noticed a number of messages from an unknown telephone quantity. Within the messages, the individual demanded numerous quantities of cash.
Johnson allegedly instructed his spouse that they have been being blackmailed and {that a} man named “Troy” would assist them.
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Eric Paul Johnson allegedly instructed his spouse he was concerned with a drug cartel and extorted greater than $80,000 from her to gasoline his cocaine habit. (Brevard County Sheriff’s Workplace)
The individual sending the messages instructed Johnson’s spouse that her husband could be harm or killed if she didn’t ship cash to a CashApp account.
For instance, one of many messages learn partly: “…500 now for my household or issues will occur.”
In one other publish, the individual wrote: “500 nu or buenas noches,” which suggests good night time in Spanish.
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Melbourne police arrested Eric Johnson for allegedly extorting greater than $80,000 from his spouse. (Melbourne Police Division)
Johnson was lacking when the messages have been despatched, though this was not the primary time he had reportedly disappeared, and a ransom demand was being made.
Simply two months earlier than Johnson’s spouse reported him lacking, he was frequently disappearing as a result of he allegedly owed cash to the cartel.
As soon as she paid the ransom to the alleged cartel, Johnson would come house.
When Johnson disappeared in December, he was in possession of his spouse’s automobile. She instructed police she believed he had returned to the home the day of the kidnapping, noting that she had seen an outfit he had beforehand worn within the bed room, in response to court docket paperwork.
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Police discovered Johnson the day after he was reported lacking after being noticed driving on US 192 in Melbourne.
Police mentioned within the lawsuit that Johnson admitted he was the one who despatched the textual content messages to his spouse from an unknown quantity, including that he had a cocaine drawback.
Though Johnson mentioned he by no means offered medication, he admitted he was a private person, court docket paperwork allege.
When investigators searched his telephone, they reportedly discovered “sexting” messages to a girl on the day his spouse reported him lacking.
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Johnson met his spouse in Could 2020 and he instructed her he used cocaine and marijuana but additionally labored for a drug cartel, court docket paperwork allege.
He additionally allegedly instructed her that he was in possession of a “giant amount of cocaine, which was finally intercepted and resulted in a lack of $60,000.”
Johnson’s spouse helped him repay the alleged debt.
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Practically two years earlier than the couple married, Johnson allegedly stole $9,000 from his spouse by withdrawing cash from ATMs in Melbourne.
Between Could 2020 and December 2023, Johnson allegedly obtained $18,120 from his spouse and a complete of $124,549 from her and different sources.
On Friday, Johnson pleaded not responsible to the costs.
A Florida man extorted greater than $80,000 from his spouse to gasoline drug habit by claiming he was concerned within the cartel: police
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