Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Con man plays lawyer Date: Fri, 6 Nov 92 11:28:29 EST Message-ID: \SE A \HD Con man plays lawyer \SH Fugitive used expensive car, office \BY Brian Reilly \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES A "slick" con man wanted in at least three states defended two persons in a D.C. court while impersonating a lawyer, and police suspect he may have duped several others into hiring him as their attorney. Paul Marion Johnson, 30, is known by at least 16 aliases. Police say his trail of deceptions stretching from Houston to St. Louis to the District ended here last week when he was arrested by undercover detectives. Police arrested him Oct. 27 with the cooperation of an informant. Investigators interviewed two District residents who said he defended them in D.C. Superior Court, but police do not know how many others may have sought legal advice from him. But, they say, if anyone under his counsel was convicted, the case will have to be retried. For the past eight months, police say, Johnson plied his profitable fraud operations in the District, living in a downtown condominium, working in an office with a $6,000 monthly rent and riding around in limousines with his "beautiful blond girlfriend," officials and witnesses said. "He's smooth, confident and convincing. He gives off a GQ appearance," said Detective David Somach, a fraud investigator. He favors fancy cars and well-tailored designer suits and gels his hair back "in a slick fashion," said a detective who asked not to be identified. Johnson, who has listed an address in a condominium in the 700 block of Pennsylvania Avenue NW, has no documented means of employment, investigators said. He was renting the condo under the name Stuart Winthrop. He drove around town in a 1991 Mercedes-Benz 500SL sports car registered in the District. The Mercedes, with an estimated value of $90,000, was "purchased" in Virginia. "It not clear how he got it yet, but he hasn't paid a cent for it," a detective said. Though Johnson has been questioned, police have yet to find the car. He is wanted in Fairfax County, where police charged him with "making false statements to obtain property or credit," said Officer Richard Perez, a police spokesman. Police could not say if that charge stemmed from failing to pay for the Mercedes. Police released few details on the cases he tried in D.C. Superior Court, saying only that one of his clients was charged with drug possession and a second with soliciting a prostitute. Both cases are still pending, and Johnson was scheduled to represent one of the defendants in court Oct. 30, a police source said. D.C. detectives with the check and fraud branch believe he probably bilked a number of other unsuspecting people into hiring him as an attorney. Branch commander Lt. Jeffrey Stowe asks anyone with information on Johnson or any other fraudulent activities he may have been involved in to call police at 202/727-4159. Johnson is now being held in D.C. Jail on a fugitive warrant from Texas, police say. He has been charged in the District with credit-card fraud, but other charges are pending. "He passes himself off as a very successful, professional individual to convince unsuspecting females" to give him their valuables, a detective working on the case said. "I can't even imagine how much money he's made." He allegedly masterminded several ruses to convince people he was wealthy, and one limousine company owner didn't know he was being duped until it was too late. "He's very smooth. If he talks to you, you will give him everything," said Steve Aburish, co-owner of the the Bethany Limousine Service in Georgetown. Johnson hired limos about 10 times in a two-month period from the Bethany service at 2511 M St. NW, the same building in which he had his expensive office. Mr. Aburish said Johnson never paid his bills for the limo rentals and owes him $4,000. "He was very official, sending faxes and everything," Mr. Aburish said. "He said he wanted to open an account and I let him. I knew he was making $6,500 payments on his office, so you would think he was OK. "It was not until he was evicted from his office three weeks ago that I tried to get him to pay, but I couldn't find him." He often drove around with his girlfriend, "a beautiful blond woman" who occasionally hired the limos herself, Mr. Aburish said. Johnson was arraigned Oct. 28 in Superior Court, the court in which he is believed to have impersonated a lawyer. He waived extradition to Texas and was ordered held in lieu of $50,000 bond. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM