Man Pretending To Be Mohammed Ali Offers Fake Construction Services In Nassau: Police

UNIONDALE, NY. —A New Jersey man was arrested Saturday after accepting a nearly $60,000 check for construction work he never performed, police said.

Police said a Uniondale homeowner issued 37-year-old Zohaib Farrukh a check for $59,202.50 on April 25, 2024, believing the check would retain the services of a Manhattan-based firm known as North Falcon Construction Company.

Farrukh led the homeowner to believe his name was Mohammed Ali when accepting the check, police said.

Instead of securing the construction services, Farrukh cashed the check, stopped answering calls from the homeowner and never performed any construction work, police said.

Farrukh was located and arrested Saturday afternoon; he was charged with second-degree grand larceny and second-degree scheme to defraud, police said. His arraignment was scheduled for Sunday.

Police also said that anyone believing themselves to have been similarly victimized by Farrukh could call their local precinct or call 911.