Man scammed Hatfield couple out of $25K in inheritance fraud scheme, police say
Investigation traced cashier’s checks and bank deposits after victim was told he was owed $10.9 million from deceased relative’s estate
A New York man is facing felony theft and fraud charges after Hatfield Police alleged he participated in an inheritance scam that cost an elderly couple more than $25,000.
Ricardo Balcazar, 52, of Staten Island, was charged with felony counts of theft by deception and receiving stolen property following a months-long investigation into what police described as a fraudulent scheme targeting a Hatfield Township resident with promises of a multimillion-dollar inheritance payout.
According to the affidavit, on Dec. 13, 2025, the victim showed up to Hatfield Police headquarters and reported receiving a letter claiming he was the beneficiary of a $10.9 million “Payable on Death” account connected to a man identified as Robert Setzer.
The letter, allegedly sent from “Avis Law LLP” in Canada, stated the money had gone unclaimed because no living relatives could be located.
Police said the victim later communicated through email with a person identifying himself as “John Davis” and was instructed to submit banking information and pay various “claims processing” fees to receive the inheritance. Investigators alleged the victim ultimately mailed two cashier’s checks totaling $25,050 to BALC Services LLC in New York.
The first cashier’s check, for $5,950, was mailed in September 2025 after the victim was told he needed to pay nearly $10,000 in processing costs, according to the complaint. A second cashier’s check for $19,100 was mailed the following month. Police said the victims were later asked for an additional $218,000 payment, which they refused.
Investigators traced the deposited checks to a TD Bank account associated with BALC Services LLC and identified Balcazar as the registered agent for the business, according to the affidavit. Bank surveillance footage allegedly showed Balcazar depositing the cashier’s checks at a TD Bank branch in Manhattan.
Police further alleged financial records revealed BALC Services LLC accounts were used as a “pass-through vehicle” to move funds through a series of wire transfers connected to other individuals and accounts associated with suspected fraud activity.
During an April 10 interview with investigators, Balcazar allegedly admitted he was “used” and told police he deposited the checks because he was in debt and needed to recover money.
Balcazar is free on $5,000 unsecured bail ahead of a July 15 preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Ed Levine. He is represented by defense attorney Gail Nicolina Marr, of Bensalem.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records and information provided by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office
