A former New York beauty queen who lost $2,000 to two scammers who carried out the Zelle scam is helping police identify the suspects and shaking off the ridicule she has faced since sharing her story.
Brianna Sciaka, 30, stopped by the NYPD’s 13th Precinct on Monday, looking sharp Miss New York in blue jeans, a white sweater and a black blazer, but she didn’t look as sharp as the teenager seen in the subway footage. The identities of the two young men were confirmed. Two warrants have been issued for their arrest.
“It appears there are a lot of young teenagers from New Jersey who take PATH and buses from New Jersey to hang out in parks and target people,” Siaka told the Post, adding that after being scammed, she was the first to respond. The police who did this explained to me that they knew the right thing to do. – Off about planning.
“They were like, ‘We’ve been looking for these kids, we’re going to find these motherfuckers.’
Sciaka, who was crowned Miss New York 2021 and later became a luxury real estate agent at Corcoran, was approached by two children at Madison Square Park on Friday, claiming they were gamers. The incident was shared on social media over the weekend. A Bronx youth basketball team is trying to raise money to buy uniforms.
She didn’t have any cash, so the boys offered to help her make the digital payment by entering the team’s information into her Zelle account themselves, but with her phone still in her hand, they offered to help her make the digital payment instead. He sent them $2,000 and left.
“I was completely numb. I was just in shock. I was completely fooled. I didn’t even know what to do,” Siaka told the Post, adding that she had no idea what to do. He said how disarmed and sincere they seemed.
“They were so sweet. They were so innocent and so kind,” she said
“I have a very strong feeling for children in low-income areas, especially young talented people who can’t afford to pursue activities and sports because they don’t have enough money.”
Siaka said that while one boy was trying to escape from her, the other was focused on “touching her heartstrings” with a story about the basketball team’s performance and was trying to escape from a theft that occurred just inches away. He says he was completely distracted.
“There was obviously an expert on this,” she said, adding that the nerve-damaging drugs she was taking at the time made her sick.
“They do this all the time,” she said.
Siaka’s bank told her it was unclear whether she would get her money back, so Siaka decided to make sure others didn’t fall for the same scam, even if it meant public ridicule. I decided to use my platform to .
“I knew that if I posted this video I would risk being criticized and would just get badmouthing, but it’s not the first time that’s happened. I’m from a pageant. I’ve heard it all. ” she said, calling the taunts she received from people asking if Friday was her first day in the Big Apple “funny.”
“No, it’s not my first time here. I’m Miss New York and I’ve lived in this city for over 10 years. I come from a not-so-nice neighborhood. I have no street wisdom. Yes, I’m very good at books,” said Siana, from Brentwood, Long Island.
“If I can help other people by publishing that video, it’s worth it to me,” she said, adding that she was the victim of a scam she thought was too sophisticated to fall for. He noted that he had received “hundreds” of responses from people.
“I knew I had the potential to help others, and I was willing to risk embarrassment to do so,” the beauty queen said.
