Man who robbed Florida sugar baron in LA for Oscars may have pulled similar scams on others

LA police seek man who robbed Florida sugar baron

LOS ANGELES — Police are looking for a man they say posed as a hotel worker and made off with thousands of dollars in jewelry belonging to a wealthy Florida businessman and his wife who were in town to see the Academy Awards.

Police Lt. Paul Vernon said Tuesday the suspect may be the same person who used similar scams to rob members of a Mexican soccer team, a salsa band and an Israeli basketball team when they were visiting Los Angeles.

Police say in the latest case, he struck up a conversation in a hotel elevator with Florida sugar baron Jose Pepe Fanjul and his wife on Friday. Later, the same man showed up at the couple’s room and told them he needed to fix a problem with an air vent. After he left, they discovered more than $45,000 in jewels missing.