An Orange County man, standing accused of swindling his way into possession of prized violins valued at a hefty sum, finds himself in deeper water with bank robbery tacked onto his sheet of alleged misdeeds, according to the Feds. This Irvine local, identified as Mark Meng, 57, is hit with both bank robbery and wire fraud, as disclosed in a federal criminal complaint unveiled on May 7, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California.

Meng, who's been locked up on state charges since April 11, faced a federal court for the first time today to answer to the accusations. The alleged long con started back in August 2020, when Meng reportedly began eyeing high-end violins, patching together a ruse that would see him lift instruments worth a king's ransom. He's said to have finessed violin shops nationwide, striking chords of trust by posing as a bona fide collector, and sometimes, as a precursor, snatching up violin bows before requesting the trial periods for the violins.

The string of violins Meng is accused of spiriting away includes a Lorenzo Ventapane dated 1823 and valued at $175,000; as well as a Guilio Degani from 1903 worth $55,000; a Caressa & Francais from 1913 at $40,000; a Gand & Bernardel circa 1870 pegged at $60,000; and a "Lupot" stamped Francais Lott violin bow that could fetch $7,500. The affidavit, per Justice Department documents, reveals Meng held onto the pieces before unloading them to an unsuspecting LA dealer.

However, once the law caught a whiff of Meng's alleged violin caper, and he became aware of the FBI's focus on his activities, he purportedly upped the ante with a bank heist. On April 2, donning a disguise of a hat, sunglasses, and a bandana while adding the touch of blue latex gloves, Meng is accused of slipping a note to a teller at an Irvine bank. This note, captured by the FBI's affidavit, demanded "$18,000. - Withdraw. Please. Stay Cool! No harm. Thx," as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California. Post-heist, law enforcement matched a latent print on the note to Meng, further linking him to a getaway in a white minivan traced back to his digs.