An Irvine man, Mark Meng, 58, has admitted to masterminding a fraudulent scheme by stealing over $525,000 worth of rare violins from various shops across the nation and attempting to sell them off for personal gain. Following this, a desperate act led him to rob a bank earlier this year. According to KTLA, Meng posed as a musical instrument collector, exploiting trial periods offered by violin shops to get his hands on the instruments, which he then either sold or attempted to sell, well knowing his payments would bounce.
It was on February 1, 2023, when Meng secured a Guilio Degani violin valued at $175,000 through a trial-period contract with a shop. The agreement stipulated the violin's return by February 10, 2023, yet Meng sold it to an unknowing buyer, as stated in a report from the Department of Justice. Meng further acquired and sold various other esteemed instruments, such as a Lorenzo Ventapane violin, circa 1823, valued at $175,000, and a French, Charles J.B. Colin Mezin violin at $6,500, among others.
When confronted by the victimized violin shops regarding the bounced checks, Meng either produced more fraudulent checks or claimed the violins were lost in the mail before ceasing all communication, reported KTLA. His malfeasance escalated when donning a disguise, Meng robbed an Irvine bank on April 2, 2024, absconding with $446 after failing to secure his demanded sum of $18,000 from the teller.
The ill-gotten saga concluded with Meng's arrest, traced by a latent print on his bank robbery note. In a courtroom on Tuesday, Meng owned up to his deeds, pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud, and one count of bank robbery, facing a possibility of up to 20 years in federal prison for each charge come his sentencing hearing in February 2025. The FBI's Art Crime Team, with support from local law enforcement, was credited by the DOJ for their combined investigative efforts leading to Meng's apprehension.
