NEWFANE, N.Y. (AP) — State police say a western New York man faked his own abduction and robbery because he was short of cash owed in a Super Bowl pool.
Troopers found 60-year-old Robert Brandel of North Tonawanda tied up in his pickup truck Monday in a parking lot in Newfane, 30 miles north of Buffalo.
Brandel told troopers two men involved in his Super Bowl squares robbed him of $16,000, drove him around for two days and left him tied up in his pickup.
Investigators determined Brandel had entered some fake names in his $50,000 squares pool hoping to take most of the winnings, but instead ended up short for the payouts.
Brandel was charged with fraud and falsely reporting an incident.
