SHARON Authorities: Suspect had another victim in scam

Authorities believe the suspect used the victims' money to gamble at an off-track betting facility in Lawrence County.
By VIRGINIA ROSS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
SHARON, Pa. -- Authorities said they've discovered that a man charged earlier this week with bilking five area elderly residents out of more than $500,000 has yet another victim.
Pennsylvania State Police in Mercer said Michael W. Klingensmith, 35, of Pearl Street, Sharon, sold but failed to deliver a water system and other items to a Liberty Township, Pa., man between July 1998 and August 2000.
Charges: In connection with that offense, Klingensmith is charged with deceptive or fraudulent business practices, theft by deception, bad checks and falsely impersonating persons privately employed.
Authorities had arrested Klingensmith on Monday in Sharon and charged him with 11 counts of forgery and two counts each of deceptive or fraudulent business practices and theft by unlawful taking. He was taken to Mercer County Jail after he failed to post a $513,000 bond.
Authorities from Mercer County and the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office said they suspect Klingensmith used the money to gamble at an off-track betting facility in Lawrence County.
Police said they believe Klingensmith got the money by selling water filtration systems. He collected payment but failed to deliver, install or install the systems properly, authorities said.
Authorities said he used a winning personality to gain each person's trust and then borrowed from the individual money he said was going toward a hot tub business he was trying to establish.
Bad check, forgery charges: Authorities also accuse him of writing bad checks and forging another individual's checks. Police said one of Klingensmith's victims, a New Castle woman, cashed a life insurance policy, took out a home equity loan and gave the funds to Klingensmith.
Police said they believe Klingensmith has scammed residents of Mercer, Lawrence and Butler counties and that he has also victimized individuals in Ohio.