Discount seafood turns into a fish story

PORTLAND – There was something fishy about Kimberly Gordon’s offers to sell lobster and other seafood at discount prices, police said.

The 25-year-old woman accused of bilking scores of customers in several Greater Portland communities has been indicted on charges of theft.

Police said Gordon operated her one-woman scam by taking orders, collecting money and promising to return an hour or two later with the seafood, which never arrived.

More than 100 employees at office buildings, hospitals and car dealerships were duped over a period of several months, according to law enforcement officials.

“I have never dealt with anyone who has so many victims,” said Bud Ellis, a Cumberland County assistant district attorney.

The felony charges against Gordon started to pile up Wednesday. Scarborough police arrested her in the morning and charged her with eight counts of theft and violation of bail conditions. The indictment handed up in the afternoon accused her of running the scam in South Portland, Portland and Scarborough.

Police in Westbrook, Falmouth and Brunswick said employees of businesses in their communities have reported the same seafood scam.

Gordon had been out on bail after her arrest by Portland police on a theft charge related to the scam, according to court documents.

Ellis said the scam took place in six to eight communities. He said he plans to file additional theft charges against Gordon and will seek a high bail because she continues to run the scam.

According to court papers, Gordon portrayed herself as the wife of a fisherman who had leftover seafood he could not sell at auction. A typical deal was $30 for six lobsters and 10 pounds of scallops, shrimp or haddock.

Victims wrote in their statements that they had friends or family who fished for a living and were not surprised by the sale of excess catch. Often a number of people would buy seafood, making people feel confident the deal was honest. This meant the amount Gordon collected could reach $150 to $200 per business, according to court documents.

Law enforcement officials are still trying to determine how big the scam was and how long it has been going on. Ellis is working to consolidate all the cases from the various towns and cities.