Scam Artist’s Talk Didn’t Come Cheap

Navy SEAL. Former FBI agent. Vietnam veteran. Father of a Chicago Cub pitcher. And a tax attorney who could cut deals on behalf of those in trouble with the IRS . . . for a fee.

Police say Charles Dale Beck is none of the above, despite his claims. But it was only that last assertion that got him into trouble.

The 55-year-old Brea man pleaded guilty to grand theft and other charges last month, after Newport Beach investigators said he befriended businessmen on the golf course or in other social situations, found out if they had tax problems and offered to intervene. Beck claimed that as a tax attorney and former FBI agent he had many contacts in the Internal Revenue Service, and could broker deals in tax disputes for a fee, police said.

He then pocketed the money and never filed anything with the IRS.

Detectives say they are building additional cases against the man who they believe has bilked as many as 33 people out of $230,000. And they’re looking for other victims who don’t yet realize they’ve been taken.

“Everybody believed him. Everybody,” said Newport Beach Det. Jeff Lu. Some victims were initially suspicious, “but he just seemed to say the right things and drop the right names, and people came around to believe him.

“He just came across as a very honest, sincere, genuine guy,” he said.

Mike Stone, 52, of Irvine said he lost $37,000 to Beck, whom he met through a mutual friend.

“It seemed like everything was on the up and up,” he said. “I thought I was doing everything right. I feel pretty stupid now.”

He said he owed $44,000 to the IRS, and Beck told him he could get the agency to accept a $28,500 offer, and would take $8,500 as his fee. Stone wrote him a check for the supposed settlement plus the fee, but he had to borrow the money from a friend.

“As it ended up, I still have my IRS debt, and I’m another $40,000 in the hole,” he said.

Part of Beck’s patter involved telling prospective clients that he is the father of Cub relief ace Rod Beck. Sgt. Mike McDermott said Charles Beck told one victim that the pitcher would appear at a charity event the man was organizing and would provide memorabilia to auction.

When Rod Beck found out what was going on, “he was very upset somebody was representing himself as his dad and using that to swindle people,” McDermott said.

Beck pleaded guilty June 17 in Municipal Court in Newport Beach to petty theft, grand theft and bouncing a $48,000 check, records show. He was sentenced to two years in prison.

Beck had already served prison time for a forgery conviction in Los Alamitos in 1990, according to court records.

McDermott said Beck conned some of his victims so completely, many were more upset at losing their new friend than losing any money.

“He’s just a great talker,” he said.

Officers arrested Beck on the ninth tee of a golf course. One member of his foursome had paid Beck $8,500, and didn’t realize he had been conned until his buddy was being led away in handcuffs, McDermott said.

McDermott said many of the victims were savvy enough to have successful businesses, and consequently have tax bills that ran into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. So now they’re embarrassed at having been swindled, and many are reluctant to even tell police what happened.

In their search for other victims, investigators ask that anyone who had dealings with Beck call the department at (800) 550-6273.