Extortion charges filed against suspected local scam artist
Hunter/Lang
3/28/19
A Coralville man accused of scamming local residents on numerous occasions has been charged with extortion for a February incident.
Incident reports indicate that 36-year-old Erhan Kraina of 19th Avenue approached someone on February 2nd, asking for money so he could get his vehicle out of the impound lot. Kraina promised to pay the victim back, and the person agreed to give him the money.
The victim later told police that Kraina called them the very next day and continued to request money, threatening violence if they did not comply. Over the course of several days, Kraina allegedly was able to scam $700-$800 from multiple Iowa City locations. The victim finally contacted authorities to intervene.
Investigators used surveillance video from some of the locations to verify the transactions.
Kraina has been charged with extortion and 3rd degree theft.
Kraina has been arrested multiple times for similar scams around the area. He allegedly asked a man for a ride in Iowa City on July 21, 2018, then forced that man to drive him around the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids areas to deliver drugs. He was booked into the Johnson County Jail on February 21st after allegedly bilking a woman out of $150. He’s also alleged of getting $1100 out of a woman the previous week to get his car fixed, and $400 for a locksmith from a different victim. Kraina later admitted he didn’t even own a car and used the money to buy drugs.
