{"id":1792,"date":"2025-01-28T09:54:38","date_gmt":"2025-01-28T14:54:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/?p=1792"},"modified":"2025-01-28T09:54:40","modified_gmt":"2025-01-28T14:54:40","slug":"sherlock-holmes-of-queens-how-detective-bob-nygaard-solves-crimes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/eternal-1792-sherlock-holmes-of-queens-how-detective-bob-nygaard-solves-crimes","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;Sherlock Holmes of Queens&#8221;: How Detective Bob Nygaard Solves Crimes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Trust-related fraud has not been relegated to the past; it remains widespread in the 21st century. A common example involves &#8220;help&#8221; from self-proclaimed psychics or fortune-tellers who convince victims they are cursed and offer to remove the curse for a fee. They often intimidate victims with threats of dire consequences unless action is taken. Another frequent scheme involves diagnosing victims with false ailments and selling them fake remedies. These scams prey on the victims\u2019 naivety and trust. Bob Nygaard, a private detective, specializes in uncovering such complex schemes in the U.S. Learn more about this local hero and his successful cases on <a href=\"https:\/\/queenski.com\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/queenski.com\/\">queenski.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a326cd685f99\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a326cd685f99\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/eternal-1792-sherlock-holmes-of-queens-how-detective-bob-nygaard-solves-crimes\/#Career_in_Law_Enforcement\" >Career in Law Enforcement<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/eternal-1792-sherlock-holmes-of-queens-how-detective-bob-nygaard-solves-crimes\/#Private_Detective_Career\" >Private Detective Career<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/eternal-1792-sherlock-holmes-of-queens-how-detective-bob-nygaard-solves-crimes\/#High-Profile_Cases\" >High-Profile Cases<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/eternal-1792-sherlock-holmes-of-queens-how-detective-bob-nygaard-solves-crimes\/#%E2%80%9CMeteorite_Healing%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Meteorite Healing&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/eternal-1792-sherlock-holmes-of-queens-how-detective-bob-nygaard-solves-crimes\/#%E2%80%9CCleansing_Negative_Energy%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Cleansing Negative Energy&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/eternal-1792-sherlock-holmes-of-queens-how-detective-bob-nygaard-solves-crimes\/#Media_Appearances\" >Media Appearances<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Career_in_Law_Enforcement\"><\/span>Career in Law Enforcement<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1793\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/1-1.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/1-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/1-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/1-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/1-1-696x392.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Bob Nygaard was born in Queens and grew up in New Hyde Park on Long Island. As a student, he played baseball, basketball, and lacrosse. Inspired by his businessman father, Nygaard initially pursued entrepreneurship at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. However, in 1985, he decided to shift his focus to law enforcement, enrolling in the New York City Police Academy. That same year, he joined the NYPD\u2019s Transit Division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By 1987, Nygaard moved to street patrol and, four years later, began investigating home repair scams targeting seniors. His arrest of five individuals involved in such schemes fueled his interest in fraud investigations. Working on federal assignments and specialized investigative units, Nygaard developed expertise in unconventional scams, such as romance fraud (where perpetrators feign romantic interest to extort money) and insurance fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nygaard became particularly intrigued by scams that exploit victims\u2019 fears and insecurities. These include convincing people they are cursed or in danger unless they purchase protective amulets or rituals. In 2007, Nygaard joined the National Association of Bunco Investigators (NABI), an organization dedicated to combating unconventional fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Private_Detective_Career\"><\/span>Private Detective Career<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1512\" height=\"1534\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/2-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1796\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/2-1.jpg 1512w, https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/2-1-296x300.jpg 296w, https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/2-1-768x779.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/2-1-696x706.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1512px) 100vw, 1512px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After retiring early in 2008, Nygaard relocated to Florida, intending to relax after years of intense work. However, a chance encounter inspired him to launch a private detective career. At a bar, a woman shared her story of being scammed out of $12,000 by a psychic. Intrigued, Nygaard investigated and successfully helped her seek justice. This case marked the beginning of his new profession, focusing on helping victims recover their money and hold fraudsters accountable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1350\" height=\"921\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/3.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1799\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/3.png 1350w, https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/3-300x205.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/3-768x524.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/3-696x475.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1350px) 100vw, 1350px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"High-Profile_Cases\"><\/span>High-Profile Cases<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CMeteorite_Healing%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Meteorite Healing&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A woman named Megan once shared her story with Nygaard. After a breakup and battling depression, Megan met a psychic named Velvet, who claimed to see darkness surrounding her. Skeptical at first, Megan eventually visited Velvet\u2019s associate, &#8220;psychic&#8221; Betty Vlado. Vlado manipulated Megan into parting with over $50,000 through a series of elaborate schemes, including purchasing two Rolex watches for a &#8220;curse reversal&#8221; ritual and a $14,500 &#8220;meteorite&#8221; for healing energy, which was later revealed to be a cheap piece of quartz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nygaard took on the case, and Vlado was sentenced to one year in prison in 2014.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CCleansing_Negative_Energy%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Cleansing Negative Energy&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"686\" height=\"386\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1802\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/4.jpg 686w, https:\/\/cdn.queenski.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/01\/4-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 686px) 100vw, 686px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2016, Natalie Miller convinced a Maryland woman that she was surrounded by bad energy and needed a spiritual cleansing. After extorting $82,000, Miller vanished. Nygaard identified Miller as Gina Marks, a well-known fraudster and author. Despite her attempts to evade arrest, Nygaard tracked her down at Miami International Airport, leading to her arrest. Marks later confessed to defrauding five victims of over $340,000 and was sentenced to six years in prison in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Media_Appearances\"><\/span>Media Appearances<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Nygaard has gained national recognition for his work. In 2018, he appeared as himself in the CBS crime show Pink Collar Crimes in an episode titled &#8220;The Psychic Didn\u2019t See Him Coming&#8221;, which chronicled his investigation into Gina Marks. In 2021, he was featured in the ABC series The Con in an episode titled <em>&#8220;The Psychic Con&#8221;<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nygaard continues to inspire trust as a modern-day &#8220;Sherlock Holmes,&#8221; championing justice for those victimized by elaborate schemes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trust-related fraud has not been relegated to the past; it remains widespread in the 21st century. A common example involves &#8220;help&#8221; from self-proclaimed psychics or fortune-tellers who convince victims they are cursed and offer to remove the curse for a fee. They often intimidate victims with threats of dire consequences unless action is taken. Another [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":414,"featured_media":1805,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[190],"tags":[1419,1420,1431,1428,1432,1425,1439,1418,1426,1435,1437,1424,1427,1417,1414,1423,1429,1433,1434,1422,1421,1415,1430,1438,1416],"moimportance":[30,33],"motype":[196],"moformat":[76],"class_list":{"0":"post-1792","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-success-stories","8":"tag-anti-fraud-expert","9":"tag-betty-vlado-case","10":"tag-bob-nygaard","11":"tag-bunco-investigations","12":"tag-criminal-justice","13":"tag-curse-scams","14":"tag-detective-from-queens","15":"tag-fraud-investigation","16":"tag-fraud-prevention","17":"tag-fraud-recovery","18":"tag-gina-marks-case","19":"tag-insurance-fraud","20":"tag-modern-sherlock-holmes","21":"tag-national-association-of-bunco-investigators","22":"tag-pink-collar-crimes","23":"tag-private-detective","24":"tag-psychic-fraud","25":"tag-psychic-fraud-investigator","26":"tag-psychic-scams","27":"tag-queens-detective","28":"tag-romance-fraud","29":"tag-scam-investigations","30":"tag-the-con","31":"tag-trust-scams","32":"tag-unconventional-crime","33":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","34":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory","35":"motype-eternal","36":"moformat-longread-short"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1792","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/414"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1792"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1792\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1808,"href":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1792\/revisions\/1808"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1805"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1792"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=1792"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=1792"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queenski.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=1792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}