Dermott Bottoms’ appearance as a Salvation Army fundraiser Thursday afternoon, dressed in Star Wars storm trooper body armor rather than a Santa costume, alerted Blacktip Island authorities to possible fraud. (photo courtesy of Jonathunder)
A Blacktip Island man impersonating a Salvation Army bell ringer, who solicit charitable donations during the holiday season, was arrested Thursday for collecting funds from holiday shoppers outside the small Caribbean island’s general store, then pocketing the money for himself, local authorities said.
“No one thought twice about it at first,” Island Police Constable Rafe Marquette said. “It’s the Salvation Army collecting for the needy this time of year. Then we realized there’s no Salvation Army on Blacktip. Or in the Tiperon Islands at all. I investigated, and it turns out it was all a scam.
“Dermott Bottoms would set himself up outside Peachy Bottoms’ store, or outside bars at closing time, ring his bell, and folks’d drop dollar after dollar in his little red bucket,” Marquette said. “He wore a Santa suit at first, but after that got torn up in a bar brawl, he switched to a Star Wars imperial stormtrooper outfit. That’s when people started getting suspicious.”
Island residents were shocked by the news.
“To think someone on Blacktip would steal like that is shocking,” Kay Valve said. “And it being this time of year makes it even worse. He took advantage of peoples’ good natures to line his pockets with cash. And his belly with rum. I’ll never get back the money I donated.”
Legal experts say Bottoms is facing multiple criminal charges.
“You’ve got false solicitation, fraud and outright theft, just to scratch the surface,” island attorney and de facto mayor Jack Cobia said. “With him setting up outside stores and bars and resorts the past 10 days, there’s no telling how much money he took in. And whether he spent it all or stashed some away. I can say he’s been drinking higher-quality rum, lately, though.”
Bottoms attacked the accusations as slander.
“Raising money for the kids. And the homeless. And widows,” he said. “Season for giving, y’know. Just not passin’ that giving on ‘til Christmas. On my own, I went to do good, and next thing, folks’re questionin’ my motives. What I believe in. Like questioning my religion.
“Churches do this all the time,” he said. “Folks never question that. Should’ve called myself a church. And will next time. Folks want to give, and I’m helping ‘em do that. Where’s the harm? And when that money gets given out, no matter where it goes, well, that’s double-givin’, isn’t it?”
Bottoms has been released on bail and had his passport seized. Authorities would neither confirm nor deny the charges he will face. Salvation Army International officials say they have no record of Bottoms being affiliated with their organization.
The Blacktip Times 