The ultimate con artist

The year was 1985 and Fred Brito was a 32-year-old man who had spent most of his 20s behind bars. So Fred tried to make a fresh start, moving with his parents to Lancaster, California.  To his family and to himself, Fred promised to clean up his act.

That was easier said than done. Soon, unbeknownst to his family, Fred did begin a whole new life with a whole new name: Marc Esparza, a made-up man with no criminal record and now with a job in local government. Could the imposter succeed as a small-town official?

As Marc Esparza, Fred began to speak out at city council meetings and his constant presence caught the attention of Lancaster’s Mayor.

Fred Brito: The mayor, Fred Hann, nicest guy ever, he was the mayor he came and says, “You know Fred, I really like what you’re doing to help the disenfranchised. And I’d like to see if you’d be, interested in being a commissioner of the city of Lancaster.”

Josh Mankiewicz, Dateline correspondent: This was not some scam you were working.

Brito: No.

Mankiewicz: This was something you actually wanted to do?

Brito: I actually wanted to do it and I did it well. Being a city commissioner was a big thing. In my mom and dad’s eyes, it’s like wow, it was like being president.

The only problem was that Fred, a.k. a Marc Esparza was still on parole, but he never revealed that to the mayor who was Fred’s new champion.

Brito: I knew that if I did, he would have never appointed me.  So I didn’t tell him.  He didn’t find out about it until it blew up on the front page.

And blow up it did, all because of Fred’s moth-like attraction to the spotlight and his inability to stop telling lies.

Brito: I held a press conference.  And in that press conference was an announcement that President Reagan had appointed me to a position at the white house.  And that’s when the press did the background—found out that there was no such position and the president did not appoint me to a position at the white house.

Mankiewicz: Okay, what are you, some kind of compulsive liar?  You had to know that people were gonna check that out and discover it wasn’t true.

Brito: At that point, I probably still thought I was slick, able to pull this one off.

Fred’s latest lie was laid bare, and soon he left Lancaster a seemingly shamed man. Later, Fred landed in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he created another imaginary identity. The new role would put him not just in the local spotlight, but would make him a hero statewide. And this one might have lasted forever if WE hadn’t shown up, 10 years later, to reveal the truth.

Fred’s new name was Mark Gomez. His job? Advocate for the poor.

Ken Sanchez: Mark Gomez was an incredible individual. And he gave so much back to this community.

In 1998, Ken Sanchez was the Vice Chair for the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners in Albuquerque, New Mexico when he first heard about Mark Gomez.

Sanchez: There was a family of nine who didn’t have a vehicle.  And he purchased a vehicle for the father to get to and from work.  There were families who could not pay the rent and he paid the rent and utilities so those families would not be homeless.

Mankiewicz: You’re describing a very genuine guy with a good heart.

Sanchez: Unconditionally a good heart. 

Mankiewicz: And what had he done before that?

Sanchez: I didn’t know that. I had never heard of Mark Gomez prior to that.

That’s because the man named Mark Gomez was a product, once again of Fred’s inventively dishonest urges. But the glowing calls and letters that came into the commission about Gomez were apparently both genuine and numerous... and Sanchez said, the commission felt it was time to recognize Gomez for all his inspiring, giving work.

In April 1998, Sanchez and the other commissioners celebrated Mark Gomez’s good work by awarding him a County Proclamation.  Not only that, Gomez received commendations from the New Mexico House of Representatives and the State Senate.

Mankiewicz: Mark Gomez works and spends not only his money but also his time and energy performing little acts of kindness because the extent and compassion he possesses for human kind is immeasurable. You’re laying it on pretty thick. Or else this guy is really a wonderful guy.

Sanchez: Based on what we were told and when we met Mark, we think he did a remarkable job.

Mankiewicz: Well, you have told me a lot about Mark Gomez.  Let me tell you a couple of things about Mark Gomez.  First of all his name is not Mark Gomez.  His name’s Fred Brito.  Surprised?

Sanchez: Very surprised.

Mankiewicz: Mr. Brito is a con man.  He acknowledges it.  That’s not my description.  He’s been to prison.  He’s committed white collar crime.  He’s been investigated for all kinds of things.

Sanchez: I am very stunned.

Mankiewicz: This guy’s a con man and he conned you.

Sanchez: He conned the five county commissioners.

He conned a lot of people because Fred is both cunning and charming and not afraid to take a chance. All of that will buy a con man a lot of good will.  Fred left New Mexico and continued to lie his way to a new job.  Most of the time, no one bothered to check his references.  And if they did, Fred had it covered.

Mankiewicz: Did you have references?

Brito:  I had lots of references.  But the references were to a cell phone that would come to me, and I would give myself the reference.        

Mankiewicz: People who wanted to check your references would call a number that you had given them, and that number was to a cell phone that you had?

Brito: Yes.

Mankiewicz: And you get on the phone and say, “Oh, Fred, he’s terrific.”

Brito: That’s right.

Mankiewicz: You can count on him.

And who’d be saying that? A new persona Fred had created—named Harrison Winslow. His occupation: Fred’s loyal, but completely imaginary reference.

The name Harrison Winslow was taken from the movie “Heart and Souls.” In the film, Harrison Winslow is a guardian angel. In real life, he did the same for Fred Brito.

Brito: I knew when they asked for Harrison Winslow, it was the code word was for a reference.  And that’s when I would talk about how great Fred was.  So who would not hire Fred after this glowing reference?

This would be a great story if it ended right here.  But of course, it doesn’t. At this point, Fred was on a personal high; he’d gotten away with creating and playing several different roles. He’d also figured out how to get the kind of work he wanted, the kind of work that’s not usually available when you have a prison record. Now, Fred decided it was time to take all of this a step further—to start impersonating more, sophisticated, important people.

A few years back, Fred applied for and was accepted into a religious training program at a Catholic Seminary outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico.  He used that knowledge not to become a priest but to impersonate one so he could escape some new embezzlement charges back in California. Wearing a collar, Fred headed to Yuma, Arizona.

The imposter would attempt weddings, confessions, baptisms, and Sunday mass. 

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