State: Real-estate broker swindled people to pay for gambling

A former Beacon Hill real-estate broker who catered to Chinese clients looking for swanky Boston digs was arraigned yesterday on charges he swindled at least 19 people - including co-workers - out of $166,000 to feed his gambling addiction, the state Attorney General's office reports.

Among his alleged victims: Two women he met in a Boston bar who were looking for a place to live on Beacon Hill:

Murawski allegedly told these women that he owned a Beacon Hill apartment and was looking to rent it. They subsequently provided him with first and last month’s rent totaling $4,200. Authorities allege that Murawski did not own any apartment, but instead was facing eviction for nonpayment of rent from his apartment in Beacon Hill. He cashed checks from the two women and never returned their money.

The AG's office charges Murawski also wrangled money out of people closer to him:

Murawski employed a variety of schemes that generally involved telling a co-worker or acquaintance that he needed money in connection with his divorce or for a real estate purchase. Murawski allegedly told these individuals that he did not have ready access to his own funds because he was transferring money between accounts or selling stock.

Murawski allegedly promised some victims he'd repay them with up to 20% in interest. And, in fact, he repaid some of his earlier victims with money from later victims - or from his luckier nights gambling - the AG's office charges.

Murawski, who moved from Beacon Hill to New Jersey, was arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court on 18 charges of larceny over $250, the AG's office reports - adding it continues to look for victims, who can call investigators at 617-963-2910.

Innocent, etc.