An Irvine man convicted of orchestrating a scheme to steal valuable violins, and then robbing a bank when he realized federal investigators were closing in on him, has been sentenced to four years in prison.
Mark Meng, 58, was sentenced this week to 46 months in federal prison. He’ll face a restitution hearing in June, according to the United States Department of Justice.
Last September, Meng admitted to one count of wire fraud and one count of bank robbery after he was arrested in connection with multiple high-value violin thefts and the ensuing robbery.
The scheme involved Meng, posing as a collector, contacting violin shops across the country in search of valuable violins, which he then asked to be loaned to him so he could decide whether or not to purchase them.
After receiving the violins, Meng would send the original owners personal checks he knew would bounce, then would repeatedly ask for extensions, sending new checks that he also knew would bounce, or simply lie and say that he’d already mailed the instruments back and they’d been lost in the mail.
But Meng kept the instruments and eventually sold them to a violin dealer in Los Angeles who was unaware of the scheme.
Among the violins stolen was an 1823 Lorenzo Ventapane violin valued at $175,000 and an 1870 Gand & Bernardel violin values at $60,000. Two other violins and a bow worth a combined $100,000 were also among those stolen and sold to the dealer, the DOJ said.
The thefts eventually caught the attention of the FBI, which launched an investigation into Meng’s dealings.
After realizing he was under investigation, Meng entered a bank in Irvine wearing a hat, sunglasses, a bandana and latex gloves and passed a note to the bank teller that stated: “$18,000. – Withdraw. Please. Stay Cool! No harm. Thx.”
The teller didn’t have access to the amount he demanded, and ultimately handed over only $446 from her drawer. The robber then fled the bank in a white minivan.
A latent print left on the robbery note was later traced back to Meng and the getaway vehicle was found at his home. He was arrested several days later and has remained in custody since.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Art Crime Team, with assistance from local authorities.
Although he will spend nearly four years in prison, at the time of his conviction, DOJ officials said he could face a 20-year maximum sentence.
