Senator says he was impersonated

From KRQE-TV.com - by Kim Holland - A woman who runs a program for people down on their luck said a state senator stiffed her $1,600 after she did him a favor. But the senator told News 13 he has no idea what the woman is talking about and believes someone has been impersonating him. Either way, it’s a bizarre story. Tani Gallup said she first came into contact with a man who identified himself as Sen. Phil Griego, D-San Jose, several months ago. That’s when Gallup – who runs an Albuquerque residential program for people with drug and alcohol problems or have had brushes with the law – received a phone call from the director of a halfway house in Albuquerque. Gallup said the director told her that a man named Billy Sanchez, who was on probation for fraud and tax evasion, had been recently kicked out of his halfway house and needed a place to live. The director also said Sanchez was Griego’s nephew and that the senator would be grateful if she’d accept him, Gallup said. Gallup said Griego promised her he’d pay for his nephew’s tab. Two and a half months later, Sanchez left the Casa de Amigos house unannounced. At that time, his bill was nearly $1,600, Gallup said. Griego first referred News 13 to his attorney, but when a reporter caught up with him at a recent meeting of the Legislative Finance Committee, he was outspoken. He told New 13 he doesn’t have a relative named Billy Sanchez and that someone is misusing his name. Still, Gallup said she believes she was talking to the real senator, and she’s filed a lawsuit to try and recoup her money. Meanwhile, Sanchez was recently arrested for breaking his probation and is currently sitting in prison in Los Lunas. Read more

Senator says he was impersonated