News

Police say ATM thief killed by spiked cocktail

June 12, 2002

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Michael Schwartz, who stole $4.9 million from 160 New York and New Jersey ATMs in 2001, may have died from a drug-spiked cocktail given him by a Florida roommate.

The New York Post reported that a Palm Beach examiner who performed an autopsy on Schwartz, said that in addition to alcohol in the victim's body, he found traces of OxyContin, methadone and Xanax.

Christopher Lacroix, whom Schwartz paid $10,000 to rent a room for three months, told police on Christmas Day he'd found Schwartz dead in the room following a two-week drinking binge.

Schwartz's Jersey City, N.J., companies, Direct Connect ATM and Schwartz Armored LLC, were contracted to replenish the cash in the ATMs. Earlier that month, he disappeared from following the cash heist.

In March, FBI agents linked $3.6 million of the stolen loot to Lacroix and arrested him. He later admitted receiving the stolen cash.

While incarcerated, an inmate told police Lacroix admitted he spiked Schwartz's drink to knock him out so he could look for the money.

Police reports show Lacroix has a history of prescription drug abuse, and that another man, Ruben Torres, died in Lacroix's previous apartment from an overdose of OxyContin and alcohol eight months before Schwartz.

Lacroix claims Torres asked permission to sleep off a drinking binge at the apartment, but then stole some of his OxyContin and died accidentally.

No charges have been filed in either death.