An Arizona attorney, accused of recording women through their windows, claimed he was acting as an investigator for clients. Tempe Police arrested 51-year-old Michael DiBenedetto, who was charged with four counts, including one each of burglary and voyeurism, on Sunday, June 28. And he gave a bizarre excuse for his actions.
DiBenedetto said he was helping a divorce client
During one of his earlier hearings in Illinois, the accused claimed that he was trying to help one of his divorce clients, who couldn’t afford a private investigator. “Regarding the 2009 incident, I was working for a client who … I am an attorney. I was doing divorce law at the time,” he said, per the New York Post.
“I had a client that could not afford a private investigator, and, essentially, I was doing that for them to save them some money. So yes, I did observe their spouse … but it wasn’t necessarily speaking to these current allegations,” the accused added, while explaining the reason behind his recordings.
One of the victims informed the police after spotting someone outside her bathroom
A woman informed the police after she spotted a black iPhone through her bathroom window held by a man on June 18, per 12 News. After the police called for more victims to come forward, other women complained about similar experiences. Moreover, his car was seen in the area two other times.
When the woman gave the investigators surveillance footage from her house, the authorities saw the suspect coming in a blue-gray Rivian SUV. The accused then walked through the alley, climbed over the fence, and entered the victim’s residence. The vehicle was linked to DiBenedetto.
Police nabbed DiBenedetto repeating his actions with another victim
On June 28, detectives tracked him to another victim’s home near Parkway Boulevard. He allegedly removed his pants and engaged in indecent sexual activity while watching a woman changing clothes through the window. Investigators detained him at the scene and took him into custody…