Connecticut doctor, 32, abducted after night out at Brooklyn Mirage is named as Michael Bautista, as it’s revealed ‘armed captor’ made him spend $6,000 on shopping spree
A Connecticut doctor who claims he was abducted outside a troubled Brooklyn nightclub was reportedly forced to spend more than $6,000 by his captor.
Optometrist Michael Bautista, 32, told police he was threatened by Anthony Benjamin, 42, after he helped disperse an argument with a taxi driver on July 22.
Benjamin is accused of forcing the cataract surgeon to drive him across the Bronx at night in a bizarre cross-state kidnapping. New York Post.
The doctor says his captor threatened to shoot him if he tried “something funny” – before taking him to his barber, who then styled his hair.
An incident report from the Norwalk Police Department reportedly stated that Benjamin told Bautista he was “packing up,” before adding that he had “put people in body bags before” and that he wasn’t afraid to “let bullets to fly’.
Optometrist Michael Bautista, 32, told police he was threatened by Anthony Benjamin, 42, after he helped disperse an argument with a taxi driver on July 22
Benjamin is accused of forcing the cataract surgeon to drive him across the Bronx at night in a bizarre cross-state kidnapping — splurging on pizza, sneakers, caps and a strip club
The kidnapper is charged with forcing the doctor to cough up more than $1,800 at 4U House of Fitted Caps on White Plains Road, $1,100 at Foxy Fitness and Pole, a chain of pole dance fitness schools, and nearly $1,700 at Foot Locker.
He also splashed him nearly $1,000 from ATMs before handing the cash out to friends in the Bronx.
Benjamin also allegedly forced the doctor to pay $300 at Family African Meat Market, $111.99 at Hollywood Delights, $137.94 at Freckle’s Juice, and $24.44 at Mario’s Pizzeria.
Bautista had been to an event at the Brooklyn Mirage with friends on July 21 and hailed a cab to get back to his car parked a few blocks away.
Leaving the club on July 21, he got into an unlicensed cab, with the driver refusing to take him home, and Benjamin—who was already inside—steering them to a party in Manhattan instead.
The doctor got into a fight with the driver when they reached the party, with Benjamin breaking up the fight.
Benjamin, who weighs 200 pounds and is about six feet tall, convinced the doctor to come to the party — and Bautista agreed because he wanted to “get off the street.”
The kidnapper is charged with forcing the doctor to cough up more than $1,800 at 4U House of Fitted Caps on White Plains Road, $1,100 at Foxy Fitness and Pole, a chain of pole dance fitness schools
‘Club promoter’ Anthony Benjamin was arrested after the doctor escaped to the hospital where he worked and told colleagues about kidnapping
Benjamin also allegedly forced the doctor to pay $300 at Family African Meat Market, $111.99 at Hollywood Delights, $137.94 at Freckle’s Juice, and $24.44 at Mario’s Pizzeria
But his behavior reportedly changed once inside, he begged the doctor to stay and Benjamin acted as his “protection.”
The two then got into an Uber and returned to the doctor’s car, with the kidnapper convincing him to drive to the Bronx after joking about killing Bautista, saying, “If you do something funny, kill I you’.
According to the Post, the report stated, “Bautista stated throughout the incident that he agreed to what Benjamin required of him.”
Bautista managed to raise the alarm after telling Benjamin that he was on call and that people would be suspicious if he didn’t show up for work.
His alleged kidnapper then recruited 50-year-old Steve Daley to drive them to Norwalk, where the doctor works, as he could not drive the manual transmission car.
The trio arrived at Norwalk Hospital at 4 a.m. on Sunday, and Bautista eventually managed to escape after telling hospital security that Daley and Benjamin were in his car.
Police later arrested the pair after guards sealed off the hospital, and it is unknown if a gun was recovered.
DailyMail.com has contacted the Norwalk Police Department for more details.
Benjamin was charged with second-degree kidnapping with a firearm and possession of a controlled substance.
Steve Daley was also arrested for helping Benjamin by driving the doctor’s car to Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut
Brooklyn Mirage has been plagued with controversy in recent weeks following a spate of deaths
John Castic and Karl Clemente were both found dead in a creek near the club in separate incidents earlier this summer
Court records show his bail was set at $1 million, but he was later released after saying he would appear at his next hearing.
Daly was charged with conspiracy to commit second-degree kidnapping, and was also released after his bail was initially set at $250,000.
Both will appear in Connecticut Superior Court on September 19.
Following two recent mysterious deaths, the kidnapping incident stems from ongoing concern among clubbers in the Brooklyn hot spot.
In June, Karl Clemente was found dead in a creek near the nightclub after being sent away for being too drunk.
His death was ruled unsuspicious, but few other details have emerged about how he died.
On July 29, Goldman Sachs analyst John Castic disappeared after leaving the club for an Uber at around 3am.
He appeared sober and in control in a surveillance video showing him leaving the club. Two days later, his body was also found in the same creek as Clemente.
His grieving father previously told DailyMail.com his son could have had a fatal reaction to food containing peanuts, to which he was fatally allergic, and fell into the creek.