In a somewhat bizarre incident, a man claiming to be former White Zombie drummer Phil Buerstatte has been arrested and charged with defrauding a Californian rehab centre of $75,500 in false cheques. Loren Breckenridge 46, checked into the Alta Mira Recovery Centre in Sausalito for a month but left after only a fortnight of treatment. Apparently this is not the first time Breckenridge has been involved in such an incident, as he was being detained by Novato Police in connection with defrauding another centre before Sausalito Police tracked him down. Strangely Police are unable to ascertain whether Phil Buerstatte is actually a stage alias for Breckenridge, or if Breckenridge is simply an imposter posing as the White Zombie sticksman circa 92-94. In an article published by the Marin Independent Journal, Sausalito PD Sergeant Bill Fraass commented:
“He would show up and tell people he was this rock star and needed treatment. In all my years of police work I have never seen a case like this, someone defrauding rehab centres.”
Breckenridge has outstanding warrants in Florida and Minnesota, and a fairly marked record for other fraudulent acts, as well as theft (including vehicle theft).
