Exchange of money leads to robbery call

Newport Beach police responded to a report from an upscale hotel near John Wayne Airport just after midnight Thursday that a guest had met two women in the lobby and given them cash, police said.

“The females took the money, but the victim seemed to indicate they did not meet their obligation to him in exchange for the funds,” Newport Beach police spokeswoman Jennifer Manzella said.

A caller from the hotel, the Fairmont Newport Beach on MacArthur Boulevard, reported the incident to police as a robbery.

“It seems like the people in the lobby watched this interaction and thought this was something they should call police about,” Manzella said.

Manzella said it’s uncertain why the man was giving the woman money.

“I can’t comment on the exact nature of the transaction here,” she said.

The reported victim was uncooperative and denied he’d been robbed, according to Manzella.

Nevertheless, detectives will investigate, she said.

Manzella said surveillance footage showed the alleged victim with the two women and another man.

A representative for the Fairmont did not immediately respond to inquiries about the incident.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck