Tag:

Financial Crime

$1.4M Fraudulent Bank Loan Scheme: Monsey Man Sentenced $1.4M Fraudulent Bank Loan Scheme: Monsey Man Sentenced
$1.4M Fraudulent Bank Loan Scheme: Monsey Man Sentenced A Hudson Valley man has been sentenced to prison in connection with a scheme to obtain a fraudulent $1.4 million loan from Park Avenue Bank. Rockland County resident Mendel Zilberberg, age 65, of Monsey, was sentenced on Wednesday, March 19 following a one-week trial. According to court documents, Zilberberg, who was a member of the bank's board of directors at the time of the offense, conspired with others, including Aron Fried, to obtain a fraudulent loan using a "star borrower" to make the loan application.  The straw borrower applied for a $1.4 million loan from the Bank base…
Geek Squad Scammer Stole Over $55K From Amityville, Bay Shore Victims: Police Geek Squad Scammer Stole Over $55K From Amityville, Bay Shore Victims: Police
Geek Squad Scammer Stole Over $55K From Amityville, Bay Shore Victims: Police A 21-year-old scam artist from Queens was arrested after police uncovered that he had tricked tens of thousands of dollars out of two people on Long Island. Jarnail Singh, age 21, of South Ozone Park, Queens, started his scam by posing as a member of the Geek Squad, the Best Buy tech service team, Suffolk County Police announced on Friday, Feb. 2. A 77-year-old Amityville man received an email from Singh, claiming the victim had a $399 charge. When the victim called the number listed on the email to dispute the charges, Singh allegedly answered, directing the man to log into his bank acc…
Man Scams 9/11 Victim, Widow In Locust Valley: Police Man Scams 9/11 Victim, Widow In Locust Valley: Police
Man Scams 9/11 Victim, Widow In Locust Valley: Police A Queens man has been arrested after he allegedly conned two women out of over $150,000, including one Long Islander who was awarded money as part of the 9/11 Victim Fund, police said. Richard Yasnis, age 42, was arrested on Wednesday, Dec. 20 for his alleged Locust Valley crimes, according to Nassau County Police. In July 2023, Yasnis, who is from Jamaica, Queens, allegedly posed as an investment advisor and representative of the Cahill Financial Group, which is based in New York City. Under the guise that it would be used to invest in stocks and real estate, police said Yasnis receive…
Jersey Shore Woman Charged With Stealing $195K From Former Employer: Prosecutor Jersey Shore Woman Charged With Stealing $195K From Former Employer: Prosecutor
Jersey Shore Woman Charged With Stealing $195K From Former Employer: Prosecutor An Ocean County woman is accused of stealing nearly $200,000 from her former employer in Monmouth County, authorities said. Jessica L. Schott, 44, of Point Pleasant, was charged with theft by unlawful taking, forgery and false uttering, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said on Tuesday, Nov. 14. An investigation by the MCPO Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Bureau began earlier this year after a tip from a Wall Township-based company that used to employ Schott, Santiago said. The prosecutor did not name the company. A review of the company’s financial…
New Hyde Park Woman Scammed $750K Out Of Victim, Sentenced New Hyde Park Woman Scammed $750K Out Of Victim, Sentenced
New Hyde Park Woman Scammed $750K Out Of Victim, Sentenced A Long Island woman who stole nearly three-quarters of a million dollars from an elderly woman will now spend years behind bars, authorities announced. On Friday, Sept. 15, Elizabeth Reilly, a 50-year-old New Hyde Park woman, was sentenced to three to six years in prison for grand larceny, according to the Nassau County District Attorney. Original story: $750K Stolen: New Hyde Park Thief Used Money On Plane Tickets, Beauty, DA Says At the time of the crimes, Reilly was employed by a Floral Park attorney who had a verbal agreement with a 91-year-old woman to handle her finances whil…
Montgomery County Schools DOT Employees Admit To Misconduct For $320K Fraud Scheme Montgomery County Schools DOT Employees Admit To Misconduct For $320K Fraud Scheme
Montgomery County Schools DOT Employees Admit To Misconduct For $320K Fraud Scheme The former Assistant Director of the Montgomery County Public Schools Department of Transportation (DOT) will spend years behind bars for his role in a scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars. Charles Ewald, 37, of Knoxville, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, with all but five suspended, after admitting to the scam earlier this year, authorities announced. The scam began in 2009 when Todd Watkins, 56, of Jefferson - who also pleaded guilty to the scheme - began conspiring with Ewald  Prosecutors say that Watkins assumed his position in 2009, and beginning in 2016 and throu…
Five From NJ Admit Pocketing $1.3M In Aircraft Equipment Scam Five From NJ Admit Pocketing $1.3M In Aircraft Equipment Scam
Five From NJ Admit Pocketing $1.3M In Aircraft Equipment Scam A crew of con artists from New Jersey admitted swindling more than $1.3 million from hundreds of businesses nationwide and abroad that thought they were buying specialized aviation equipment. The head of the operation, Antonio P. Signo, 36, of Somerset – aka "Tony Demetro" – had been the first to take a deal from prosecutors rather than face the potential consequences of a trial. The onetime fugitive pleaded guilty last August -- with no public notice from authorities – to a single count of theft by deception, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin revealed on Thursday, May 25. The…
Ex-Hudson Sheriff's Officer Admits $98,000 Short-Sale Mortgage Scheme For Jersey Shore Home Ex-Hudson Sheriff's Officer Admits $98,000 Short-Sale Mortgage Scheme For Jersey Shore Home
Ex-Hudson Sheriff's Officer Admits $98,000 Short-Sale Mortgage Scheme For Jersey Shore Home A former Hudson County sheriff’s officer admitted defrauding a bank to duck $98,000 in mortgage payments on a Jersey Shore home, federal authorities said. Osbado Hernandez, 54, of Avenel, conspired with others to lie about a bogus short sale of his house in Keansburg so that the unidentified bank would discharge what was left on his mortgage, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. Hernandez bought the property for $239,900 in 2006, financing it through a mortgage loan from the victimized bank, a complaint on file in U.S. District Court in Trenton says. He ended up behind on the payments,…
Ex-CFO Avoids Jail Time For $833K Theft From Matawan Tech Firm: Prosecutor Ex-CFO Avoids Jail Time For $833K Theft From Matawan Tech Firm: Prosecutor
Ex-cfo Avoids Jail Time For $833K Theft From Matawan Tech Firm: Prosecutor An ex-chief financial officer and CPA has avoided jail time in the Monmouth County lockup while paying more than $800,000 in restitution to his former employer, authorities said. Scott Lifshitz, 60, of Brick Township, had previously been CFO of a Matawan-based financial services technology company, they said. Lifshitz was sentenced to two years’ probation on Friday, May 12 after he pleaded guilty to stealing from his employer, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said. Lifshitz was sentenced by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Jill Grace O’Malley. &nb…
Former Police Lieutenant In Prince George's County Gets Prison Time For Tax Evasion Scam: Feds Former Police Lieutenant In Prince George's County Gets Prison Time For Tax Evasion Scam: Feds
Former Police Lieutenant In Prince George's County Gets Prison Time For Tax Evasion Scam: Feds A former top cop in Maryland will spend more than a year with some of the people he helped locked up after attempting to dupe federal investigators amid an ongoing tax evasion scheme. Edward Scott Finn, 48, of Dunkirk, a former lieutenant with the Prince George’s County Police Department, was sentenced on Monday, May 15, to 16 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release for a tax evasion charge, according to officials. At the time he working with the department - between December 1995 and April 2021 - Finn also owned and operated Edward Finn Inc., a private compan…
'Skimming' Devices Found On Montco ATMs, Police Warn 'Skimming' Devices Found On Montco ATMs, Police Warn
'Skimming' Devices Found On Montco ATMs, Police Warn Authorities in Montgomery County have discovered "skimming devices" attached to ATMs in at least three locations, and are warning area residents to keep vigilant.  Norristown police announced finding the first devices late Monday, March 6. The "skimmers" were affixed to ATMs at a pair of 7-Elevens, at 708 East Johnson Highway and 1335 Sandy Hill Road, the department said.  "The devices were located internally and included a small camera above the keypad to capture the pin as it is entered by the user," police explained.  Just a few hours later, their colleagues in Conshohock…
$65M Ponzi Scheme: Former Great Neck Hedge Fund Manager Admits To Lending Fraud $65M Ponzi Scheme: Former Great Neck Hedge Fund Manager Admits To Lending Fraud
$65M Ponzi Scheme: Former Great Neck Hedge Fund Manager Admits To Lending Fraud A former bond trader and hedge fund manager in New York could spend decades in federal prison for defrauding his friends and lending institutions out of over $65 million. Nassau County resident Jeffrey Parket, age 59, of Great Neck, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and bank fraud in federal court in Manhattan on Wednesday, Feb. 15. According to the US Attorney’s Office in the Southern District, Parket swindled his victims out of millions of dollars between 2016 and December 2021 by lying about his financial condition and pledging fake collateral in order to obtain short-term loans. He claime…
PA Man Stole $867K From Willingboro Employer, Spent It On Sports Gambling, Cars: Prosecutor PA Man Stole $867K From Willingboro Employer, Spent It On Sports Gambling, Cars: Prosecutor
PA Man Stole $867K From Willingboro Employer, Spent It On Sports Gambling, Cars: Prosecutor A Bucks County, PA, man has been charged with stealing more than $866,000 from his Willingboro-based employer, authorities said. Brian Myslinski, 31, of Levittown, PA, surrendered Tuesday, Jan. 17 at the Prosecutor’s Office in Mount Holly, said Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw. The investigation revealed that Myslinski used more than $120,000 of the proceeds from the illegal sales to cover sports gambling debts, and also spent $50,000 on a 1974 Dodge Charger classic car, $20,000 on another vehicle, funded a vacation to Jamaica, and bought Gucci and Louis Vuitton han…
Capital Region Woman Stole Over $1M From Elderly Man To Pay Off Boyfriend’s Debts, Police Say Capital Region Woman Stole Over $1M From Elderly Man To Pay Off Boyfriend’s Debts, Police Say
Capital Region Woman Stole Over $1M From Elderly Man To Pay Off Boyfriend’s Debts, Police Say A New York woman is accused of stealing more than $1 million from an elderly man who entrusted her with his finances. Fulton County resident Gladys Griffith, age 49, of Perth, was arrested Thursday, Oct. 6, following an investigation by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. The first signs of potential wrongdoing surfaced in July 2022, when deputies were asked to do a welfare check on the victim following several suspicious transfers and withdrawals from his bank account, police said. That triggered a joint investigation consisting of several agencies, including the sheriff’s office, New Yo…
Hyde Park Woman Accused Of Stealing From Her Care Recipient Hyde Park Woman Accused Of Stealing From Her Care Recipient
Hyde Park Woman Accused Of Stealing From Her Care Recipient A Hudson Valley woman was nabbed for alleged identity theft of the person she care for after her financial institution tipped off police. Dutchess County resident Brandy Lee, age 35, of Hyde Park, was arrested on Tuesday, June 28, by the New York State Police in conjunction with the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. Following a tip from a financial institution investigation in conjunction with the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office determined Lee, while employed as the victim’s caretaker, impersonated and stole from the victim for her own financial gain, said Trooper…
Long Beach Police Issue Alert For Multiple ATM Skimming Devices Long Beach Police Issue Alert For Multiple ATM Skimming Devices
Long Beach Police Issue Alert For Multiple ATM Skimming Devices Authorities are alerting Long Islanders after locating a number of ATM skimming devices in the area. The City of Long Beach New York Police Department in Nassau County reported on Tuesday, April 5, that police were alerted to multiple devices over the past few months. The phony card reading devices look like real card readers and allow people to capture financial information from an individual's card. Police said the easiest way to detect a skimming device is to pull on the area where you swipe the card. If the area is loose, people should be suspicious and report the suspected skimming d…
New Hyde Park Woman Indicted For Theft Of Almost $750K, DA Says New Hyde Park Woman Indicted For Theft Of Almost $750K, DA Says
New Hyde Park Woman Indicted For Theft Of Almost $750K, DA Says A woman on Long Island is facing charges for allegedly stealing nearly $750,000 through her employer, which had been entrusted with her victim’s finances, authorities announced. Nassau County resident Elizabeth Reilly, age 48, of New Hyde Park, was arraigned on Wednesday, April 6 on charges she allegedly stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from a 91-year-old woman who entrusted her finances to her employer, a Floral Park attorney. Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said that Reilly’s employer had a verbal agreement with the victim that he would handle her finances as she began…
LaGrange Man Charged With Stealing $165K In Investment Scam, Police Say LaGrange Man Charged With Stealing $165K In Investment Scam, Police Say
LaGrange Man Charged With Stealing $165K In Investment Scam, Police Say A Hudson Valley man has been charged with grand larceny for allegedly stealing more than $165,000 from investors while working for an investment company. Dutchess County resident Todd Sims, age 49, of LaGrange, was arrested on Tuesday, March 29, by New York State Police in collaboration with the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office. An investigation determined Sims stole more than $165,000 using an investment company business under the name of Horizon Holdings NY, said Trooper AJ Hicks. Additionally, Sims was previously arrested in October of 2021 for grand larceny relative to a simi…
Fraudster Put Her Own Email Address On $100K Loan In Victim's Name: Wayne PD Fraudster Put Her Own Email Address On $100K Loan In Victim's Name: Wayne PD
Fraudster Put Her Own Email Address On $100K Loan In Victim's Name: Wayne PD A 47-year-old Wayne woman was arrested for opening $100,000 in loans under someone else's name after she put her own personal contact information on the account, authorities announced. Cherie Elliott used used her own email address, phone number and physical address on the six loans she took out under the victim's name last April, Wayne Police Det. Capt. Dan Daly said. The victim came to police last June when she noticed her credit score suddenly dropped, Daly said. She was told by a financial institution that loans were opened using her personal information -- but had the email a…
Former Hempstead Official Sentenced For Scamming Lender, Stealing $59K, DA Says Former Hempstead Official Sentenced For Scamming Lender, Stealing $59K, DA Says
Former Hempstead Official Sentenced For Scamming Lender, Stealing $59K, DA Says A former Long Island public official was sentenced for stealing $59,000 and scamming a commercial lender into granting him more than $1 million in loans. John Novello, the former deputy commissioner for the Town of Hempstead Buildings Department, was sentenced on Thursday, Sept. 30, to five years of probation, Acting Nassau County District Attorney Joyce Smith announced. The 53-year-old Hewlett Harbor man also paid $41,000 in restitution to the Nassau County Republican Committee. Novello pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree grand larceny on Friday, July 23. “As public o…
Feds: Philly Man Charged With Stealing Nearly $1 Million In PPP Funds Feds: Philly Man Charged With Stealing Nearly $1 Million In PPP Funds
Feds: Philly Man Charged With Stealing Nearly $1 Million In PPP Funds A Philadelphia man was charged with two counts of bank fraud and nine counts of money laundering for stealing nearly $1 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds and using it toward personal purchases, federal authorities said. It is alleged that in June 2020, Devron Brown, 50, received $937,500 in PPP loan proceeds, from a PPP loan application that contained false about his alleged construction business, Just Us Construction Inc., according to Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams. Brown allegedly falsified the number of employees, the wages paid to t…
NY Man Indicted In $700,000 Investment Scheme NY Man Indicted In $700,000 Investment Scheme
NY Man Indicted In $700,000 Investment Scheme A New York man has been indicted for scamming investors out of more than $700,000, authorities announced. Long Island resident Matthew Gallagher, age 37, of Rocky Point, used various investment schemes to scam 24 victims over a period of about four years, according to an investigation by Suffolk County Police and Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini. “We have 24 people here who gave their savings to this defendant with the promise of sound investments only to be lied to and swindled out of their hard-earned money,” Sini said. “He was allegedly selling them on investing in b…
Little League President In Area Accused Of Stealing Thousands Of Dollars From Organization Little League President In Area Accused Of Stealing Thousands Of Dollars From Organization
Little League President In Area Accused Of Stealing Thousands Of Dollars From Organization A Hudson Valley Little league former president has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than $6,000 from the organization. Orange County resident William M. Hinspeter, age 48, of New Windsor, was arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 27, for stealing from the New Windsor Little League organization after a four-month-long investigation by detectives, said New Windsor Deputy Police Chief Michale Farbent. Hinspeter, who formerly served the New Windsor Little League organization as its president, made a series of unauthorized debit card cash withdrawals for his own personal use betwee…
'Huge Spike' In Auto Thefts Reported In Putnam 'Huge Spike' In Auto Thefts Reported In Putnam
'Huge Spike' In Auto Thefts Reported In Putnam There has been a “huge spike” in auto thefts in recent weeks, according to Putnam County Sheriff Robert Langley, Jr. The Sheriff’s Office issued an alert warning that there has been an uptick in auto thefts not only in Putnam County, but also throughout the state. According to Langley, “the first step to preventing auto theft starts with you.” “Many of these thefts occur because owners are leaving their vehicles unlocked with key fobs in the vehicle parked at home, work, and at car dealerships,” he said. “This allows offenders to simply go through neighborhoods in the middle of the night,…
Westchester Residents Charged With Submitting Millions Of Dollars In Fake Claims To Medicaid Westchester Residents Charged With Submitting Millions Of Dollars In Fake Claims To Medicaid
Westchester Residents Charged With Submitting Millions Of Dollars In Fake Claims To Medicaid A pair of Westchester residents are facing criminal charges for their roles in a multi-million dollar Medicaid scheme. Yonkers residents Jorgelina Abreu Gil, 32, the owner of KJ Transportation C Services Inc., and her husband, Julio Alvarado, 59, the manager of the company, were among 13 charged with participating in a scheme to steal millions of dollars from New York State Medicaid program by making fraudulent claims related to transportation services. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said that beginning in 2017, KJ began submitting claims to Medicaid for purported medical transportation serv…
Ex-Long Island Investment Advisor Sentenced For Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi Scheme Ex-Long Island Investment Advisor Sentenced For Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi Scheme
Ex-Long Island Investment Advisor Sentenced For Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi Scheme An investment advisor from Long Island will spend more than a decade behind bars for his role in defrauding his elderly victims in a multimillion-dollar scheme, U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue announced. East Setauket resident Steven Pagartanis, 60, was sentenced to a term of 170 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $6.5 million in restitution after pleading guilty in December to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud for orchestrating a securities fraud scheme over the course of 18 years.   “Today’s sentence is a well-deserved reckoning for Pagartanis, who preyed on el…
NJ Scammers Who Paid Bills, Bought Fancy Cars With Homemade Money Orders Headed To Fed Pen NJ Scammers Who Paid Bills, Bought Fancy Cars With Homemade Money Orders Headed To Fed Pen
NJ Scammers Who Paid Bills, Bought Fancy Cars With Homemade Money Orders Headed To Fed Pen Two New Jersey men are bound for federal prison for producing bogus money orders and cashier’s checks that they used to buy themselves luxury cars, pay off credit card bills and clear a mortgage. Germaine Howard King, 47, of Elizabeth was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Newark to 70 months. Daniel D. Dxrams (currently known as “Daniel Kusi”), 41, of Maplewood was sentenced to 57 months. Both must serve their entire terms because there’s no parole in the federal prison system. “King was convicted for his role in a scheme to defraud banks and other lenders using phony money order…
Stopping Fraud: Oritani Bank Offers Advice On How To Protect Yourself Stopping Fraud: Oritani Bank Offers Advice On How To Protect Yourself
Stopping Fraud: Oritani Bank Offers Advice On How To Protect Yourself The goal of many con artists is the acquisition of financial information that can allow them to victimize unsuspecting individuals. A con artist often targets specific groups of people who possess certain characteristics and attributes that will make the fraud easier to execute, like age and financial stability, but anyone can be a target of con artists. Below is some great information to help safeguard you and your financial information against fraud. Targeting in Multiple Ways A con artist generally has multiple approaches to conning people out of money. Con artists most often use the U.S…
Don't Fall For It: Alert Issued For 'Clever' Fake Check Scam Don't Fall For It: Alert Issued For 'Clever' Fake Check Scam
Don't Fall For It: Alert Issued For 'Clever' Fake Check Scam Residents in the area are being warned about a new phony check scam that has been making the rounds in the region. There are several variations to the scam, officials said, but the most common involves a resident receiving notice that they won a “sweepstakes” with a faux check or first installment. Other versions involve letters from allegedly foreign countries that require the deposit of cash into a bank account for safekeeping, while others offer “too good to be true” or “work at home” proposals. Authorities said that, “the checks look real, and might have the names of real companies on t…
Former CEO From Valley Stream Sentenced For Multimillion-Dollar Fraud, Embezzlement Scheme Former CEO From Valley Stream Sentenced For Multimillion-Dollar Fraud, Embezzlement Scheme
Former CEO From Valley Stream Sentenced For Multimillion-Dollar Fraud, Embezzlement Scheme A Long Island man who was the former CEO of Municipal Credit Union will spend time behind bars for defrauding and embezzling nearly $10 million during his time at the helm of the non-profit institution. Kam Wong, of Valley Stream, has been sentenced to 66 months in prison after pleading guilty to embezzlement from a federally insured credit union before U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl, who imposed his sentence this week. Beginning in 2007 and lasting through his arrest in May 2018, Wong was the CEO and president of the Municipal Credit Union (MCU), which has its headquarters in Manhatta…
Check Stolen From Darien Woman's Home Cashed For $5.2K, Police Say Check Stolen From Darien Woman's Home Cashed For $5.2K, Police Say
Check Stolen From Darien Woman's Home Cashed For $5.2K, Police Say Police are investigating after a check was allegedly stolen from a Darien woman’s home and cashed for $5,200. Darien Police say a complainant reported an incident of a potentially suspicious transaction on behalf of his mother on Saturday, April 20 around 11:30 a.m. The complainant allegedly told officers that one of the victim’s checks had been cashed in New Jersey in the amount of $5,200 on Tuesday, April 9. The complainant’s mother confirmed that she had not written a check from her account to anyone, according to police. Police say a second check was attempted on Thursday, April 11, b…