Tag:

Public Corruption

Putnam
News
Former Brewster Police Officer Sentenced For Extorting Prostitution Rings For Sex Former Brewster Police Officer Sentenced For Extorting Prostitution Rings For Sex
Former Brewster Police Officer Sentenced For Extorting Prostitution Rings For Sex A former Hudson Valley police officer will spend time in prison for protecting prostitution businesses from law enforcement activity in exchange for free sexual services, federal officials announced. Ulster County resident Wayne Peiffer of Highland, a former officer in Putnam County who worked for the Village of Brewster Police Department, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for protecting two Queens-based prostitution rings, the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York announced on Thursday, May 2.  According to federal officials, between 2010 and October 2018, …

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by Ben Crnic
Hampshire Franklin MA
Police & Fire
Ex-Leyden Police Chief Charged With Embezzling Town Funds Ex-Leyden Police Chief Charged With Embezzling Town Funds
Ex-Leyden Police Chief Charged With Embezzling Town Funds The former police chief in Franklin County has been charged with stealing money and equipment set aside for his department, authorities said.  Daniel J. Galvis, the former police chief for the Leyden Police Department, was indicted on two counts of larceny of a motor vehicle, 2 counts of larceny over $1,200, and 3 counts of violating the standards of conduct for public employees, the Northwestern District Attorney said.  He was released on his own recognizance after the hearing, authorities said.  A 2022 Office of the Inspector General investigation found that Galv…

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by Josh Lanier
Ocean
Police & Fire
Former Ocean Gate Mayor Sentenced For Taking Money From Parking Meters, Government Auctions Former Ocean Gate Mayor Sentenced For Taking Money From Parking Meters, Government Auctions
Former Ocean Gate Mayor Sentenced For Taking Money From Parking Meters, Government Auctions A former mayor of Ocean Gate will spend time in state prison for pocketing money from government auctions, parking meter funds, and scrap metal sales, authorities said. Paul Kennedy, 68, of Ocean Gate, was sentenced on Friday, Jan. 26 to three years in prison, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced. Kennedy pleaded guilty on Friday, Sept. 22 to pattern of official misconduct. As part of his plea deal, Kennedy is banned from holding public office or employment. Investigators said that while he was mayor, Kennedy took money from borough assets sold on the government auc…

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by Chris Spiker
Ocean
Police & Fire
Tuckerton Borough Employee Pocketed $10K In Utility Payments: Prosecutor Tuckerton Borough Employee Pocketed $10K In Utility Payments: Prosecutor
Tuckerton Borough Employee Pocketed $10K In Utility Payments: Prosecutor A Tuckerton Borough utility collector has been arrested on accusations she stole $10,000 from the municipality. Jennifer Docherty, 46, of West Creek, failed pocketed proceeds from the tax, water, and sewer payments for the borough between June 2018 and June 2023, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. Docherty surrendered to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office in the presence of her attorney on Monday, Nov. 21. She was processed and served with the charge via summons pending an upcoming first appearance in Ocean County Superior Court.  She was charged with theft by f…

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by Cecilia Levine
Union
Police & Fire
Clark Township Mayor Charged With Forging Signatures In 24 Towns To Benefit Landscaping Biz: AG Clark Township Mayor Charged With Forging Signatures In 24 Towns To Benefit Landscaping Biz: AG
Clark Township Mayor Charged With Forging Signatures In 24 Towns To Benefit Landscaping Biz: AG Clark Township Mayor Salvatore Bonaccorso was charged Monday, Nov. 20 with forging paperwork to nearly 24 New Jersey towns to allow his landscaping company to remove underground tanks, Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. Bonaccorso, 63, used township employees to help him run his private business, Bonaccorso and Son LLC, along with township devices like computers and fax machines, Platkin said following an investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability Corruption Bureau. While running his business, Bonaccorso posed as an engineer, using his name, license num…

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by Sam Barron
Monmouth
Police & Fire
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…

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by Jon Craig
Essex MA
Police & Fire
Ex-Methuen Police Chief, Detective Charged With Corruption, More: State Attorney Ex-Methuen Police Chief, Detective Charged With Corruption, More: State Attorney
Ex-Methuen Police Chief, Detective Charged With Corruption, More: State Attorney The former Methuen police chief and one of the department's ex-detectives have been indicted on a litany of charges, including public corruption and fraud, state officials announced Thursday evening, Sept. 28.  Ex-Police Chief Joseph Solomon was charged after a monthslong investigation over how he ran the department. State Attorney General Andrea Campbell said in a statement that he continuously abused his position and misused public money to benefit himself.  The investigation demonstrated that Solomon had repeatedly misused his position of authority as police chief to repea…

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by Josh Lanier
Cape May
News
Wildwood Mayor Admits Tax Dodge: Feds Wildwood Mayor Admits Tax Dodge: Feds
Wildwood Mayor Admits Tax Dodge: Feds Wildwood Mayor Peter J. Byron admitted Friday that he ducked paying taxes on $40,425 that he received for working as a salesman for a law firm, federal authorities said. Byron, 67, officially pleaded guilty to twice willfully "aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of fraudulent tax returns" to the IRS for calendar years 2017 and 2018, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced on March 24. The mayor still has a state case to deal with. He, former Mayor Ernest V. Troiano Jr. and City Commissioner Steven E. Mikulski were charged last year with fraudulently collecting stat…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Middlesex NJ
Politics
Sayreville Dem Leader Took Cash In Attempt To Influence Criminal Case: Prosecutor Sayreville Dem Leader Took Cash In Attempt To Influence Criminal Case: Prosecutor
Sayreville Dem Leader Took Cash In Attempt To Influence Criminal Case: Prosecutor The chairman of Sayreville's Democratic party and employee with the NJ Turnpike Authority has been charged with accepting thousands of dollars in cash in exchange for "influencing a a criminal case," authorities said. Thomas V. Pollando — the borough's former council president and current VP of the Middlesex County Planning Board — was caught between July and August 2022 accepting the cash and saying he'd attempt to use his political clout to influence an ongoing criminal case, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone  said. Pollando, 72, of Parlin, served as the long-time pres…

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by Cecilia Levine
Cecil
News
Maryland Delegate Busted For Theft, Embezzlement For Misusing State Funds: Prosecutor Maryland Delegate Busted For Theft, Embezzlement For Misusing State Funds: Prosecutor
Maryland Delegate Busted For Theft, Embezzlement For Misusing State Funds: Prosecutor A Maryland delegate is facing charges of abusing his office and misusing state funds, according to top prosecutor Charlton Howard III announced. In Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, Richard K. Impallaria, Maryland State Delegate representing District 7, was charged with multiple counts of misconduct in office, felony theft, and embezzlement, prosecutors announced on Wednesday, July 27. It is alleged that Impallaria facilitated rental payments from the General Assembly to his personal landlord by using state funding for a “district office” that was actually a building outside of his dis…

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by Zak Failla
Suffolk NY
Police & Fire
Former NYPD Union Head From Long Island Charged WIth Fraud Former NYPD Union Head From Long Island Charged WIth Fraud
Former Nypd Union Head From Long Island Charged WIth Fraud A former high-ranking NYPD union leader from Long Island is facing charges for allegedly defrauding his union and its members, federal authorities announced. Nassau County resident Edward Mullins, age 60, of Port Washington, the former president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA), which represents all current and former servants in the NYPD, was charged in federal court with fraud in connection to a scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars. US Attorney Damian Williams said that Mullins allegedly ran the scheme through the SBA through the submission of fraudulent expense r…

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by Zak Failla
Nassau
News
Former Chief Deputy Nassau County Exec Sentenced For Obstructing Justice Former Chief Deputy Nassau County Exec Sentenced For Obstructing Justice
Former Chief Deputy Nassau County Exec Sentenced For Obstructing Justice A former top elected official on Long Island will spend time behind bars after admitting to accepting a cash payment from a contractor and then attempting to cover it up amidst a federal probe, authorities announced. Hicksville resident Richard “Rob” Walker, age 43, the former Chief Deputy County Executive under former Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in 2019 to obstruction of justice following his attempted cover-up. In addition to his prison sentence, Walker was also ordered to pay a $5,000 forfeiture, was fined $5,500, and …

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by Zak Failla
Greenburgh
Politics
Here's How Much Cuomo Will Be Collecting In Pension Payments Each Month Here's How Much Cuomo Will Be Collecting In Pension Payments Each Month
Here's How Much Cuomo Will Be Collecting In Pension Payments Each Month Andrew Cuomo is no longer sitting inside the Governor’s Mansion in Albany, but he is still collecting a hefty paycheck from New York State. The embattled former governor, who resigned over the summer following an investigation into nearly a dozen of complaints of sexual harassment, received his first pension check last month to the tune of $4,219.11, according to the New York State comptroller’s office. His first payment was sent in October 2021, officials said. Cuomo's annual benefits add up to $50,629.32, which he will get the amount for the rest of his life, plus future cost of living …

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by Zak Failla
Warren Hunterdon
Politics
Former Phillipsburg Council Vice President Indicted For Criminal Coercion: Prosecutor Former Phillipsburg Council Vice President Indicted For Criminal Coercion: Prosecutor
Former Phillipsburg Council Vice President Indicted For Criminal Coercion: Prosecutor A former Phillipsburg council vice president recently charged for misusing the 911 system has been indicted for official misconduct and criminal coercion, authorities announced Friday. Frank McVey, 57, is accused of threatening Mayor Todd Tersigni following a “broader investigation into public corruption in Phillipsburg,” Warren County Prosecutor James L. Pfeiffer said in a release. McVey threatened Mayor Tersigni in an attempt to blackmail him and make him unable to conduct his elected duties without getting approval beforehand, according to the prosecutor’s office. McVey also said he wou…

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by Valerie Musson
Delaware
Police & Fire
Pennsylvania Police Officer Charged With Selling Impounded Vehicle Pennsylvania Police Officer Charged With Selling Impounded Vehicle
Pennsylvania Police Officer Charged With Selling Impounded Vehicle A Chester police officer was charged Wednesday for selling an impounded vehicle, authorities said. In Aug. 2020, Robert Shaughnessy, 35, gave a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a police-seized blue 2013 Yamaha ATV to another person so they could create a forged bill of sale and illegally take possession of the vehicle, according to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Shaughnessy, of Collingdale, also used his police credentials to check the Commonwealth Law Enforcement Assistance Network (CLEAN) to ensure that the ATV was not reported stolen, authorities said. CLEAN access…

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by Nicole Acosta
Chester
Police & Fire
Former Kennett Township Manager Gets Prison Time For Stealing $3 Million In Taxpayer Funds: DA Former Kennett Township Manager Gets Prison Time For Stealing $3 Million In Taxpayer Funds: DA
Former Kennett Township Manager Gets Prison Time For Stealing $3 Million In Taxpayer Funds: DA Kennett Township's former manager is facing time behind bars for stealing more than $3 million in taxpayer funds and spending it on personal expenses, authorities said. Lisa Moore, 48, of Dewey Beach, DE, was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison on charges of theft by deception, dealing in unlawful proceeds, forgery, tampering with public records, and related offenses. She embezzled a total of $3,249,453 from the township between 2013 and 2019, according to the Chester County District Attorney's Office. Moore, who was hired by the township in 1997 and became Township Manager in 20…

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by Nicole Acosta
Suffolk NY
News
Suffolk County IT Supervisor Accused Of Using County Resources To Mine Cryptocurrency Suffolk County IT Supervisor Accused Of Using County Resources To Mine Cryptocurrency
Suffolk County IT Supervisor Accused Of Using County Resources To Mine Cryptocurrency An information technology supervisor was arrested and accused of running a cryptocurrency mining operation out of Suffolk County offices, costing the county thousands of dollars in electricity.  Christopher Naples, age 42, of Mattituck, was arraigned on multiple felony charges Wednesday, Sept. 8, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini. Sini said Naples was charged with the following: Public corruption Third-degree grand larceny  Computer trespass Official misconduct “Mining cryptocurrency requires an enormous amount of resources, and miners have to navigate h…

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by Nicole Valinote
Somers
News
Northern Westchester Waste Hauler Charged With Falsifying Financials To Spend At Strip Clubs Northern Westchester Waste Hauler Charged With Falsifying Financials To Spend At Strip Clubs
Northern Westchester Waste Hauler Charged With Falsifying Financials To Spend At Strip Clubs The manager of a company that provides solid waste removal and recyclables in Westchester County is facing charges for allegedly falsifying financial data to cover up exorbitant spending at strip clubs, the District Attorney announced. Westchester County DA Mimi Rocah announced that Darien resident Christopher Oxer, a manager at City Carting of Westchester, which receives more than $20 million annually under its contract with the county, is facing charges for falsifying financial data in an attempt to dupe a monitor tasked with overseeing that contract. Under a contract with the county tha…

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by Zak Failla
Union
News
Feds: NJ Mail Carrier Picked Up, Delivered Drugs For Years Feds: NJ Mail Carrier Picked Up, Delivered Drugs For Years
Feds: NJ Mail Carrier Picked Up, Delivered Drugs For Years A New Jersey mail carrier took bribes for five years to help people use the U.S. Postal Service to ship coke, pot and other contraband through the mail. Emerson Pavilus, 46, of Union was working for the post office in Flanders when he took the payoffs, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. “Among other things, Pavilus provided his conspirators with addresses in Flanders to which parcels could be shipped, intercepted those parcels from the mail stream, and personally delivered those parcels to conspirators at addresses other than those listed on the parcels,” Honig said. Pavilus was n…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Clarkstown
News
Former Rockland County Village Trustee Begins Jail Sentence For Corruption Former Rockland County Village Trustee Begins Jail Sentence For Corruption
Former Rockland County Village Trustee Begins Jail Sentence For Corruption A former Rockland County village trustee has begun serving a one-year jail sentence for stealing funds from a summer camp program for children, some 33 months after he was convicted. Vilair Fonvil, age 58, of West Orange, New Jersey, convicted in 2018, delayed his sentence by appealing his corruption conviction. A judge on Tuesday, June 22, remanded him to jail after his appeal was denied. During his trial, Fonvil a former Village of Spring Valley Board of Trustees was convicted of four felonies including receiving a reward for official misconduct; corrupting the government; grand…

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by Kathy Reakes
Essex NJ
Police & Fire
AG: Essex Detective Indicted For Illegally Attaching Hidden GPS To Suspect's Vehicle AG: Essex Detective Indicted For Illegally Attaching Hidden GPS To Suspect's Vehicle
AG: Essex Detective Indicted For Illegally Attaching Hidden GPS To Suspect's Vehicle An Essex County prosecutor’s detective who stuck a hidden GPS on a suspect’s vehicle without permission was indicted Monday on official misconduct charges, authorities said. Timothy Kealy, 27, of Bloomfield was working with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Narcotics Task Force when he bought and installed the tracking device without getting a supervisor’s permission to apply to a judge for a warrant, state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced. A court-issued warrant is required by law for law enforcement to install a GPS device on a vehicle. Kealy was suspended as a resu…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Chester
Police & Fire
ChesCo Sheriff, Deputy Indicted For Using County Funds To Pay Employees For Volunteer Work ChesCo Sheriff, Deputy Indicted For Using County Funds To Pay Employees For Volunteer Work
ChesCo Sheriff, Deputy Indicted For Using County Funds To Pay Employees For Volunteer Work A Chester County sheriff and deputy admitted to using county funds to pay employees for volunteer work, performed both on and off duty, at private charity events, authorities announced. Former Chester County Sheriff Carolyn Welsh and former deputy Harry McKinney were arrested on November 23, 2020, following a Grand Jury investigation, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. The investigation revealed that because Chester County reportedly did not have the budget to support a K-9 unit as large as the one that Welsh and McKinney sought to create, they used on-duty deputies to perform vo…

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by Nicole Acosta
Suffolk NY
News
Long Island Restaurant, Bar Owner Admits To Receiving Bribes Long Island Restaurant, Bar Owner Admits To Receiving Bribes
Long Island Restaurant, Bar Owner Admits To Receiving Bribes A Long Island restaurateur admitted to conspiring with a former village official to solicit more than $150,000 in bribes through extortion from Hispanic-owned restaurants, the District Attorney’s Office announced. Elmont resident William Mendez, age 50, pleaded guilty on Monday, March 15 to bribe receiving and other charges for his role in a scheme with former Hempstead Village Trustee Perry Pettus to defraud other restauranteurs. Specifically, Mendez pleaded guilty to: Two counts of bribe receiving; Two counts of grand larceny by means of extortion; Conspiracy; Two counts of tampering w…

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by Zak Failla
Essex NJ
News
Councilwoman Indicted For Using Government Credit Cards To Stalk Magic Johnson In Newark Councilwoman Indicted For Using Government Credit Cards To Stalk Magic Johnson In Newark
Councilwoman Indicted For Using Government Credit Cards To Stalk Magic Johnson In Newark A South Carolina councilwoman was indicted on public corruption charges for using government credit cards to book pricey trips -- including one to Newark in order to stalk NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, the Columbia Post and Courier reports. The 24-count indictment was issued by the state grand jury Thursday against Richland County Council Vice Chairwoman Dahli Myers. Elected in 2016, Myers lost this year's Democratic primary election for Council District 10 earlier this year. Her term was set to end on Dec. 31, but Gov. Henry McMaster suspended her from officer on Fri…

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by Cecilia Levine
Brookfield
Police & Fire
Fairfield Officials, Construction Employee Arrested For Illegal Dumping Of Hazardous Materials Fairfield Officials, Construction Employee Arrested For Illegal Dumping Of Hazardous Materials
Fairfield Officials, Construction Employee Arrested For Illegal Dumping Of Hazardous Materials Several officials with the town of Fairfield have been arrested for allegedly allowing illegal disposals of hazardous materials at a construction material processing facility  The arrests took place on Wednesday, Nov. 18, and Thursday, Nov. 19, said Lt. Antonio E. Granata of the Fairfield Police. Those arrested were: Brian Carey, the interim director of Department of Public Works and Conservation Director for the Town of Fairfield;  Emmet Hibson, the former Human Resources Director for the Town of Fairfield;  Scott Bartlett, a former superintendent for the Departm…

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by Kathy Reakes
Bridgeport
News
CT AG Moves To Revoke, Reduce Pensions Of Ousted Bridgeport PD Chief, Personnel Director CT AG Moves To Revoke, Reduce Pensions Of Ousted Bridgeport PD Chief, Personnel Director
CT AG Moves To Revoke, Reduce Pensions Of Ousted Bridgeport PD Chief, Personnel Director Connecticut's attorney general wants to revoke the pensions of former Bridgeport Police Chief Armando (AJ) Perez and former Bridgeport Personnel Director David Dunn. Both Perez and Dunn, who have pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud and making false statements, are scheduled to be sentenced within the next two months, said Attorney General William Tong. Tong made the announcement on Wednesday, Nov. 4, following the guilty pleas that involved a scheme to award Perez the Chief of Police position under false and fraudulent pretenses.  Perez currently receives a $102,072.36 annual pe…

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by Kathy Reakes
Essex NJ
News
Trump Family Friend From Montclair Arrested On Cyberstalking Charges Trump Family Friend From Montclair Arrested On Cyberstalking Charges
Trump Family Friend From Montclair Arrested On Cyberstalking Charges A former Montclair resident who is family friends with Donald Trump's family was arrested and accused of cyberstalking three people and harassing two others. The criminal complaint against Ken Kurson -- who is close friends with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner -- was filed last week in the public corruption unit of the U.S. attorney's Brooklyn office. The alleged harassment was revealed earlier this year as part of a background check, when Kurson was nominated by the Trump administration to the board of National Endowment for the Humanities. The FBI discovered that Kurson had ha…

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by Cecilia Levine
Nassau
Politics
Long Beach Payouts Result Of 'Incompetence, Ignorance,' Nassau DA Says Long Beach Payouts Result Of 'Incompetence, Ignorance,' Nassau DA Says
Long Beach Payouts Result Of 'Incompetence, Ignorance,' Nassau DA Says Payments made to some City of Long Beach employees over the course of years came courtesy of “shocking ignorance” and “incompetence” of some officials, though criminal charges are not merited, Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced. Singas said that her office’s investigation into payouts for accrued vacation and sick leave time made to certain former employees in Long Beach were “excessive and inconsistent with applicable law, but didn't meet New York's standards for prosecution. The DA’s public corruption unit launched an investigation two years ago when Long Beach fail…

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by Zak Failla
Suffolk NY
News
Long Island Accountant Accused Of Trying To Bribe IRS Agent Long Island Accountant Accused Of Trying To Bribe IRS Agent
Long Island Accountant Accused Of Trying To Bribe IRS Agent A Long Island accountant was arrested after allegedly attempting to bribe an IRS agent auditing his tax returns. East Meadow resident Mohammad Sayeem met with an IRS agent three times at his home between June 17 last year and Sunday, Feb. 16 as they investigated whether he underreported his 2017 taxable income. It is alleged that at their first meeting last year, Sayeem asked the agent to “help him out” with potential tax liabilities, and inquired about whether he could receive gifts.  The agent reportedly said no, though Sayeem offered him an envelope at the conclusion of their meet…

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by Zak Failla
Armonk
News
Former City Counsel In Westchester Sentenced For Corruption Conviction Former City Counsel In Westchester Sentenced For Corruption Conviction
Former City Counsel In Westchester Sentenced For Corruption Conviction The former top lawyer for the City of Mount Vernon will avoid immediate prison time as he appeals his sentence for corruption involving former Mayor Richard Thomas. Lawrence Porcari Jr. was found guilty by a jury of corrupting government, second-degree grand larceny, degrading government, and filing false statements for using $365,000 from the city’s water funds to assist Thomas, who was ousted out of office last year. On Wednesday, Sept. 9, Porcari was sentenced to 1 to 3 years in prison, but he will remain free without bail while he appeals his conviction. He had faced a maximum term of 2…

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by Zak Failla
Middlesex NJ
News
Ex-Middlesex Mayor Pleads Guilty To Stealing $75K From Political Campaigns Ex-Middlesex Mayor Pleads Guilty To Stealing $75K From Political Campaigns
Ex-Middlesex Mayor Pleads Guilty To Stealing $75K From Political Campaigns The former mayor of Middlesex Borough has admitted to stealing more than $75,000 from local political campaigns, authorities said. Middlesex Mayor Ronald J. DiMura, 64, pleaded guilty to theft by deception, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said on Thursday. DiMura's term as mayor ended in December 2019. He entered his guilty plea before Superior Court Judge Benjamin S. Bucca in Middlesex County. The state has recommended that DiMura be sentenced to seven years in state prison, Grewal said. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan.. 15, 2021. DiMura will be barred from ever holding pu…

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by Jon Craig