Friar In White Plains-Based Province Accepted Donations For Fake Medical Clinics: Fed Friar In White Plains-Based Province Accepted Donations For Fake Medical Clinics: Fed
Friar In White Plains-Based Province Accepted Donations For Fake Medical Clinics: Fed A Franciscan friar in a Westchester County-based province is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in fake donations for fake medical clinics he claimed to run in another country, federal officials announced.  New York City resident Pawel Bielecki, a 48-year-old friar with the White Plains-based Province of St. Mary of the Capuchin Order, was arrested on wire and mail fraud charges, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Monday, Aug. 19.  According to federal officials, Bielecki, also known as "Paul Bielecki,…
Ousted Nassau Rep. George Santos  Likely To Face Prison After Pleading Guilty In Fraud Case Ousted Nassau Rep. George Santos  Likely To Face Prison After Pleading Guilty In Fraud Case
Ousted Nassau Rep. George Santos Likely To Face Prison After Pleading Guilty In Fraud Case Former Republican Congressman George Santos admitted to committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in a federal court on Monday, Aug. 19, authorities announced.  The 36-year-old former inhabitant of New York's 3rd Congressional District seat on Long Island was facing 23 felonies, and a trial set to begin next month.  A federal judge will sentence Santos on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York said. According to federal sentencing guidelines, aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year minimum sentence.&n…
Ex-Nassau County Rep. George Santos To Plead Guilty To Federal Charges: Reports Ex-Nassau County Rep. George Santos To Plead Guilty To Federal Charges: Reports
Ex-Nassau County Rep. George Santos To Plead Guilty To Federal Charges: Reports Former Republican Rep. George Santos is expected to plead guilty to federal charges weeks ahead of his upcoming trial, multiple news outlets are reporting.  The 36-year-old Santos, who represented New York's 3rd Congressional District, faces 23 federal charges including identity theft, wire fraud, money laundering, and lying to Congress.  NBC News reported that Santos' lawyers and federal investigators are hammering out a plea deal on some of those charges that will be presented to a judge on Monday, Aug. 19. The details on that agreement, which charges he will admit to, and …
NYPD Detective From Long Island Helps Dozens Get Fraudulent COVID-19 Relief Loans, Feds Say NYPD Detective From Long Island Helps Dozens Get Fraudulent COVID-19 Relief Loans, Feds Say
Nypd Detective From Long Island Helps Dozens Get Fraudulent Covid-19 Relief Loans, Feds Say An NYPD detective from Long Island is among four defendants accused of helping dozens of people obtain fraudulent COVID-19 relief loans. John Bolden, age 46, of Valley Stream, was indicted on wire fraud charges in Brooklyn federal court on Monday, Aug. 12. Prosecutors said Bolden and a second NYPD detective, Anthony Carreira, owned partnership interests in a franchise location for a tax preparation business. Together with clients and co-defendants, the pair helped more than 65 people submit fraudulent applications for loans under the US Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection P…
Four Newark Men Robbed Postal Worker At Gunpoint: Feds Four Newark Men Robbed Postal Worker At Gunpoint: Feds
Four Newark Men Robbed Postal Worker At Gunpoint: Feds Four Newark men were arrested and charged on Thursday, Aug. 1 with robbing a postal worker at gunpoint last November, authorities said. Last November, three people, including Troy Corbett, 28, and Dyshawn Williams, 28 stole the victim's cell phone, keys and wallet, containing a credit card and debit card, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said. The robbery is a federal crime, since it impeded the postal worker from delivering mail, interfering with interstate commerce, Sellinger said. After the robbery, Antwuan Brown, 24, and Karleem Stamps, 25, used the stolen debit card to make separate purc…
Ex-Rep Santos Celebrates 'Squad' Member's 'Humiliating' Loss: 'We're Coming To Get You' Ex-Rep Santos Celebrates 'Squad' Member's 'Humiliating' Loss: 'We're Coming To Get You'
Ex-Rep Santos Celebrates 'Squad' Member's 'Humiliating' Loss: 'We're Coming To Get You' Former Rep. George Santos may have been banished out into the political cold, but he's kept his grudges hot.  The 36-year-old former Republican who served New York's 3rd District posted a video Tuesday night, Aug. 6, celebrating after another member of the so-called "Squad" lost her primary. Related: Santos Announces Comeback Bid After Being Ousted From Congress Rep. Cori Bush, who has served Missouri's 1st District since 2021, lost her bid on Tuesday to remain on the Democratic ticket to local prosecutor Wesley Bell, who garnered 51 percent of the vote to Bush's 45, according to NBC News.…
$1B Scheme: Pair Of CEOs, Including Manhasset Man, Defrauded 10K Investors, Jury Finds $1B Scheme: Pair Of CEOs, Including Manhasset Man, Defrauded 10K Investors, Jury Finds
$1B Scheme: Pair Of CEOs, Including Manhasset Man, Defrauded 10K Investors, Jury Finds A New York resident was one of two CEOs convicted in federal court of a $1 billion fraud scheme involving thousands of investors. Long Island resident David Gentile, age 57, of Manhasset, and Jeffry Schneider, age 55, of Austin, Texas, were found guilty in federal court on all counts of an indictment charging them with conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and securities fraud. Gentile, the owner and CEO of GPB Capital Holdings, was also convicted on two counts of wire fraud. The verdict came after an eight-week trial. When sentenced on Thursd…
$1.5M Con: Ex-Employee Admits Defrauding CT Insurance Company $1.5M Con: Ex-Employee Admits Defrauding CT Insurance Company
$1.5M Con: Ex-Employee Admits Defrauding CT Insurance Company A former employee from Pennsylvania admitted to defrauding a Connecticut insurance company to the tune of $1.5 million. James Keating, age 52, of Paoli, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in New Haven federal court on Tuesday, July 30. Prosecutors said Keating – who served as assistant vice president and a surety bond claims handler at Hartford County-based Allied World Insurance Company in Farmington – created a shell company to bill Allied World for unnecessary claims work that was never performed. Between 2017 and 2021, he also solicited and received kickbacks from Allied World…
Office Manager Embezzled $350K From North Jersey Synagogue, Feds Say Office Manager Embezzled $350K From North Jersey Synagogue, Feds Say
Office Manager Embezzled $350K From North Jersey Synagogue, Feds Say A 51-year-old Scotch Plains woman is charged with embezzling more than $350,000 from a Union County synagogue she worked at, authorities said.  In 2010, Stacy Margaritondo began working at Congregation Beth Israel in Scotch Plains and was later promoted to bookkeeper and office manager in July 2020, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said.  Margaritondo’s duties included accounting/bookkeeping, payroll, preparing checks for accounts payable, and reporting to the synagogue’s board of directors regarding the synagogue’s financial condition, Sellinger said. From Dec. 2019 to May 20…
Mother, Son Admit Selling Cheap Parts To Military Through Jersey Shore Family Business: Feds Mother, Son Admit Selling Cheap Parts To Military Through Jersey Shore Family Business: Feds
Mother, Son Admit Selling Cheap Parts To Military Through Jersey Shore Family Business: Feds A New Jersey mother and son admitted to a years-long scheme to scam the Department of Defense by selling cheap military equipment not approved by their business's contracts, authorities said. Linda Mika, 73, of Jackson, pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday, July 23 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release. Her son, 53-year-old Kenneth Mika of Ewing, also pleaded guilty to the same charge on Tuesday, June 25. According to court documents and testimony, Linda and Kenneth Mika defrauded the DoD and the Defe…
$2M Scheme: 3 NYers Among 4 Nabbed For Defrauding Company, Feds Say $2M Scheme: 3 NYers Among 4 Nabbed For Defrauding Company, Feds Say
$2M Scheme: 3 NYers Among 4 Nabbed For Defrauding Company, Feds Say Four men have been accused of creating hundreds of fictitious brokerage accounts in defrauding a financial services company of more than $2 million. They have pleaded guilty in federal court in Central Islip to money laundering conspiracy in connection with the scheme involving the global financial services firm based in Menlo Park, California, which is located near San Francisco. Three of the four are Long Island residents: Edward Hernandez, also known as “Ghost,” age 33, of Lindenhurst; Christopher Flagg, also known as “Venus," age 28, of Copiague; Daquan Lloyd, also…
Pair Convicted In Worldwide Ransomware Attacks, Victimizing NJ Residents: Feds Pair Convicted In Worldwide Ransomware Attacks, Victimizing NJ Residents: Feds
Pair Convicted In Worldwide Ransomware Attacks, Victimizing NJ Residents: Feds Two foreign nationals pleaded guilty and were convicted on Thursday, July 18 to participating in the LockBit ransomware group and to deploying attacks on computer systems in New Jersey and worldwide, authorities said. LockBit was described as "one of the most destructive ransomware groups in the world," by U.S. Justice Department officials. Ruslan Magomedeovic Astamirov, 21, a Russian national from the Chechen Republic and Mikhail Vasiliev, 34, from Bradford, Ontario, a dual citizen in Canada and Russia, pleaded guilty to participating in the LockBit ransomware group that targeted critical …