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American Express

Troopers Seek Serial Wallet Thief In Lehigh County Troopers Seek Serial Wallet Thief In Lehigh County
Troopers Seek Serial Wallet Thief In Lehigh County Pennsylvania State Police are looking for the suspect in a series of wallet thefts at Lower Macungie stores.  The pictured man is accused of taking the wallet from a Costco shopper's purse on Friday, Feb. 23. Authorities believe he went to the nearby Target at 749 North Krocks Road and used the victim's credit card to buy $2,500 of American Express and MasterCard gift cards.  He's also a suspect in three similar incidents at Lower Macungie retail stores, including:  At Costco on Sept. 8, 2023 At Walmart on Feb. 3 At Walmart on Feb. 16  Anyone who can identify…
'Bust-Out' Sentence: Man Steals $290K Using Fake Credit Cards In Long Island Scam 'Bust-Out' Sentence: Man Steals $290K Using Fake Credit Cards In Long Island Scam
'Bust-Out' Sentence: Man Steals $290K Using Fake Credit Cards In Long Island Scam Officials announced that a man has been sentenced to time behind bars for a “bust-out” scam in which he opened credit cards in other people’s names — including people who have died — to make expensive purchases that he could then resell. On Wednesday, July 26, 58-year-old John Chen was sentenced to three-and-a-half to seven years in prison for charges related to the scam, the Nassau County District Attorney announced. Between November 2020 and December 2021, American Express investigators noticed that about 10 cardholders were making similar expensive purchases at the same stores. The majo…
$135K Spent At Strip Clubs: Westchester Government Contractor Admits Hiding Expenses $135K Spent At Strip Clubs: Westchester Government Contractor Admits Hiding Expenses
$135K Spent At Strip Clubs: Westchester Government Contractor Admits Hiding Expenses A Westchester County government contractor and its manager from Fairfield County have admitted to trying to hide tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money spent at strip clubs.  City Carting of Westchester, Inc. and its manager, 37-year-old Christopher Oxer of Darien, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, June 6 to submitting false financial records that hid more than $100,000 in company money that was spent at strip clubs, according to the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.  According to the DA's Office, City Carting held an annual $20 million contract with the county …
Former Baltimore County Employee Admits To Stealing Campaign Funds, Perjury Former Baltimore County Employee Admits To Stealing Campaign Funds, Perjury
Former Baltimore County Employee Admits To Stealing Campaign Funds, Perjury A former treasurer for two Baltimore County campaigns will face prison time after admitting to theft and perjury offenses, state officials announced on Thursday. William “Christopher” McCollum, 52, of Lutherville, the treasurer for the “Friends of Cathy Bevins” and the “Baltimore County Victory Slate” campaigns pleaded guilty on Thursday, May 25, to one count of felony theft scheme and perjury in connection to his scheme to steal campaign funds. According to prosecutors, McCollum “was systematically stealing funds raised by the committees, without the knowledge of the candidates the committ…
$600,000 Stolen: Long Island Yacht Club Bookkeeper Sentenced, DA Says $600,000 Stolen: Long Island Yacht Club Bookkeeper Sentenced, DA Says
$600,000 Stolen: Long Island Yacht Club Bookkeeper Sentenced, DA Says Over the course of seven years, the woman siphoned club funds into her personal accounts and falsified business records, authorities report. Anna Maria Restrepo, a 59-year-old Glen Head resident, was sentenced on Thursday, April 27 to three to six years in prison on grand larceny charges, the Nassau County District Attorney announced. Restrepo (who is also known as Anna Maria Saboski), had been stealing hundreds of thousands from the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club for nearly her whole employment with the club. According to the District Attorney, Restrepo was hired as a bookkeeper and …
Greedy PA Workers Paid Off Student Loans, Took Trips To Jersey Shore On Doctor's Dime: DA Greedy PA Workers Paid Off Student Loans, Took Trips To Jersey Shore On Doctor's Dime: DA
Greedy PA Workers Paid Off Student Loans, Took Trips To Jersey Shore On Doctor's Dime: DA Trips to the Jersey Shore, student loan payments and gifts to their boyfriends. Two employers of a West Chester doctor sneakily stole $450,000 of his money to do just that and more, but not before trying to sell one of the doctor's $1 million properties without his permission, according to authorities in Chester County. Mikayla Zeigler, 22, of West Chester, and Danielle King, 25, of Chadds Ford, "engaged in a cunning scheme to steal from their boss and spent it lavishly on themselves," District Attorney Deb Ryan said. "They used the money to pay their rent, student loans, and credit card d…
Montco School Admin Embezzled $579K, Opened Cards In Employees' Names: DA Montco School Admin Embezzled $579K, Opened Cards In Employees' Names: DA
Montco School Admin Embezzled $579K, Opened Cards In Employees' Names: DA A private school administrator in Montgomery County is accused of embezzling more than half a million dollars, opening credit accounts in her employees' names, and using the money to live a lavish lifestyle, authorities say.  Katherine Paprocka, 36, of Paoli, was arraigned on dozens of felony charges Tuesday, Dec. 13 related to her work as senior administrator at the Penn Christian Academy in East Norriton, a private non-profit educational institution, said county District Attorney Kevin R. Steele in a statement.  Investigators first began examining the school's finances after a private in…
Jersey Shore Man Sentenced To Prison For $200K In Thefts From Ailing Victim: Prosecutor Jersey Shore Man Sentenced To Prison For $200K In Thefts From Ailing Victim: Prosecutor
Jersey Shore Man Sentenced To Prison For $200K In Thefts From Ailing Victim: Prosecutor A 56-year-old man from Lacey Township has been sentenced to five years in prison for stealing more than $200,000 from an ailing victim, authorities said. Ross Miserendino will be required to make restitution to the victim in the amount of $217,300, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. An investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crime Squad and Lacey Township Police Department revealed that beginning in 2019, the victim began to suffer from medical issues which caused her to be temporarily unable to manage her finances…
Boyfriend Stole $217K From Ailing Jersey Shore Woman: Prosecutor Boyfriend Stole $217K From Ailing Jersey Shore Woman: Prosecutor
Boyfriend Stole $217K From Ailing Jersey Shore Woman: Prosecutor A 56-year-old man from Lacey Township has admitted to spending more than $171,000 of his girlfriend's money while she was having medical issues, authorities said. He also stole other belongings bringing the total theft to $217,300, they said.  On Wednesday, Aug. 31, Ross Miserendino pleaded guilty to theft, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. Miserendino will also be required to make restitution to the victim in the amount of $217,300 as part of his sentence on Nov. 4, Billhimer said. An investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’…
Corporate Vice President From Bronxville Dies Suddenly At Age 39 Corporate Vice President From Bronxville Dies Suddenly At Age 39
Corporate Vice President From Bronxville Dies Suddenly At Age 39 A Westchester man died unexpectedly at the age of 39 while on vacation with his family in the Turks and Caicos. Christopher Sean Kelly, of Bronxville, a human resources vice president at American Express, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, June 28, due to heart complications, said his obituary. Kelly was born in Buffalo, New York, and attended Canisius High School. He graduated from the University of Rochester with a degree in psychology and political science. He later received a law degree from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law and a graduate degree from Cornell University in industri…
Video Surveillance Used To Nab Stolen Credit Card Suspect In Westport Video Surveillance Used To Nab Stolen Credit Card Suspect In Westport
Video Surveillance Used To Nab Stolen Credit Card Suspect In Westport A Fairfield County man has been charged with allegedly stealing a credit card from a business and then using it to charge more than $1.5K in goods. The theft took place in Westport in July 2021 from a business located on Post Road East. When police arrived at the business, a woman said her company American Express card had been stolen and then used by the suspect to purchase more than $1,500 in goods, said Lt. Anthony Prezioso, of the Westport Police.  The detective investigating the case was able to obtain video surveillance of the suspect illegally using the credit card. The survei…
Fire Strikes Family Of Late EMT From Emerson Fire Strikes Family Of Late EMT From Emerson
Fire Strikes Family Of Late EMT From Emerson The family of a beloved EMT who died last year suffered another tragedy when fire severely damaged their Emerson home earlier this week. Valderes “Val” Toulouzan-Vaporakis and her twin boys are physically OK. So are their cat and three dogs – one of whom was rescued from the fire and another who was found following an intense search. Firefighters prevented Tuesday's smoky blaze from causing major structural damage to the Sanford Avenue home. "As it turns out, their house was underinsured, making things even more difficult for them," said friend Lisa Leuck. "There are many repairs to be do…
This One Rivals Madoff: $1.8B Ponzi Scheme Victimizes Hundreds Of NJ Investors, Authorities Say This One Rivals Madoff: $1.8B Ponzi Scheme Victimizes Hundreds Of NJ Investors, Authorities Say
This One Rivals Madoff: $1.8B Ponzi Scheme Victimizes Hundreds Of NJ Investors, Authorities Say Hundreds of New Jersey investors were among those scammed in a $1.8 billion Ponzi scheme that authorities said was orchestrated by a trio of partners in a Manhattan-based advisory firm who projected an “aura of success” while hemorrhaging losses. Instead of securing returns for clients, the founder and CEO of GPB Capital Holdings, David Gentile, and his associates used investments to cover shortfalls and pay for private jets, a Ferrari and other personal luxuries, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said. Victims from the Garden State alone pumped more than $70.4 million into the s…
Police: Trio Used Stolen $1M To Renovate North Jersey Deli During Pandemic, Buy Engagement Ring Police: Trio Used Stolen $1M To Renovate North Jersey Deli During Pandemic, Buy Engagement Ring
Police: Trio Used Stolen $1M To Renovate North Jersey Deli During Pandemic, Buy Engagement Ring Two women and one man stole more than $1 million from a North Jersey business and blew it on memorabilia from some of most famous athletes in the sports the world, an engagement ring, exercise bike and renovations to their local deli, authorities said. Regina DeComa, 36, of Cedar Grove; Dawn Becker, 55, of Oakland; and Allan Soriano, 42, of Cedar Grove were arrested on various fraud charges, Fairfield Police Chief Anthony Manna said. DeComa was an office manager and Becker the financial comptroller of a Fairfield business made "unauthorized distributions of corporate funds" to themselves b…
Illegal After-Hours Clubs Grow Amid COVID Restrictions, NJ Police Say Illegal After-Hours Clubs Grow Amid COVID Restrictions, NJ Police Say
Illegal After-Hours Clubs Grow Amid COVID Restrictions, NJ Police Say Just like the speakeasys of the Prohibition-era 1920s, illegal nightclubs stocked with booze, music and more are sprouting up amid COVID restrictions in New Jersey, including two that Paterson police raided this past week.  Those followed one less than a week earlier in Englewood. “You may think this game of cat-and-mouse ... is kind of cute, but let’s be honest, it can be deadly,” Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday. “And, by the way, when you act like a knucklehead, you show your true self. You show you don’t care about your community. You show you don’t care about your customers or your e…
DA: Ardmore Bookkeeper Spent $394K In Company Money On Plastic Surgery, NFL Tickets DA: Ardmore Bookkeeper Spent $394K In Company Money On Plastic Surgery, NFL Tickets
DA: Ardmore Bookkeeper Spent $394K In Company Money On Plastic Surgery, NFL Tickets An Ardmore bookkeeper is accused of using her employer's credit cards to make hundreds of thousands of dollars in unauthorized purchases for plastic surgery, NFL tickets, airline tickets and more, authorities said. Tiarah Brokenborough, 29, was charged with stealing more than $394,000 from Hynes Roofing and Siding, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Lower Merion Township Police Superintendent Michael J. McGrath said. John and Michelle Hynes, owners of Hynes Roofing and Siding, contacted the Lower Merion Police on March 14, to report that they had learned of a …
Former Long Island Radio Station Manager Admits To Defrauding Company Of Thousands Former Long Island Radio Station Manager Admits To Defrauding Company Of Thousands
Former Long Island Radio Station Manager Admits To Defrauding Company Of Thousands The former general manager of a Long Island radio station has admitted to making hundreds of thousands of dollars of personal charges on the business account. Stephanie Bitis, of Sag Harbor, pleaded guilty on Monday, Nov. 16, in federal court to felony access device fraud, according to court documents. Bitis’ crime carries a maximum sentence of imprisonment of 15 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and forfeiture of any proceeds from her crime. The longtime resident and community activist served as Vice President/General Manager of LIRB from 2015 to 2017. She had previously worked at&nbs…
Familiar Face At Mahwah Public Library Carolyn Sengstacken Dies, 92 Familiar Face At Mahwah Public Library Carolyn Sengstacken Dies, 92
Familiar Face At Mahwah Public Library Carolyn Sengstacken Dies, 92 Carolyn Seberry Sengstacken died Oct. 20, 2020. She was 92 years old. For 25 years she was one of the familiar faces at the front desk of the Mahwah Public Library. Carolyn, daughter of Robert Ralph and Helen Milton Seberry, was raised in Cragmere, Mahwah, with her sister Barbara. She went on to earn an Associate’s degree. In those days, high school was attended in Ramsey, dances and “socials” in private homes. And it was there she met Royal F. Sengstacken Jr. of Suffern. They wed in 1950 and started married life in romantic Europe, where Roy was representing American Express. They retur…
Prosecutor: Ex-Manager Stole $486K From Three Asbury Park Hotels Prosecutor: Ex-Manager Stole $486K From Three Asbury Park Hotels
Prosecutor: Ex-Manager Stole $486K From Three Asbury Park Hotels A hotel worker from Essex County has been arrested for stealing nearly a half-million dollars from his employer in Asbury Park, authorities said. Larry Dembrun, Jr., 40, of Montclair was arrested on Tuesday by Asbury Park police and Monmouth County detectives and charged in the theft of more than $486,000 from his employer -- Salt Hotels -- which owns The Asbury Hotel, Asbury Lanes and the Asbury Ocean Club, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni. Dembrun’s most recent job with the hospitality company was regional manager, leaving him responsible for all thr…
Palisades Park PD: Detective Nabs FedEx Imposter Stealing Cellphones From Porches To Ship To DR Palisades Park PD: Detective Nabs FedEx Imposter Stealing Cellphones From Porches To Ship To DR
Palisades Park PD: Detective Nabs FedEx Imposter Stealing Cellphones From Porches To Ship To DR A Palisades Park detective captured a porch pirate from Paterson who posed as a FedEx worker to collect iPhones illegally shipped to residents throughout New Jersey and then send them to a storeowner in the Dominican Republic, authorities said. TMobile authorities alerted borough police to a package scheduled for delivery at a 4th Street address late last week, said Capt. Anthony Muccio, the officer in charge of the department. In the box were six iPhone 11s valued at $699 each, he said. Authorities suspected a bogus delivery because they were prepaid for with an American Express card on a…
CT Woman Who Claimed $50K In Charges On AmEx Were Not Hers, Charged With Fraud, Police Say CT Woman Who Claimed $50K In Charges On AmEx Were Not Hers, Charged With Fraud, Police Say
CT Woman Who Claimed $50K In Charges On AmEx Were Not Hers, Charged With Fraud, Police Say An area woman was arrested for allegedly charging more than $55,000 on her American Express card and then illegally reporting that it had been used without her permission. Susan Tedesco, 58, of Orange, was arrested on Monday, Jan. 6, on a larceny charge, said the Milford Police. According to police, Tedesco was arrested on an active warrant for making the charges from July 2016 through Dec. 2018 and then making a fraud complaint that was found not to be true. Tedesco was held on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 2.
Tickets For Elton John Farewell Tour At Pru Center On Sale This Month Tickets For Elton John Farewell Tour At Pru Center On Sale This Month
Tickets For Elton John Farewell Tour At Pru Center On Sale This Month Elton John has announced seven new dates for his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which will be making stops at the Prudential Center in Newark and the region's other major venues next year.  The tour launched Sept. 8, 2018, to a sold-out crowd who thrilled to classics like “Bennie and the Jets,” “Rocket Man,” “Tiny Dancer,” and “Philadelphia Freedom," among others recorded over John's 50-year career.  The tour will make stops at Madison Square Garden April 6 and 7, Barclays Center April 10 and 11, Prudential Center April 15 and NYCB LIVE’s Nassau Coliseum April 17 and 18. T…
Sandra Papone, Longtime Resident Of Greenwich, Chaired Alzheimers Gala, Dies Sandra Papone, Longtime Resident Of Greenwich, Chaired Alzheimers Gala, Dies
Sandra Papone, Longtime Resident Of Greenwich, Chaired Alzheimers Gala, Dies A Greenwich resident of 50 years, Sandra Papone, who was chair of Alzheimer's Society galas, died Saturday, Aug. 24 of heart failure. She was 87. She was born on July 6, 1932, in New York City.  Papone is survived by her husband Aldo Papone, her daughter, Renata Papone-Lally, and her son-in-law Christopher Lally.  Her "greatest joy" were her grandchildren, Gregory and Alexandra. "Sandra would light up the minute they walked into the room," said the obituary. Working in Manhattan at a small Italian clothing boutique called Barra of Italy on Park Avenue in the early '50s, she met …
Ex-Employee Accused Of Using Company Credit Card To Make Personal Purchases, Westport PD Says Ex-Employee Accused Of Using Company Credit Card To Make Personal Purchases, Westport PD Says
Ex-Employee Accused Of Using Company Credit Card To Make Personal Purchases, Westport PD Says A former employee is facing multiple charges for allegedly buying personal items with a company credit card, said Westport Police. Police began an investigation on Wednesday, March 6 into Jaiman Shah based on a complaint made by his former employer that he allegedly used American Express points from a company credit card to make over $16,500 in personal purchases, according to the Westport Police Department. That investigation reportedly resulted in an arrest warrant being drafted and granted for Shah in which he was charged with second-degree larceny, credit card theft, and receipt of good…
Bookkeeper From Mahwah Charged With Embezzling $100,000 From Ramsey Company Bookkeeper From Mahwah Charged With Embezzling $100,000 From Ramsey Company
Bookkeeper From Mahwah Charged With Embezzling $100,000 From Ramsey Company A bookkeeper from Mahwah embezzled nearly $100,000 over five years from a Ramsey door manufacturer, basically covering her personal expenses with the money, authorities charged. Denise J. Mann, 42, was busted in a “long and complicated” case that took nearly a year to assemble, Ramsey Police Chief Bryan Gurney said Friday. Working for North Jersey Door Center on Swan Street, Mann “used various business bank accounts in order to make personal payments and purchases” of $94,289.73, Gurney said. Among the methods, the chief said, Mann: forged business checks to herself; paid her Sprint, Ver…
Teen Social Media Star Accused Of Stealing Area Woman's Identity For Spending Spree Teen Social Media Star Accused Of Stealing Area Woman's Identity For Spending Spree
Teen Social Media Star Accused Of Stealing Area Woman's Identity For Spending Spree A teenage social media influencer from California has been accused of stealing a New York woman’s identity to take her for thousands of dollars to pay for a lavish vacation and high-end clothing accessories. Christian Aaron, 19, has been indicted on charges that include two counts of identity theft and grand larceny. The teenager has pleaded not guilty and was ordered by a State Supreme Court Justice to be held in lieu of a $15,000 cash bail or $30,000 bond. The indictment alleges that Aaron and a co-conspirator ascertained the Suffolk County victim’s American Express account informati…
Stamford Woman Sentenced For Embezzling More Than $1M From Employer Stamford Woman Sentenced For Embezzling More Than $1M From Employer
Stamford Woman Sentenced For Embezzling More Than $1M From Employer A Fairfield County woman will spend more than a year behind bars for her role in a scheme that saw her embezzle more than a million dollars from a former employer. Stamford resident Candace Rispoli, 32, was sentenced in Bridgeport district court to 12 months and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for embezzling $1,098,176 from Lodestone Management Consultants. The first six months of Rispoli’s supervised release will be served in home confinement and she has also agreed to pay full restitution after pleading guilty to wire fraud in June last year. U.S. Attorn…
Serial Check Thief Sentenced For Bank Fraud, Identity Theft Offenses Serial Check Thief Sentenced For Bank Fraud, Identity Theft Offenses
Serial Check Thief Sentenced For Bank Fraud, Identity Theft Offenses A serial check thief who has been arrested and convicted of more than six dozen crimes is going to spend time behind bars after admitting to his latest identity theft scheme in Connecticut. Hartford resident Edward Williams, 58, was sentenced on Wednesday to 54 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for fraud and identity theft charges stemming from a mail theft and check cashing scam. Williams - whose criminal history includes 74 arrests and numerous convictions, including some for forgery, larceny and burglary offenses - used various means to alter and fill out c…
Authorities: ID Thief Who Owed $18,776 In Child Support Captured By Glen Rock Detective, NYPD Authorities: ID Thief Who Owed $18,776 In Child Support Captured By Glen Rock Detective, NYPD
Authorities: ID Thief Who Owed $18,776 In Child Support Captured By Glen Rock Detective, Nypd An identity thief who owed $18,776 in unpaid child support tried obtaining credit cards by posing as a Glen Rock woman’s son but was quickly tracked down by a borough detective. It began last summer when the woman’s bank notified her that someone tried to get a duplicate debit card on a joint account she had with her son, Police Chief Dean Ackermann said Monday. The thief used a New Jersey driver’s license in her son’s name, the chief said. He then tried to open a PC Richards credit card in the son’s name in New York, Ackermann said. There was a breach on the son’s American Express Card, …
Credit Card Fraudster Get More Prison Time For Stealing Entertainer's Info Credit Card Fraudster Get More Prison Time For Stealing Entertainer's Info
Credit Card Fraudster Get More Prison Time For Stealing Entertainer's Info A credit card scammer is heading back to prison after being arrested for making multiple fraudulent charges on a “prominent entertainer’s” busses card. Hartford resident Jonathan Preston, 27, has been sentenced to 14 months behind bars for violating the conditions of his supervised release from prison, U.S. Attorney John Durham announced. He previously served 46 months in prison for similar offenses. Beginning in 2010, Preston began operating a scheme, using the Internet and other sources to obtain the personal identifying information of several prominent individuals, including entertainers…
Woman Who Embezzled $1.1M From Auto Dealer Sentenced Woman Who Embezzled $1.1M From Auto Dealer Sentenced
Woman Who Embezzled $1.1M From Auto Dealer Sentenced A Hudson Valley woman is heading to prison after admitting to embezzling more than $1 million from a BMW dealer she worked at in Fairfield County. Vanessa Vence-Small, 50, of New Windsor in Orange County, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for embezzling $1.1 million from Continental BMW of Darien. From October 2014 to June 2017, Vence-Small made 65 unauthorized electronic fund transfers, totaling $904,659.29, from the dealership’s bank account to her personal American Express account. She also issued and signed 28 checks drawn on the d…