Tag:

Second-degree grand larceny

$138K Scam: Contractor Skips Town After Taking Capital Region Homeowner's Cash, Police Say $138K Scam: Contractor Skips Town After Taking Capital Region Homeowner's Cash, Police Say
$138K Scam: Contractor Skips Town After Taking Capital Region Homeowner's Cash, Police Say A construction contractor is facing charges after allegedly scamming a homeowner in the region out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Michael Matteo, age 57, of Albany, was arraigned in Albany County Court on Thursday, Oct. 19. According to Albany Police, the victim reached out to investigators in August 2023 saying they had paid Matteo for construction work that was never completed. An investigation found that Matteo received nearly $140,000 between June 2022 and January 2023 to renovate a home in Albany. Matteo accepted the payments, but never finished the project, police said. He i…
$260K Stolen From Capital Region Victim's Bank Account By Power Of Attorney, Police Say $260K Stolen From Capital Region Victim's Bank Account By Power Of Attorney, Police Say
$260K Stolen From Capital Region Victim's Bank Account By Power Of Attorney, Police Say A man from the region tasked with looking after the finances of another is facing charges after allegedly stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from them. Saratoga County resident Ivan Gerdwagen, age 65, of Saratoga Springs, was arrested Sunday, April 16, following an investigation by New York State Police. It came days after troopers were first contacted with a complaint that over $260,000 was missing from the victim’s bank account, according to police. Investigators determined that Gerdwagen, who was acting as the victim’s power of attorney, stole the money between August 2022 and J…
Man Steals Over $150K From Victim In Yorktown, Police Say Man Steals Over $150K From Victim In Yorktown, Police Say
Man Steals Over $150K From Victim In Yorktown, Police Say A Hudson Valley man faces larceny charges after allegedly stealing more than $150,000 from a victim in Northern Westchester.  On Saturday, Feb. 18, around 4 p.m., a victim alerted police in Yorktown that a man had stolen a total of $160,000 from him on two occasions under false pretenses, according to Yorktown Police.  Officers then began an investigation into the incident and identified the suspect as 36-year-old Anthony Savino of Mahopac. Following this, the department tried numerous times to contact him but was unsuccessful.  Two days later on Monday, Feb. 20, Savino was …
College Director From Westport Embezzled $3.5M To Fund Her Lavish Lifestyle, DA Says College Director From Westport Embezzled $3.5M To Fund Her Lavish Lifestyle, DA Says
College Director From Westport Embezzled $3.5M To Fund Her Lavish Lifestyle, DA Says A former director at New York University is being accused of embezzling millions in state funding and using much of the money to fund a lavish lifestyle at her home in Connecticut home, according to authorities. The six-year fraud by Fairfield County resident Cindy Tappe, age 57, of Westport, related to two NYU programs, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced this week. Tappe used her position as the director of finance and administration for NYU’s Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and Transformation of Schools to diver…
Stony Brook Attorney Accused Of Stealing $425K From 2 Clients Stony Brook Attorney Accused Of Stealing $425K From 2 Clients
Stony Brook Attorney Accused Of Stealing $425K From 2 Clients A Long Island attorney was indicted for allegedly stealing more than $425,000 from two of his clients. Douglas Valente, age 56, was charged with two counts of second-degree grand larceny, Suffolk District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in an announcement on Monday, Nov. 14. “This defendant allegedly breached his fiduciary duty to his clients by stealing money that was supposed to be held in trust in his attorney escrow account,” Tierney said. “As a result of an extensive investigation done by my office, the defendant will be held accountable for these deceitful actions.” Valente is the…
Man Charged With Stealing More Than $50K In Cash, Checks From Vehicle In In Yorktown Man Charged With Stealing More Than $50K In Cash, Checks From Vehicle In In Yorktown
Man Charged With Stealing More Than $50K In Cash, Checks From Vehicle In In Yorktown Police have charged a New York City man who was apprehended upstate with stealing more than $50,000 from a vehicle parked at a Northern Westchester County business.  On Saturday, Oct. 15, at around 3:30 p.m., police were called to a business in Yorktown on Saw Mill River Road to investigate a report from a victim that $42,000 in cash and $10,000 in payroll checks had been stolen from their parked vehicle, according to Yorktown Police.  Police eventually identified a suspect and a vehicle associated with the theft, and on Oct. 28 around 6 p.m., police in the Albany area pulled over…
Mount Vernon Postal Worker Accused Of Stealing More Than $78K In Checks From Mail Mount Vernon Postal Worker Accused Of Stealing More Than $78K In Checks From Mail
Mount Vernon Postal Worker Accused Of Stealing More Than $78K In Checks From Mail A Westchester man has been accused of allegedly stealing more than $78,000 in checks from the mail he was responsible for delivering while working as a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service. Mount Vernon resident Alberto Pino, age 31, was indicted by a Westchester County Grand Jury for second-degree grand larceny, a felony, and two counts of petit larceny, a misdemeanor.  He was arraigned in Westchester County Court on Thursday, Oct. 5. Between January and March 2021, Pino was working as a mail carrier for the USPS when he allegedly stole three United States Depa…
Ex-Attorney From Briarcliff Manor Sentenced For Stealing More Than $3.7M From Clients Ex-Attorney From Briarcliff Manor Sentenced For Stealing More Than $3.7M From Clients
Ex-Attorney From Briarcliff Manor Sentenced For Stealing More Than $3.7M From Clients A former attorney in New York has been sentenced for stealing millions from clients. Northern Westchester resident Laurieanne DeLitta, age 51, of  Briarcliff Manor, was sentenced to a term of one to three years in state prison for stealing more than $3.7 million from eight clients she represented as a real estate lawyer between 2017 and 2021, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 7. The court also ordered DeLitta to pay full restitution to her victims. “Attorneys should be held to the highest standards of ethics and integrity,” Roc…
NY Woman Admits To Hiding Mom's Death, Stealing $240K In Pension Benefits NY Woman Admits To Hiding Mom's Death, Stealing $240K In Pension Benefits
NY Woman Admits To Hiding Mom's Death, Stealing $240K In Pension Benefits A New York woman is facing prison time after admitting that she hid her mother’s death for years in order to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in her teacher pension benefits. Long Island resident Cynthia Rozzell, of Hempstead, pleaded guilty to second-degree grand larceny on Tuesday, Aug. 9. Prosecutors said Rozzell concealed the death of her mother, Mary Garrett, and collected pension benefits issued to Garrett by the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS) between May 2014 and May 2020. Garrett, who died in 2014, retired from the Malverne Union Free School District in …
Ex-CFO Accused Of Stealing From Hudson Valley Non-Profit Ex-CFO Accused Of Stealing From Hudson Valley Non-Profit
Ex-cfo Accused Of Stealing From Hudson Valley Non-Profit A former chief financial officer has been accused of stealing from a non-profit in the Hudson Valley. James R. Tisch, age 64, allegedly stole $130,000 from the organization while employed as its CFO, the New York State Police Kingston, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) announced this week. Police did not disclose the name of the non-profit. Tisch, of Del Rey Beach, Florida, was charged with second-degree grand larceny, a Class C felony.  He was arraigned in the Town of Ulster Court and released on his own recognizance.  Tisch is scheduled to reappear in the Town of De…
Ex-Director At Hawthorne Non-Profit Indicted For Stealing $700K, DA Says Ex-Director At Hawthorne Non-Profit Indicted For Stealing $700K, DA Says
Ex-Director At Hawthorne Non-Profit Indicted For Stealing $700K, DA Says The former financial director of a Hudson Valley non-profit has been indicted after allegedly stealing more than $700,000 from the organization on behalf of herself and her husband, authorities announced. Bronx resident Ingrid Aquino, age 31, the former Director of Finance of Hudson Valley Community Services in Northern Westchester, has been indicted for allegedly stealing the funds between 2017 and 2021. Specifically, Aquino was indicted by a Westchester County grand jury for second-degree grand larceny, a felony. She was arraigned on Tuesday, May 17. Westchester County District Attorney …
Long Island Woman Indicted For Theft Of Almost $750K, DA Says Long Island Woman Indicted For Theft Of Almost $750K, DA Says
Long Island 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…
Man Sentenced For Stealing $103,050 From Woman In Area Man Sentenced For Stealing $103,050 From Woman In Area
Man Sentenced For Stealing $103,050 From Woman In Area A career criminal from Long Island who was busted by undercover police officers after scamming an 85-year-old Hudson Valley woman out of more than $100,000 has been sentenced after being convicted by a jury on multiple charges, the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office announced. Suffolk County resident James Mcinerney, of Coram, was convicted following a jury trial of second-degree grand larceny, attempted grand larceny, and resisting arrest following a months-long scheme that saw him bilk a Cold Spring woman out of tens of thousands of dollars. On Tuesday, Nov. 16, Putnam County Distri…
Property Manager Accused Of Stealing $480,000 From Community In Area Property Manager Accused Of Stealing $480,000 From Community In Area
Property Manager Accused Of Stealing $480,000 From Community In Area A property manager has been accused of stealing nearly half a million dollars from a co-op community in the area. In June of 2020, State Police in Dutchess County received a complaint from a Hyde Park co-op community alleging that their property manager, operating under JDWAH, Inc., had been stealing from them since 2015. With the assistance of the State Police Financial Crimes Unit, an audit revealed that 51-year-old Joy C. Funk, of Poughkeepsie, stole over $480,000 from the community prior to her termination in May of 2020, state police said. On Monday, March 22, state police from the P…
Long Island Man Sentenced For Forging Deed In Scheme To Steal $1M Estate Long Island Man Sentenced For Forging Deed In Scheme To Steal $1M Estate
Long Island Man Sentenced For Forging Deed In Scheme To Steal $1M Estate A Long Island man is heading to prison after stealing a vacant brownstone worth more than a million dollars from an elderly former school teacher, authorities announced. Mount Sinai resident Craig Hecht, 52, was sentenced this week to a term of one-and-a-half to four-and-a-half years in prison for a  deed fraud scheme targeting an 80-year-old Bedford-Stuyvesant homeowner. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said that Hecht, 52, and a cohort who remains on the loose, stole the deed to 260 Clifton Place, a two-story Bedford-Stuyvesant brownstone owned by an 80-year-old retired teac…
Former HR Officer In Westchester Admits To $417K Performance Scam Former HR Officer In Westchester Admits To $417K Performance Scam
Former HR Officer In Westchester Admits To $417K Performance Scam A woman who worked as a human resources officer at FujiFilm in Westchester admitted to stealing more than $400,000 from the company. Fairfield County resident Maria Mecca, 39, of Greenwich, pleaded guilty to second-degree grand larceny in Westchester County Court, District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr., announced. She remains free on bail and was ordered to pay restitution to FujiFilm, which is based out of Valhalla. Mecca is due back in court on March 18 next year for sentencing. She is expected to receive a term of between one and four years in prison. According to Scarpino, in her pos…
Hudson Valley Woman Caught Stealing $50,000 From Employer, Police Say Hudson Valley Woman Caught Stealing $50,000 From Employer, Police Say
Hudson Valley Woman Caught Stealing $50,000 From Employer, Police Say An investigation into the misappropriation of thousands of dollars led to the arrest of an area woman who allegedly stole more than $50,000 from her employer. In May last year, employees from a Dutchess County company, Millbrook Electric Incorporated, contacted New York State Police investigators regarding the theft of funds from bank accounts. The investigation into those funds found that Wappinger resident Nicole Robishaw, who was employed as an Office Manager for the company, stole more than $50,000 for her own personal benefit. Robishaw was arrested on Tuesday and charged with a felony…
Employee Stole $144K From Westchester Company, DA Says Employee Stole $144K From Westchester Company, DA Says
Employee Stole $144K From Westchester Company, DA Says A woman working as a bookkeeper at a Westchester business is facing a felony charge for allegedly stealing more than $100,000 over a span of more than a year from her employer. Westchester District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr. announced on Wednesday that Mount Vernon resident Sande Steelberg, 51, has been arraigned on a felony count of second-degree grand larceny for allegedly stealing $144,431.68 from her employer, Mount Vernon-based SECS, Inc. while she was the head bookkeeper. According to the felony complaint, over the span of 16 months, Steelberg stole the money by writing 95 checks …