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Bank Fraud

Fairfield Attorney Stole $7.4M Over Decade During His Time As Banks' Lead Counsel: Feds Fairfield Attorney Stole $7.4M Over Decade During His Time As Banks' Lead Counsel: Feds
Fairfield Attorney Stole $7.4M Over Decade During His Time As Banks' Lead Counsel: Feds A Connecticut man who held powerful positions at several banks, including General Counsel and Executive Vice President, faces up to 30 years in prison for orchestrating a decade-long embezzlement scheme that defrauded his employers of more than $7 million, federal authorities said.  James Blose, 56, waived indictment and pleaded guilty in New Haven federal court to bank fraud and illegal monetary transactions on Friday, Dec. 20, per the US Attorney for Connecticut. His actions, spanning from 2013 to 2023, were uncovered after an extensive investigation by federal authorities, inclu…
Fairfield County Man Accused Of Attempted Identity Theft At Bank Fairfield County Man Accused Of Attempted Identity Theft At Bank
Fairfield County Man Accused Of Attempted Identity Theft At Bank A man was caught in Connecticut after allegedly using a fake driver’s license to try to access another person’s bank account information at a local bank, according to police. The incident occurred on Friday, Nov. 22, at approximately 3:40 p.m., when Oxford Police responded to the bank after a report of suspicious activity. Officers found a man, later identified as Oronde S. Homan, age 42, seated at the customer service desk.  Police said no other customers were present at the time. According to authorities, a bank employee told officers that Homan presented a Connecticut driver’s lice…
CT Woman Nabbed After Trying To Access Victim's Bank Account: Police CT Woman Nabbed After Trying To Access Victim's Bank Account: Police
CT Woman Nabbed After Trying To Access Victim's Bank Account: Police Four people, including a Connecticut resident, face attempted identity theft charges after trying to withdraw funds from a victim's account at a Hudson Valley bank, police said.  The arrests were made following an incident that began in Putnam County at around 9:50 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11, when the Hudson Valley Credit Union at 1620 Route 22 in Southeast reported a fraudulent incident, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced on Friday, Sept. 13.  According to the Sheriff's Office, the bank reported that a woman had entered and tried to present fraudulent documents to…
Ex-Aide To 2 NY Governors Raked In Millions As Agent Of Chinese Government: Feds Ex-Aide To 2 NY Governors Raked In Millions As Agent Of Chinese Government: Feds
Ex-Aide To 2 NY Governors Raked In Millions As Agent Of Chinese Government: Feds This story has been updated. A former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is accused of acting as an agent for the Chinese government. Long Island residents Linda Sun, age 41, and her husband Chris Hu, age 40, were arrested at their Manhasset home on Tuesday morning, Sept. 3, on charges of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, money laundering, and related charges. According to federal prosecutors, Sun – who served as Hochul’s deputy chief of staff before being fired in 2023 – engaged in numerous political activities at the behest of Chinese government …
Skimming Device Found On ATM At Fairfield Gas Station Skimming Device Found On ATM At Fairfield Gas Station
Skimming Device Found On ATM At Fairfield Gas Station Police in Fairfield County are warning residents to check their bank statements after a skimming device was found on an ATM at a gas station. According to Sgt. Michael Stahl with the Fairfield Police Department said the device was found at the Mobil Gas Station at 1271 Stratfield Road on Monday, July 1.  An ATM repair technician discovered the device, but it is unknown when it was placed there, Stahl said.  Steps to Protect Yourself: Check your bank statements: If you have used this ATM, review your bank statements for any unauthorized withdrawals. Notify your bank: Consider co…
Woman Busted For Scamming Darien Resident Out Of $45K, Police Say Woman Busted For Scamming Darien Resident Out Of $45K, Police Say
Woman Busted For Scamming Darien Resident Out Of $45K, Police Say A 29-year-old woman was charged with larceny for allegedly taking part in a bank scam that cost a Fairfield County resident $45,000. Gabriella Rodrigues, age 29, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was arrested on Friday, May 10, after she turned herself in to Darien Police on a warrant. According to Lt. Dan Skoumbros of the Darien Police, the warrant stems from an incident reported in September 2023 where the victim reported she received a call from a man claiming to be an employee with her bank and that there had been fraud on her account. The victim provided information the suspect used t…
$479K Scheme: Man Admits Helping To Steal From Retired Victim's Bank Account In CT $479K Scheme: Man Admits Helping To Steal From Retired Victim's Bank Account In CT
$479K Scheme: Man Admits Helping To Steal From Retired Victim's Bank Account In CT A 44-year-old man has admitted to his role in a scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from a retired woman his accomplice had been working for in Connecticut, federal officials announced. New York resident Mavani Coleman of Brooklyn, age 44, pleaded guilty in Hartford federal court on Wednesday, Feb. 14 to one count of bank fraud, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced. According to federal officials, the scheme began in 2018, when Coleman's accomplice, New Haven resident Gregory Ivy, began working odd jobs for a retired woman in Connecticut. In Octobe…
$20M Scheme: Former Westchester Resident Steals Funds From Bank For Investment Firm, Feds Say $20M Scheme: Former Westchester Resident Steals Funds From Bank For Investment Firm, Feds Say
$20M Scheme: Former Westchester Resident Steals Funds From Bank For Investment Firm, Feds Say A former Westchester resident faces charges after allegedly stealing funds from a bank through lines of credit totaling $20 million for the multi-million-dollar municipal tax lien investment firm that he founded, federal officials announced.  John Arthur Hanratty, a 49-year-old New York-licensed attorney who lived in Rye until 2019 before moving to San Juan, Puerto Rico, was arrested on fraud charges in connection with a scheme to steal money from a bank for his investment firm, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York said. According to federal officials,&nb…
Know Him? Man Wanted For Cashing Altered, Stolen Checks In Norwalk, Police Say Know Him? Man Wanted For Cashing Altered, Stolen Checks In Norwalk, Police Say
Know Him? Man Wanted For Cashing Altered, Stolen Checks In Norwalk, Police Say Norwalk Police are asking the public for help identifying a man who allegedly cashed stolen and altered checks. The man illegally cashed the checks and identified himself to bank tellers as Christopher Collins, said Lt. Joe Dinho, of the Norwalk Police.  "We are asking for the public’s help in identifying the subject in this image," Dinho said. This is an ongoing investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Kougioumtzidis at 203-854-3185 or by email at nkougioumtzidis@norwalkct.org.  Anonymous information can be provided via the&nbs…
$40M Fraud: New Canaan Insurance Firm Owner Admits To Scam, Could Face Decades In Prison $40M Fraud: New Canaan Insurance Firm Owner Admits To Scam, Could Face Decades In Prison
$40M Fraud: New Canaan Insurance Firm Owner Admits To Scam, Could Face Decades In Prison A "brazen" insurance company owner from Fairfield County admitted to $40 million of insurance fraud that paid for expenses relating to boating, luxury cars, and golf, officials say.  In a New York federal court, Anthony Riccardi, of New Canaan, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud on Tuesday, Feb. 21, according to the office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.  Riccardi, the 50-percent co-owner and executive vice president of Employee Benefit Solutions LLC, a Connecticut insurance firm, was …
$65M Ponzi Scheme: Former NY Hedge Fund Manager Admits To Lending Fraud $65M Ponzi Scheme: Former NY Hedge Fund Manager Admits To Lending Fraud
$65M Ponzi Scheme: Former NY 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…
CT Woman, Accomplice Who Served As Legislator Convicted Of Defrauding Business Of $250K CT Woman, Accomplice Who Served As Legislator Convicted Of Defrauding Business Of $250K
CT Woman, Accomplice Who Served As Legislator Convicted Of Defrauding Business Of $250K A former county legislator in New York and an accomplice from Connecticut have been convicted by a jury of scamming a business out of more than a quarter of a million dollars. George Guldi, who served as a Long Island legislator representing the South Fork of Suffolk County, and Litchfield County resident Victoria Davidson, of Lakeville, Connecticut, defrauded Ditech Financial LLC, a mortgage lender, Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced. “George Guldi, while in prison, concocted and conducted a scheme along with his co-consp…
Pair Stole $164K From 94-Year-Old Connecticut Man's Checking Account, Police Say Pair Stole $164K From 94-Year-Old Connecticut Man's Checking Account, Police Say
Pair Stole $164K From 94-Year-Old Connecticut Man's Checking Account, Police Say A 94-year-old man from Connecticut lost $164,000 in thefts from his checking account, authorities said. The alleged thieves included a pair from New Jersey, according to Old Saybrook Police. Ashlee Crawford, age 33, of Plainfield, NJ, and Shannon Outlaw II, age 27, of North Brunswick, NJ,were charged with larceny and forgery, police said . Crawford also was charged with a second count of forgery. The Middlesex County man, who resides in Old Saybrook, reported the theft to police in February after $164,284 disappeared from his checking account, police said. Crawford was observed on vi…
CT Man Admits To Stealing $162K From Woman's Bank Account CT Man Admits To Stealing $162K From Woman's Bank Account
CT Man Admits To Stealing $162K From Woman's Bank Account A 23-year-old Connecticut man has admitted to stealing more than $162,000 from a woman's bank account by taking checks from her checkbook and forging her signature. Gregory Ivy, of New Haven, pleaded guilty on Thursday, Sept. 15, to one count of bank fraud, according to Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut. Ivy began doing various jobs for a retired woman in 2018, and he started stealing checks from her checkbook in October of 2018, Avery said. He wrote checks payable to himself, forged the woman's signature, and deposited them into his persona…
Woman Accused Of Embezzling $4M From NY Company Serving Clients In Entertainment Industry Woman Accused Of Embezzling $4M From NY Company Serving Clients In Entertainment Industry
Woman Accused Of Embezzling $4M From NY Company Serving Clients In Entertainment Industry A woman has been accused of embezzling $4 million from her New York employer and its clients to pay for, among other things, her wedding, travel, and making payments to a cosmetic surgeon. Long Island resident Carmen Miranda, age 50, of Massapequa, was charged with wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, in connection with her scheme to embezzle over $4 million from her employer and its clients in Manhattan. Miranda, who is also known as “Millie Miranda,” was an account manager at a small business management firm that primarily serviced clients in the entertainment indus…
CT Man Admits Role In Mail, Identity Theft, Bank Fraud Scheme CT Man Admits Role In Mail, Identity Theft, Bank Fraud Scheme
CT Man Admits Role In Mail, Identity Theft, Bank Fraud Scheme A Connecticut man with a lengthy criminal history admitted to his role in running an elaborate mail theft scheme that he and a co-conspirator used to steal the identities and personal information of dozens of people, federal authorities announced. New Haven resident Marquis Williams, age 45, pleaded guilty in Hartford federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud stemming from an investigation into the mail theft, identity theft, and bank fraud scheme. US Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery said that between 2018 and November 2019, Williams and his co-conspirator, New Haven resid…
Fairfield County Doctor Charged For Seven-Year Fraud Scheme, Feds Say Fairfield County Doctor Charged For Seven-Year Fraud Scheme, Feds Say
Fairfield County Doctor Charged For Seven-Year Fraud Scheme, Feds Say An eye doctor from Westchester who had practices throughout the Hudson Valley and Fairfield County who was previously charged with healthcare fraud has been sentenced for attempting to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic through loan fraud. Westchester resident Ameet Goyal, age 58, of Rye, who operated The Eye Associates Group, with practices in Rye, Mount Kisco, Wappingers Falls in Dutchess County, and Greenwich, has been sentenced to 96 months in prison for orchestrating a seven-year fraud scheme and for obtaining government loans intended for small businesses during the pandemic. In addition t…
CT Woman Sentenced For Stealing $103K From Bank Customer CT Woman Sentenced For Stealing $103K From Bank Customer
CT Woman Sentenced For Stealing $103K From Bank Customer A former Bank of America manager will spend time behind bars after being sentenced for stealing more than $100,000 from a vulnerable customer at the branch she was employed, federal authorities announced. Hartford County resident Lee Blanchette, age 59, of Farmington, was sentenced in district court to 12 months and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for stealing from the customer. US Attorney Leonard Boyle said that Blanchette, a relationship manager at Bank of America, had the authority to cause temporary ATM cards to be activated and assigned to a customer’s…
Uptick In Stolen, Altered Checks Reported In Fairfield County Town Uptick In Stolen, Altered Checks Reported In Fairfield County Town
Uptick In Stolen, Altered Checks Reported In Fairfield County Town A Fairfield County town is seeing an uptick in the number of "check washing" cases. Check washing is the process of erasing the details from an already completed check to allow them to be rewritten, Lt. David Wolf of the Westport Police Department said. In most instances, checks that have been put in mailboxes and are awaiting pickup by a postal employee are stolen.  Once stolen, the suspect alters the check by changing the payee as well as the amount and then cash or deposit it at a bank, Wolf said. In Westport, Wolf said the checks that end up being “washed…
Thief Who Swiped 94,000 Credit Card Numbers At Michaels Stores In NY, NJ, CT, PA Sentenced Thief Who Swiped 94,000 Credit Card Numbers At Michaels Stores In NY, NJ, CT, PA Sentenced
Thief Who Swiped 94,000 Credit Card Numbers At Michaels Stores In NY, NJ, CT, PA Sentenced A member of an ID theft ring that stole more than $600,000 from customers at Michaels stores in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison on Thursday. Jose “Tito” Salazar, age 45, of Riverside, CA was part of a crew that replaced card-reading terminals at the arts and crafts retailer with wireless imitations that they used to capture customers' bank account numbers and PINs, Acting US Attorney for New Jersey Rachael A. Honig said. They then created copycat cards that were then used to withdraw more than $500,000 from hun…
Man Tries To Withdraw $25K That Didn't Belong To Him From Chase Bank In Fairfield, Police Say Man Tries To Withdraw $25K That Didn't Belong To Him From Chase Bank In Fairfield, Police Say
Man Tries To Withdraw $25K That Didn't Belong To Him From Chase Bank In Fairfield, Police Say A man was arrested in Fairfield County after allegedly withdrawing more than $25,000 from a bank account that did not belong to him. Igor Injomar Corporan, 24, of the Bronx, was arrested on Thursday, Dec. 10, when Chase Bank contacted Fairfield Police at 2:42 p.m. to report a man in their branch making several suspicious withdrawals from an account, said Lt. Antonio Granata. An investigation revealed that Corporan attempted to make four withdrawals on the same day from a Chase Bank account that did not belong to him, Granata said.  A $9,500.00 withdrawal was made by Corporan at t…
Man Sentenced For $319K Counterfeit Check Fraud Scheme Involving 12 CT Banks Man Sentenced For $319K Counterfeit Check Fraud Scheme Involving 12 CT Banks
Man Sentenced For $319K Counterfeit Check Fraud Scheme Involving 12 CT Banks One of four men who conspired to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars through an elaborate counterfeit check bank fraud scheme that targeted a dozen Connecticut banks has been sentenced. Waterbury resident Jonell Bonilla, 26, has been sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release for his role in the scheme, which went on for more than a year. Between December 2017 and January 2019, Bonilla and his co-conspirators obtained access to bank accounts by recruiting targets through social media and persuading them to share their account information, including deb…
Feds, Local Agencies Nab Nine For Massive NY/CT/MA Bank Fraud, ID Theft Scheme Feds, Local Agencies Nab Nine For Massive NY/CT/MA Bank Fraud, ID Theft Scheme
Feds, Local Agencies Nab Nine For Massive NY/CT/MA Bank Fraud, ID Theft Scheme A multi-agency, multi-state FBI investigation into larcenies from vehicles and identity thefts targeting women along the East Coast led to the arrests of nearly a dozen co-conspirators involved in the elaborate operation. Nine men have been charged in a 13-count indictment for their roles in the “Felony Lane Gang” scheme that included wide-ranging bank fraud and identity theft schemes that affected hundreds of victims. Prosecutors allege that the nine suspects were involved together in a fraud scheme known as “Felony Lane Gang.” Investigators from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Ulste…
COVID-19: Area Doctor Accused Of Illegally Receiving Government Loans COVID-19: Area Doctor Accused Of Illegally Receiving Government Loans
Covid-19: Area Doctor Accused Of Illegally Receiving Government Loans An eye doctor from Westchester who had practices throughout the Hudson Valley and Fairfield County who was previously charged with healthcare fraud is facing new charges for allegedly attempting to exploit the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Ameet Goyal, 57, of Rye, who operates The Eye Associates Group, with practices in Rye, Mount Kisco, Wappingers Falls, and Greenwich, was arrested and charged by federal officials for allegedly fraudulently billing patients last year. Earlier story - Area Doctor Billed Patients $8M For Surgeries He Didn't Do, Feds Say According to U.S. Attorne…
Three CT Residents Charged In Elder Fraud Cases Three CT Residents Charged In Elder Fraud Cases
Three CT Residents Charged In Elder Fraud Cases Three Connecticut residents were among those targeted and charged following the “largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. The Department of Justice said that this year, prosecutors charged more than 400 people - up from 260 the year before - for elder scams. In each case, offenders allegedly engaged in financial schemes that targeted or largely affected seniors.  In total, the charged elder schemers caused alleged losses of over a billion dollars. In Connecticut, Torrington resident Lestor Burroughs, a registered securities bro…
Know Her Or This SUV? Police Investigate Financial Crime Incident Know Her Or This SUV? Police Investigate Financial Crime Incident
Know Her Or This SUV? Police Investigate Financial Crime Incident Police investigators released surveillance photos of a wanted woman they are attempting to identify and locate. According to the Greenwich Police Department, on Wednesday, Feb. 12, the woman (pictured above) entered two separate branches of the same local bank and attempted to obtain information from an account that was not hers. In order to do that, police said that she used a fraudulent government ID. After being thwarted by bank employees both each instance, the woman left the bank and fled east on East Putnam Ave before entering the passenger side of a black Jeep with an unknown tempo…
Three Nabbed Attempting To Fraudently Withdraw Thousands From Greenwich Bank Three Nabbed Attempting To Fraudently Withdraw Thousands From Greenwich Bank
Three Nabbed Attempting To Fraudently Withdraw Thousands From Greenwich Bank Three out of area men were arrested on a variety of forgery and larceny charges after allegedly attempting to fraudulently withdraw money from a Greenwich bank. Derrick Benitez, 22, James Rodriquez, 30, and Harris McClam, 56, all of the Bronx, were arrested on Saturday, Dec. 7, by Greenwich Police after police were made aware of possible bank fraud. According to Greenwich Police, one of the three men went into a Greenwich Avenue bank in possession of a fake Florida state driver's license and attempted to withdraw $9,658 from a victim's account that he was attempting to impersonate. When ap…
Former CEO Of New Haven County Credit Union Sentenced For Bank Fraud Former CEO Of New Haven County Credit Union Sentenced For Bank Fraud
Former CEO Of New Haven County Credit Union Sentenced For Bank Fraud The former CEO of a Connecticut credit union will avoid much time in prison after being sentenced for defrauding the New Haven County Credit Union out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. James Farrell, 55, of East Haven, was sentenced this week to one day in prison, time already served, and two years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to one count of bank fraud. He was also ordered to serve 50 hours of community service. U.S. Attorney John Durham said that Farrell, the former CEO of the New Haven County Credit Union (NHCCU) between 1992 and 2015, also provided financial and bookk…
CT Woman Admits Embezzling $370K From Employer CT Woman Admits Embezzling $370K From Employer
CT Woman Admits Embezzling $370K From Employer A woman in Connecticut is facing decades behind bars after admitting to embezzling $370,000 while working as a bookkeeper for a medical supply company. Southington resident Lydia Cabrera, 36, pleaded guilty in New Haven federal court to one count of bank fraud related to a two-year embezzlement scheme, while she was employed by A2Z Home Medical Supplies, where she misappropriated the funds for personal use. U.S. Attorney John Durham said that while working as a bookkeeper for the company, Cabrera was given access to A2Z’s online merchant payment system. The indictment alleged that betw…
CT Woman Admits Role In Counterfeit Check Bank Fraud Scheme CT Woman Admits Role In Counterfeit Check Bank Fraud Scheme
CT Woman Admits Role In Counterfeit Check Bank Fraud Scheme A Connecticut woman is facing up to 30 years in prison after admitting to her role in a counterfeit check bank fraud scheme. Lilibeth Perez, 20, of New Britain, pleaded guilty this week in Hartford federal court to a conspiracy charge related to her role in the scam. Perez admitted that between December 2017 and December 2018, she and others obtained access to bank accounts in the name of other individuals, deposited counterfeit checks into those accounts, and withdrew money from the accounts before the banks discovered the checks to be counterfeit.  U.S. Attorney John Durham said th…
Woman Admits ATM Skimming Activity That Victimized CT Banks Woman Admits ATM Skimming Activity That Victimized CT Banks
Woman Admits ATM Skimming Activity That Victimized CT Banks A 61-year-old woman has admitted in federal court to her role in skimming from ATM machines in Connecticut and other states. Cleveland resident Maya Florina Luzia DeSteffano, also known as Maya-Luisa Pastorella or “Maria” pleaded guilty in Hartford federal court to conspiracy and identity theft charges stemming from ATM skimming activity that defrauded banks. Between February and June in 2017, a bank in Connecticut reported 35 incidents of ATM skimming incidents in Stratford, Monroe, Trumbull, Greenwich, Fairfield and elsewhere in Connecticut. U.S Attorney John Durham said that as part of…