Tag:

Wire Fraud

George Santos Announces Comeback Bid For NY Congressional Seat: 'Off To The Races' George Santos Announces Comeback Bid For NY Congressional Seat: 'Off To The Races'
George Santos Announces Comeback Bid For NY Congressional Seat: 'Off To The Races' Disgraced former New York Rep. George Santos is mounting a comeback campaign. The Republican ex-lawmaker from Long Island – who was ousted from his 3rd District seat representing parts of Nassau County and Queens – announced a primary challenge against Rep. Nick LaLota for his 1st District seat. In a statement on X shared during President Biden’s State of the Union address Thursday night, March 7, Santos said New York hasn’t had “a real conservative represent them” since he left office “thanks to RINO, empty suits like Nick LaLota.” Earlier Report: Exiled Congressman Turned Reality …
Over $800K Scheme: Stamford Man Gets Prison Time For Stealing From Family Trust Over $800K Scheme: Stamford Man Gets Prison Time For Stealing From Family Trust
Over $800K Scheme: Stamford Man Gets Prison Time For Stealing From Family Trust A 69-year-old Connecticut man will spend time in prison for stealing over $800,000 from his relatives' family trust that he administered, officials announced.  Fairfield County resident Curtis Solsvig of Stamford was sentenced on Tuesday, March 5 to 18 months in prison for his wire fraud scheme, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced. According to federal officials, in 1996, Solsvig began serving as a trustee of a married couple's trust intended to benefit their two children. Beginning in 2011, Solsvig, a relative of the victims, began stealing around $…
Over $955K Scheme: Former CT Office Manager Gets Years In Prison For Embezzlement Over $955K Scheme: Former CT Office Manager Gets Years In Prison For Embezzlement
Over $955K Scheme: Former CT Office Manager Gets Years In Prison For Embezzlement A 53-year-old former office manager from Connecticut will spend years in prison for embezzling nearly $956,000 from the family-owned construction business she worked for, officials announced. New Haven County resident Erin Sullivan of Cheshire, age 53, was sentenced on Wednesday, Feb. 21 to 24 months in prison for her embezzlement scheme and tax fraud, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced. According to federal officials, Sullivan was employed as the office manager for the Orange-based construction business she worked for. Beginning at least as early as 2016, Su…
$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…
George Santos In Talks For Plea Deal In 23-Count Federal Case, Court Filing Shows George Santos In Talks For Plea Deal In 23-Count Federal Case, Court Filing Shows
George Santos In Talks For Plea Deal In 23-Count Federal Case, Court Filing Shows Disgraced former New York Rep. George Santos may avoid leaving his fate up to a trial in his federal fraud case. The Republican ex-congressman is currently in talks with federal prosecutors for a possible plea deal in his 23-count criminal case, according to a filing in Central Islip federal court on Monday, Dec. 11. In the joint filing, US Attorney Breon Peace and Santos asked the court to schedule the next status conference in approximately 30 days, saying “the parties are presently engaged in plea negotiations with the goal of resolving this matter without the need for a trial.” Earli…
$720K Scheme: Former Stamford Attorney Defrauds Clients, Gets Jail Time $720K Scheme: Former Stamford Attorney Defrauds Clients, Gets Jail Time
$720K Scheme: Former Stamford Attorney Defrauds Clients, Gets Jail Time A former real estate attorney based in Fairfield County will spend time in prison after stealing more than $700,000 from his clients for both his own use and for paying debts owed to others.  Westerly Rhode Island resident William McCullough, age 63, was sentenced on Wednesday, Nov. 15 to 12 months and one day in prison for stealing more than $700,000 from clients of his Stamford-based law practice, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced.  Earlier Report - Former Stamford Attorney Admits Defrauding Clients Of More Than $700K According to fede…
Fairfield County Congressman Votes Against Expelling Rep. Santos: 'I'm Not F'ing Around' Fairfield County Congressman Votes Against Expelling Rep. Santos: 'I'm Not F'ing Around'
Fairfield County Congressman Votes Against Expelling Rep. Santos: 'I'm Not F'ing Around' A Connecticut congressman is defending his decision to vote against expelling New York Rep. George Santos from Congress despite the fact that he is facing almost two dozen federal criminal charges.  Rep. Jim Himes, who represents Connecticut's 4th congressional district, voted against expelling Santos during a resolution to oust him brought by his fellow New York Republicans on Wednesday night, Nov. 1.  Earlier Report - NY Rep. George Santos Dodges Expulsion From House: 'Victory For Due Process' The 4th District includes parts of Fairfield and New Haven counties, including the cities of B…
George Santos Dodges Expulsion From House: 'Victory For Due Process' George Santos Dodges Expulsion From House: 'Victory For Due Process'
George Santos Dodges Expulsion From House: 'Victory For Due Process' New York Rep. George Santos, who admitted to lying about his background and is facing nearly two dozen federal criminal charges, is claiming victory after an effort to expel him from Congress failed. The freshman Republican lawmaker from Long Island, whose 3rd District represents parts of Nassau County and Queens, easily survived a resolution brought by his fellow New York Republicans to oust Santos from the House on Wednesday, Nov. 1. The resolution failed with 179 members voting in favor and 213 voting against. Nineteen members voted “present.” Earlier Report: George Santos Pleads Not…
Westport Man Pleads Guilty Of Ripping Off Rapper 50 Cent Of $2 Million In Business Scheme Westport Man Pleads Guilty Of Ripping Off Rapper 50 Cent Of $2 Million In Business Scheme
Westport Man Pleads Guilty Of Ripping Off Rapper 50 Cent Of $2 Million In Business Scheme A Fairfield County man admitted orchestrating a $2.19 million scheme to defraud an alcohol company owned by rapper 50 Cent by causing them to overpay for champagne and cognac and collecting kickbacks. District of New Jersey US Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Mitchell E. Green, age 44, of Westport, pleaded guilty Monday, Sept. 18  to one count of wire fraud. “Though he was supposed to negotiate the best deal possible for his employer, Green set up secret side deals to inflate what his employer paid so that he could reap millions of dollars in kickbacks," Sellingere said. A…
$750K Fraud Case: Shelton Man Sentenced $750K Fraud Case: Shelton Man Sentenced
$750K Fraud Case: Shelton Man Sentenced A Fairfield County man has been sentenced to prison for defrauding Amazon for almost $750,000. Oshane Steward, age 31, of Shelton, was sentenced on Tuesday, Sept. 5 to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, said Vanessa Roberts Avery, US Attorney for the District of Connecticut. According to court documents and statements made in court, Stewart created multiple vendor accounts with Amazon allowing him to sell merchandise through the website on a third-party basis.  He often opened the accounts using false names, email addresses, and other identifying inform…
CT Man Returned $300K Of Items To Home Depots That He Never Paid For: Feds CT Man Returned $300K Of Items To Home Depots That He Never Paid For: Feds
CT Man Returned $300K Of Items To Home Depots That He Never Paid For: Feds A Connecticut man is accused of ripping off nearly $300,000 from more than two dozen Home Depot stores across eight states, including Massachusetts and Connecticut, authorities said.  Henrique Costa-Mota, age 26, of West Hartford, is charged with conspiracy and wire fraud in the scheme that he allegedly ran from June 2021 until February 202, the US Attorney for Rhode Island said.  Costa-Mota is accused of going to Home Depot locations across the Northeast dressed as a contractor. He would walk in empty-handed, take several doors from the back of the store, and then "return" them t…
COVID-19: Businessman Admits Stealing $3.2M For Personal Use, Including Buying Nantucket Home COVID-19: Businessman Admits Stealing $3.2M For Personal Use, Including Buying Nantucket Home
Covid-19: Businessman Admits Stealing $3.2M For Personal Use, Including Buying Nantucket Home A man who owns a theme park and restaurant in New York has admitted to stealing over $3 million through federal COVID-19 aid with some of those funds used to buy a home on Nantucket. Long Island resident Donald Finley, age 61, of Roslyn, the owner of Jekyll & Hyde Restaurant in Manhattan and the Bayville Adventure Park in Nassau County, pleaded guilty to disaster relief fraud and wire fraud on Thursday, May 25. As stated in court filings by the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace: Between March 2020 and March 2021, amid the COVID pandemic, Finley fra…
$450K Scheme: CT Man Admits Helping Defraud Victims On Social Media $450K Scheme: CT Man Admits Helping Defraud Victims On Social Media
$450K Scheme: CT Man Admits Helping Defraud Victims On Social Media A Connecticut man faces more than 20 years in prison after admitting to taking part in a scheme to defraud numerous victims by befriending them on social media.  New London County resident Dexter Enwerem, age 36, of Norwich, pleaded guilty to taking part in a scheme to defraud women through social media on Tuesday, May 23, according to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut.  According to federal officials, between September 2019 and March 2021, a co-conspirator of Enwerem would contact multiple victims, who were mostly women, through their Facebook and Inst…
Supreme Court Reverses Conviction Of Ex-Cuomo Aide From Lewisboro Supreme Court Reverses Conviction Of Ex-Cuomo Aide From Lewisboro
Supreme Court Reverses Conviction Of Ex-Cuomo Aide From Lewisboro The country's top court has reversed the wire-fraud conviction of a Northern Westchester County resident and former top aide to ousted New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has already served years of prison time for the offense. In a decision on Thursday, May 11, the US Supreme Court unanimously ruled to reverse the fraud conviction of Joseph Percoco, of the hamlet of South Salem in the town of Lewisboro, who was sent to federal prison on corruption charges in 2018.  Percoco, age 54, had been accused of accepting over $300,000 in bribes from an energy company in 2014 while he had been …
NY Congressman George Santos Now In Custody, Facing 13 Federal Charges: Here's Rundown NY Congressman George Santos Now In Custody, Facing 13 Federal Charges: Here's Rundown
NY Congressman George Santos Now In Custody, Facing 13 Federal Charges: Here's Rundown Click here for a new, updated story: Trio Of Schemes That Led To Santos Arrest Detailed By Feds; Rep Not Resigning Over 'Witch Hunt' US Congressman George Santos was arrested early Wednesday, May 10 on a 13-count indictment. The arrest took place early Wednesday in Central Islip. According to the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York's Office, Santos, a 34-year-old right-wing Republican, was charged with: Seven counts of wire fraud,  Three counts of money laundering,  Theft of public funds,  Two counts of making false statements on federal disclosure forms.…
COVID-19 $500K Fraud Scheme: CT Man Who Conspired With State Rep Gets 8-Year Sentence COVID-19 $500K Fraud Scheme: CT Man Who Conspired With State Rep Gets 8-Year Sentence
Covid-19 $500K Fraud Scheme: CT Man Who Conspired With State Rep Gets 8-Year Sentence A 50-year-old Connecticut man convicted of using his businesses to swindle nearly $500,000 in COVID-19 relief fund cash with the help of a former state representative will spend the next eight years behind bars, authorities said.  New Haven County resident John Trasacco, of West Haven, was sentenced to 96 months in prison on Monday, April 3, after being convicted of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in December, the US Attorney for Connecticut said. The judge also ruled Trasacco must pay $143,994 in restitution. Trasacco was accused of working with Michael DiMass…
COVID-19: Wife Of Former CT Lawmaker Gets Prison Time For Stealing Relief Funds COVID-19: Wife Of Former CT Lawmaker Gets Prison Time For Stealing Relief Funds
Covid-19: Wife Of Former CT Lawmaker Gets Prison Time For Stealing Relief Funds The wife of a former Connecticut state representative will spend time in prison for participating in a scheme to steal COVID-19 relief funds from the city of West Haven.  West Haven resident Lauren DiMassa, age 38, was sentenced to six months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on Thursday, March 23 for her role in the scheme, according to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut.  DiMassa is the wife of former state representative and West Haven city employee Michael DiMassa, who was authorized to approve the $1,150,257 in financial as…
Stamford Resident Tricked Into Sending $400K To Fake Account For Home Stamford Resident Tricked Into Sending $400K To Fake Account For Home
Stamford Resident Tricked Into Sending $400K To Fake Account For Home A Stamford resident who was tricked into wiring $426,000 to a fraudulent account was able to recover their money thanks to the FBI and local police. The incident began on Friday, March 10 when an investigator with the Stamford Police, who is also a member of the FBI's Cyber Task Force, received a phone call from a local realtor who reported they had fallen victim to wire fraud, said Capt. Tom Scanlon, of the Stamford Police. The local resident was attempting to purchase a home in Fairfield County but a suspect had somehow infiltrated their email conversations and tricked the resident into w…
New Canaan Resident Used Investor Funds To Pay Taxes, Credit Card Expenses, Gets Prison Time New Canaan Resident Used Investor Funds To Pay Taxes, Credit Card Expenses, Gets Prison Time
New Canaan Resident Used Investor Funds To Pay Taxes, Credit Card Expenses, Gets Prison Time A current Fairfield County resident formerly from New Haven County will spend years in prison for tax evasion and defrauding investors by using their funds to pay his personal expenses. New Canaan resident Brian Hughes, age 58, formerly of Madison, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison on Monday, March 6 for defrauding investors of two companies, and for tax evasion, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced.  The charges stem back to March of 2015 when Hughes founded Handcrafted Brands, LLC (HBC), in order to raise money to purchase the alcoholi…
$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…
$1.5M Embezzlement Case: Fairfield Woman Who Served As CFO Sentenced $1.5M Embezzlement Case: Fairfield Woman Who Served As CFO Sentenced
$1.5M Embezzlement Case: Fairfield Woman Who Served As CFO Sentenced The former chief executive officer for a Fairfield County company will serve the next two years in prison after pleading guilty to embezzling $1.5 million, federal authorities said. She used the money on vacations, luxury cars, jewelry, and a time-share condominium, the prosecutor said.  Carolina Guerreno, age 50, of the Town of Fairfield, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud last year and has agreed to reimburse her former company, the US Attorney General for Connecticut said. She has repaid $400,000 so far, officials said.  Guerreno worked at a financial services company in…
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…
Woman Who Was Chief Financial Employee In CT Gets Years In Prison For Stealing Over $700K Woman Who Was Chief Financial Employee In CT Gets Years In Prison For Stealing Over $700K
Woman Who Was Chief Financial Employee In CT Gets Years In Prison For Stealing Over $700K A woman from Hartford County faces years in prison for stealing more than $700,000 from both her former employer and third-party lenders over the span of nearly four years.  Windsor resident Margaret Boisture, age 51, was sentenced to 33 months in prison on Tuesday, Jan. 10 for fraud, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Connecticut District.  Boisture was once the chief financial employee of ZoneFlow Reactor Technologies, a company developing a new technology to make hydrogen production more efficient. In this role, Boisture defrauded Zoneflow, PayPal, and the third…
Former Yale Head Coach Sentenced In College Admissions Case Former Yale Head Coach Sentenced In College Admissions Case
Former Yale Head Coach Sentenced In College Admissions Case A former Yale University women's soccer coach was sentenced for accepting bribes to facilitate the admission of students to Yale as purported athletic recruits. New Haven County resident Rudolph "Rudy" Meredith, age 54, of Madison, was sentenced to five months in prison and one year of supervised release on Wednesday, Nov. 9, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. He was also ordered to pay a $19,000 fine and forfeiture of $557,774, the US Attorney's Office said. The US Attorney's Office said Meredith pleaded guilty to one co…
COVID-19: Former CT State Representative Admits Stealing $1.2M Relief Funds COVID-19: Former CT State Representative Admits Stealing $1.2M Relief Funds
Covid-19: Former CT State Representative Admits Stealing $1.2M Relief Funds A former Connecticut state representative has admitted to stealing more than $1.2 million in COVID relief funds. New Haven County resident Michael DiMassa, age 31, of West Haven, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Nov. 1 to charges stemming from his involvement in schemes that resulted in the theft of more than $1.2 million dollars in COVID relief funds and other funds from the City of West Haven, said Vanessa Roberts Avery, US Attorney for the District of Connecticut. According to court documents and statements made in court, DiMassa was a Connecticut state representative who was also em…
Ex-Yale Med School Worker Who Stole $40 Million In Electronics Sentenced Ex-Yale Med School Worker Who Stole $40 Million In Electronics Sentenced
Ex-Yale Med School Worker Who Stole $40 Million In Electronics Sentenced A former Yale University School of Medicine employee who stole $40 million in computer and electronic hardware from the university has been sentenced. Jamie Petrone, age 43, a former resident of Naugatuck, was sentenced on Thursday, Oct. 13, to nine years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for wire fraud and filing a false tax return, according to Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut. She pleaded guilty to the charges on March 28. Earlier report - Former Yale Med School Employee Admits Stealing, Selling $40 Million In Elec…
Hollywood Exec Who Was White House Staffer Sentenced For Defrauding NY Investment Fund Of $30M Hollywood Exec Who Was White House Staffer Sentenced For Defrauding NY Investment Fund Of $30M
Hollywood Exec Who Was White House Staffer Sentenced For Defrauding NY Investment Fund Of $30M He once oversaw the visits of foreign heads of state meeting with President Ronald Reagan, helped vet candidates for presidential appointments, and later helmed a major Hollywood film distribution company. Now, William Sadleir is heading to federal prison after admitting that he defrauded a New York investment fund out of millions, according to the US Attorney's Office in the Southern District. Sadleir, age 68, of Beverly Hills, California, was sentenced to six years behind bars Friday, Sept. 9, in a Manhattan federal courtroom. It followed his January 2022 guilty plea to two counts of w…
Fairfield County Woman Admits Embezzling $1.5 Million Fairfield County Woman Admits Embezzling $1.5 Million
Fairfield County Woman Admits Embezzling $1.5 Million A Connection woman has admitted to embezzling approximately $1.5 million from her employer. Fairfield County resident Carolina Guerreno, age 49, of the town of Fairfield, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Aug. 30 at federal court in Hartford to a fraud charge related to her embezzlement, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut Vanessa Roberts Avery announced. Guerreno served as the chief financial officer of a financial services company located in Shelton. According to court documents and statements made in court: As part of…
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 Sentenced For Swindling Grandparents Out Of $679K CT Man Sentenced For Swindling Grandparents Out Of $679K
CT Man Sentenced For Swindling Grandparents Out Of $679K A Connecticut man will spend time in federal prison after admitting that he swindled his grandparents out of nearly $700,000. Hartford County resident Douglas Senerth, age 33, of South Windsor was sentenced to 18 months behind bars Thursday, July 22, in federal court in Hartford after pleading guilty to wire fraud. Earlier report: CT Man Admits Defrauding His Grandparents Of $679K Prosecutors said that between 2011 and 2019, Senerth was able to convince his grandmother and late grandfather to fork over $419,000 by claiming to be a college student and telling them the money was going towar…