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Mass Man Used Money Meant For Suicide Prevention For Veterans On OnlyFans, Cruise: Feds
A Massachusetts man stole money from a nonprofit that was meant to prevent veterans from committing suicide and spent it on a cruise, OnlyFans models, and landscaping, federal authorities said.
David Duren, a/k/a Dawud Hakiem Duren, 48, was indicted in a New Hampshire federal court on Tuesday, March 5, on charges of wire fraud and federal program fraud, the US Attorney for New Hampshire said.
Duren was a program manager at a healthcare provider in Nashua, New Hampshire, and oversaw a $750,000 program funded by a Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant. The money was ear…
Ex-Boston Headmistress Who Used School Money For Tropical Vacations Avoids Jail Time: Feds
The former leader of a Boston school who admitted to using nearly $40,000 set aside for the children's education on personal expenses and tropical vacations will not go to prison, but she must repay the money, authorities said.
Naia Wilson, 60, of Mattapan, was sentenced on Tuesday, Jan. 9, to 90 days of home confinement, two years of probation, 160 hours of community service, and a $25,000 fine, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. She must also repay the $38,806 she took from Boston Public Schools.
Wilson pleaded guilty in September to a single count of wire fraud.&nbs…
NJ Man Conned $1.5M From Boston Buddy To Fund Casino Trips, Fund NY Restaurant: Feds Say
A New Jersey man who admitted to conning a friend out of $1.5 million on a fake investment scheme in Boston to fund his restaurant and casino vacations will serve 18 months in prison, authorities announced.
Edwin Tavarez, 48, of Garfield, N.J., pleaded guilty to wire fraud in May and was sentenced on Monday, Dec. 18, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. He must also repay the $1,515,836 million he stole.
Tavarez conned a decades-long friend into "investing" in an industrial property in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, authorities said. Tavarez told his friend they …
Man Conned 300 Mass Families To Pay For His Plastic Surgery, Vacations, Gambling: Feds
The only thing the kids who signed up for MB Sports Camps learned about baseball was how to steal — but not bases.
Mehdi Belhassan, 53, of Tampa, Fla., was convicted last week after a six-day trial of two counts of wire fraud, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. He was accused of stealing $380,000 from 303 families across the state and country and a $191,000 advance from an online payment company.
Belhassan ran the annual MB Sports Camps. In 2019, however, he collected parents' money like usual, but this time, ran away with it to pay for plastic surgery and "extravagant…
Ex-Leader Used Boston School's Money As 'Slush Fund,' Paid For Tropical Vacations: Feds
The former headmaster of a Boston school will admit that she used nearly $40,000 in money set aside for children's education to pay for personal expenses, including two trips to Barbados, federal authorities said.
Naia Wilson, 60, of Mattapan, who is charged with one count of wire fraud, told prosecutors that she will plead guilty in federal court at a later date, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said Tuesday, Aug. 1. She has also agreed to repay the $38,806 she stole from the Boston Public Schools system.
Wilson served as headmaster at New Mission School in Hyde Park fro…
Ex-Mass Police Union Chief Gets 2.5 Years In Prison After Fraud Conviction: Feds
The former president of the State Police Association of Massachusetts and the group's ex-lobbyist were sentenced Wednesday, May 10, after they were convicted on charges that they turned the union into a "criminal enterprise" that defrauded its members, authorities said.
Dana A. Pullman, 60, of Worcester — the former president of SPAM — was sentenced to 30 months behind bars and three years of probation, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. Anne M. Lynch, 71, of Huff, the union's lobbyist, received two years in prison and two years of supervised release, the prosecutor add…
Dumb Smartphone Scheme Could Send Acton Man To Prison For Decades: Feds
An Acton man this week admitted using several stolen identities to steal nearly half a million dollars in COVID-19 relief money and laundered the cash by buying and reselling iPhones, federal authorities said.
Edwin Acevedo, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. Both charges carry a potential 20-year prison sentence, the prosecutor noted.
Federal investigators said Acevedo and a partner, Hector Garcia, 49, of Manchester, NH, concocted a scheme that netted them $452,000 in&…
Lowell Money Manager Admits To Stealing $3.5M From Clients, Elderly Couple's Life Savings: Feds
A Lowell money manager who police arrested trying to flee the country pleaded guilty to stealing millions of dollars of his client's money, including one elderly couple's entire life savings, federal authorities said.
Steven Xigoros, 55, pleaded guilty this week to two counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of filing a false tax return, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said.
Xigoros worked as an accountant, tax preparer, and investment advisor who federal investigators said used that position to misappropriate millions of dollars from his cl…
Mass Men Who Tried To Steal $530,000 Through People's Cell Phones Sentenced
Two Massachusetts men who pleaded guilty to taking part in a scheme to steal $530,000 worth of cryptocurrency and "OG" steal social media accounts will spend two years in federal prison, authorities said.
Eric Meiggs, 25, of Brockton, and Declan Harrington, 22, of Rockport, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of conspiracy, four counts of wire fraud, one count of computer fraud and abuse and one count of aggravated identity theft, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. Harrington also copped to an additional count of wire fraud.
The men admitted they we…
Former Revere Man Stole $2.5 Million In Covid-19 Relief Money: Feds
A 34-year-old former Revere man stole $2.5 million in federal Covid-19 relief funds, the U.S. Attorney's Office said on Tuesday, Aug. 23.
Vinicius Santana, 34, of Boca Raton, Florida, was charged with wire fraud and unlawful money transactions, the federal prosecutor's office said.
Officials said Santana owned the Massachusetts-based painting company Complete Home Care, LLC and applied for Paycheck Protection Program loans four times. Federal pursers denied the first three applications where he claimed to have five employees and between $10,000 and $18,000 in month payroll …
Former Greater Boston-Area Resident Nabbed For $2.5M COVID Relief Fraud, Feds Say
A former resident from the Greater Boston area and owner of a local painting company is facing 20 years in prison for using a fake loan application to snag $2.5 million in COVID relief funds, the US Attorney's Office for Massachusetts said.
Vinicius Santana, age 34, formerly of Revere, who now lives in Boca Raton, Florida, allegedly submitted four Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications for his company, Complete Home Care (CHC), in April 2020, the office reports.
PPP funds were established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Safety (CARES) Act in Ma…
