Tag:

Forgery

Lawyer Who Forged Federal Judge’s Signature Twice To Trick Client Gets Prison Time Lawyer Who Forged Federal Judge’s Signature Twice To Trick Client Gets Prison Time
Lawyer Who Forged Federal Judge’s Signature Twice To Trick Client Gets Prison Time A disgraced attorney is heading to prison after forging a judge’s name on a fake custody order — one of several legal schemes he's been convicted of in recent months, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced on Monday, Dec. 15. Michael Brandon Cohen, 42, of Hollidaysburg, was sentenced to one to three years in state prison after pleading guilty to forgery for creating a false custody order to benefit a client, according to AG Sunday. Cohen’s fabricated order prompted the client to violate a court-approved custody agreement by moving her child out of the county — all based on his …
Con Man Claimed MLB Career While Scamming Women, Dodging Sex Offender Registry In DMV: DOJ Con Man Claimed MLB Career While Scamming Women, Dodging Sex Offender Registry In DMV: DOJ
Con Man Claimed MLB Career While Scamming Women, Dodging Sex Offender Registry In DMV: DOJ He said he was going pro in baseball — but what he really went pro in was lying, scamming, and disappearing from the sex offender registry, prosecutors in Virginia say. Now, he's going to prison. A Roanoke man who told women he was a Major League Baseball prospect, forged six-figure checks, used burner phones to impersonate team officials, and failed to register as a sex offender pleaded guilty in federal court earlier this year, federal officials announced. Now, Janike Dunbar Holt — a man who goes by many names — has been sentenced to 41 months in federal prison. Holt, 29 — also known as…
Maryland Man’s Fake Check Scheme Crashes In Virginia With Gas Station Bust: Police Maryland Man’s Fake Check Scheme Crashes In Virginia With Gas Station Bust: Police
Maryland Man’s Fake Check Scheme Crashes In Virginia With Gas Station Bust: Police A Maryland man’s run of fake checks came to a crashing halt when Virginia police used license plate readers to track him down at a gas station, according to investigators. The Culpeper Police Department announced that Kenneth Robinson, 44, of District Heights, has been charged in connection with an attempted fraud scheme that played out across multiple jurisdictions last month. An investigation was launched on Monday, Aug. 18, when officers were called to a financial institution in the 700 block of James Madison Highway after Robinson allegedly tried to cash a fraudulently altered check usi…
Fans Duped In $200K Jason Kelce Forgery Scheme: Philly Man Pleads Guilty Fans Duped In $200K Jason Kelce Forgery Scheme: Philly Man Pleads Guilty
Fans Duped In $200K Jason Kelce Forgery Scheme: Philly Man Pleads Guilty A Philadelphia man has pleaded guilty to his role in a $200,000 fake memorabilia scheme involving forged Jason Kelce signatures on more than 1,100 items, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said and court records show as of Monday, Aug. 25. Scheme Involved Fake Signatures, Phony Verification Robert Capone, 51, admitted to forging and distributing fraudulent memorabilia falsely labeled as being signed by the former Philadelphia Eagles center. He pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Aug. 5 to felony charges of theft by deception, conspiracy, and deceptive business practices, along with a mi…
Nearly $50K Stolen From Elderly Woman By UMBC Grad Relative: Police Nearly $50K Stolen From Elderly Woman By UMBC Grad Relative: Police
Nearly $50K Stolen From Elderly Woman By UMBC Grad Relative: Police A Virginia woman is accused of stealing nearly $50,000 from her elderly relative in Willow Street, West Lampeter Township police announced on Tuesday, July 22. Margaret Christel, 34, of Falls Church, Virginia, was charged with one count of Felony Financial Exploitation of an Older Adult after police say she stole and altered checks belonging to her elderly family member between December 2023 and March 2025. The case began on Thursday, May 15, 2025, when West Lampeter Township B Platoon officers were dispatched to a report of theft in Willow Street, police said. Investigators allege Christel…
Cops Seek True ID Of Fake Nurse Who Used 20 Names, Stole Meds In Multiple States (UPDATE) Cops Seek True ID Of Fake Nurse Who Used 20 Names, Stole Meds In Multiple States (UPDATE)
Cops Seek True ID Of Fake Nurse Who Used 20 Names, Stole Meds In Multiple States (Update) A woman accused of posing as a nurse under 20 fake names and stealing prescription drugs from health care facilities across Pennsylvania and other states is now at the center of a growing criminal investigation — and police say they don’t even know who she really is. The woman has been charged under the name Shannon Nicole Womack, 39, but Pennsylvania State Police announced on Friday, July 25, that they are now seeking the public’s help in positively identifying her true legal name. Investigators have uncovered additional false identities since her April 2025 arrest, prompting police to rele…
Sports Memorabilia Mogul Dies By Suicide After Admitting $350M Counterfeit Scam: ‘I Wanted Out’ Sports Memorabilia Mogul Dies By Suicide After Admitting $350M Counterfeit Scam: ‘I Wanted Out’
Sports Memorabilia Mogul Dies By Suicide After Admitting $350M Counterfeit Scam: ‘I Wanted Out’ A well-known sports memorabilia dealer who fessed up to selling counterfeit items to the tune of $350 million was found dead this week after police conducted a raid on his property in Indiana. Brett Lemieux, 45, the founder of Mister ManCave, penned a chilling message in a since-deleted Facebook post on the "Autographs 101" group where he boasted about his exploits before his body was located after a reported suicide on Wednesday, July 16. Heartbreaking Loss of a Childhood Friend Today, I received some incredibly disturbing and heartbreaking news: my... Posted by Clement Lehman on …
DUI Crash In Beachside Vacation Spot Leaves Cyclist Badly Injured, Police Say DUI Crash In Beachside Vacation Spot Leaves Cyclist Badly Injured, Police Say
DUI Crash In Beachside Vacation Spot Leaves Cyclist Badly Injured, Police Say A 21-year-old international student was seriously injured when a suspected drunk driver hit him in the heart of Rehoboth Beach, a popular Delaware vacation destination, police said. The crash happened just after 1 a.m. on Wednesday, July 9, in the 300 block of Rehoboth Avenue, according to the Rehoboth Beach Police Department. Investigators say Megan Smith, 20, of Lewes, was driving a Jeep Wrangler westbound on Rehoboth Avenue when she hit the cyclist, who was in the area on a J-1 visa.  The crash caused potentially life-threatening injuries, police said after the cyclist was rushed t…
$1.1M Medicaid Scam: Woman Used Overseas ‘Patients’ In Massive Kickback Scam $1.1M Medicaid Scam: Woman Used Overseas ‘Patients’ In Massive Kickback Scam
$1.1M Medicaid Scam: Woman Used Overseas ‘Patients’ In Massive Kickback Scam A Pennsylvania woman used patients who had moved overseas to help pull off a $1.1 million Medicaid scam involving fake home care services and kickbacks, federal prosecutors said in a sweeping national health care fraud takedown that uncovered more than $14.6 billion in schemes, the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced on Saturday, July 5. Hemal Patel, 59, of Bensalem (Bucks County), forged doctors’ signatures, stole personal identities, and pocketed kickbacks from a home care agency that billed Medicaid for fake services, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District …
Sex Offender Faked MLB Career, Scammed Women In Big League Lie: Feds Sex Offender Faked MLB Career, Scammed Women In Big League Lie: Feds
Sex Offender Faked MLB Career, Scammed Women In Big League Lie: Feds He said he was going pro in baseball — but what he really went pro in was lying, scamming, and disappearing from the sex offender registry, prosecutors in Virginia say. A Roanoke man who told women he was a Major League Baseball prospect, forged six-figure checks, used burner phones to impersonate team officials, and failed to register as a sex offender has pleaded guilty in federal court as part of an elaborate scheme, federal officials announced. He went by many names while executing his scheme. Janike Dunbar Holt, 29 — also known as “Nike,” “Janike Tagovailoa,” “Keanu Tagovailoa,” and “…
Ex-Bar Director Accused Of $314K Theft As Son Flaunts Lavish Trips, Cosmetic Work Online: PA AG Ex-Bar Director Accused Of $314K Theft As Son Flaunts Lavish Trips, Cosmetic Work Online: PA AG
Ex-Bar Director Accused Of $314K Theft As Son Flaunts Lavish Trips, Cosmetic Work Online: PA AG A Pennsylvania woman is accused of stealing over $300,000 from the Cambria County Bar Association to fund luxury expenses including cosmetic procedures, vacations, and donations to her family’s nonprofit, Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Wednesday, May 7. Robin Hagins, 56, of Johnstown, the former executive director of the CCBA, was charged with Theft by Unlawful Taking, Misappropriation of Funds Received, and Forgery following an investigation by the 51st Statewide Investigating Grand Jury. Her bail was set at $150,000 unsecured. Hagins allegedly misappropriated a total of $314,759 b…
ICE Detains Boyfriend Of Missing Maryland Mom Amid Suspicious Disappearance: Sheriff ICE Detains Boyfriend Of Missing Maryland Mom Amid Suspicious Disappearance: Sheriff
ICE Detains Boyfriend Of Missing Maryland Mom Amid Suspicious Disappearance: Sheriff A Maryland woman vanished under suspicious circumstances — and now the man who reported her missing is in ICE custody for allegedly being in the country illegally with forged federal documents. Lesbia Mileth Ramirez Guerra, 23, of Waldorf, was last seen on Monday, March 31, inside her Adams Court home, where she lived with her boyfriend — the father of her two children — and several others, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office said Monday, April 7. He reported her missing two days later. But as detectives started digging, they discovered “unusual and suspicious activity” at the home the ver…
Second PA Firefighter Accused Of Faking University Of Maryland Training Second PA Firefighter Accused Of Faking University Of Maryland Training
Second PA Firefighter Accused Of Faking University Of Maryland Training A second former Paxtang firefighter is facing charges of forgery in a fire service training certificate scheme, police announced on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. Kyle Walcott, 44, of Harrisburg, allegedly submitted 16 fraudulent fire service training certificates—purportedly from the University of Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute—to both the Paxtang Fire Company and Middletown Fire Department, according to Swatara Township Police. University representatives confirmed the certificates were fake, authorities said. Walcott used them to misrepresent his training and qualifications while serving …
Ivy Leaguer From Prominent Maryland Family Officially Charged With CEO's Murder Ivy Leaguer From Prominent Maryland Family Officially Charged With CEO's Murder
Ivy Leaguer From Prominent Maryland Family Officially Charged With CEO's Murder An Ivy League-educated high school valedictorian from a privileged, politically connected family has been charged with the execution-style murder of the CEO of one of the nation's largest healthcare providers after a days-long manhunt. Click here for a new, updated story - CEO Murder: Whiz Kid Suspect May Have Spiraled After Traumatic Back Surgery New York prosecutors have formally charged 26-year-old Luigi Nicholas Mangione, a native of Towson, Maryland, with the fatal shooting of United Healthcare executive Brian Thompson.  The incident occurred outside the New York Hilton in midt…
PA Fire Captain Accused Of Faking University Of Maryland Training PA Fire Captain Accused Of Faking University Of Maryland Training
PA Fire Captain Accused Of Faking University Of Maryland Training A former fire captain with the Paxtang Fire Company is facing charges of forgery, reckless endangerment, and driving without a license, police announced on Thursday, Dec. 5. Steven Bartholomew, 55, allegedly created seven fraudulent training certificates from the University of Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, presenting them as proof of advanced firefighting training, according to Swatara Township Police. Bartholomew used these falsified documents, along with self-reported experience, to secure his appointment as fire captain earlier this year. Authorities say Bartholomew drove fire appa…
Florida Woman, Maryland Man Passing Bad Checks In Virginia Tracked Down, Sheriff Says Florida Woman, Maryland Man Passing Bad Checks In Virginia Tracked Down, Sheriff Says
Florida Woman, Maryland Man Passing Bad Checks In Virginia Tracked Down, Sheriff Says Two suspects visiting Virginia from out of state are facing felony charges following an investigation into a series of bad checks that were used at several Stafford County businesses, officials say. Pasadena Raymond Wilson, 36, and 20-year-old Florida resident Jessie Mainville were both arrested this week after their checks bounced - and not for the first time. At around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25, deputies from the Stafford County Sheriff's Office were called to O'Reilly Auto Parts on Bojangles way, where there was a report of fraud suspects in the business. "Staff advised a male a…
Scheming State Employee Accused Of Forging Checks; Making Bogus Insurance Claim: Maryland AG Scheming State Employee Accused Of Forging Checks; Making Bogus Insurance Claim: Maryland AG
Scheming State Employee Accused Of Forging Checks; Making Bogus Insurance Claim: Maryland AG A woman who abused her position with the Maryland Department of Labor has been charged in a pair of cases involving theft and insurance fraud, the Attorney General's Office announced on Wednesday. Shanell Angelia West, 45, of Essex, has been indicted after allegedly abusing her power while working as a clerk for the department, authorities announced. According to the indictment, West was allegedly involved in a theft scheme, where she stole from state licensees. It is alleged that West would keep or make copies of checks payable to the state, altered them, then deposited them into her own …
VA Man Who Made Siblings Ringleaders In $1.7M Pandemic Scheme Gets Time In Fed Pen VA Man Who Made Siblings Ringleaders In $1.7M Pandemic Scheme Gets Time In Fed Pen
VA Man Who Made Siblings Ringleaders In $1.7M Pandemic Scheme Gets Time In Fed Pen A northern Virginia man will be spending time in federal prison for instructing his siblings how to file bogus pandemic unemployment claims that netted nearly $1.7 million. Eric Wilhoit, II, 29, of Fredericksburg, conspired with Odyssey Wilhoit, 23, Jeremiah Wilhoit, 26, Dejhaun Wilhoit, 26, from May 2020 through in or about January 2022, Virginia's US Attorney General Jessica D. Aber said. Eric, Odyssey, and Dejhaun are siblings. It was unclear how Jeremiah was related. Eric Wilhoit admitted that he instructed his co-conspirators on how to make the claims. The group then used VPN…
Baltimore Woman's Baby Formula Scam Catches Illegal Romanian Man In Gettysburg: Authorities Baltimore Woman's Baby Formula Scam Catches Illegal Romanian Man In Gettysburg: Authorities
Baltimore Woman's Baby Formula Scam Catches Illegal Romanian Man In Gettysburg: Authorities A Baltimore woman illegally using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cards to collect baby formula she claimed to be sending to Ukraine, lead to the arrest of a Romanian man illegally in the US who allegedly forged documents for her, authorities say.  Eglisa Ciuciu, 25, of Baltimore, MD, and Sandrino Trifu, 32, of Croaova, Romania were arrested along with an unnamed 15-year-old in connection to a bizarre baby formula theft at the Gettysburg Walmart on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023. Ciuciu used the 15-year-old to transport the stolen goods from the store that she supposedly needed “to s…
Maryland Inmate Hospitalized With COVID-19-Related Illnesses Dies At Hospital: Officials Maryland Inmate Hospitalized With COVID-19-Related Illnesses Dies At Hospital: Officials
Maryland Inmate Hospitalized With Covid-19-Related Illnesses Dies At Hospital: Officials An inmate being held at a Maryland detention center died after coming down with COVID-19-related illnesses, authorities announced on Friday, Sept. 23. Tina Marie Billings, 44, of Whiteford, died at the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center of natural after being transported from the Harford Detention Center for treatment of an illness. Billings was being treated at the detention center shortly before 11 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21, when the medical staff determined she should be transported to the hospital for further care. White in the hospital, police said that Billings…
Serial Fraudster Accused Of Purchasing Two Vehicles From Maryland Dealership: Police Serial Fraudster Accused Of Purchasing Two Vehicles From Maryland Dealership: Police
Serial Fraudster Accused Of Purchasing Two Vehicles From Maryland Dealership: Police Police have arrested a Randallstown man in connection to the fraudulent purchase of two vehicles from a Silver Spring dealership in early July, authorities say. Phillip Young, 22, is accused of fraudulently purchasing a 2020 Silver Toyota Prius, and a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid from Jim Coleman Nissan with two fraudulent checks on the afternoon of Tuesday, July 5, according to Montgomery County police. Bank of America notified the dealership of the fraudulent checks on Wednesday, July 13. The two vehicles were then entered into a stolen vehicle database, and were recovered by the Baltim…
Conspirator Who Used NJ High School Students To Cash Stolen COVID Stimulus Checks Gets 4 Years Conspirator Who Used NJ High School Students To Cash Stolen COVID Stimulus Checks Gets 4 Years
Conspirator Who Used NJ High School Students To Cash Stolen COVID Stimulus Checks Gets 4 Years One of a nest of criminals who paid New Jersey high school students to cash COVID stimulus checks stolen from the mail was sentenced to four years in federal prison. Because there's no parole in the federal prison system, Jeffrey Bennett, 27, of Irvington, must serve just about all of the plea-bargained sentence rubber-stamped by a U.S. District Court judge in Newark via videoconference on Monday, Feb. 14. Bennett -- a reputed associate of a group called "The Members" -- recruited U.S. Postal Service employees to steal checks, checkbooks, debit cards, and credit cards from the mail in excha…