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Couple Accused Of Posing As Pro Sports Players To Make Millions
A couple allegedly had a bold game plan: pretend to be the next big thing in professional sports and let the money roll in.
Albert Paul Weber, 42, of Harvey, Louisiana, and Cyntrelle Lash, 39, of New Orleans, were indicted on Friday, April 24, on federal charges tied to a long-running scheme to impersonate professional athletes and pocket millions in fraudulent loans, the US Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana, announced.
According to court documents, Weber, Lash, and their coconspirators targeted athletes who were on the verge of being drafted by NBA and NFL teams and stood to…
Super Bowl Champ Wendell Smallwood Jr. Sentenced For Covid-19, Tax Fraud
Wendell Smallwood Jr., a former Philadelphia Eagles running back and Super Bowl champion, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the IRS in Wilmington, Delaware, on Thursday, Sept. 18, according to federal court documents obtained by Daily Voice.
U.S. District Senior Judge Richard G. Andrews also ordered Smallwood, 31, to repay the government $645,000. The punishment comes after Smallwood pleaded guilty in December 2024 to orchestrating schemes that defrauded COVID-19 relief programs and the IRS.
Smallwood earned about…
$140K Fraud Committed By Former PA Senator's Aide Scamming Church, Supporters
A former aide to Pennsylvania state Sen. Vincent Hughes admitted to stealing more than $140,000 from a North Philadelphia church where he was a deacon and from a city political ward he led, the FBI announced on Saturday, Aug. 2.
Willie Jordan, 68, of Upper Darby, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle III to two counts of wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Wednesday, July 30.
From 2020 to 2024, Jordan exploited his roles at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church and Philadelphia’s 44th Ward for personal benefit, court d…
$1.4M Maryland Fraud: Couple Lived Large With Cruises, Exotic Birds, Home Renovations: Feds
A South Carolina husband and wife lived it up for more than a decade — jetting off on cruises, renovating their home, spoiling their pets, and racking up six figures at Walmart — all on the dime of a Maryland business they targeted in a $1.4 million fraud scheme, federal prosecutors said.
Robin Joseph, 64, of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, was sentenced on Monday, July 28, to 39 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in the massive embezzlement and identity theft scheme, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
Joseph …
George Santos Surrenders To NJ Prison: Inside His New Life Behind Bars
Disgraced former New York Rep. George Santos is officially trading Cameo videos for commissary lines.
The ousted lawmaker, 37, surrendered to Federal Correctional Institution Fairton in New Jersey on Friday, July 25, to begin serving his seven-year sentence for wire fraud and identity theft.
And, true to form, Santos did not go quietly: “Well, darlings… The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed,” Santos told his 211,000 followers on X the night before.
“From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news, what a ride it’s been! Was it messy? Always. Glamorous…
$5.6M Multi-State Fraud Scheme With 1K+ Stolen IDs Lands Pennsylvania Man Federal Charges: DOJ
A Pennsylvania man is accused of stealing over $5.6 million in pandemic aid using more than 1,000 stolen or fake identities, federal prosecutors announced on Monday, June 16.
Adepoju Babatunde Salako, 32, has been indicted in Colorado on multiple federal charges after allegedly orchestrating a nationwide COVID-19 benefits scam, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.
Salako faces six counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and four counts of aggravated identity theft, according to t…
Taylor Swift's Neighbor, Distinguished PA Educator-Turned-Art Dealer Pleads Guilty In Art Scam
A former Hill School admissions director and neighbor of pop icon Taylor Swift pleaded guilty to selling fake artwork he falsely claimed was created by some of the world’s most legendary artists, federal authorities announced on Tuesday, June 3.
Carter P. Reese, 77, of Reading, admitted in federal court on Thursday, May 29, to wire fraud and mail fraud for a two-year scheme that duped customers into buying forged works he said came from Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and others, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Once respect…
Maryland Officers Took Cash Bribes, Filed False Reports In Fraud Scheme: DOJ
Two former police officers in Maryland used their badges to file fake theft reports, vandalize cars, and collect payouts—with one even taking a $1,000 Cash App bribe, prosecutors said.
Now, they face justice.
Michael Anthony Owen Jr., 36, of Accokeek, and Jaron Earl Taylor, 31, of Fort Washington, pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with a wide-ranging insurance fraud scheme, according to the US Attorney’s Office on Tuesday, June 3.
Owen admitted to falsifying records, while Taylor pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Both were working as officers—Owen with…
Sean Kingston, Mom Federally Convicted In $1M Wire Fraud Scheme, Report Says
Rapper Sean Kingston and his mom Janice Turner have been convicted in a million-dollar luxury goods fraud scheme that prosecutors say involved bogus wire transfers, fake bank documents, and a whole lot of bling they never paid for, officials announced.
After more than 3½ hours of deliberation, a Florida jury on Friday, March 28, found Kingston, 34, and Turner, 61, guilty of federal wire fraud, NBC News reports.
Kingston was ordered to house arrest with electronic monitoring and must post a surety bond including a home worth $500,000 and $200,000 in cash, NBC said. Turner will remain in fede…
Felon Running Fentanyl Operation From Luxury MD Apartment Linked To China Supply Chain: Feds
A convicted felon living in a luxury Baltimore apartment was found guilty of possessing fentanyl and firearms, including a "ghost gun," in connection with drug trafficking, federal officials announced Monday.
Ryan E. Dales, 36, was convicted on multiple charges, including being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, after a four-day trial in Baltimore, authorities said on Dec. 9.
According to evidence presented at trial, Dales operated a drug trafficking operation out of his residence…
Alleged Russian Ransomware Mastermind Extradited From South Korea To Maryland
A Russian national accused of running a global ransomware operation that extorted more than $16 million from victims worldwide has been extradited from South Korea to Maryland to face federal charges, authorities announced.
Evgenii Ptitsyn, 42, is charged with operating and administering the sale, distribution, and deployment of the notorious Phobos ransomware, which targeted over 1,000 public and private organizations globally, including schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure.
Ptitsyn made his first appearance in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland earlier this …
'Bitcoin Beautee' In MD Admits To Role In $1.89B Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme
A Maryland woman went under the name of “Bitcoin Beautee” during her role alongside two others in a Cryptocurrency fraud scheme that netted more than $1.89 billion, she admitted in US District Court on Monday, Jan. 29.
Brenda Chunga, 43, of Severna Park, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud for her role as a promoter of HyperFund, also known as HyperTech, HyperCapital, HyperVerse, and HyperNation, US Attorney Erek Barron announced.
The plea came just four days after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Sam Lee, 35, an Australian citizen…
Former Social Media Influencer In MD Gets Prison Time For $1.2M COVID Scheme
A former social media influencer from Maryland is heading to federal prison for his role in a $1.2 million COVID scheme involving wire fraud and money laundering.
Denish Sahadevan, aka “Danny Devan,” 32, of Potomac, Maryland, was sentenced on Tuesday, Jan. 9 to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering, authorities said.
‘Danny Devan’ gained a TikTok following for his financial advice regarding stocks and cryptocurrency:
@.dannydevvan
♬ original sound - Stocks • Crypto • Money
The …
Man Returned $300K Of Items To Home Depots That He Never Paid For, Including MD Stores: Feds
A Connecticut man is accused of ripping off nearly $300,000 from more than two dozen Home Depot stores across eight states, including Maryland, 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 to a customer service …
Maryland Man Admits To Conning Customers Out Of $2.1M By Substituting Dirt, Debris For Scrap
The owner of a New Jersey-based scrap metal company told a customer that dirt and debris found packed into a container shipped to Korea that was supposed to hold aluminum scrap was a mistake, authorities said.
Turns out it wasn’t.
Creed White, 64, of Freeland, Maryland, admitted in federal court in Camden, NJ, this week that he scammed a dozen or so businesses out of more than $2 million, authorities said on Thursday, Aug. 3.
Using the name “Dan Stein,” White contacted one of the victims through an Internet message board on behalf of his Camden-based company American Scrap company, a compl…
Seemingly Benevolent President, CEO In DC Admits To Bilking Nonprofit Out Of $336K: Feds
An executive from Maryland operating out of Washington, DC, will face decades in prison after admitting to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a non-profit organization, federal authorities announced.
Chevy Chase resident Graham Hauck, 50, pleaded guilty this week to stealing more than $330,000 from a nonprofit trade organization while serving as the president and CEO of a company bearing his own family’s name.
While serving as the head of Hauck & Associates in Washington, DC, Hauck agreed with the nonprofit organization to an agreement paying his company nearly $150,000 for …
