Philly Woman Stole $184K In COVID Relief Money For Butt Lift: Warrant Philly Woman Stole $184K In COVID Relief Money For Butt Lift: Warrant
Philly Woman Stole $184K In COVID Relief Money For Butt Lift: Warrant A Philadelphia woman is accused of fraudulently cashing a COVID-19 relief check and spending the money on plastic surgery.  In an arrest warrant obtained by Local10.com, authorities said 30-year-old Ashley Stibbins-Parker made a bank account for a Georgia entity called "City of Weston LLC.''  Investigators believe she used the account to collect $184,838.72 in federal CARES Act funding meant for the real City of Weston in Florida.  Broward County commissioners sent the money to Weston City Hall via check in February 2021, but by the next month, it had been deposited into Sti…
Former Maryland Councilman Accused Of Stealing Campaign Funds: State Prosecutor Former Maryland Councilman Accused Of Stealing Campaign Funds: State Prosecutor
Former Maryland Councilman Accused Of Stealing Campaign Funds: State Prosecutor The Prince George's County councilman who abruptly resigned last week is facing charges for allegedly stealing more than $100,000 in campaign funds, the Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor announced on Thursday. James R. Franklin is facing charges that include multiple counts of felony theft scheme, embezzlement, and perjury following a long-ranging scheme that began in 2009. According to the charges filed on June 20, Franklin established his campaign committee “Friends of Mel Franklin” in 2009 to raise funds for his election to the Prince George’s County Council, where he ser…
Woman Charged For Running Sex, Human Trafficking Ring Across Maryland: AG Woman Charged For Running Sex, Human Trafficking Ring Across Maryland: AG
Kenika Leach Accused Of Running Sex Trafficking Ring In MD A Baltimore woman has been indicted by a Washington County grand jury in a 135-count indictment stemming from a years-long investigation by the Maryland Attorney General's Office into a human and sex trafficking ring, authorities announced. Kenika Danielle Leach, 33, has been charged following a two-year multi-agency investigation, which helped the AG's Organized Crime Unit to identify nearly a dozen women from Hagerstown who were allegedly trafficked by her and her organization at hotels and motels throughout Maryland. According to the AG, in December 2021, the Baltimore Police Department …
Founder Of LGBTQ+ Non-Profit In DC Charged For Fraud After 'Unexpected Return' To US: Feds Founder Of LGBTQ+ Non-Profit In DC Charged For Fraud After 'Unexpected Return' To US: Feds
Founder Of LGBTQ+ Non-Profit In DC Charged For Fraud After 'Unexpected Return' To US: Feds The trailblazing founder of Casa Ruby, a DC-based non-profit that provided services to the LGBTQ+ community is facing charges for alleged fraud and money laundering, according to prosecutors. Ruby Corado, 53, made her initial court appearance in DC on Wednesday to face charges for allegedly defrauding Paycheck Protection and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan programs, and money laundering after fleeing the country, authorities announced. Specifically, Corado is accused of diverting at least $150,000 of $1.3 million in taxpayer-backed emergency relief funds, intended for the organi…
Non-Profit Employee Accused Of Stealing From Maryland Organization: State's Attorney Non-Profit Employee Accused Of Stealing From Maryland Organization: State's Attorney
Non-Profit Employee Accused Of Stealing From Maryland Organization: State's Attorney A Frederick woman who schemed to defraud a non-profit in Westminster where she worked has been charged, the Carroll County State's Attorney's Office announced. Randi Lynn Ryan, 48, has been arrested and charged for an alleged scam targeting the Carroll County Arts Council, Inc. over the course of nearly two years.  It is alleged that Ryan, while working as a financial coordinator for the non-profit, was issued a Bank of America credit card to use for the organization's business; however, an audit conducted in June 2023 found that Ryan was not compliant in turning over requested do…
Gas Station Employee Saves Wawa Manager From Scam Before Attempted Robbery In Annapolis: Police Gas Station Employee Saves Wawa Manager From Scam Before Attempted Robbery In Annapolis: Police
Gas Station Employee Saves Wawa Manager From Scam Before Attempted Robbery In Annapolis: Police A gas station employee in Annapolis prevented the manager of a neighboring Wawa from a scam just moments before the manager was targeted during an attempted robbery with cash still in hand, authorities said. Officers responded to investigate the back-to-back attempted robbery and fraud reports at the Wawa at 321 Buschs Frontage Road in Annapolis around 8:55 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 5. The victim, who is the manager, told police that she received a phone call around 3:30 a.m. from a man claiming to represent Wawa. The caller told the manager that Wawa had an overdue bill that needed to be paid …
Half-Baked Convict Admits To Illegally Possessing USPS 'Arrow' Keys, Stolen Checks In MD: Feds Half-Baked Convict Admits To Illegally Possessing USPS 'Arrow' Keys, Stolen Checks In MD: Feds
Half-Baked Convict Admits To Illegally Possessing USPS 'Arrow' Keys, Stolen Checks In MD: Feds A convict from Montgomery County admitted to illegally possessing USPS “arrow keys” used to open collection boxes outside a local post office, authorities announced Monday, Feb. 5. Andrew Steven Martin, 30, of Silver Spring, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of US Postal Service keys used to access US Postal Service mail receptacles, as well as being a felon in possession of ammunition, Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland said. Martin was charged following a traffic stop that led to the discovery of a bag of marijuana in the center vehicle console and a h…
Man's Brother Pretended To Be NY Mobster As Part Of $4M Embezzlement Scheme In MD/DC: Feds Man's Brother Pretended To Be NY Mobster As Part Of $4M Embezzlement Scheme In MD/DC: Feds
Man's Brother Pretended To Be NY Mobster As Part Of $4M Embezzlement Scheme In MD/DC: Feds Henry Hill immortalized the line "as far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster."  That mantra didn't work out well for a pair of brothers - one of whom pretended to be a New York mobster - to get a Maryland man to embezzle more than $4 million from his employer in Washington, DC.  New York native Corry Blue Evans, 31, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison for his role in an elaborate fraud, extortion, and money laundering scheme that involved several other close-knit co-conspirators who worked to exploit the multi-million dollar scheme. The sentence comes y…
Duplicitous Duo Assaulted Arresting Deputy During Frederick Fraud Investigation, Officials Say Duplicitous Duo Assaulted Arresting Deputy During Frederick Fraud Investigation, Officials Say
Duplicitous Duo Assaulted Arresting Deputy During Frederick Fraud Investigation, Officials Say DeWight Gilbert and Morgan Milligan did not go down quietly following an investigation into a fraud scheme that spanned several Maryland communities. The Hyattsville residents are facing a host of charges in Frederick County after allegedly assaulting an officer near an area bank on Saturday morning who tracked them down for a string of scams. At around 10:20 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25, deputies from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office responded to the Fulton Bank on Presidents Court in Frederick, where Gilbert - who was known to them for several fraudulent transactions - was spotted. Res…
Former State Employee, Brother Guilty Of Profiting From Pandemic In Maryland: AG Former State Employee, Brother Guilty Of Profiting From Pandemic In Maryland: AG
Former State Employee, Brother Guilty Of Profiting From Pandemic In Maryland: AG A former state employee in Maryland who conspired with his brother to profit from the COVID-19 pandemic will have time to ponder his decisions behind bars, the Attorney's General Office announced. James DiPino, 62, and Paul DiPino, Jr., 56, were sentenced to 10 years in prison with all but one year and one day suspended after admitting to bribery charges in connection to their procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the pandemic. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said that in the spring of 2020, right as the the pandemic was becoming a national concern, James DiPino …
Dirty Cop: Baltimore County Officer Gets Prison Time For Accepting Bribes For Handgun Licenses Dirty Cop: Baltimore County Officer Gets Prison Time For Accepting Bribes For Handgun Licenses
Dirty Cop: Baltimore County Officer Gets Prison Time For Accepting Bribes For Handgun Licenses Former Baltimore County Police officer William Johnson, Jr. is set to spend time behind bars with some of the people he helped lock up. Federal officials announced that the Baltimore native has been sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after he admitted to accepting thousands of dollars worth of bribes and kickbacks in exchange for handgun qualifying licenses they never earned. The 34-year-old pleaded guilty in April to a federal charge of honest services wire fraud for falsely certifying applicants for Maryland handgun qualifying licenses and …
Maryland State Police Caution About Fraudsters Posing As Officers Maryland State Police Caution About Fraudsters Posing As Officers
Maryland State Police Caution About Fraudsters Posing As Officers Maryland residents are being advised to be on high alert following a recent rash of fraudsters posing as police. An alert was issued by Maryland State Police over the weekend warning residents to be aware of possible phone scam fraud attempts by police impersonators. Officials say that they've received multiple reports from several residents throughout the state who advised that they'd been contacted by people claiming to be either state troopers or police officers in an attempt to scam victims out of cash or personal information. According to police, the poser tells possible victims that …