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Bergen Financial Advisor Who Sold $3.65M Deal To Elderly Clients Has License Revoked: AG Bergen Financial Advisor Who Sold $3.65M Deal To Elderly Clients Has License Revoked: AG
Bergen Financial Advisor Who Sold $3.65M Deal To Elderly Clients Has License Revoked: AG State officials have revoked the licese of a Bergen County financial advisor and broker after it came to light that he sold a pair of elderly clients a total of $3.65 million in a move that New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said was not in the best interest of the clients. Carlos Leston, who also goes by Jose Carlos Leston, of Maywood, made the sale in securities in a New York Lending company without disclosing that the CEO of the corporation was a friend of his who had been barred from the securities industry, Platkin said. Leston also failed to disclose that he had a r…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Jersey Shore Reservist Admits Scamming Grieving Army Families Out Of $3.7M In Death Benefits Jersey Shore Reservist Admits Scamming Grieving Army Families Out Of $3.7M In Death Benefits
Jersey Shore Reservist Admits Scamming Grieving Army Families Out Of $3.7M In Death Benefits UPDATE: A ruthless now-former military reservist from Monmouth County admitted scamming the survivors of soldiers killed in war out of $3.7 million. Caz Craffy, 41, of Colts Neck, used his role as a counselor with the United States Army to pocket $1.4 million by exploiting the grief of Gold Star families, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. Craffy – who’s also known as “Carz Craffey” – “used lies and deception” to defraud two dozen families of what he told them were investments, the U.S. attorney said. For many, it was the only money they had. Whenever a member of the a…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Jersey Shore Advisor Who Swindled Mentally Impaired Elderly Siblings Gets 3½ Years In Fed Pen Jersey Shore Advisor Who Swindled Mentally Impaired Elderly Siblings Gets 3½ Years In Fed Pen
Jersey Shore Advisor Who Swindled Mentally Impaired Elderly Siblings Gets 3½ Years In Fed Pen UPDATE: A former investment advisor from the Jersey Shore who admitted swindling elderly and impaired clients out of more than $625,000 to partly fund a gambling habit was sentenced to a plea-bargained 3½ years in federal prison this week. Mario E. Rivero Jr., 39, of Red Bank, must serve out the entire term because there's no parole in the federal prison system. Rivero, a former Wells Fargo agent and investment adviser representative who had an office in Elizabeth, convinced five clients to transfer investment funds to their personal bank accounts, federal authorities charged. Many of his …

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Billion-Dollar Stock Fraud: Indicted Bergen County Businessman Freed On $100M Bond Billion-Dollar Stock Fraud: Indicted Bergen County Businessman Freed On $100M Bond
Billion-Dollar Stock Fraud: Indicted Bergen County Businessman Freed On $100M Bond A Bergen County businessman was arrested by federal agents on charges of orchestrating a massive market manipulation scheme that caused one of the biggest Wall Street trading collapses in history. Sung Kook “Bill” Hwang put the entire financial system at risk by conspiring with his former chief financial officer to boost profits for his Archegos Capital Management by lying to banks to inflate the stock prices of publicly traded companies, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday, April 27. The fraud scheme ballooned Hwang’s personal fortune from $1.5 billion to more than $35 billion in a singl…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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$1.5M Cosmetics Company Scam Sends Englewood Swindler To Federal Prison For 2½ Years $1.5M Cosmetics Company Scam Sends Englewood Swindler To Federal Prison For 2½ Years
$1.5M Cosmetics Company Scam Sends Englewood Swindler To Federal Prison For 2½ Years A former Englewood resident must serve nearly 2½ years in federal prison for scamming three investors out of $1.5 million. Matthew Benjamin, 54, used the victims' money for car and house rental payments, food, international travel, legal fees, technology equipment and summer camp tuition for family members, among other purposes, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. Benjamin, currently of New York, told the victims that his purported company, Clear Solutions Group, had lucrative contracts to purchase closeout or excess cosmetic inventory from one company that he planned to …

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by Jerry DeMarco
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NJ-Based Crypto Firm Will Pay SEC, States Unprecedented $100M Penalty NJ-Based Crypto Firm Will Pay SEC, States Unprecedented $100M Penalty
Nj-based Crypto Firm Will Pay SEC, States Unprecedented $100M Penalty A Jersey City-based cryptocurrency company will pay a record $100 million to settle alleged violations of investor-protection laws, state and federal authorities jointly announced. BlockFi Lending LLC neither admitted nor denied any wrongdoing when it agreed to the highest fine ever by a cryptocurrency company, Acting New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said on Monday, Feb. 14. However, it did take a different course than many of its crypto rivals by not fighting the fine. Of the total, $50 million will be paid to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and up to $50 millio…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Authorities: Long Island Couple In $1 Million Securities Scam Targeted Elderly NJ Investors Authorities: Long Island Couple In $1 Million Securities Scam Targeted Elderly NJ Investors
Authorities: Long Island Couple In $1 Million Securities Scam Targeted Elderly NJ Investors Several New Jersey seniors were scammed out of more than $1 million combined by a Long Island couple, Garden State authorities have charged. Salvatore Magaraci, 63, and A. Kirsten Gallardo, 60, of Huntington, NY specifically targeted elderly victims to pitch unregistered securities to for a crooked – and now defunct -- company, Acting New Jersey Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck said. The Woodbridge Group of Companies purported to be a commercial lender that made hard-money loans secured by mortgages on commercial property. It ended up being ordered to pay $1 billion -- and saw its foun…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Feds: NJ Ex-Con Who Served Time For Scamming Charities Charged With $1.35M Investor Ripoff Feds: NJ Ex-Con Who Served Time For Scamming Charities Charged With $1.35M Investor Ripoff
Feds: NJ Ex-Con Who Served Time For Scamming Charities Charged With $1.35M Investor Ripoff A compulsive gambler from Passaic County who went to federal prison for three years for ripping off organizations that benefit schoolchildren and people with life-threatening illnesses went right back to scamming after he got out, federal authorities charged. This time, Gregory Ciccone, 43, of Woodland Park orchestrated a scheme that defrauded investors of $1.35 million, much of which he used to buy a $54,330 BMW, clothes, wine and more, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. Ciccone told the 22 victims that he operated companies that reserved blocks of rooms of luxury hotels that then…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Feds: Jersey Shore Swindler Embezzled Hundreds Of Thousands From Philly Start-Up Feds: Jersey Shore Swindler Embezzled Hundreds Of Thousands From Philly Start-Up
Feds: Jersey Shore Swindler Embezzled Hundreds Of Thousands From Philly Start-Up A Jersey Shore hustler embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars in investments from a Philadelphia-based tech startup when he was its chief operating officer, federal authorities have charged. Joseph Geromini, 54, of Linwood told investors who contributed roughly $2.25 million that he would use their money to help build the company, which developed blood testing for various diseases, an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Camden alleges. The Atlantic County resident promised to “further develop and commercialize its products and services, for lab expenses, and to pay employee s…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Feds: Teaneck Owner Of 70 Multi-Family Properties Admits $150M Bank Fraud Scheme Feds: Teaneck Owner Of 70 Multi-Family Properties Admits $150M Bank Fraud Scheme
Feds: Teaneck Owner Of 70 Multi-Family Properties Admits $150M Bank Fraud Scheme A Teaneck landlord admitted in federal court this week that he orchestrated a $150 million bank and securities fraud scheme that lasted nearly 10 years. Seth Levine, 52, told a U.S. District Court judge in Newark via teleconference that he and others pocketed cash they received by illegally refinancing 70 multi-family buildings containing nearly 2,500 apartments. Levine said he lied on refinancing applications about the rents collected, the number of apartments leased, expenses and the true owners of the complex, Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Rachael A. Honig said. That wasn’t all: L…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
NJ Insurance Broker Admits Building BBQ Restaurant With More Than $1M Swindled From Investors NJ Insurance Broker Admits Building BBQ Restaurant With More Than $1M Swindled From Investors
NJ Insurance Broker Admits Building BBQ Restaurant With More Than $1M Swindled From Investors An insurance broker from Union County admitted in federal court Tuesday that he swindled unwitting investors out of more than $1 million that he sunk, instead, into a BBQ joint. Ivan Ramos, 39, of Hillside was working for New York Life when he sought out inexperienced investors from among customers who bought life insurance from him or people he met at company marketing events or through mutual acquaintances, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachel Honig said. He “led his victims to believe, through misrepresentations and omissions, that two entities that he controlled, Invexperts LLC and Wealth Seeds…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Bergen-Based Debt Reliever From Wayne Admits Scamming Victims Out Of $5 Million Bergen-Based Debt Reliever From Wayne Admits Scamming Victims Out Of $5 Million
Bergen-Based Debt Reliever From Wayne Admits Scamming Victims Out Of $5 Million A Bergen County lending company founder from Wayne who promised to help desperate, low-income customers pay off crushing loans admitted Thursday that he pushed them even further into debt while pocketing more than $5 million. Edward Espinal, 44, of Wayne, who pleaded guilty videoconference to securities fraud and conspiracy in exchange for leniency at sentencing, is “the quintessential con artist,” Acting FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas Korneski said. “He played a shell game with other people’s hard-earned money, making promises he never intended to keep, and walking away with ill-gott…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Morristown Adviser In Investment Scams Fined $750,000, Loses Registration Morristown Adviser In Investment Scams Fined $750,000, Loses Registration
Morristown Adviser In Investment Scams Fined $750,000, Loses Registration A Morristown investment adviser was fined $750,000 and had his registration pulled for selling more than $12 million of unregistered securities in New Jersey, some of which were tied to Ponzi schemes and other scams, state authorities said Tuesday. Gary Scheer, managing member and sole investment adviser representative of Retirement Financial Advisors, LLC in Morristown, recommended and sold unregistered securities to at least 50 investors from 2010 through 2018, state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said. He made more than $600,000 in commissions on the sales, which involved franchises, …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
FBI Nabs Alleged NJ Accomplice Of Accused Multi-Million-Dollar Blockchain Swindler FBI Nabs Alleged NJ Accomplice Of Accused Multi-Million-Dollar Blockchain Swindler
FBI Nabs Alleged NJ Accomplice Of Accused Multi-Million-Dollar Blockchain Swindler A notorious hedge fund manager who spent four years in prison for a massive scam in Canada adopted a new identity in New York, where he conspired with an Essex County woman in a $30 million blockchain investment scam that cashed in on the crypto tech boom, federal authorities charged. Edith Pardo, 68, of Bloomfield was arrested Friday by the FBI for her alleged role in the scam that U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said was orchestrated by Boaz Manor, 46, of Toronto. A federal grand jury indicted both on wire and securities fraud and conspiracy charges, Carpenito said. Pardo had an initial a…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Feds: Bergen-Based Debt Reliever From Wayne Scams Victims Out Of $5 Million Feds: Bergen-Based Debt Reliever From Wayne Scams Victims Out Of $5 Million
Feds: Bergen-Based Debt Reliever From Wayne Scams Victims Out Of $5 Million The founder of a Saddle Brook lending company promised to help desperate, low-income customers pay off crushing loans, then pushed them even further into debt, pocketing more than $5 million, said federal authorities who arrested him. Edward Espinal, 44, of Wayne advertised his Cash Flow company on YouTube, other social media and Spanish-language TV, sometimes using the Venezuelan telenovela actor Víctor Cámara, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Espinal, who was the company’s founder and CEO, ran a couple of scams beginning 3½ years ago and ending with his arrest by federal agents earlie…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Ex-Teaneck Tech Execs Paid India Government $2M Bribe For New Office Complex, Feds Charge Ex-Teaneck Tech Execs Paid India Government $2M Bribe For New Office Complex, Feds Charge
Ex-Teaneck Tech Execs Paid India Government $2M Bribe For New Office Complex, Feds Charge The former president and former chief legal officers of Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp in Teaneck paid government officials in India a $2 million bribe to pave the way for an office complex that would have supported thousands of employees and been of the company’s largest facilities there, a federal indictment charges. Steven Schwartz, 51, of Greenwich, Connecticut, and Gordon Coburn, 55, of Beaver Creek, Colorado, approved the payoff to secure the necessary permits for construction, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said Friday., To cover up the scheme, the pair and others “agreed that a …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Former Alpine Businessman Gets 19 Months In $5M Investment Scam Former Alpine Businessman Gets 19 Months In $5M Investment Scam
Former Alpine Businessman Gets 19 Months In $5M Investment Scam A former Alpine businessman who scammed investors out of more than $5 million was sentenced to 19 months in federal prison on Tuesday. James Trolice, 64, previously admitted selling investors interests in companies that he and Lee Vaccaro, 46, of Las Vegas, claimed held securities that “gave holders the right to buy common stock at a specific price within a certain time frame,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Trolice at the time was president and owner of Trolice Consulting Services LLC and president and chief marketing officer of eAgency, a California-based company that developed mobil…

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by Jerry DeMarco