NJ Biz Owner Didn't Give Hurt Landscaper Worker's Comp, Woman Stole $19K In Unemployment: AG NJ Biz Owner Didn't Give Hurt Landscaper Worker's Comp, Woman Stole $19K In Unemployment: AG
NJ Biz Owner Didn't Give Hurt Landscaper Worker's Comp, Woman Stole $19K In Unemployment: AG Two New Jersey residents are facing federal charges for failing to provide workers compensation to an injured employee and stealing more than $19,000 in unemployment funds, authorities said. Richard Hockenberry, 71, of Hawthorne, and Brianna Larkins, 34, of Secaucus, were both charged by way of indictment for the employment benefit-related crimes, Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Monday, May 9. One of Hockneberry's employees at his landscaping company became injured at work on Feb. 26, 2018, Platkin said. On May 4, 2018, the victim filed a Workers’ Compensation…
Cliffside PD: Essex Man Caught Trying To Cash Bogus Check After Parking Illegally Outside Bank Cliffside PD: Essex Man Caught Trying To Cash Bogus Check After Parking Illegally Outside Bank
Cliffside PD: Essex Man Caught Trying To Cash Bogus Check After Parking Illegally Outside Bank GOTCHA! An Essex County man driving a sedan being sought by New Jersey State Police was caught trying to cash a bogus check for nearly $9,000 at a Cliffside Park bank after he parked illegally, authorities said. Police Officer Steve Mantilla had a feeling something wasn't right when he spotted the Mercedes C-Class in a frequently-violated no-parking zone in front of the Wells Fargo Bank on Anderson Avenue, Deputy Police Chief Vincent Capano said. Mantilla ran the license plate and discovered an alert for the sedan after its driver eluded State Police, Capano said. Charles C. Okeke, 19, of …
NJ: Elderly Siblings With 8th-Grade Educations Swindled In $500,000 Investment Scam NJ: Elderly Siblings With 8th-Grade Educations Swindled In $500,000 Investment Scam
NJ: Elderly Siblings With 8th-Grade Educations Swindled In $500,000 Investment Scam A former investment adviser swindled four elderly New Jersey customers out of $529,780 that he used for gambling, meals and car payments, state authorities said. Three of the victims conned by Mario E. Rivero, Jr. were elderly siblings who had eighth-grade educations, couldn't speak or read English and had "diminished capacity," Acting New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said on Monday, March 14. Rivero -- who'd known the siblings for more than 10 years before becoming their financial professional -- told them and others that their money "would be invested in his mother's and fr…
ID Thieves Had Dozens Of Fake DLs, Debit Cards, Social Security Cards, More: Hawthorne PD ID Thieves Had Dozens Of Fake DLs, Debit Cards, Social Security Cards, More: Hawthorne PD
ID Thieves Had Dozens Of Fake DLs, Debit Cards, Social Security Cards, More: Hawthorne PD A New York City couple who both tried giving Hawthorne police fake IDs during a traffic stop had a trove of phony driver’s licenses, debit cards, Social Security cards and checks in other people’s names with them, authorities said. Various violations led police to stop their 2006 BMW 525, which had a temporary registration tag that didn’t belong to the vehicle, on Rea Avenue near Goffle Road around 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, Detective Lt. Matthew Hoogmoed said. After arresting both, police found “the driver’s licenses of 29 people as well as numerous TD bank debit cards,” Hoogmoed said. “T…
NJ Scammer Admits Selling Bogus Tom Brady Super Bowl Rings NJ Scammer Admits Selling Bogus Tom Brady Super Bowl Rings
NJ Scammer Admits Selling Bogus Tom Brady Super Bowl Rings A 24-year-old New Jersey man pleaded guilty to fraud for pretending to be a New England Patriots player to buy and sell Super Bowl rings engraved with Tom Brady's last name, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday, Feb. 2. Scott V. Spina Jr., of Roseland, could face decades in prison when he's sentenced May 23, for charges of mail fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft, authorities said. Spina's guilty plea comes one day after the quarterback announced his retirement after 22 seasons and seven Super Bowl titles. Spina ordered three replica Super Bo…
Contractor Used $75K Downpayment To Gamble In AC, Buy Boat, Bogus Rolex: Prosecutor Contractor Used $75K Downpayment To Gamble In AC, Buy Boat, Bogus Rolex: Prosecutor
Contractor Used $75K Downpayment To Gamble In AC, Buy Boat, Bogus Rolex: Prosecutor A 51-year-old contractor from South Jersey has been arrested for taking nearly $75,000 for a construction project then blowing it in Atlantic City, a new boat and a new car, authorities said. An investigation into Richard A. Smith Jr., of Williamstown, began in December 2021, after a Riverton resident told police that Smith, who owns Beyond Renovations LLC, took two payments for wok on an addition, Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Riverton Police Chief John Shaw said. Instead of doing the work, Smith used the money to visit Atlantic City casinos to play in a poker tournament, …
Cold Feet? Makeup Artist Charged With Fraud After Skipping Weddings In 5 States But Kept Funds Cold Feet? Makeup Artist Charged With Fraud After Skipping Weddings In 5 States But Kept Funds
Cold Feet? Makeup Artist Charged With Fraud After Skipping Weddings In 5 States But Kept Funds Imagine it's the day before your wedding. You've planned a beautiful event and you have your perfect hair and makeup look picked out to go with your dream dress-- you have even hired a special makeup and hair artist. Then you receive a message via social media saying that the makeup and hair artist is not coming, the service you have already been paid for will not be refunded, and when you go to respond you are "blocked." That's what happened to 18 women in five states. Holly Ann (Klein) Boyer, 37, registered owner of DBA: Extreme Beauty, located at 2421 Scenic Drive, Manheim in Penn Townsh…
Wayne Police Nab Wanted NYC Man At Mall Eatery, Forced To Release Him Under Bail Reform Wayne Police Nab Wanted NYC Man At Mall Eatery, Forced To Release Him Under Bail Reform
Wayne Police Nab Wanted NYC Man At Mall Eatery, Forced To Release Him Under Bail Reform A Wayne police detective nabbed a wanted man from Brooklyn who was carrying phony credit cards after he tried using one of them, authorities said. Police booked him, then had to let him go under bail reform. It began when a group of officers responded to the Dave and Buster’s at the Willowbrook Mall last week on a report of a group trying to use a bogus credit card. A manager told the responders that the same group “was in the establishment the week before attempting to use multiple credit cards that were declined,” Detective Capt. Dan Daly said. The group had returned and were trying to u…
MURDER IN MADRID: NJ-Born Tycoon Poisoned, Robbed In Hotel Room, Authorities Say MURDER IN MADRID: NJ-Born Tycoon Poisoned, Robbed In Hotel Room, Authorities Say
Murder IN Madrid: Nj-born Tycoon Poisoned, Robbed In Hotel Room, Authorities Say A New Jersey-born yacht company tycoon was robbed and killed by men he’d invited back to his luxury hotel room in Madrid, authorities there said. Investigators at first believed that José Rosado, 43, died of natural causes after combining drugs and alcohol. Charges on his credit card led them in another direction, however. Authorities in Madrid on Monday arrested two men accused of killing Rosado with a fatal dose of Ecstasy during a robbery at the luxurious Westin Palace Hotel on Oct. 29 and then going on a shopping spree with his AmEx card. One of the defendants, from Morocco, had 1…
Ex-Jet Josh Bellamy Sentenced To Federal Prison For Bogus $1.2M COVID Relief Loan Ex-Jet Josh Bellamy Sentenced To Federal Prison For Bogus $1.2M COVID Relief Loan
Ex-Jet Josh Bellamy Sentenced To Federal Prison For Bogus $1.2M COVID Relief Loan Former NY Jet Josh Bellamy was sentenced to prison time for fraudulently claiming more than $1.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds that he spent on luxury items and a Hard Rock Hotel stay, federal prosecutors said. The 32-year-old Florida resident was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison last Friday, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, court papers show. The former NFL athlete also must pay restitution. Bellamy obtained a Paycheck Protection Program loan of $1.2 million for his company, Drip Entertainment LLC, under bogus documents and false inf…
9 Charged With Stealing $1.3M Worth of Vehicles In NJ, NY, PA, CT, MA, Shipping Them Overseas 9 Charged With Stealing $1.3M Worth of Vehicles In NJ, NY, PA, CT, MA, Shipping Them Overseas
9 Charged With Stealing $1.3M Worth of Vehicles In NJ, NY, PA, CT, MA, Shipping Them Overseas An international ring of identity thieves stole $1.3 million worth of vehicles and watercraft from dealerships in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts using fraudulently obtained digital driver's licenses, authorities charged. Nine defendants used the stolen identities of U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico -- along with fake Puerto Rico driver’s licenses, Social Security cards, debit cards and birth certificates -- to obtain the licenses from motor vehicle agencies in Jersey City and North Bergen, Acting New Jersey Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck said. They used thos…
Philly Influencer Used Social Media Following To Rip Off Black Community, AG's Lawsuit Says Philly Influencer Used Social Media Following To Rip Off Black Community, AG's Lawsuit Says
Philly Influencer Used Social Media Following To Rip Off Black Community, AG's Lawsuit Says A Philadelphia business owner is facing a lawsuit filed by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro accusing her of using her social media presence to steal thousands of dollars from consumers. The suit alleges that Dana Chanel, whose real name is Casey Olivera, and co-owners of the four businesses named "misled consumers and failed to deliver goods and services as promised." “Dana Chanel built a following online by presenting herself as a black woman-owned small business success story,” Shaprio said. “She advertised the products of her companies as a way for other black small business ow…