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Feds: NJ Woman, 77, Embezzles $1M In Benefits Intended For Aunt Who Died In 1998 Feds: NJ Woman, 77, Embezzles $1M In Benefits Intended For Aunt Who Died In 1998
Feds: NJ Woman, 77, Embezzles $1M In Benefits Intended For Aunt Who Died In 1998 For the past 25 years, a South Orange woman has fraudulently collected more than $1 million in federal benefits intended for her dead aunt, authorities charged. Janis Miller -- who is now 77 years old -- even went as far as trying to impersonate her aunt in a phone conversation with a Social Security worker, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. However, she couldn’t come up with her aunt’s exact birthdate – just an approximation, he said. The embezzlement scheme came apart after that. Miller was brought before a federal judge in Newark on Thursday, Dec. 21, and was released on a $100,0…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Social Security Recipient's Death Not Reported, Bank Worker From Passaic Pockets $100,000: Feds Social Security Recipient's Death Not Reported, Bank Worker From Passaic Pockets $100,000: Feds
Social Security Recipient's Death Not Reported, Bank Worker From Passaic Pockets $100,000: Feds A Passaic man who worked at a bank in Nutley stole more than $100,000 worth of Social Security benefits from the government in the name of a deceased customer, federal authorities charged. The Social Security Administration wasn’t notified of the beneficiary’s death and continued depositing benefits at the commercial bank for more than four years, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said on Wednesday, Dec. 13. Bank employee Jorge Nova, 35, issued debit cards to himself in the beneficiary’s name that he used to drain the account, Sellinger said. Nova also “registered new accounts with a money…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Phone Scammer From Atlantic City Who Preyed On Recently Widowed Seniors Pleads Out: US Attorney Phone Scammer From Atlantic City Who Preyed On Recently Widowed Seniors Pleads Out: US Attorney
Phone Scammer From Atlantic City Who Preyed On Recently Widowed Seniors Pleads Out: US Attorney A heartless public housing tenant from Atlantic City admitted that she scammed elderly victims out of more than $100,000 by claiming that they owed money on life insurance policies bought by a spouse who’d just recently died. Victoria Crosby, 46, was receiving Social Security and Medicaid benefits when she targeted the victims, all of whom were over 70 years old, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. Crosby called the seniors on a burner phone and, using phony names, claimed to be an employee of a retirement benefit office in some instances and a life insurance company in others, the U.S.…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
NJ Man Who Cashed Dead Brother's Social Security Checks For 16 Years Heads To Federal Prison NJ Man Who Cashed Dead Brother's Social Security Checks For 16 Years Heads To Federal Prison
NJ Man Who Cashed Dead Brother's Social Security Checks For 16 Years Heads To Federal Prison An Essex County man who collected $237,000 in Social Security benefits for a brother who’d actually been dead for 16 years is headed to federal prison. Silvano Chable, 54, of Irvington, applied for the benefits in 2000 on behalf of his brother, who’d been paralyzed in a car crash, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. His brother collected checks for 10 months before dying in May 21, 2001, the U.S. attorney said. Rather than notify the Social Security Administration, Chable continued collecting – and cashing – the monthly benefit checks until late 2017, Sellinger said. Chable took a ple…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Business
NJ COVID Scammer Who Pocketed $1.8M In Taxpayer-Funded Rescue Loans Gets Three Years In Fed Pen NJ COVID Scammer Who Pocketed $1.8M In Taxpayer-Funded Rescue Loans Gets Three Years In Fed Pen
NJ COVID Scammer Who Pocketed $1.8M In Taxpayer-Funded Rescue Loans Gets Three Years In Fed Pen UPDATE: A North Jersey businessman who collected $1.8 million in COVID-19 pandemic loans that he wasn't entitled to, then diverted the money into accounts held by family members -- including his young children -- was sentenced to three years in federal prison on Wednesday. Rocco A. Malanga, 39, formerly of Hackettstown, must serve out the entire plea-bargained sentence approved by a U.S. District Court judge in Newark on March 22 because there’s no parole in the federal prison system. Malanga lied on documents to three different lenders to secure federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) mo…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Sussex Man Who Spent $5.6M COVID Relief Money On Stock Market, Luxury Car, More Sentenced Sussex Man Who Spent $5.6M COVID Relief Money On Stock Market, Luxury Car, More Sentenced
Sussex Man Who Spent $5.6M COVID Relief Money On Stock Market, Luxury Car, More Sentenced A Sussex County man was sentenced Tuesday to more than five years in federal prison for spending $5.6 million in federal COVID-19 pandemic business loans for himself, authorities said. Azhar Sarwar Rana, 31, of Newton will have to serve out just about all of the 64-month sentence because there's no parole in the federal prison system. The federal Paycheck Protection Program was designed to keep struggling small businesses afloat during the pandemic. Rana used the money, instead, to invest millions in the stock market, make a payment to a luxury car dealership and send hundreds of thous…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Teaneck Woman Assumes Dead Brother's ID To Get $20G In Social Security, Authorities Charge Teaneck Woman Assumes Dead Brother's ID To Get $20G In Social Security, Authorities Charge
Teaneck Woman Assumes Dead Brother's ID To Get $20G In Social Security, Authorities Charge A home health care worker from Teaneck assumed her dead brother’s identity to collect more than $20,000 in Social Security disability money, authorities charged. Wanda Lynn Sermon, 55, “failed to notify the Social Security Administration of her brother’s death and instead assumed control of his bank account,” Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said Wednesday. For the next 16 months, Musella said, Sermon “continued to access Social Security disability benefit funds intended for [him],” pocketing $20,438 in the process. Detectives from his Financial Crimes Unit began investigating this su…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Prosecutor: Bergen Woman, 73, Created Bogus Identity To Scam $37,000 In Social Security Funds Prosecutor: Bergen Woman, 73, Created Bogus Identity To Scam $37,000 In Social Security Funds
Prosecutor: Bergen Woman, 73, Created Bogus Identity To Scam $37,000 In Social Security Funds A 73-year-old Bergen County woman created a false identity to fraudulently pocket $37,000 in federal benefits, authorities said Thursday. Yun J. Kim of Ridgefield Park produced a Social Security number, a U.S. passport and a non-driver ID to apply for an receive supplemental security benefits that she wasn’t entitled to, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Kim was charged with theft by deception and tampering with public records following an investigation by Musella’s detectives with assistance from the New York field offices of the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Ins…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
FEDS: India-Based Phone Scammers Admit Conning Elderly NJ Victims Out Of $600,000 FEDS: India-Based Phone Scammers Admit Conning Elderly NJ Victims Out Of $600,000
Feds: India-Based Phone Scammers Admit Conning Elderly NJ Victims Out Of $600,000 Two Indian nationals admitted Wednesday that they conned mostly elderly New Jersey victims out of $600,000 through a variety of phone scams, including posing as government officials and online support techs. Zeeshan Khan, 22, and Maaz Ahmed Shamsi, 24, operated India-based call centers that made robocalls to mostly elderly U.S. residents, Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Rachael A. Honig said. Once contact was made, members of the international ring “would coerce or trick the victims into sending large sums of cash through physical shipments or wire transfers to other members of the cons…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Feds: Sussex Man Admits Spending $5.6M COVID Relief Money On Stock Market, Luxury Vehicle, More Feds: Sussex Man Admits Spending $5.6M COVID Relief Money On Stock Market, Luxury Vehicle, More
Feds: Sussex Man Admits Spending $5.6M COVID Relief Money On Stock Market, Luxury Vehicle, More A Sussex County man who was seized by federal agents as he tried to board a flight to Pakistan admitted fraudulently collecting $5.6 million in federal COVID-19 pandemic business loans that he put to personal use, authorities said. Azhar Sarwar Rana, 30, of Newton, used the money -- designed to keep struggling small businesses afloat during the pandemic – to millions in the stock market, make a payment to a luxury car dealership and send hundreds of thousands of dollars to accounts in Pakistan, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. Rana submitted an application for a stimulus loan und…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Feds: Sussex Scammer Used Dead People’s Names To Collect $1.9M In COVID Relief Feds: Sussex Scammer Used Dead People’s Names To Collect $1.9M In COVID Relief
Feds: Sussex Scammer Used Dead People’s Names To Collect $1.9M In COVID Relief A Sussex County scammer identified people who’d been dead for years as business partners to help collect $1.9 million from the federal fund established to help struggling companies during COVID-19, authorities charged. John Jhong, 51, of Sparta, also submitted phony IRS documents with bogus Paycheck Protection Program applications to the lenders on behalf of 10 purported businesses, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. Jhong converted a portion of the money intended for distressed businesses into a cashier’s check “that was used to fund a business account,” Honig said. Congress a ye…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
COVID-19: Feds Nab Fleeing Sussex Man Accused Of Pocketing $5.6M Small Biz Pandemic Loan COVID-19: Feds Nab Fleeing Sussex Man Accused Of Pocketing $5.6M Small Biz Pandemic Loan
Covid-19: Feds Nab Fleeing Sussex Man Accused Of Pocketing $5.6M Small Biz Pandemic Loan A Sussex County man who collected $5.6 million in federal COVID-19 pandemic loans that he wasn't entitled to was about to board a flight to Pakistan when federal agents arrested him, authorities said. Azhar Sarwar Rana, 30, of Newton, took the money -- designed to keep struggling small businesses afloat during the pandemic – and invested millions in the stock market, made a payment to a luxury car dealership and sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to accounts in Pakistan, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Rana submitted an application for a stimulus loan under the federal Paycheck Prote…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
NJ COVID-19 Scammer Pocketed $1.8M In Taxpayer-Funded Rescue Loans, Feds Charge NJ COVID-19 Scammer Pocketed $1.8M In Taxpayer-Funded Rescue Loans, Feds Charge
NJ Covid-19 Scammer Pocketed $1.8M In Taxpayer-Funded Rescue Loans, Feds Charge A North Jersey businessman fraudulently secured nearly $2 million in federal COVID-19 pandemic loans he wasn't entitled to, then diverted the money into accounts held by family members, including his young children, federal authorities charged. Rocco A. Malanga, 48, of Hackettstown, “used a variety of false statements to fraudulently obtain approximately $1.8 million in federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds meant for distressed small businesses,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said Thursday. He then diverted the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) money to “accounts under the control of his …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Feds Pursue Bank Accounts, Mansion Bought By Bergen Lawyer With $9M In COVID Relief Funds Feds Pursue Bank Accounts, Mansion Bought By Bergen Lawyer With $9M In COVID Relief Funds
Feds Pursue Bank Accounts, Mansion Bought By Bergen Lawyer With $9M In COVID Relief Funds Federal authorities have moved to seize 11 bank accounts, an investment account and a million-dollar Cresskill home bought by a Cliffside Park lawyer accused of scamming lenders out of $9M intended for small businesses crippled by COVID-19. Jae H. Choi, 48, got the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds from three lenders on behalf of non-existent businesses that he claimed provided educational services, an indictment returned by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in Newark alleges. Choi fabricated the existence of hundreds of employees, manipulated bank and tax records, and falsified a d…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Feds: Crew In NJ, NY, Michigan Conned Banks, Merchant Processors Out Of $3.5 Million Feds: Crew In NJ, NY, Michigan Conned Banks, Merchant Processors Out Of $3.5 Million
Feds: Crew In NJ, NY, Michigan Conned Banks, Merchant Processors Out Of $3.5 Million Federal agents arrested five people from New Jersey, New York and Michigan and were searching for two others Monday in connection with a $3.5 million bank fraud. Working together, the defendants defrauded several major banks and electronic merchant processors by creating shell companies that issued checks to one another, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. They also conducted “fraudulent credit card and debit card transactions between shell companies to fraudulently credit payee accounts and fraudulently overdraw payor accounts,” Carpenito said. The shell companies also issued temporary re…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
ALERT: Bergen Sheriff Warns Citizens Not To Fall For Arrest-Threat Phone Scam ALERT: Bergen Sheriff Warns Citizens Not To Fall For Arrest-Threat Phone Scam
ALERT: Bergen Sheriff Warns Citizens Not To Fall For Arrest-Threat Phone Scam Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton warned citizens again Tuesday about a phone scam by thieves impersonating department officers. The scammers are “spoofing” his office's general number, then posing as sheriff's officers threatening unsuspecting victims with arrest for what they say are outstanding summonses for failing to appear in court, he said. One scammer previously claimed to be with a "Division of Warrants and Citations" -- not an official title under the sheriff's command. “The Bergen County Sheriff's Office, IRS, Social Security, or any other legitimate business or governm…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
BEWARE: Residents Falling For Increasing IRS, Social Security Phone Scams, Glen Rock Police Say BEWARE: Residents Falling For Increasing IRS, Social Security Phone Scams, Glen Rock Police Say
Beware: Residents Falling For Increasing IRS, Social Security Phone Scams, Glen Rock Police Say At least two Glen Rock residents were conned into providing personal information to phone scammers – one of whom claimed to be from the IRS and two others who said they were Social Security agents who’d found a car registered to him at the Mexican border carrying 22 pounds of cocaine. The purported agents told a 93-year-old borough man that documents that indicated it was his car were found in the abandoned vehicle, Police Chief Glen Ackermann said. They also claimed that there was a warrant issued for his arrest and that he needed to confirm personal identification – which he unfortunately…

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by Jerry DeMarco