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Deadly Cheeses Prompt Massive Recall Nationwide: CDC, FDA, USDA Deadly Cheeses Prompt Massive Recall Nationwide: CDC, FDA, USDA
Deadly Cheeses Prompt Massive Recall Nationwide: CDC, FDA, USDA Dairy products linked to deaths and serious illness — sold nationwide at many major retailers — are being recalled, the Center for Disease Control, the US Department of Agriculture, and the Food And Drug Administration announced in multiple releases over the first week of February.  Rizo Lopez Foods, Inc. is recalling over 50 products after 26 illnesses, 23 hospitalizations, and 2 deaths, according to the CDC.  The California-based company issued the recall following the report of Listeria monocytogenes contamination causing illnesses in 11 states. Listeria monocytogene…

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by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
Democratic Senator Bob Menendez Indicted On Federal Bribery Charges Democratic Senator Bob Menendez Indicted On Federal Bribery Charges
Democratic Senator Bob Menendez Indicted On Federal Bribery Charges Democratic U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey was indicted Friday on federal corruption charges that include allegations of him secretly supporting the government of Egypt and trying to influence U.S. prosecutors' case against Bergen County real estate magnate Fred Daibes. Mendendez, 69, who's chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made several moves in exchange for bribes, some of which were passed to his wife, Nadine Arsianian, a sweeping indictment unsealed on Sept. 22 alleges. A staggering array of charges were brought by the grand jurors in the Southern District of N…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Cyber-Casanova From NJ Admits Duping Dozens Of Lonely Hearts Out Of $1.14M Cyber-Casanova From NJ Admits Duping Dozens Of Lonely Hearts Out Of $1.14M
Cyber-Casanova From NJ Admits Duping Dozens Of Lonely Hearts Out Of $1.14M A New Jersey man admitted that he orchestrated an online scam that conned dozens of unsuspecting women on dating sites out of more than a million dollars – and led one of them to suicide. Rubbin Sarpong, 37, of Millville pocketed the money and bought property in Ghana, along with luxury cars, expensive jewelry, top-shelf booze, designer clothes and more, federal authorities said. Then he flaunted it on Instagram. Sarpong had catfishing accomplices, several of whom live in Ghana, Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Rachael Honig said. Posing as American military personnel stationed oversea…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Wayne Couple Goes To Fed Pen For Buying $4.5M Worth Of Food Stamps At Their Paterson Grocery Wayne Couple Goes To Fed Pen For Buying $4.5M Worth Of Food Stamps At Their Paterson Grocery
Wayne Couple Goes To Fed Pen For Buying $4.5M Worth Of Food Stamps At Their Paterson Grocery A Wayne couple was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday for buying $4.5 million worth of food stamps from customers at a grocery store they managed in Paterson. Ibrahim Zughbi, 67, got 3½ years in a federal penitentiary while his wife, Miriam Zughbi, 63, also of Wayne, was sentenced to two years, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. Ibrahim Zughbi previously participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) when he was the owner of Neighborhood Supermarket, a medium-sized grocery store, Honig said. Administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, SNAP benefits –…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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'Murder Hornets': Media-Created Panic Scaring Some Into Killing Essential Insects, Experts Warn 'Murder Hornets': Media-Created Panic Scaring Some Into Killing Essential Insects, Experts Warn
'Murder Hornets': Media-Created Panic Scaring Some Into Killing Essential Insects, Experts Warn Continuing media reports about “murder hornets” have panicked an ignorant public into needlessly killing already-endangered bees and wasps, experts warn. Native bees, for instance, pollinate 75% of fruits, nuts and vegetables grown in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports. Yet even government beekeepers have announced plans to set traps that will kill some of these extremely essential insects, Doug Yanega, senior museum scientist for the Department of Entomology at UC Riverside, told the Los Angeles Times. SEE: Traps will be set out soon, KY officials say SEE: Ten…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
South Jersey Grocery Store Owner Admits $260,000 Food Stamp Scam South Jersey Grocery Store Owner Admits $260,000 Food Stamp Scam
South Jersey Grocery Store Owner Admits $260,000 Food Stamp Scam A Camden grocery store owner admitted trading drugs and cash for government-issued debit cards that he and several accomplices used to steal $260,000 in benefits intended for families in need. Luciano Estevez, 50, pleaded guilty on Wednesday via teleconference after federal agents caught him and three of the others in a sting, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, allows users to buy necessary groceries. Although exchanging SNAP cards for cash is illegal, Estevez and his acco…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Newark Grocery Store Father, Son Sentenced In $3.49M Federal SNAP Benefits Fraud Newark Grocery Store Father, Son Sentenced In $3.49M Federal SNAP Benefits Fraud
Newark Grocery Store Father, Son Sentenced In $3.49M Federal SNAP Benefits Fraud A Newark man was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison and his son to 15 months of home detention Thursday for blatantly exchanging federal food benefits for $3.49 million in cash. Juan Perdomo ran M&R Supermarket in Newark, which accepted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments through government-issued debit cards issued to families in need. The federally funded program, formerly known as food stamps, allows users to purchase food, but the benefit cannot be exchanged for cash. Authorities say Perdomo, along with his son, Jose, and wife, Maria Rodrigue…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Deer With Plastic Pumpkin Stuck To Head Rescued In Upper Saddle River Deer With Plastic Pumpkin Stuck To Head Rescued In Upper Saddle River
Deer With Plastic Pumpkin Stuck To Head Rescued In Upper Saddle River Recent reports of a deer roaming Upper Saddle River with a plastic pumpkin stuck to its head turned out to be true, said authorities who rescued the crippled creature on Tuesday. TYCO Animal Control officers based in Ho-Ho-Kus came to town and coordinated efforts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the New Jersey Division of Fish & and Wildlife to rescue the young deer, Police Chief Patrick Rotella said. "We'd been receiving calls from residents since the end of November reporting sightings of the deer," Rotella said. "Unfortunately we were unable to locate the animal. "We don…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Wayne Couple Admits Buying $4.5M Worth Of Food Stamps From Their Paterson Grocery Wayne Couple Admits Buying $4.5M Worth Of Food Stamps From Their Paterson Grocery
Wayne Couple Admits Buying $4.5M Worth Of Food Stamps From Their Paterson Grocery A married Wayne couple who managed a grocery store in Paterson under someone else's name admitted Wednesday in federal court that they bought $4.5 million worth of food stamps from customers. Ibrahim Zughbi, 65, and his 61-year-old wife, Miriam, opened Jamaica Meat Market, a medium-size grocery store, in January 2014. They were authorized to accept benefits provided by SNAP -- formerly known as the Food Stamp Program -- which is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Noticing a high volume deducted electronically through SNAP debit card…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
RECALL: 212 Pounds Of Meat, Veggies Shipped To New Jersey RECALL: 212 Pounds Of Meat, Veggies Shipped To New Jersey
Recall: 212 Pounds Of Meat, Veggies Shipped To New Jersey More than 212 pounds of ready-to-eat meat products with vegetables shipped to New Jersey are being recalled due to possible listeria and salmonella contamination, authorities said. Buddy's Kitchen Inc. of Minnesota produced the pork and chicken meals between October 2017 and 2018, which were shipped to several states including New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a release.  The number "P-4226" is located inside of the products' USDA mark of inspection. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Passaic County Worker Who Stole Food Stamps Gets Probation Passaic County Worker Who Stole Food Stamps Gets Probation
Passaic County Worker Who Stole Food Stamps Gets Probation A Passaic County social services clerk who used nearly $10,000 worth of food stamps turned in by poor clients for herself was sentenced Friday to five years probation and ordered to reimburse the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  Carol Austin, 62, of Paterson already agreed to forfeit her job and be permanently banned from holding any public office or “position of honor, trust or profit” in the state as part of a plea deal, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said. She also must repay the $9,995.84 she stole to the government. Austin “was working for the Passaic County Board of Soci…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Passaic County Social Services Worker Admits Stealing Food Stamps Passaic County Social Services Worker Admits Stealing Food Stamps
Passaic County Social Services Worker Admits Stealing Food Stamps PATERSON, N.J. – A Passaic County social services clerk admitted using used food stamps turned in by poor clients for herself. Carol Austin, 62, of Paterson agreed to forfeit her job and be permanently banned from holding any public office or “position of honor, trust or profit” in the state as part of a plea deal, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said Friday. In exchange, she’ll be ordered to serve up to 364 days in the Passaic County Jail and pay restitution of more than $500 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the prosecutor said. Austin “was working for the Passaic County…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Feds: Grocery Managers From Wayne Sold $4M Worth Of Food Stamps For Cash Feds: Grocery Managers From Wayne Sold $4M Worth Of Food Stamps For Cash
Feds: Grocery Managers From Wayne Sold $4M Worth Of Food Stamps For Cash WAYNE, N.J. -- A married Wayne couple who managed a grocery store sold $4 million worth of food stamps for cash, federal authorities charged. Ibrahim Zughbi, 64, Miriam Zughbi, 59, have operated Jamaica Meat Market, a medium-size grocery store in Paterson, since January 2014. They were authorized to accept benefits provided by SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said."Retail food stores approved for participation in SNAP may sell food in exchange for SNAP benefits," Carpenito sai…

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by Jerry DeMarco