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New Jersey Attorney General’s Office

Bergen County Man Defrauds Childhood Friend Out Of $84K In Investment Scam: AG Bergen County Man Defrauds Childhood Friend Out Of $84K In Investment Scam: AG
Bergen County Man Defrauds Childhood Friend Out Of $84K In Investment Scam: AG A Bergen County man and his associate are accused of scamming a childhood friend into liquidating her retirement account to fund a software venture, then misusing the money for personal expenses, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office announced. Michael Lakshin of Fair Lawn and Edward "Eddie" Aizman of Brooklyn, NY, along with their company Bowmo, Inc., face a civil enforcement action for defrauding at least one New Jersey investor, according to a complaint filed by the New Jersey Bureau of Securities on Friday, Nov. 22. Lakshin, leveraging a childhood connection, persuaded the investor t…
AG IDs Man Who Plunged To His Death During Hudson County Police Pursuit AG IDs Man Who Plunged To His Death During Hudson County Police Pursuit
AG IDs Man Who Plunged To His Death During Hudson County Police Pursuit The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has identified the man who died during a police encounter in Hudson County last week as a 26-year-old Texas man. Authorities on Friday, Nov. 22, named Brandon Lee Ortega as the individual who died following a foot chase with Guttenberg police on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The incident began around 11:02 p.m. when officers responded to 68th Street and Bellevue Avenue for a reported disturbance. Police were informed that one of the individuals involved, later identified as Ortega, was armed with a gun, according to the Attorney General’s Office. Guttenberg Pol…
VIDEO: Stolen Porsche Crashes Into Newark Building After Officer Shoots At Driver VIDEO: Stolen Porsche Crashes Into Newark Building After Officer Shoots At Driver
Video: Stolen Porsche Crashes Into Newark Building After Officer Shoots At Driver The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has released footage from body-worn cameras related to a non-fatal police shooting that happened last August and involved a stolen Porsche. The shooting involved Newark Police Officer Alexander Ferreira and his partner on Aug. 12, around 8:35 p.m., when Ferreira and the officers spotted a Porsche Macan parked on Clinton Place near Hawthorne Avenue, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. Determining the vehicle was stolen, Ferreira and his partner positioned their patrol car in front of the Porsche and approached the occupant, a m…
Officer Kills Knife-Wielding Man In NJ Apartment Complex Stairwell: AG Officer Kills Knife-Wielding Man In NJ Apartment Complex Stairwell: AG
Officer Kills Knife-Wielding Man In NJ Apartment Complex Stairwell: AG A knife-wielding man in the stairwell of an apartment complex in Camden County was shot and killed by a police officer, authorities said. members of the Haddon Township Police Department responded to a 9-1-1 call regarding an attempted burglary in progress at an apartment complex located on West Crystal Lake Avenue in Westmont around 1:05 a.m., New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. Shortly after arrival, officers encountered a male in the stairwell armed with a knife. During an interaction in the stairwell, an officer fired his service weapon, striking the male, Platkin said.&nb…
Man Killed By Police In South Jersey Identified, Details Released Man Killed By Police In South Jersey Identified, Details Released
Man Killed By Police In South Jersey Identified, Details Released Authorities have released details and identified the man killed by police on Saturday, Oct. 19in Burlington County. Officers responding to smoke coming from a Pemberton home on Woodland Avenue around 3:20 p.m., New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. They were notified that a man later identified as Marvin Taylor, 57, had a firearm and was in the backyard. Officers commanded Taylor to drop the weapon, as they positioned themselves in the wood-lined area behind the home. Taylor exchanged gunfire with Kyle McQueen, a Pemberton Township officer, and was struck and killed by gu…
Unlicensed Bergen County Mover Among 23 Fined In Undercover Operation: AG Unlicensed Bergen County Mover Among 23 Fined In Undercover Operation: AG
Unlicensed Bergen County Mover Among 23 Fined In Undercover Operation: AG Twenty-three unlicensed movers have been issued notices of violation and assessed civil penalties totaling $125,000, New Jersey officials said. The penalties were the results of "Operation Safe Move," a state-led undercover operation targeting movers doing business without being licensed by the Division, as required by law, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said (scroll for a list of companies and what they're being fined). The civil enforcement investigation was conducted over a three-day period in June, in which investigators with the Division’s Office of Consumer Protectio…
Man Dies Following Police Encounter In Bayonne: AG Man Dies Following Police Encounter In Bayonne: AG
Man Dies Following Police Encounter In Bayonne: AG The New Jersey Attorney General's Office said it is investigating after a man died following an encounter with Bayonne police on the early morning of Monday, Sept. 16. At 12:18 a.m., police responded to an apartment building on Broadway after a 911 caller reported hearing a lot of screaming from the apartment, the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability said.  Officers approached the residence and heard yelling coming from the inside, authorities said. Officers encountered the man who had been yelling and requested medical assistance, authorities said. Police&…
Paramus Bank Burglar Torches Paterson DPW Building Hours After Release: Police Paramus Bank Burglar Torches Paterson DPW Building Hours After Release: Police
Paramus Bank Burglar Torches Paterson DPW Building Hours After Release: Police A 32-year-old New York man arrested for faking a slashing while burglarizing a Paramus bank set fire to a DPW building in Paterson hours after being released, Daily Voice has learned. Jonathan Gardner, of Canastota and Schenectady, was captured on video pouring gasoline on a structure behind the DPW building on 800 Broadway (Pennington Park) in Paterson just after 1 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 2, a spokesperson from the New Jersey Attorney General's Office said.  He was found sitting near the scene and was lodged in the Bergen County Jail on charges of aggravated arson, burglary, a…
'I'll Stab You In The F—ing Neck:' New Video Sheds Light On Fort Lee Woman's PD Involved Death 'I'll Stab You In The F—ing Neck:' New Video Sheds Light On Fort Lee Woman's PD Involved Death
'I'll Stab You In The F—ing Neck:' New Video Sheds Light On Fort Lee Woman's PD Involved Death The New Jersey Attorney General's Office has released bodycam footage of the shooting of Victoria Lee on Sunday, July 28. The footage appears to confirm what 25-year-old Lee's family said in a statement last week: That she was holding a water jug when officers kicked in the door, shot, and killed her. But, what authorities had not said until releasing the footage is that when officers told Lee through her family's apartment door at The Pinnacle that they were going to break it down, she said: "Go ahead, I’ll stab you in the f—ing neck," which she can be heard saying in the bodycam foot…
Woman, 26, Shot Dead By Police At Fort Lee High-Rise Identified Woman, 26, Shot Dead By Police At Fort Lee High-Rise Identified
Woman, 26, Shot Dead By Police At Fort Lee High-Rise Identified The New Jersey Attorney General's Office has identified the woman who was killed by Fort Lee police officers at a local high-rise apartment complex last month. Police were called to "The Pinnacle" apartments on Main Street around 1:25 a.m. Sunday, July 28, after Victoria G. Lee's brother called 9-1-1 saying she was having a mental health crisis and needed to go to the hospital, AG Matthew Paltkin said. The caller also said that his 26-year-old sister was holding a knife. A responding officer spoke to the 9-1-1 caller in the hallway of the building before opening the door to the apartm…
Newark Felon Charged With Child Rape In PA: Police Newark Felon Charged With Child Rape In PA: Police
Newark Felon Charged With Child Rape In PA: Police A New Jersey man with a felony criminal record in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey has been arrested on child rape charges police announced on Thursday, Aug. 1.  Jose Enrique "Enrico" Rivas, 47 of Newark, NJ, was arrested in New Jersey on a warrant issued by Lebanon City Police on Wednesday, July 31, as detailed in the police release. Rivas will be extradited to Lebanon, PA, the police explained.  A 13-year-old girl's guardian made the ChildLine call after the girl told them "I woke to his fingers in me and then he put his pp in me" and "I was just raped and he is still upstairs,…
Harrowing Bodycam Footage Shows NJ Gunman Firing Rapidly At Police Before He's Shot Dead Harrowing Bodycam Footage Shows NJ Gunman Firing Rapidly At Police Before He's Shot Dead
Harrowing Bodycam Footage Shows NJ Gunman Firing Rapidly At Police Before He's Shot Dead The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has released footage from two police body-worn cameras capturing a shootout that left a 44-year-old man dead last March. Hamilton (Mercer County) officers were responded to an Orchard Avenue home for a domestic dispute just after 10 p.m. March 8, AG Matthew Platkin said. Hamilton Township Police Officers Derek Fiabane and Paul Piromalli were met with someone, apparently the 911 caller, who told officers that Vincent Correa was drunk and acting "a little bit out of control." They also said he was a hunter and had "a lot of guns" in the basement. Wit…
Details Released: Perth Amboy Officer Shot In Rahway Was Serving Warrant, Officials Say Details Released: Perth Amboy Officer Shot In Rahway Was Serving Warrant, Officials Say
Details Released: Perth Amboy Officer Shot In Rahway Was Serving Warrant, Officials Say A Perth Amboy police officer is in stable condition after being shot in the line of duty in Rahway Wednesday evening, July 24, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office said. Rahway Mayor Raymond Giacobbe said the officer had been serving a search warrant alongside local police when the suspects tried to flee the scene. Reports say it happened along Broad Street. "During this incident, one suspect discharged a firearm, striking a Perth Amboy Police Officer in the leg," the mayor said. The officer was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick with a no…
Bodycam Footage Shows Response To Deadly Pedestrian Crash Involving Police Car In South Jersey Bodycam Footage Shows Response To Deadly Pedestrian Crash Involving Police Car In South Jersey
Bodycam Footage Shows Response To Deadly Pedestrian Crash Involving Police Car In South Jersey The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has released radio communications and bodycam footage of the police response to a deadly pedestrian crash involving a police vehicle last November. Christofe “Christopher” Wita, 44, of Berlin, was struck by a Waterford police vehicle in the Atco section of Waterford on Nov. 23, 2023, Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. The fatal police encounter is under investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA).  Click here to view the footage and listen to the radio transmissions. Wita was struck by on-duty Waterford P…
Racial Discrimination, Sexist Language Rampant Within NJ Ironworkers Union Facing Lawsuit: AG Racial Discrimination, Sexist Language Rampant Within NJ Ironworkers Union Facing Lawsuit: AG
Racial Discrimination, Sexist Language Rampant Within NJ Ironworkers Union Facing Lawsuit: AG A local ironworkers union is facing a lawsuit filed by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office alleging discrimination against Black members. Ironworkers Local 11 — a labor union with a Springfield-based training facility — that operates a hiring hall, is accused of "systematically bypassing Black union members for jobs and giving such workers less desirable assignments," Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said on Monday, June 24. The complaint accuses the union's business manager from 2008 to 2022, Raymond Woodall, its leadership and its members of repeatedly using racist slurs…
LAWSUIT: Former Warren County Prosecutor Wants His Job Back LAWSUIT: Former Warren County Prosecutor Wants His Job Back
Lawsuit: Former Warren County Prosecutor Wants His Job Back James Pfeiffer, who abruptly retired as Warren County Prosecutor in April, has filed a lawsuit claiming he was unlawfully removed from the position.  The complaint, filed against New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin and Gov. Phil Murphy in Superior Court of New Jersey, said he remains the duly appointed Prosecutor for Warren County and wants his job back. In April, Platkin took over the Warren County Prosecutor's Office, forcing out Pfeiffer amid a state ethics probe. Pfeiffer was replaced by Anthony Picione.  A spokesman said it resulted over an investigation from the…
UPDATE: State Authorities Probe Police Vehicle Crash In Sussex County That Killed Woman, 19 UPDATE: State Authorities Probe Police Vehicle Crash In Sussex County That Killed Woman, 19
Update: State Authorities Probe Police Vehicle Crash In Sussex County That Killed Woman, 19 State authorities are investigating a police-involved Memorial Day crash in Sussex County that killed a 19-year-old passenger in a private vehicle. The on-duty officer's car T-boned the civilian vehicle outside the ShopRite of Franklin shopping center on Route 23 at Walsh Road, according to witnesses, shortly after 10:30 a.m. May 27. Deanna D’Arco was rushed to Morristown Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 12:45 a.m. Wednesday.  Her organs were donated through the New Jersey Sharing Network. ****** GoFundMe verified a fundraiser to help support D'Arco's family cov…
Emaciated Dog Among 120 Rescued From NJ Compound, New Litter Of 6 Almost Ready For Adoption Emaciated Dog Among 120 Rescued From NJ Compound, New Litter Of 6 Almost Ready For Adoption
Emaciated Dog Among 120 Rescued From NJ Compound, New Litter Of 6 Almost Ready For Adoption Kirsten Peek remembers the first time she laid eyes on Janet Jackson. "She was very friendly, eager for attention," said Peek, the public informations officer for the Humane Society of the United States.  "She was standing at the edge of this baron kennel [in Cumberland County] wagging her tail, giving 'pet me' eyes. I could see everyone one of her vertebrae and hip bones over a huge, pregnant belly." Janet Jackson was among 120 abused dogs rescued from a large-scale nationally-known dogfighting enterprise run by a convicted Atlantic County druglord on April 3, as previously repo…
Man Taken Into Custody In 'Active Distress'In Brick Township Dies At Hospital: AG Man Taken Into Custody In 'Active Distress'In Brick Township Dies At Hospital: AG
Man Taken Into Custody In 'Active Distress'In Brick Township Dies At Hospital: AG A man who police in Brick found "in a state of active distress" died at Ocean University Medical Center nearly 90 minutes later, authorities said. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin’s office is reviewing the incident because state law and his own guidelines require him to investigate any death that follows an encounter with law enforcement. Preliminarily, Platkin said, it appears Brick Township officers handcuffed the man after finding him in the street in the area of Wisteria Drive and Vermont Drive, then brought him to a grassy area nearby and summoned EMS, shortly before 4:…
Scooter Driver Killed In Jersey Shore Crash Involving Police Officer Identified: State AG Scooter Driver Killed In Jersey Shore Crash Involving Police Officer Identified: State AG
Scooter Driver Killed In Jersey Shore Crash Involving Police Officer Identified: State AG New Jersey's Attorney General has identified the scooter driver killed in a Monmouth County crash and the police officer involved in the wreck. Guyvenson Innocent, 35, of Beachwood, died in the crash on Monday, Apr. 15, the state Attorney General's office said in a news release on Wednesday, May 1. The crash happened on Route 35 South near Sunset Avenue in Ocean Township at around 9:08 p.m. Investigators said Ocean Township police officer Ryan Deceglie was on duty when his marked vehicle and "multiple civilian vehicles" crashed. Officer Deceglie and the other drivers in the c…
Local NJ Police Sergeant Took Child Porn Images From Investigation For Himself: AG Local NJ Police Sergeant Took Child Porn Images From Investigation For Himself: AG
Local NJ Police Sergeant Took Child Porn Images From Investigation For Himself: AG A local South Jersey police sergeant cherry-picked child porn images for himself from a case that his department was investigating, a grand jury indictment charges. Suspended Vineland Police Officer Christopher Ortiz, 39, of Estell Manor "requested from a subordinate and obtained via email" at least 17 images from a child pornography investigation for unauthorized use, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. All told, investigators found that Ortiz "possessed, viewed, or had under his control at least 100 items depicting the sexual exploitation or abuse of children," the attorney …
COLD CASE: Two Charged 16 Years After NJ Robbery Victim Is Beaten To Death, Thanks To New Tech COLD CASE: Two Charged 16 Years After NJ Robbery Victim Is Beaten To Death, Thanks To New Tech
Cold CASE: Two Charged 16 Years After NJ Robbery Victim Is Beaten To Death, Thanks To New Tech UPDATE: Leroy Julious had planned on whipping up a celebratory dinner after cashing a bonus check from his cook's job at The College of New Jersey when his brutally beaten body was found in a gravel lot across the street from his Ewing home. Julious's murder went unsolved for 16 years -- until authorities announced that technological advances and a shared mission among various agencies and law enforcement forensic experts cracked the cold case. Breyon Goodman, 36, of Trenton, and Jason Howard, 41, of Providence, R.I. killed Julious during a robbery near his Ewing home on May 9, 2008, t…
Officer Justified Shooting Knife-Wielding Englewood Man During Struggle Officer Justified Shooting Knife-Wielding Englewood Man During Struggle
Officer Justified Shooting Knife-Wielding Englewood Man During Struggle UPDATE: An Englewood police officer was justified in shooting a man who'd just stabbed three people, a grand jury ruled on Monday, April 22, following a state-required review. Chilling bodycam videos clearly show Englewood Police Officer Luana Sharpe and other officers were struggling over a knife with 22-year-old city resident Bernard Placide when she shot him on Labor Day 2022. A grand jury review was nonetheless required under New Jersey law because Placide died during an encounter with law enforcement. Evidence was collected by investigators with the state Office of Public Integrity an…
Scooter Rider Killed In Jersey Shore Crash Involving Police Officer, State AG Says Scooter Rider Killed In Jersey Shore Crash Involving Police Officer, State AG Says
Scooter Rider Killed In Jersey Shore Crash Involving Police Officer, State AG Says A man riding a motorized scooter was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on Route 35 in Monmouth County that involved a local police officer, state authorities said. The crash occurred on the highway's southbound side near Sunset Avenue in Ocean Township shortly after 9 p.m. Monday, April 15, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said on Tuesday. The identity of the scooter rider, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was temporarily being withheld, as was the name of the on-duty Ocean Township officer, Platkin said. Neither the officer nor anyone else involved in the crash was injured, …
NO CHOICE: Police Justified Shooting Knife-Wielding NJ Man, Grand Jury Finds NO CHOICE: Police Justified Shooting Knife-Wielding NJ Man, Grand Jury Finds
NO Choice: Police Justified Shooting Knife-Wielding NJ Man, Grand Jury Finds UPDATE: Police were justified in shooting a New Jersey man seen on bodycam video charging at an officer with a knife, a grand jury investigation required by state law found. Luke Mendez, 26, had his wrapped around the knife handle as he barreled down the steps of an Old Bridge home last April 24. Mendez was only two steps from the landing -- less than three feet from an Old Bridge officer -- when he left police no choice. Mendez was pronounced dead at a local hospital about 90 minutes later. Grand jurors reviewed various evidence but didn't really need any more than the bodycam video…
NJ Attorney General Takes Over Warren County Prosecutor's Office As Pfeiffer Abruptly Retires NJ Attorney General Takes Over Warren County Prosecutor's Office As Pfeiffer Abruptly Retires
NJ Attorney General Takes Over Warren County Prosecutor's Office As Pfeiffer Abruptly Retires New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin took over the Warren County Prosecutor's Office after apparently forcing the man who held the job to retire amid a state ethics probe. Platkin announced on Friday, April 5, that he'd replaced James Pfeiffer "effective immediately" with a highly-respected deputy, Anthony Picione, whom he called "a native son of Warren County and a career prosecutor and public servant who has dedicated his career to the public good and rooting out corruption." Platkin has yet to disclose why the move was made. A spokesman said it resulted from an investigation by&n…
Only Two Arrests Made At Trouble-Free Israeli Real Estate Protest In Teaneck, Police Chief Says Only Two Arrests Made At Trouble-Free Israeli Real Estate Protest In Teaneck, Police Chief Says
Only Two Arrests Made At Trouble-Free Israeli Real Estate Protest In Teaneck, Police Chief Says Two out-of-towners were arrested after they threw liquid on protestors near the end of a controversial Israeli real estate showcase at a Teaneck synagogue, authorities said. The two assaults were the only incidents after what had been several hours of orderly demonstrations on Sunday, March 10, that drew thousands of participants and onlookers. The ongoing Israel-Hamas war stoked concerns over staging such an event, which reportedly involved information on some properties in West Bank settlements that the United States has considered illegal. The protests weren't only two-sided. Boyd A…
STAR WITNESS: What Does Menendez Co-Defendant's Deal With The Government Mean? STAR WITNESS: What Does Menendez Co-Defendant's Deal With The Government Mean?
STAR Witness: What Does Menendez Co-Defendant's Deal With The Government Mean? A New Jersey businessman admitted in federal court that he helped U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife buy a $60,000 convertible in exchange for protecting two associates from a state insurance fraud investigation. Jose Uribe, 56, of Clifton, agreed to “cooperate fully” with a federal investigation of the powerful lawmaker from Hudson County, and others, as part of a deal that he cut with the government. In exchange, federal prosecutors will ask the judge to go easy on him. Uribe pleaded guilty in the Southern U.S. District Court of New York in Manhattan on Friday, March 1, to wire fraud, o…
WATCH: Video Shows Ex-Con Killed In Shootout With Police On Garden State Parkway WATCH: Video Shows Ex-Con Killed In Shootout With Police On Garden State Parkway
Watch: Video Shows Ex-Con Killed In Shootout With Police On Garden State Parkway Chilling video shows a fleeing ex-con slamming a stolen van into a Garden State Parkway guardrail, emerging through the driver’s side window and exchanging gunfire with police who shoot him dead. Kevin Harlfinger, 40, of Perth Amboy comes through the window firing after the work van smashes head-on into the end of the guardrail at Exit 131 of the southbound Parkway in Woodbridge during a high-speed police pursuit less than two months ago, a collection of videos released by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office shows. Harlfinger, in a hoodie and knit hat, begins climbing out the window an…
CFO Once Sued By NJ Firm Accused Of Embezzling $1.5M CFO Once Sued By NJ Firm Accused Of Embezzling $1.5M
CFO Once Sued By NJ Firm Accused Of Embezzling $1.5M A 61-year-old Westfield resident was charged with embezzling more than $1.5 million from the law firm where he worked as chief financial officer, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office said. John Dunlea was the CFO at McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, a national law firm based in Morristown, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said.  Between 2017 and 2022, Dunlea misappropriated funds from the firm by paying himself $1.2 million. He also rung up $355,256 in charges on the company credit card, paying for flights, hotels and restaurants for himself and his family, Platki…
Fugitive Hunted In 'Bling Bishop' Robbery Killed By US Marshals In NJ Hotel Shootout Fugitive Hunted In 'Bling Bishop' Robbery Killed By US Marshals In NJ Hotel Shootout
Fugitive Hunted In 'Bling Bishop' Robbery Killed By US Marshals In NJ Hotel Shootout 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦: A fugitive wanted for robbing a "bling" bishop from Bergen County during an online service was killed by U.S. Marshals Wednesday afternoon during a shootout at a Route 1 hotel, federal sources confirmed. Ex-con Shamar Leggette was the subject of a manhunt following the infamous 2022 gunpoint robbery of "Bling Bishop" Lamor Whitehead of Paramus during a live-streamed church service in Brooklyn. Leggette, 41, of Brooklyn, also shot a man in Providence, RI last September, authorities there said. Members of the U.S. States Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Task Force, assisting th…