Tag:

Securities Fraud

NY Personal Pilot To Billionaire Investor Admits Role In Insider Trading Scheme NY Personal Pilot To Billionaire Investor Admits Role In Insider Trading Scheme
NY Personal Pilot To Billionaire Investor Admits Role In Insider Trading Scheme A private pilot from New York has admitted to taking part in an insider trading scheme involving his billionaire boss. Albany County resident Patrick O’Connor, age 67, of Preston-Potter Hollow, pleaded guilty to securities fraud in Albany federal court on Monday, Feb. 26. O’Connor worked as a personal pilot to billionaire Joseph Lewis, a British businessman and investor who is the principal owner of the Tavistock Group, an international private investment organization. According to prosecutors, Lewis, age 87, was regularly given material, non-public information about various companies for …
Broker Loses Registration, Fined $150G For Going Rogue With Rockland Tequila Startup Broker Loses Registration, Fined $150G For Going Rogue With Rockland Tequila Startup
Broker Loses Registration, Fined $150G For Going Rogue With Rockland Tequila Startup A former New Jersey broker-dealer agent from Rockland County had his registration revoked and was fined $150,000 for steering clients to a Hudson Valley tequila startup whose founder went to federal prison. Michael W. Mandel of Suffern sold the securities in the form of ownership interests in "6 Degree Tequila" via unauthorized private transactions, state Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said.  Records show Mandel was working at the time as an agent and investment adviser representative for two New Jersey broker-dealers -- Royal Alliance Associates in Old Tappan and, later, LPL Fina…
$30M Insider Trading Case: Hudson Valley Duo Profited From Pharmaceutical Merger Info, Feds Say $30M Insider Trading Case: Hudson Valley Duo Profited From Pharmaceutical Merger Info, Feds Say
$30M Insider Trading Case: Hudson Valley Duo Profited From Pharmaceutical Merger Info, Feds Say Four men from New York and Massachusetts, including a police chief, are accused of making millions of dollars through an insider trading scheme involving one pharmaceutical company’s acquisition of another. The case, announced by the US Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York on Thursday, June 29, is one of four separate insider trading cases that reportedly generated a combined $30 million for those involved. Named in the case are: Shawn Cronin, age 43, of Dighton in Bristol County, Massachusetts and chief of the Dighton Police Department Joseph Dupont, age 44, of Rehoboth…
'CryptoQueen' Charged In NY On FBI's 10 Most Wanted: May Have Armed Guards, Changed Appearance 'CryptoQueen' Charged In NY On FBI's 10 Most Wanted: May Have Armed Guards, Changed Appearance
'CryptoQueen' Charged In NY On FBI's 10 Most Wanted: May Have Armed Guards, Changed Appearance A woman charged in New York with stealing billions of dollars from investors around the world may have changed her appearance and be traveling with armed guards, according to federal agents.  Bulgaria native Ruja Ignatova, age 42, has been placed on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Ten Most Wanted Fugitive List for participating in a fake cryptocurrency scheme that defrauded victims of more than $4 billion in total.  The scheme began in 2014 when Ignatova founded OneCoin Ltd., a Bulgaria-based company that marketed a fake cryptocurrency to investors. To solicit funds, she would make f…
Hudson Valley Man, Partner Sentenced For Roles In $1M Ponzi Scheme Hudson Valley Man, Partner Sentenced For Roles In $1M Ponzi Scheme
Hudson Valley Man, Partner Sentenced For Roles In $1M Ponzi Scheme A Westchester County man and his business partner have been sentenced for their roles in a nearly decade-long $1-million Ponzi scheme. White Plains resident James Doyle, age 74, and Carl Carro, age 61, of Walton, Delaware, were convicted of defrauding investors in New York and throughout the nation. On Thursday, Jan. 12, Carro was sentenced to four to eight years in prison, and Doyle was sentenced to five years probation, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced. As part of their respective sentences, Carro and Doyle agreed to pay a total of more than $1 million in judgments …
Broker Sentenced In NY ‘Boiler Room’ Scheme That Defrauded Elderly Out Of Millions Broker Sentenced In NY ‘Boiler Room’ Scheme That Defrauded Elderly Out Of Millions
Broker Sentenced In NY ‘Boiler Room’ Scheme That Defrauded Elderly Out Of Millions A former stockbroker is heading to federal prison for his role in a massive fraud scheme based on Long Island that swindled elderly victims out of millions of dollars. Lawrence Isen, age 69, of California, was sentenced to five years behind bars in federal court in Central Islip Friday, Jan. 6. Earlier Report: Former Broker Sentenced In LI 'Boiler Room' Fraud Scheme That Cost Elderly Victims Millions It followed his March 2020 jury conviction on multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and money laundering. Federal prosecut…
Rockland Man Sentenced For Ponzi-Like Fraud Scheme Rockland Man Sentenced For Ponzi-Like Fraud Scheme
Rockland Man Sentenced For Ponzi-Like Fraud Scheme A Hudson Valley man will spend years behind bars after being busted for operating a multi-million dollar investment club that was actually a Ponzi scheme targeting a Haitian community, federal authorities announced. Rockland County resident Ruless Pierre, age 52, of Nanuet, has been sentenced to 84 months in prison in connection to a Ponzi-like securities fraud scheme that targeted his own community in the region. Specifically, Pierre was convicted of securities fraud, wire fraud, and structuring offenses by a jury in May 2021. US Attorney Damian Williams said that between 2016 and 2019, P…
Area Man Charged In Multi-Billion Dollar Market Manipulation Scheme Area Man Charged In Multi-Billion Dollar Market Manipulation Scheme
Area Man Charged In Multi-Billion Dollar Market Manipulation Scheme Federal officials announced that four have been arrested and charged for their alleged roles in the multi-billion dollar collapse of Archegos Capital Management. US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said that the firm’s former CFO, Long Island resident Patrick Halligan, age 45, of Syosset, and New Jersey resident of Bill Hwang of Tenafly in Bergen County, have been arrested in connection to what Williams said was a racketeering scheme to manipulate the prices of publicly traded securities and to defraud global investment banks. Also charged, according to the De…
Five NYers Nabbed For $8.4 Million Fraud, Money Laundering Scheme, Feds Says Five NYers Nabbed For $8.4 Million Fraud, Money Laundering Scheme, Feds Says
Five NYers Nabbed For $8.4 Million Fraud, Money Laundering Scheme, Feds Says Four Long Island residents are among five New Yorkers facing charges for a multi-million dollar “boiler room” fraud and money laundering scheme, federal officials announced. US Attorney Damian Williams announced that five suspects are facing a host of charges for their alleged roles in the $8.4 million scheme to defraud investors around the world and launder the proceeds from the scheme. Those charged: Lenard Booth, also known as “Trevor Nicholas,” age 68, of Brooklyn; Michael D’Urso, age 54, of Glen Cove; Alyssa D’Urso, age 28, of Glen Cove; Jay Garnock, age 75, of Glen Cove; Antonella…
Ex-CEO From Region Sentenced For $58 Million Fraud Ex-CEO From Region Sentenced For $58 Million Fraud
Ex-ceo From Region Sentenced For $58 Million Fraud The founder and former chief executive officer of a private equity investment firm in the region will be sent to prison in connection with a securities scheme in which federal authorities say he fraudulently induced hundreds of individuals to invest a total of approximately $58 million in two real estate funds. Fairfield County resident Eric Malley, age 51, of New Canaan was sentenced to five years in prison on Thursday, Dec. 2. In addition to the prison term, Malley was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $33,249,822.12 and …
Area Entrepreneur Admits To Defrauding Investors Of Nearly $1M Area Entrepreneur Admits To Defrauding Investors Of Nearly $1M
Area Entrepreneur Admits To Defrauding Investors Of Nearly $1M An entrepreneur from the area has admitted to defrauding investors of nearly $1 million. Joseph Cimino, the founder of a tequila brand based in the Hudson Valley, pleaded guilty on Monday, Nov. 15 to securities and wire fraud charges. As part of the plea, the 57-year-old Cimino, a resident of Warwick in Orange County, admitted fraudulently soliciting investments for his company. “As he admitted in court today, Joseph Cimino lied about his tequila business’s finances to lure investors and then diverted investor funds in order to line his own pockets," Damian Williams, the US Attor…
NY Man Charged With $8 Million Insider Trading Scheme NY Man Charged With $8 Million Insider Trading Scheme
NY Man Charged With $8 Million Insider Trading Scheme A New York man is facing charges for his role in a multi-million dollar insider trading scheme that involved jumping ahead of his employers’ trades. Long Island resident Sergei Polevikov, age 48, of Port Washington, has been charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, and investment company fraud in connection with his scheme to misappropriate confidential information about pending trades by his employer, an investment adviser, on behalf of its investment company clients. US Attorney Audrey Strauss said that Polevikov was arrested on Wednesday, Sept. 22, and scheduled to make his initial co…
Rockland Man Convicted For Running Multimillion-Dollar Ponzi Scheme Rockland Man Convicted For Running Multimillion-Dollar Ponzi Scheme
Rockland Man Convicted For Running Multimillion-Dollar Ponzi Scheme A Hudson Valley man has been convicted for operating a multimillion-dollar investment club that was actually a Ponzi scheme. Rockland County resident Ruless Pierre, age 51, of Nanuet, was convicted in Manhattan federal court of securities fraud, wire fraud, and structuring charges on Thursday, May 27. According to the allegations contained in the complaint, indictment, and the evidence presented at trial: From at least November 2016 through October 2019, Pierre solicited money from investors of Ruless Pierre Consulting Group by falsely promising them that he would earn a 20 percent return…
Hudson Valley Entrepreneur Accused Of Defrauding Investors Of Nearly $1 Million Hudson Valley Entrepreneur Accused Of Defrauding Investors Of Nearly $1 Million
Hudson Valley Entrepreneur Accused Of Defrauding Investors Of Nearly $1 Million An entrepreneur from the Hudson Valley has been accused by federal authorities of defrauding investors of nearly $1 million. Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI announced that Joseph Cimino, the founder of an Orange County-based tequila company, was arrested Tuesday morning, Feb. 17, and charged with securities fraud and wire fraud arising out of his fraudulent solicitation of investments for the company.  Cimino is scheduled to appear in Wh…
Owner, CEO Of Manhattan Investment Fund Among Trio Indicted For $1.8B Ponzi-Like Scheme Owner, CEO Of Manhattan Investment Fund Among Trio Indicted For $1.8B Ponzi-Like Scheme
Owner, CEO Of Manhattan Investment Fund Among Trio Indicted For $1.8B Ponzi-Like Scheme A man who was the head of a Manhattan investment fund was arrested on Thursday and is facing securities fraud charges for his role in an alleged $1.8 billion Ponzi-like scheme that saw his company paying clients with their own money.  Long Island resident David Gentile, age 54, of Manhasset, the founder, owner, and CEO of GPB Capital Holdings, was charged with two others for scheming to defraud investors by misrepresenting the source of funds used to make monthly distribution payments to them, federal officials said. Specifically, the three were charged with securities and wire fraud, …
Hudson Valley Man Nabbed For Role In Decade-Long $1M Ponzi Scheme Hudson Valley Man Nabbed For Role In Decade-Long $1M Ponzi Scheme
Hudson Valley Man Nabbed For Role In Decade-Long $1M Ponzi Scheme A Westchester County man was arrested this week for his role in a near decade-long Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors in New York and other parts of the country out of more than $1 million. White Plains resident James Doyle, 72, and Carl Carro, 59, of Walton, Delaware, the purported managing directors of headhunting companies Endeavor Management Solutions and Endeavor Consultancy, have been charged in a 42-count indictment for their roles in the schema. Specifically, the two were charged with multiple counts of money laundering, grand larceny, securities fraud, and scheme to defraud. Ne…
NY Man Admits To Running $200M Ponzi Scheme In Region NY Man Admits To Running $200M Ponzi Scheme In Region
NY Man Admits To Running $200M Ponzi Scheme In Region A 53-year-old man has admitted to running a $200 million Ponzi scheme in New York based on false statements to investors about inflated returns for nonexistent wholesale jewelry deals, federal authorities announced on Wednesday, Dec. 30. Long Island resident Gregory Altieri, 53, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for running the scheme.  As part of the plea, Altieri, of Melville in Suffolk County, also admitted to committing securities fraud in connection with the scheme.  When sentenced, Altieri faces up to 20 years in prison.  “With today’s guilty plea, Altieri is hel…
Hudson Valley Financial Advisor Accused Of Embezzling $640K From Clients Hudson Valley Financial Advisor Accused Of Embezzling $640K From Clients
Hudson Valley Financial Advisor Accused Of Embezzling $640K From Clients A financial advisor from Westchester has been accused of embezzling more than $640,000 from clients. Gregg Brie, of White Plains, was arrested on Thursday morning, Oct. 1 and charged with securities fraud and wire fraud, Audrey Strauss, the acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced. “As alleged, Gregg Brie stole money so he could live a lavish lifestyle," Strauss said. "This office is committed to rooting out fraudule…
Former Wall Street Trader Sentenced For Running $19M Ponzi Scheme Former Wall Street Trader Sentenced For Running $19M Ponzi Scheme
Former Wall Street Trader Sentenced For Running $19M Ponzi Scheme A former Wall Street trader has been sentenced to over five years in prison after admitting to defrauding investors in a $19 million Ponzi scheme. Long Island resident Paul A. Rinfret, 71, of Manhasset, had pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of securities fraud last fall. This week, Rinfret was sentenced to 63 months in prison. According to Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District Audrey Strauss, Rinfret alleged that he touted “extremely high returns in his trading,” when in reality he simply stole the investors’ money to fund a lavish lifestyle. I…
Former Ramapo Supervisor Set To Be Released From Federal Prison System Former Ramapo Supervisor Set To Be Released From Federal Prison System
Former Ramapo Supervisor Set To Be Released From Federal Prison System Former Ramapo Town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence is due to be released after having been in the federal prison system for more than two years. St. Lawrence, 69, was convicted of 20 counts of securities fraud and conspiracy on May 19, 2017, following a four-week trial in federal court in White Plains.  His release is scheduled for Friday, May 1. His conviction was a first for securities fraud in connection with municipal bonds in a scheme to finance a baseball stadium. St. Lawrence, who was supervisor from 2000 to May 2016, was sentenced to 30 months in a federal prison in …
Ex-Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence Transferred To Halfway House From Prison Ex-Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence Transferred To Halfway House From Prison
Ex-Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence Transferred To Halfway House From Prison Former Ramapo town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence, who was sentenced to 2 1/2  years in prison on fraud and other charges, has been moved from a Pennsylvania prison into a halfway house. St. Lawrence, 69, was recently transferred from the Federal Prison Camp Canaan, in Waymart, Pennsylvania, to an unnamed residential reentry center, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons' public information office. Ramapo's supervisor from 2000 to May 2016, St. Lawrence was convicted of 20 counts of securities fraud and conspiracy on May 19, 2017, following a four-week trial in federal …
College Controller From Rockland Sentenced, Must Repay Millions For Fraud College Controller From Rockland Sentenced, Must Repay Millions For Fraud
College Controller From Rockland Sentenced, Must Repay Millions For Fraud The former controller at the College of New Rochelle will spend time behind bars and repay millions after admitting to doctoring the school’s books by nearly $34 million dollars, forcing the 115-year-old institution to close its doors. Keith Borge, 62, of Valley Cottage, has been sentenced to three years in prison, $25,000 in fines and will pay restitution that reaches as much as $13.2 million after pleading guilty securities fraud and failure to pay $20.4 million in payroll taxes. As part of the plea, Borge, a resident of Valley Cottage in Rockland County, admitted to filing fina…
Hudson Valley Native, Ousted Radio Host Carton Sentenced For Ponzi Scheme Hudson Valley Native, Ousted Radio Host Carton Sentenced For Ponzi Scheme
Hudson Valley Native, Ousted Radio Host Carton Sentenced For Ponzi Scheme This story has been updated. Westchester native and former radio/TV sports talk star Craig Carton was sentenced by a Manhattan federal judge for running a ticket-resale Ponzi scheme. Carton, who grew up in New Rochelle, was ordered on Friday, April 5 to serve 42 months in prison. In addition to the prison term, he was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $4,835,186.56 in restitution and to forfeit $4,590,000. In a plea for leniency, the 50-year-old Carton, who co-host WFAN's “Boomer and Carton” morning show for a decade alongside retired NFL qua…
Area Native, Ex-WFAN Host Craig Carton Found Guilty Of Ponzi Scheme Area Native, Ex-WFAN Host Craig Carton Found Guilty Of Ponzi Scheme
Area Native, Ex-wfan Host Craig Carton Found Guilty Of Ponzi Scheme After just a weeklong trial, former WFAN sports talk personality and Westchester native Craig Carton has been found guilty on all counts in his fraud trial. The 49-year-old Carton, who grew up in New Rochelle, was found guilty of wire fraud, securities fraud and conspiracy for his role in a Ponzi scheme, which was aimed with an eye toward clearing gambling debt. The scheme was tied to a fake ticket scam. The trial kicked off last week on Oct. 31. Carton now faces up to 45 years in prison following the conviction. He remains released on bail. “The government is dead wrong. The government ha…
Hudson Valley Native, Ousted WFAN Radio Host Craig Carton's Trial Underway Hudson Valley Native, Ousted WFAN Radio Host Craig Carton's Trial Underway
Hudson Valley Native, Ousted Wfan Radio Host Craig Carton's Trial Underway Westchester native and former WFAN sports talk personality Craig Carton’s fraud trial has started this week. The 48-year-old Carton, who grew up in New Rochelle, has been charged with wire fraud, securities fraud and conspiracy for his role in an alleged Ponzi scheme, which was allegedly aimed with an eye toward clearing gambling debt. The scheme was tied to a fake ticket scam. In his opening statement, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Quigley said that Carton diverted the money to pay for gambling debt and personal expenses. Carton’s lawyers have reportedly said he is the victim of an alleg…
Four Sentenced For Elaborate Insider Trading Scheme At Manhattan Hedge Fund Four Sentenced For Elaborate Insider Trading Scheme At Manhattan Hedge Fund
Four Sentenced For Elaborate Insider Trading Scheme At Manhattan Hedge Fund A Fairfield County resident was among four men sentenced for an elaborate insider trading scheme that net a Manhattan hedge fund millions of dollars in profit. For five years, 42-year-old David Blaszczak, a political intelligence consultant from  Isle of Palms, South Carolina, was able to obtain confidential, non-public information from members of Centers for Medicine and Medicaid Services - including Christopher Worrall, 40, of Linthicum Heights, Maryland, who was a government employee there, according to Robert Khuzami, the Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Blaszczak then pr…
'I’ll Be Back,' Hudson Valley Native, Ousted Radio Host Craig Carton Says 'I’ll Be Back,' Hudson Valley Native, Ousted Radio Host Craig Carton Says
'I’ll Be Back,' Hudson Valley Native, Ousted Radio Host Craig Carton Says Westchester native and WFAN sports talk personality Craig Carton vehemently denied that he was engaged in an alleged Ponzi scheme tied to a fake ticket scam during his first radio appearance nearly a year after he was charged in federal court. The 48-year-old Carton, who grew up in New Rochelle, has been charged with wire fraud, securities fraud and conspiracy for his role in the scheme, which was allegedly aimed with an eye toward clearing gambling debt. His tiral is scheduled to begin on Oct. 29. Carton co-hosted the “Boomer and Carton” morning show for a decade alongside retired NFL quar…
New York Congressman Arrested On Insider Trading Charges New York Congressman Arrested On Insider Trading Charges
New York Congressman Arrested On Insider Trading Charges A Republican Congressman from New York has been indicted on charges that claim he used insider information about a biotechnology company to make stock trades. Chris Collins, who represents a district in western New York was charged - along with his son, Cameron and Cameron's fiancée's father, Stephen Zarsky - with a host of charges, including conspiracy, securities fraud, wire fraud, and making false statements to the FBI, according to an indictment released on Wednesday. Collins, 68, had been under investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics for his connection to Innate Immunothera…
Two From Area Among Four Charged With 'Cooking Books' For Hedge Fund Two From Area Among Four Charged With 'Cooking Books' For Hedge Fund
Two From Area Among Four Charged With 'Cooking Books' For Hedge Fund A pair of Westchester residents were among those charged in federal court to their roles in an alleged securities scam that saw them overstate their investment firm’s worth by hundreds of millions of dollars to bilk investors. U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss announced on Wednesday that White Plains resident Ashish Dole, 34, and Armonk resident Amin Majidi, 52, have been involved in an elaborate scheme that saw them mismark funds they managed by more than $200 million. According to Strauss, Majidi, Dole and New York City residents Jeremy Shor and Frank Dinucci, Jr. from 2014 through 2016, they …
Hudson Valley Hedge Fund Manager Pleads Guilty To $22M Ponzi Scheme Hudson Valley Hedge Fund Manager Pleads Guilty To $22M Ponzi Scheme
Hudson Valley Hedge Fund Manager Pleads Guilty To $22M Ponzi Scheme A former hedge fund manager from Northern Westchester pleaded guilty Thursday to defrauding 45 investors, many of them friends and neighbors, of $22 million in a Ponzi scheme. Michael Scronic of Pound Ridge, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Cathy Seibel on July 9.  “Michael Scronic lied about the performance of his investment fund, telling investors that his returns were as high as 13 percent," U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey S. Berman said. …
St. Lawrence Due To Start Prison Term St. Lawrence Due To Start Prison Term
St. Lawrence Due To Start Prison Term After two months getting his affairs in order, convicted former Ramapo town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence will begin life in a federal prison on Thursday. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District, Thursday is the official start date of his 2 1/2 years in prison for securities and wire fraud and conspiracy. St. Lawrence, of Wesley Hills, was sentenced to 30 months, which could be reduced by 54 days a year for good behavior under federal rules, was also fined $75,000.  The Federal Bureau of Prisons said they cannot say where the disgraced former political powerh…