Tag:

Identity theft

George Santos Announces Comeback Bid For NY Congressional Seat: 'Off To The Races' George Santos Announces Comeback Bid For NY Congressional Seat: 'Off To The Races'
George Santos Announces Comeback Bid For NY Congressional Seat: 'Off To The Races' Disgraced former New York Rep. George Santos is mounting a comeback campaign. The Republican ex-lawmaker from Long Island – who was ousted from his 3rd District seat representing parts of Nassau County and Queens – announced a primary challenge against Rep. Nick LaLota for his 1st District seat. In a statement on X shared during President Biden’s State of the Union address Thursday night, March 7, Santos said New York hasn’t had “a real conservative represent them” since he left office “thanks to RINO, empty suits like Nick LaLota.” Earlier Report: Exiled Congressman Turned Reality …
Exiled Congressman Turned Reality TV Star? 2 George Santos Productions In Works, He Claims Exiled Congressman Turned Reality TV Star? 2 George Santos Productions In Works, He Claims
Exiled Congressman Turned Reality TV Star? 2 George Santos Productions In Works, He Claims If disgraced former New York congressman and admitted liar George Santos is to be believed, you haven’t seen the last of him. The Republican ex-lawmaker told City & State New York he’s been busy working on both a documentary and a reality TV show since being ousted from his 3rd District House seat representing parts of Nassau County and Queens. “So there’s just so many things that I’m working on now that I prefer to engage in instead of going into a messy primary to take on (newly sworn-in Democratic Rep.) Tom Suozzi,” Santos told the outlet. Earlier Report: Not Laughi…
Scammer Posing As Priest, Soliciting Gift Cards From Victims In Hudson Valley: Police Scammer Posing As Priest, Soliciting Gift Cards From Victims In Hudson Valley: Police
Scammer Posing As Priest, Soliciting Gift Cards From Victims In Hudson Valley: Police Authorities in the Hudson Valley are continuing to warn residents of a scammer who has been posing as a local priest to convince victims to purchase gift cards for them.  The warning was issued on Wednesday, Jan. 10 by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, which said the scammer is continuing to "exploit the generosity of our community."  According to the Sheriff's Office, the scammer has been posing as a local priest over phone calls to solicit gift cards from victims. Those who receive such a call are warned to verify the identity of the person or organization claiming to be on th…
George Santos In Talks For Plea Deal In 23-Count Federal Case, Court Filing Shows George Santos In Talks For Plea Deal In 23-Count Federal Case, Court Filing Shows
George Santos In Talks For Plea Deal In 23-Count Federal Case, Court Filing Shows Disgraced former New York Rep. George Santos may avoid leaving his fate up to a trial in his federal fraud case. The Republican ex-congressman is currently in talks with federal prosecutors for a possible plea deal in his 23-count criminal case, according to a filing in Central Islip federal court on Monday, Dec. 11. In the joint filing, US Attorney Breon Peace and Santos asked the court to schedule the next status conference in approximately 30 days, saying “the parties are presently engaged in plea negotiations with the goal of resolving this matter without the need for a trial.” Earli…
Duo Nabbed For Identity Theft, Drug Possession At Bank In Westchester, Police Say Duo Nabbed For Identity Theft, Drug Possession At Bank In Westchester, Police Say
Duo Nabbed For Identity Theft, Drug Possession At Bank In Westchester, Police Say A Hudson Valley and Long Island man were both arrested on identity theft charges after being caught with a victim's personal information and a forged driver's license at a Northern Westchester bank, police said. Both Dutchess County resident Duane Pelt of Fishkill, age 59, and Suffolk County resident Kevin Weiss of East Hampton, age 23, were arrested on Wednesday, Nov 29 in connection with an alleged identity theft incident in Yorktown, Yorktown Police announced. According to the department, around 1 p.m. on Wednesday, officers responded to the Chase Bank in Yorktown at 720 Lee Blvd. and be…
Medical Company Data Breach: Affected NY Residents Warned Of Potential Identity Theft Medical Company Data Breach: Affected NY Residents Warned Of Potential Identity Theft
Medical Company Data Breach: Affected NY Residents Warned Of Potential Identity Theft Millions of New Yorkers are being warned by Attorney General Leticia James to protect themselves against identity theft following a data breach at a medical transcription company.  The warning, issued by James on Tuesday, Nov. 28, urges New York residents to take action to prevent their identities from being stolen in the midst of a data breach at medical transcription company Perry Johnson & Associates.  The Nevada-based company, which provides transcription services to healthcare organizations and physicians to help them dictate and transcribe patient notes, first becam…
Santos Saga: Ethics Committee Won’t Recommend Punishment For Embattled NY Rep, Report Says Santos Saga: Ethics Committee Won’t Recommend Punishment For Embattled NY Rep, Report Says
Santos Saga: Ethics Committee Won’t Recommend Punishment For Embattled NY Rep, Report Says After months of investigating embattled New York Rep. George Santos, the House Ethics Committee won’t recommend any punishment for the freshman lawmaker, ABC News reports. Instead, the ten-member committee, made up of five Republicans and five Democrats, will leave any disciplinary actions up to the House as a whole, Chair Michael Guest told the outlet. Santos, a Long Island Republican whose 3rd District includes parts of Nassau County and Queens, found himself in the committee’s sights in March 2023 after admitting that he lied about much of his background on the campaign trail. Earlier…
George Santos Campaign Staffer Admits Defrauding Donors By Impersonating Speaker's Aide George Santos Campaign Staffer Admits Defrauding Donors By Impersonating Speaker's Aide
George Santos Campaign Staffer Admits Defrauding Donors By Impersonating Speaker's Aide A campaign staffer who worked to elect New York Rep. George Santos has confessed to impersonating a high-level Congressional aide in order to raise money for him and line his own pockets. Samuel Miele, age 27, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in Central Islip federal court on Tuesday, Nov. 14. Miele was a fundraiser for Santos’ congressional campaigns in both 2020 and 2022, according to the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District. Earlier Report: George Santos Pleads Not Guilty To 10 New Federal Charges; Here's When He'll Stand Trial Santos ran as a Republican and was elected to …
George Santos Dodges Expulsion From House: 'Victory For Due Process' George Santos Dodges Expulsion From House: 'Victory For Due Process'
George Santos Dodges Expulsion From House: 'Victory For Due Process' New York Rep. George Santos, who admitted to lying about his background and is facing nearly two dozen federal criminal charges, is claiming victory after an effort to expel him from Congress failed. The freshman Republican lawmaker from Long Island, whose 3rd District represents parts of Nassau County and Queens, easily survived a resolution brought by his fellow New York Republicans to oust Santos from the House on Wednesday, Nov. 1. The resolution failed with 179 members voting in favor and 213 voting against. Nineteen members voted “present.” Earlier Report: George Santos Pleads Not…
New Yorkers At Risk Of Scam Calls, Attorney General Warns New Yorkers At Risk Of Scam Calls, Attorney General Warns
New Yorkers At Risk Of Scam Calls, Attorney General Warns As New Yorkers across the state report being contacted by scammers impersonating their banks, officials are cautioning consumers to keep their eyes peeled. In a statement on Friday, Oct. 27, NY Attorney General Letitia James provided tips to avoid getting scammed by callers pretending to be bank or government officials. “Scammers claiming to be a trusted bank, or any institution relied on for financial services, can seriously harm New Yorkers by taking their money and their personal information,” she said. James said the Office of the Attorney General has been receiving calls from New Y…
George Santos Pleads Not Guilty To 10 New Federal Charges; Here's When He'll Stand Trial George Santos Pleads Not Guilty To 10 New Federal Charges; Here's When He'll Stand Trial
George Santos Pleads Not Guilty To 10 New Federal Charges; Here's When He'll Stand Trial Beleaguered New York Rep. George Santos was back in a federal courtroom to formally answer to a host of new fraud charges. The Republican lawmaker, whose 3rd District on Long Island includes parts of Nassau County and Queens, pleaded not guilty to 10 new counts in US District Court in Central Islip on Friday, Oct. 27. Judge Joanna Seybert set a trial date for Thursday, Sept. 9, 2024. Earlier Report: George Santos Stole Thousands From Donors, Inflated Fundraising Totals, New Indictment Alleges In their 23-count superseding indictment, which includes allegations of wire fraud and ident…
$760K Check Scheme: Westchester Man Nabbed For 'Malicious Fraud,' Feds Say $760K Check Scheme: Westchester Man Nabbed For 'Malicious Fraud,' Feds Say
$760K Check Scheme: Westchester Man Nabbed For 'Malicious Fraud,' Feds Say A 26-year-old Westchester man who was arrested while hiding under his co-conspirator’s couch now faces charges in connection to a $760,000 check fraud scheme that victimized several people and their businesses, officials announced.  Mount Vernon resident Ishmael Benreuben, age 26, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Oct. 10 to participating in a scheme involving the deposit of around $760,000 in fraudulent checks into bank accounts in several states, the US Attorney's Office for Southern District of New York announced. According to federal officials, between September 2021 and March 2…
George Santos Stole Thousands From Donors, Inflated Fundraising Totals, New Indictment Alleges George Santos Stole Thousands From Donors, Inflated Fundraising Totals, New Indictment Alleges
George Santos Stole Thousands From Donors, Inflated Fundraising Totals, New Indictment Alleges Federal prosecutors have slapped embattled New York Congressman George Santos with an array of additional criminal charges just days after his ex-campaign treasurer implicated him in an alleged scheme to dupe donors. In a 23-count superseding indictment filed in US District Court in the Eastern District on Tuesday, Oct. 10, prosecutors outlined two new schemes that allegedly helped the freshman Republican lawmaker cheat his way into office. The first, dubbed the “Credit Card Fraud Scheme,” allegedly took place between December 2021 and August 2022. Prosecutors say Santos stole the personal …
George Santos' Ex-Campaign Treasurer Admits Role In Reporting Thousands In Fictional Loans George Santos' Ex-Campaign Treasurer Admits Role In Reporting Thousands In Fictional Loans
George Santos' Ex-Campaign Treasurer Admits Role In Reporting Thousands In Fictional Loans The woman who once oversaw the finances of embattled New York Rep. George Santos’ congressional campaign has confessed to filing fictional finance reports on his behalf, saying he was well aware of the scheme. Nancy Marks, a former campaign treasurer during Santos’ two congressional bids, pleaded guilty to a felony count of conspiracy to defraud the United States in federal court in Central Islip on Thursday, Oct. 5. She admitted that she and Santos, a Republican whose 3rd District represents parts of Nassau County and Queens, recorded phony campaign finance reports stating that Santos had…
'High Risk, High Reward': Santos Staffer Impersonated Speaker's Aide To Fundraise, Feds Say 'High Risk, High Reward': Santos Staffer Impersonated Speaker's Aide To Fundraise, Feds Say
'High Risk, High Reward': Santos Staffer Impersonated Speaker's Aide To Fundraise, Feds Say A campaign staffer who worked to elect New York Rep. George Santos impersonated a high-level Congressional aide in order to raise money for the then-aspiring lawmaker, a scheme that Santos was well aware of, federal prosecutors allege. Samuel Miele, age 27, is charged with wire fraud and identity theft as part of a five-count indictment that was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday, Aug. 16. Miele was a fundraiser for Santos’ congressional campaigns in both 2020 and 2022, according to the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District. Earlier Report: Trio Of Schemes T…
Identity Theft: Man Caught Using Victim's Name At Westchester Bank, Police Say Identity Theft: Man Caught Using Victim's Name At Westchester Bank, Police Say
Identity Theft: Man Caught Using Victim's Name At Westchester Bank, Police Say A 35-year-old man faces a long list of felony charges after he was caught trying to take out funds in another person's name at a bank in Northern Westchester, police said.  The man's arrest stemmed from an incident on Wednesday, Aug. 9, when Yorktown Police received a report of a man trying to cash a check with a Connecticut driver's license at the Chase Bank at 720 Lee Blvd.  According to authorities, the bank teller had recognized the man from another transaction that had occurred on Saturday, Aug. 5. This time though, the teller said the man was using a different name, causing …
Westchester Man Nabbed For High-End Thefts, Police Say Westchester Man Nabbed For High-End Thefts, Police Say
Westchester Man Nabbed For High-End Thefts, Police Say Police in Fairfield County have charged a Westchester County man in connection with allegedly being part of an organized retail theft ring that ripped off thousands in goods from high-end stores. Westchester County resident Randolph Justice Davis, age 27, of White Plains, was arrested by Greenwich Police on Wednesday, Aug. 2, on numerous larceny and identity theft charges. According to Lt. Ted Latiak of the Greenwich Police, in 2021, officers began an investigation into suspicious activity at several retailers in the area of Greenwich Avenue.  The investigation stemmed from an i…
Fugitive Caught Trying To Intercept Bank Card Delivery In Westchester: Police Fugitive Caught Trying To Intercept Bank Card Delivery In Westchester: Police
Fugitive Caught Trying To Intercept Bank Card Delivery In Westchester: Police A fugitive wanted in another state faces identity theft charges after authorities caught her trying to intercept a bank card delivery in a Northern Westchester neighborhood, police said. The arrest happened on Tuesday, Aug. 1, when Yorktown Police received a report of a suspicious unknown vehicle driving around a neighborhood in town, according to the department.  When an officer stopped this vehicle and spoke with the occupants, who claimed to be residents in the area, the passenger showed them a New York driver's license as proof of her identity. However, an investigation into the in…
Westchester Man Steals Credit Cards, Charges Over $2K To Them At Best Buy: Police Westchester Man Steals Credit Cards, Charges Over $2K To Them At Best Buy: Police
Westchester Man Steals Credit Cards, Charges Over $2K To Them At Best Buy: Police A Westchester man faces identity theft charges after stealing credit cards from a purse and using them to buy over $2,600 of electronics at a Best Buy in the Hudson Valley, police said.  The theft was originally reported to Yorktown Police on Saturday, June 10, when a victim told the department that a purse containing multiple credit cards had been stolen from their vehicle.  According to the department, one of the victim's credit cards was then used to buy $2,664.04 in electronics at a Best Buy in Rockland County located in the Palisades Mall in West Nyack.  An investigatio…
Man Caught With Loaded Gun At Westchester County Airport Security Checkpoint Man Caught With Loaded Gun At Westchester County Airport Security Checkpoint
Man Caught With Loaded Gun At Westchester County Airport Security Checkpoint A man faces charges after he was stopped from bringing a loaded handgun onto a flight at Westchester County Airport and then found to be in possession of multiple credit cards with different names.  The incident happened on Tuesday, May 30, when a Hamilton County man from Long Lake entered the security checkpoint at Westchester County Airport and was found to be in possession of a .380 caliber handgun loaded with six bullets in his carry-on bag, according to TSA Northeast spokesperson Lisa Farbstein.  The man was also found to be carrying multiple credit cards each with …
Fake ID Scam: Thousands Of Dollars Swindled From Fairfield County Resident, Police Say Fake ID Scam: Thousands Of Dollars Swindled From Fairfield County Resident, Police Say
Fake ID Scam: Thousands Of Dollars Swindled From Fairfield County Resident, Police Say A man has been charged with larceny and identity theft after allegedly using a fake ID to steal more than $20,000 from a Fairfield County resident. Archie Longson, age 44, of New York City, was arrested by Wilton Police on Monday, March 27 on a warrant. The victim first learned of the crime in April 2022, when they found two fraudulent transactions on their bank account for a total of $20,500; a withdrawal of $8,000 was also made at a bank in Connecticut, and a bank check in the name of Longson was purchased for the amount of $12,500, said Capt. Gregg Phillipson, of the Wilton Police. Long…
$100K ID Theft Scheme: Trio Nabbed In Act At Auto Dealership In Westchester, Police Say $100K ID Theft Scheme: Trio Nabbed In Act At Auto Dealership In Westchester, Police Say
$100K ID Theft Scheme: Trio Nabbed In Act At Auto Dealership In Westchester, Police Say Three suspects were apprehended in the act of allegedly trying to pull off a $100,000 identity theft scheme at an auto dealership in Westchester County, according to authorities. At around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 30, detectives were alerted by staff at New Rochelle Toyota that a possible fraudulent purchase of a vehicle was in progress at the dealership. Responding detectives found the trio at the scene, two of whom were unlawfully using names and social security numbers of real persons from Pennsylvania and Iowa to fraudulently obtain a car loan for over $100,000, acc…
Westchester Caseworker Accused Of Stealing More Than $300K From Client Westchester Caseworker Accused Of Stealing More Than $300K From Client
Westchester Caseworker Accused Of Stealing More Than $300K From Client A Westchester County caseworker who resides in Connecticut faces numerous charges after allegedly stealing more than $300,000 from a 95-year-old woman suffering from dementia whom she had been taking care of.  Fairfield County resident Chantel Chenault, age 46, of Danbury, was indicted on multiple charges on Friday, March 24 for stealing from the elderly woman under her care in Westchester, according to New York Attorney General Letitia James.  According to officials from James's office, Chenault became the woman's caseworker in 2017 and was employed with the Westch…
New Update: Westchester Woman Crashes Into 6 People, Including 2 Toddlers, Police Say New Update: Westchester Woman Crashes Into 6 People, Including 2 Toddlers, Police Say
New Update: Westchester Woman Crashes Into 6 People, Including 2 Toddlers, Police Say This story has been updated. A Northern Westchester woman has been arrested for allegedly losing control of a stolen car and careening onto an Upper Manhattan sidewalk, striking six people, including two 3-year-olds. Northern Westchester resident Sharon Godwin, age 32, of Peekskill, was arrested on Wednesday, March 15, after New York City Police responded to a 911 call of pedestrians struck by a motor vehicle at West 190th Street and Broadway, said the NYPD. Upon arrival, officers observed six pedestrians with injuries on the sidewalk. A preliminary investigation determined that Godwin los…
Man Uses Fire Department Credit Card To Make Purchases In Westchester: Police Man Uses Fire Department Credit Card To Make Purchases In Westchester: Police
Man Uses Fire Department Credit Card To Make Purchases In Westchester: Police A man faces identity theft charges after ordering a replacement credit card for a fire department in Northern Westchester and using it to make purchases, police said.  On Saturday, Dec. 10, the Town of Bedford Police Department received a report from the Bedford Hills Fire District that they had identified numerous unauthorized charges on their credit card statement that had not been done by anyone with the fire department.  The Fire District had then discovered that a replacement credit card was fraudulently ordered and received by an unknown suspect, Bedford Police said.  …
Duo Nabbed In Westchester Break-Ins Part Of 'South American Theft Group,' Police Say Duo Nabbed In Westchester Break-Ins Part Of 'South American Theft Group,' Police Say
Duo Nabbed In Westchester Break-Ins Part Of 'South American Theft Group,' Police Say Two members of an organized crime ring are behind bars in connection with numerous home break-ins across the country, including in Westchester County and on Long Island, authorities said. Jorge Luis Araneda Pogge, age 39, and Ingrid Johana Gomez, age 33, were both arrested in Queens Thursday, Jan. 12, following a multijurisdictional investigation that began in 2020, according to Harrison Police. The pair is accused of taking part in multiple residential burglaries and other theft-related crimes throughout the country, including the Town of Harrison and Nassau County. Pogge and Gomez are b…
Police In Hudson Valley Help Catch Suspects Of Nationwide 'Felony Lane Gang' Fraud Scheme Police In Hudson Valley Help Catch Suspects Of Nationwide 'Felony Lane Gang' Fraud Scheme
Police In Hudson Valley Help Catch Suspects Of Nationwide 'Felony Lane Gang' Fraud Scheme Two suspects who admitted to being part of a nationwide fraud scheme were caught with the help of police in the Hudson Valley.  The two men, Joshua Mallory, age 37, and Gary Grier, age 36, both of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Dec. 20 to being part of the multi-state "Felony Lane Gang," a fraud scheme involving suspects breaking into cars and stealing debit cards and checkbooks, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York.  Between 2015 and 2020, Mallory, Grier, and several co-conspirators traveled across the country breaking …
Father-Son Owners Of Hudson Valley Car Dealership Sentenced For Fraud Father-Son Owners Of Hudson Valley Car Dealership Sentenced For Fraud
Father-Son Owners Of Hudson Valley Car Dealership Sentenced For Fraud A father and son who own a Hudson Valley car dealership are heading to federal prison for their role in a multimillion-dollar tax and bank fraud scheme. Orange County residents Mehdi and Saaed Moslem, owners of the Exclusive Motor Sports dealership in Central Valley, were sentenced to eight years and three years in prison, respectively, in federal court in White Plains Monday, Oct. 17. Earlier Report: Father/Son Owners Of Area Auto Dealership Charged With Tax, Bank Fraud The pair was previously found guilty of defrauding their lenders and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) following …
Police Issue Alert For Mailbox Thieves Stealing Checks In Westchester Police Issue Alert For Mailbox Thieves Stealing Checks In Westchester
Police Issue Alert For Mailbox Thieves Stealing Checks In Westchester Police issued an alert to Northern Westchester residents about thieves who are stealing checks from a curbside mailbox in the area. The Peekskill Police Department announced on Friday, Sept. 9, that investigators believe suspects are stealing checks from the United State Post Office curbside mailbox located at 738 South St. in Peekskill. "Please do not place mail containing checks in the curbside mailbox located outside in front of the Peekskill Post Office," police said. "It appears that checks are being stolen from this particular curbside mailbox and the thieves are using them for i…
Westchester Man Among Trio Nabbed In $701K Fraud Scheme, Feds Say Westchester Man Among Trio Nabbed In $701K Fraud Scheme, Feds Say
Westchester Man Among Trio Nabbed In $701K Fraud Scheme, Feds Say Three men are facing federal charges for allegedly using other people’s identities to defraud the New York Labor Department out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Errol Murray, age 21, of Yonkers; Taliek Lanier, age 22, of Albany; and Thomas Brace, age 61, of Altoona, Pennsylvania, formerly of Albany, were all arrested on federal charges of mail and wire fraud, plus identity theft. Federal prosecutors said the trio conspired with a 36-year-old Albany woman, Jamie Johnson, and provided her with the personal identifying information of other people. Jonson pleaded guilty in February 2022 of…
Police Issue New Warning For 'Difficult To Investigate' Scams Police Issue New Warning For 'Difficult To Investigate' Scams
Police Issue New Warning For 'Difficult To Investigate' Scams Police are warning the public about a new increase in scams that are "difficult to investigate." The scams, which take place all over the country, have also been reported region. "Even though the police may be made aware of these types of cases, they can be difficult to investigate because many times the suspects are in another country or quickly leave the scene where very little suspect information is available," the Trumbull Police Department in Fairfield County, Connecticut, said. Here's a list of the types of scams: The caller claimed to be a family member that has an illness or was …