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FBI

$1.7M COVID-19 Fraud Scheme: NY Daughter, Mom Who Worked For Police Sentenced $1.7M COVID-19 Fraud Scheme: NY Daughter, Mom Who Worked For Police Sentenced
$1.7M Covid-19 Fraud Scheme: NY Daughter, Mom Who Worked For Police Sentenced A mother-daughter duo has been sentenced to prison for defrauding the government of approximately $1.7 million.  Westchester County residents Alicia Ayers and her mother, Andrea Ayers, both of Mount Vernon, were found guilty of submitting more than 300 fraudulent applications for US Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loans.  Andrea Ayers was a former Code Enforcement Officer for the City of Mount Vernon Police Department. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress expanded the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program to provide low-interest …
NY Man Known As 'Sal The Shoemaker' Admits Running Illegal Gambling Operation For Mafia NY Man Known As 'Sal The Shoemaker' Admits Running Illegal Gambling Operation For Mafia
NY Man Known As 'Sal The Shoemaker' Admits Running Illegal Gambling Operation For Mafia An associate of the Genovese organized crime family known as “Sal the Shoemaker” admitted to operating an illegal gambling business associated with La Cosa Nostra. Long Island resident Salvatore Rubino, age 60, of Bethpage, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, April 16, at federal court in Brooklyn to operating the business. Earlier this month, four co-defendant members and associates of the Genovese crime family admitted to various felony charges stemming from their long-running operation of several lucrative gambling operations in New York City. Of the five charged, four are from Long Isl…
Shenanigans, Indeed: Manager At Capital Region Gentleman's Club Busted Selling Meth, Feds Say Shenanigans, Indeed: Manager At Capital Region Gentleman's Club Busted Selling Meth, Feds Say
Shenanigans, Indeed: Manager At Capital Region Gentleman's Club Busted Selling Meth, Feds Say The general manager of a gentleman’s club in the region is facing federal charges after he was allegedly busted in an undercover sting selling drugs. Luiggi Canessa, who manages Shenanigans gentlemen's club in Schenectady, is named in a complaint filed in US District Court in the Northern District on Tuesday, April 9. FBI agents began investigating a “wide array of crime” occurring at the club, as well as an adjoining business, Sheer Pleasure Lingerie, in late 2023, according to the complaint. That conduct allegedly included drug and sex trafficking, and wire fraud. Canessa, who manages…
Pot-Smoking NY Rioter Who Donned Fake Beard In Capitol Breach Gets 3 Years In Prison Pot-Smoking NY Rioter Who Donned Fake Beard In Capitol Breach Gets 3 Years In Prison
Pot-Smoking NY Rioter Who Donned Fake Beard In Capitol Breach Gets 3 Years In Prison A New York man who was photographed smoking marijuana inside a Senate office during the US Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021 will spend years in prison. Brandon Fellows, age 29, of Schenectady, was sentenced to 3 ½ years in federal lockup on Thursday, Feb. 29 after a Washington, DC jury found him guilty of obstructing an official proceeding, a felony. “His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the US Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election,” the US Attorney’s Office said. Earlier Report: Capitol Rioter F…
Capital Region Man Admits Storing Child Porn On USB Flash Drive Capital Region Man Admits Storing Child Porn On USB Flash Drive
Capital Region Man Admits Storing Child Porn On USB Flash Drive A 40-year-old man from the region could spend decades behind bars for having child pornography. Schenectady County resident Aaron Griesche, of Niskayuna, pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography in Albany federal court on Thursday, Jan. 11. According to the US Attorney’s Office in the Northern District, Griesche admitted to storing illicit images of children on a USB flash drive that was found in his home in July 2021. He confessed to purchasing the memory stick online and then transferring videos depicting child sex abuse from the internet to the device. The case was investigated b…
Capital Region Farmer Admits Blowing $1M In Relief Funds On New House, Personal Expenses Capital Region Farmer Admits Blowing $1M In Relief Funds On New House, Personal Expenses
Capital Region Farmer Admits Blowing $1M In Relief Funds On New House, Personal Expenses The money was supposed to go toward paying off his farm loan, but prosecutors say a man from the region blew nearly $1 million on personal expenses instead. Asjid Parvez, age 37, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government property in Albany federal court on Friday, Jan. 5. According to prosecutors, Parvez admitted to receiving a check for over $972,000 from the Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) in May 2023. The funds were authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and are meant to assist borrowers who have fallen behind on their federally g…
Teen Admits Having Machine Gun At Capital Region Home Teen Admits Having Machine Gun At Capital Region Home
Teen Admits Having Machine Gun At Capital Region Home An 18-year-old from the region could spend years behind bars after being busted with a machine gun. Rensselaer County resident Ahmed AlSaadi, of Troy, pleaded guilty to weapons charges in Albany federal court on Thursday, Dec. 21. Prosecutors said AlSaadi admitted that in August 2023 he possessed three machine gun conversion devices and a Glock handgun that had been modified with such a device. The conversion devices can be attached to a handgun allowing the weapon to shoot and function as a fully automatic machine gun. AlSaadi was arrested following a joint investigation by the ATF, FBI…
Murder-For-Hire: Man Admits Paying $16K Bitcoin To Have Capital Region Residents Killed Murder-For-Hire: Man Admits Paying $16K Bitcoin To Have Capital Region Residents Killed
Murder-For-Hire: Man Admits Paying $16K Bitcoin To Have Capital Region Residents Killed A Utah man has admitted to paying thousands of dollars worth of Bitcoin to arrange for the murders of two New York residents. Christopher Pence, age 43, of Cedar City, Utah appeared in Albany federal court on Wednesday, Dec. 6, and pleaded guilty to using the internet to solicit and pay for murder. According to prosecutors, Pence admitted to contacting the administrator of a website dedicated to arranging contract killings in 2021. He confessed to paying them $16,000 worth of Bitcoin to facilitate the murder of two Hoosick Falls residents in Rensselaer County. Pence gave the administrato…
Temple Shooting: 28-Year-Old Federally Charged After Gunshots At Capital Region Synagogue Temple Shooting: 28-Year-Old Federally Charged After Gunshots At Capital Region Synagogue
Temple Shooting: 28-Year-Old Federally Charged After Gunshots At Capital Region Synagogue The man accused of opening fire at a New York synagogue on the first day of Hanukkah has been federally charged. Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, age 28, of Schenectady, appeared in Albany federal court on Friday, Dec. 8, where he was arraigned on one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm. According to the criminal complaint, Alkhader approached Albany’s Temple Israel, located on New Scotland Avenue, at around 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 7 armed with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun. He then fired the weapon twice into the air, prosecutors allege. Earlier Report: New Update: Shooting At NY Syna…
IDs Released For Couple Killed In Fiery Crash On Bridge Linking NY, Canada Caught On Video IDs Released For Couple Killed In Fiery Crash On Bridge Linking NY, Canada Caught On Video
IDs Released For Couple Killed In Fiery Crash On Bridge Linking NY, Canada Caught On Video The identities have now been released of a couple killed after crashing near a bridge connecting the United States and Canada on one of the year's busiest travel days. The Thanksgiving Eve incident happened early Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 22 on the Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls, New York. Niagara Falls Police say  Kurt Villani, and his wife, Monica Villani, both age 53, died in the vehicle explosion which led to a federal investigation. The two were residents of Grand Island, New York, located about 10 miles southeast of Niagara Falls. Authorities say the couple had originally been…
Condoms, Rope Found On NY Man Who Blackmailed Minors Into Sending Nudes, Feds Say Condoms, Rope Found On NY Man Who Blackmailed Minors Into Sending Nudes, Feds Say
Condoms, Rope Found On NY Man Who Blackmailed Minors Into Sending Nudes, Feds Say A New York man is in federal custody after allegedly blackmailing several underage girls into sending him sexually explicit images. Long Island resident Brandon Kern, age 29, of Bayport, was arraigned on multiple charges in Central Islip federal court on Wednesday, Nov. 22. An investigation found that between December 2020 and October 2021, he posed as a teenager on Snapchat in order to convince at least six underage girls to send him sexually explicit photos and videos. Some of the victims were as young as 12 years old, according to the FBI. When the girls attempted to block him, Kern al…
Mother's Intuition? Trisha Sena Made Prophetic Comment Before Daughter's Saratoga County Rescue Mother's Intuition? Trisha Sena Made Prophetic Comment Before Daughter's Saratoga County Rescue
Mother's Intuition? Trisha Sena Made Prophetic Comment Before Daughter's Saratoga County Rescue Call it mother’s intuition. As the dreaded 48-hour mark approached since 9-year-old Charlotte Sena disappeared from a state park in New York, her mother suddenly had a feeling that everything would be alright just before the girl was rescued, according to Albany radio station WGNA.  Speaking with the station’s “Brian and Chrissy in the Morning” show Tuesday, Oct. 3, Charlotte’s aunt, Jene′ Sena, said the girl’s parents Trisha and Dave were gathered with friends and relatives around their campsite when Trisha made a rather prophetic statement. "I don't know...maybe it's mother's intuition,…
Support Swells For Charlotte Sena's Family After Moreau Kidnapping: 'Going To Be Long Road' Support Swells For Charlotte Sena's Family After Moreau Kidnapping: 'Going To Be Long Road'
Support Swells For Charlotte Sena's Family After Moreau Kidnapping: 'Going To Be Long Road' The hallways of the Corinth Central School District were flooded with orange Tuesday morning, Oct. 3, as students and teachers celebrated the safe return of 9-year-old Charlotte Sena following her kidnapping at a state park in New York and subsequent rescue two days later. “Promote unity by wearing your orange!” reads a message on the district’s Facebook page. “Other schools in our region will be wearing orange to support Corinth, too.” The heartwarming display hinted at the immense support the community has shown the girl’s family throughout the terrifying 48-hour manhunt that garnered na…
Gilgo Beach Murders: Police Investigating Possible Link Between Alleged Killer, Missing Woman Gilgo Beach Murders: Police Investigating Possible Link Between Alleged Killer, Missing Woman
Gilgo Beach Murders: Police Investigating Possible Link Between Alleged Killer, Missing Woman Authorities are investigating a possible connection between Gilgo Beach murder suspect Rex Heuermann and the disappearance of a South Carolina woman around six years ago. Julia Ann Bean was last seen in Sumter County, South Carolina on May 31, 2017. Her daughter reported her missing nearly six months later. On Sunday, Aug. 20, someone claiming to be Bean’s friend contacted the sheriff’s office and claimed to have information in the case, the agency announced on Facebook. Earlier Report: Gilgo Beach Murders: Pizza Crust Helped Nab Suspect Who Allegedly Taunted Victim's Family The perso…
Rail Tampering: FBI Seeks Culprit Who Tried Derailing Passenger Train In Corinth Rail Tampering: FBI Seeks Culprit Who Tried Derailing Passenger Train In Corinth
Rail Tampering: FBI Seeks Culprit Who Tried Derailing Passenger Train In Corinth Federal investigators are asking for the public’s help after someone tried to derail a passenger train in the region. A railyard worker contacted the FBI’s field office in Albany in early June 2023 after noticing that someone had tampered with a portion of tracks in Saratoga County, on the Saratoga Corinth and Hudson Railroad in Corinth. The railroad offers scenic tours for passengers of all ages, including field trips for children. Following a joint investigation between the FBI and the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, it was determined that someone was attempting to derail a train, the …
Gilgo Beach Serial Murders: Key Tip From Witness 12 Years Ago Helps Crack Case Gilgo Beach Serial Murders: Key Tip From Witness 12 Years Ago Helps Crack Case
Gilgo Beach Serial Murders: Key Tip From Witness 12 Years Ago Helps Crack Case The man accused of killing several women and dumping their bodies on a New York beach in what became known as the Gilgo Beach murders was finally nabbed thanks in large part to a tip from one victim’s roommate that came over a decade ago. Dave Schaller met with Suffolk County Police detectives in December 2010, shortly after the skeletal remains of 27-year-old Amber Lynn Costello were found in an area off Ocean Parkway, near Gilgo Beach, according to CBS News. He told them that shortly before Costello disappeared, he had witnessed a large man threatening her inside their North Babylon home…
This Capital Region Locale Tops List Of Safest Cities In America, Report Says This Capital Region Locale Tops List Of Safest Cities In America, Report Says
This Capital Region Locale Tops List Of Safest Cities In America, Report Says When it comes to that list of must-haves for a new home, not many amenities rank higher than peace of mind. Fortunately for New Yorkers, you won’t have to look far to find it as the safest city in America is right in our backyard, according to a new ranking. Glens Falls in Warren County topped Rocket Mortgage’s “15 Safest Cities In The US” for 2023. The company came up with the ranking after looking at violent and property crime data around the country from the FBI, as well as other factors like population, median household incomes, and home prices. Glens Falls boasts a violent crime ra…
NY Serial Murders: Pizza Crust Helped Nab Suspect Who Allegedly Taunted Victim's Family NY Serial Murders: Pizza Crust Helped Nab Suspect Who Allegedly Taunted Victim's Family
NY Serial Murders: Pizza Crust Helped Nab Suspect Who Allegedly Taunted Victim's Family New details are shedding light on just how police in New York tracked down an alleged serial killer who worked on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan suspected in the deaths of at least four women on Long Island more than a decade ago. Nassau County resident Rex Heuermann, age 59, of Massapequa Park, an architect and married father of two, was arraigned on murder charges in Suffolk County Court on Friday, July 14, in the killings of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. The bodies of 10 people, nine of whom were women, are linked to the case. Earlier Report: Suspect In Gilgo Beac…
Suspect In Gilgo Beach Murders ID'd As 59-Year-Old Founder Of Architecture Firm On Fifth Avenue Suspect In Gilgo Beach Murders ID'd As 59-Year-Old Founder Of Architecture Firm On Fifth Avenue
Suspect In Gilgo Beach Murders ID'd As 59-Year-Old Founder Of Architecture Firm On Fifth Avenue New update: NY Serial Murders: Pizza Crust Helped Nab Suspect Who Allegedly Taunted Victim's Family A man taken into custody for the Giglo Beach serial killer murders on Long Island has been identified as a local architect who has lived for years near where the bodies of the 10 victims were found, according to multiple reports and sources. Rex Heuermann, age 59, of Massapequa Park, was taken into custody on Thursday, July 13 around 8:30 p.m., for at least some of the murder victims, nine of whom were women, found on the south shore of Long Island known as Gilgo Beach, The New York Times re…
Gilgo Beach Serial Murders: Suspect Reportedly Nabbed In Case Involving 10 Victims Gilgo Beach Serial Murders: Suspect Reportedly Nabbed In Case Involving 10 Victims
Gilgo Beach Serial Murders: Suspect Reportedly Nabbed In Case Involving 10 Victims New Update: Serial Murder Suspect ID'd As Long Island Man Who Founded Architecture Firm On Fifth Avenue A suspect has reportedly been apprehended in connection with the Long Island serial murders on Gilgo Beach that have long gone unsolved, according to multiple news sources. The person, who has not yet been identified publically, was taken into custody in Nassau County on Thursday, July 13 in Massapequa Park by Suffolk County Police, along with other law enforcement partners, reported CBS News. A total of 10 bodies, nine of which were women, found on the south shore of Long Island.ha…
Travelers Beware: 'Juice Jacking' Scam Targeting Data Through Charging Stations Travelers Beware: 'Juice Jacking' Scam Targeting Data Through Charging Stations
Travelers Beware: 'Juice Jacking' Scam Targeting Data Through Charging Stations With the summer travel season underway, state leaders are warning of a new scam tactic targeting travelers’ personal information on their electronic devices. In a warning issued this week, the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection encouraged travelers to protect themselves against so-called “juice jacking” on public charging stations. Officials said thieves can place hidden skimming devices inside USB ports on public cell phone charging kiosks at airports, hotels, and other public locations. “Unfortunately, nefarious scammers are always at work finding new ways to …
Attempted Child Rapist Drove 285 Miles To Capital Region For Sex With '13-Year-Old,' Police Say Attempted Child Rapist Drove 285 Miles To Capital Region For Sex With '13-Year-Old,' Police Say
Attempted Child Rapist Drove 285 Miles To Capital Region For Sex With '13-Year-Old,' Police Say An attempted child rapist avoided lockup after driving hundreds of miles to the region to have sex with who he thought was an underage teen, authorities said. Cary Youngs, age 28, of Hamburg in Erie County, in western New York, was arrested Thursday, April 27, in the Capital Region, in the Albany County town of Colonie, following a police pursuit that lasted nearly 15 minutes, according to state police. Investigators from the agency’s Computer Crimes Unit and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, along with the FBI, determined that he drove from Buffalo to Colonie - a distance of 28…
Student From Louisville Threatens To 'Shoot Up' Hamilton College Days After Mass KY Shooting Student From Louisville Threatens To 'Shoot Up' Hamilton College Days After Mass KY Shooting
Student From Louisville Threatens To 'Shoot Up' Hamilton College Days After Mass KY Shooting Classes have resumed at a New York college where a 20-year-old student from Louisville allegedly threatened to shoot up the school just days after five were killed in a mass shooting in the Kentucky city. Multiple police agencies in Oneida County were called shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday, April 16, with reports of an active shooter threat against Hamilton College, located in the town of Clinton. In a post on Twitter, the college said there was “the threat of an armed assailant” in the Kirner Johnson building. Students and faculty were told to stay locked inside their rooms and away from win…
Massachusetts Air National Guard Member, 21, Arrested In Connection To Leaked Pentagon Papers Massachusetts Air National Guard Member, 21, Arrested In Connection To Leaked Pentagon Papers
Massachusetts Air National Guard Member, 21, Arrested In Connection To Leaked Pentagon Papers The unauthorized release of top-secret Pentagon materials has been connected to a 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guard member, officials say.  Jack Douglas Teixeira, a member of the United States Air Force National Guard in Massachusetts, was arrested in the afternoon of Thursday, April 13, according to Attorney General Merrick Garland. Teixeira's arrest is part of the investigation into the unauthorized removal and publication of classified government and military documents.  The FBI reported that they took Teixeira into custody at his home in North Dighton, located in Bristol Co…
Shooting Hoax: This Saratoga County School Targeted By Statewide ‘Swatting’ Prank Shooting Hoax: This Saratoga County School Targeted By Statewide ‘Swatting’ Prank
Shooting Hoax: This Saratoga County School Targeted By Statewide ‘Swatting’ Prank Federal investigators are probing a statewide “swatting” prank that sent schools across New York into lockdown amid fears of a mass shooting. The threatening phone calls started pouring in Thursday morning, March 30, falsely claiming there was an active shooter at various schools across the state, according to New York State Police. The State Police is aware of swatting incidents that have occurred across the state, in which a caller states that there is an active shooter in a school. All of the reports are unfounded. We are working alongside our federal & local partners to investig…
'Burn After Reading': Brian Laundrie's Mom Offered To Bury Body, Petitos' Lawyer Says 'Burn After Reading': Brian Laundrie's Mom Offered To Bury Body, Petitos' Lawyer Says
'Burn After Reading': Brian Laundrie's Mom Offered To Bury Body, Petitos' Lawyer Says A letter at the center of controversy in a lawsuit between the families of Long Island natives Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito has nothing to do with the death of Petito, Roberta Laundrie says.  Roberta Laundrie, of North Port, Florida, filed paperwork with the court on Monday, March 6, claiming the letter with the words "Burn After Reading," printed on the front, has nothing to do with the death of Petito of Blue Point, in Suffolk County. The attorney of the Petito family, Joe Petito, and Nichole Schmidt has also filed paperwork with the court to make the letter admissible as evidence in …
Agitated Man Blocks Upstate NY Roadway With Truck, Camper, Refuses To Move, Police Say Agitated Man Blocks Upstate NY Roadway With Truck, Camper, Refuses To Move, Police Say
Agitated Man Blocks Upstate NY Roadway With Truck, Camper, Refuses To Move, Police Say A 53-year-old man was taken to an area hospital for a mental evaluation after he blocked an area roadway for more than 90 minutes after parking his truck and camping trailer across the road. The incident took place in Ulster County around 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12 on Route 212 in the town of Saugerties.  Saugerties Police responded to a 911 call for a report of a pick-up truck with an attached camping trailer that had parked sideways on the New York State Thruway overpass, blocking all four lanes of traffic on Route 212, said Chief Joseph Sinagra, of the Saugerties Police.…
Newly Released Photo Of Gabby Petito Shows Blood On Her Face Before Police Stop Newly Released Photo Of Gabby Petito Shows Blood On Her Face Before Police Stop
Newly Released Photo Of Gabby Petito Shows Blood On Her Face Before Police Stop Gabby Petito took a photograph of herself with blood on her face and showed the injury to a police officer, but was ignored, according to attorneys for her family. On Tuesday, Feb. 7, the law firm of Parker & McConkie released the photo from September 2021, that is included in the family's wrongful death lawsuit against the Moab, Utah Police Department which had stopped Petito and her fiancé and fellow Long Island native Brian Laundrie, age 23,  on the day of the abuse. The Petitos claim the police department should have recognized their daughter was in a life-threatening situ…
FBI Probing Veteran's Claim That George Santos Stole Dying Dog's Charity Money, Report Says FBI Probing Veteran's Claim That George Santos Stole Dying Dog's Charity Money, Report Says
FBI Probing Veteran's Claim That George Santos Stole Dying Dog's Charity Money, Report Says The bad news just keeps coming for embattled New York Rep. George Santos, who is now the subject of an FBI investigation into accusations he stole charity money intended to help a Navy veteran’s dying service dog, Politico reports.  Richard Osthoff, of Howell, New Jersey, told the outlet that two FBI agents reached out to him on Wednesday, Feb. 1, as part of an investigation by the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York. Earlier Report: Bye George: Embattled Nassau Rep Santos Stepping Down 'Temporarily' From Committee Assignments Osthoff told Politico he gave the agents …
NY Man Plotted To Assassinate Journalist For Criticizing Iranian Government, Feds Say NY Man Plotted To Assassinate Journalist For Criticizing Iranian Government, Feds Say
NY Man Plotted To Assassinate Journalist For Criticizing Iranian Government, Feds Say A New York man is among three people implicated in an alleged plot to assassinate an Iranian-American journalist on US soil over her criticism of the Iranian government, authorities said. Westchester County resident Khalid Mehdiyev, age 24, of Yonkers, is named in a superseding indictment that was unsealed in the Southern District of New York on Friday, Jan. 27, against three people for murder-for-hire and money-laundering charges. Federal prosecutors allege that Mehdiyev is a member of a violent Eastern European criminal organization that has ties to Iran and has engaged in murders, kidna…
'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…