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Father-Daughter Duo Who Stole $230K From Elderly Victim In Hudson Valley Dodges Prison
A father and daughter who scammed a 92-year-old woman out of more than $230,000 in Ulster County won’t spend a day in prison.
Frank Whittaker, 56, of Kingston, and his daughter, Christine Ellsworth, 39, of Accord, were sentenced to probation and ordered to pay restitution in Ulster County Court on Tuesday, March 4.
The daddy-daughter duo gained the victim’s trust by helping with yard work and household tasks, according to the New York Attorney General’s office. Over time, Whittaker convinced the woman to grant him Power of Attorney over her finances.
But instead of managing her money resp…
$13K Fraud: Ex-Husband Accused In Car Blaze Gets Larceny Charges In Westchester, Police Say
A man already accused of setting fire to his ex-wife's car has now been charged with bank fraud and grand larceny in Westchester, authorities said.
Hari Valdez, 34, was arrested on Tuesday, Feb. 25, after Croton-on-Hudson Police linked him to unauthorized bank transactions totaling $13,000, the department said on Friday, Feb. 28.
The case began earlier in February, when a Croton resident reported two fraudulent withdrawals totaling $4,000 from their bank account. As detectives investigated, they uncovered four additional fraudulent transactions connected to businesses in New Roc…
$64K In Gift Cards Stolen From ShopRite By Former Employee In Westchester: Police
A former ShopRite employee from Dutchess County has been charged after allegedly stealing $64,100 worth of gift cards from a Westchester store, police announced.
Laura Picozzi, 33, of Fishkill, was taken into custody on Thursday, Jan. 30, following an investigation by Croton-on-Hudson Police into the theft of 151 gift cards from the ShopRite located at 460 South Riverside Ave., the department announced on Monday, March 3.
According to authorities, ShopRite loss prevention officers first alerted police to the theft in January. After reviewing the case, detectives identified Picozzi—a f…
Second International Fugitive Extradited To Westchester In Week, Police Say
For the second time in a week, Westchester County Police detectives have taken custody of an international fugitive wanted for committing serious crimes in the county, authorities announced.
Just days after 52-year-old Galo Herrera was extradited from Mexico to face rape and sexual assault charges, law enforcement officials successfully returned another wanted fugitive to Westchester—this time from Colombia, Westchester County Police announced on Friday, Feb. 28.
On Thursday, Feb. 27, law enforcement officials extradited Juan Cuartos Bustos, 25, from Colombia, bringing him back to the Unite…
ATVs, Motorcycle Stolen From Facebook Seller: 3 Nabbed In Hudson Valley Burglary Case, Cops Say
Authorities have apprehended three Long Island men in a burglary ring who targeted a home in Putnam County after allegedly using Facebook Marketplace to gather information on their victim, police said.
Nassau County resident Percy Dickinson, age 25, of Freeport, was taken into custody on Tuesday, Jan. 28, after being wanted for his alleged role in a burglary in the Town of Southeast in April 2024, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced on Thursday, Jan. 30.
The case began when deputies responded to a home on Briar Drive for a reported break-in at a garage, where two ATVs a…
Caregiver Steals Nearly $10K From Elderly Woman In Westchester: Police
A caregiver is accused of betraying the trust of an elderly Westchester woman by illegally writing nearly $10,000 in checks from her account, police said.
Amie Faye, age 35, of the Bronx, was arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 29, and charged in connection with the alleged theft, the City of Rye Police Department announced.
Detectives launched an investigation after uncovering that Faye, who was employed as the victim’s caregiver, allegedly wrote $9,100 in checks without the woman's consent and used the money for herself, police said.
After her arrest, Faye was charged with the follow…
NY State Workers Steal Debit Card Info From Disabled Residents, Police Say
Three New York State employees are accused of stealing money from developmentally disabled residents in the Capital Region.
The women, all employees at the Capital District Developmental Disabilities Services Office (DDSO) in Clifton Park, were arrested on suspicion of fraud and larceny-related charges following an investigation by the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday, Jan. 26.
Officials identified the defendants as:
Lashea Pettway, 30, of Schenectady
Jessie Gabriel, 34, of Schenectady
Christin McGrath, 45, of Selkirk
An investigation found that all three women stole debit card …
$50K Scheme: Former Top Greenburgh-Graham Officials Spent Funds On Personal Items, DA Says
Two former administrators at a Westchester County school district serving at-risk students have been charged with multiple public corruption offenses after using $50,000 for personal items, prosecutors announced.
Rockland County resident Oliver Levy, age 55, of Stony Point, the former superintendent of the Greenburgh-Graham Union Free School District, and Surendra Kumar, 48, of Yonkers, a former security system specialist, were arraigned on Wednesday, Jan. 22, on charges including second- and third-degree grand larceny and corrupting the government, the Westchester County District Attorney's…
Westchester Man Nabbed In Bank Fraud, Identity Theft Scheme: Police
A Westchester County man is facing serious charges in Vermont after being accused of using stolen identities and forged documents to commit multiple bank frauds, police announced.
Gregory Errico, age 35, of Yonkers, was arrested on Tuesday, Jan. 7, by the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department in Bethel, Vermont, following an attempted fraud at Mascoma Bank, the Sheriff's Department announced.
According to the Windsor County Sheriff’s Office, Errico’s alleged scheme involved using stolen identities to withdraw money from banks across the Bethel area. After his arrest in Bethel, Err…
Teen Accused Of Stealing Vehicle, Leading Police Chase Through Westchester
A 19-year-old man from Connecticut is facing numerous charges after allegedly stealing a vehicle in Westchester and leading police on a multi-agency pursuit, authorities said.
The incident began on Thursday morning, Nov. 28, when a West Harrison resident reported suspicious activity involving two vehicles, a white Mercedes Benz and a dark-colored Audi A5, on Columbus Avenue, the Harrison Police Department announced on Monday, Dec. 2.
Those inside the cars were seen trying to pull on the door handles of parked cars, the department said, prompting a quick response to the scene.
When of…
43-Year-Old Man Accused Of Stealing Safe From Westchester Residence
A 43-year-old man faces several charges after allegedly breaking into a Northern Westchester, NY home and taking several items, including a safe, police said.
Jerry Montgomery, of Hackensack, NJ was arrested on Thursday, Oct. 24 in connection with a burglary that happened at a New Castle residence, New Castle Police announced on Friday, Oct. 25.
According to the department, Montgomery entered a dwelling and took "various items, including a safe." Police did not specify the exact location of the burglary.
Following an investigation into the incident, Montgomery w…
NY Woman Cleans Out Bank Account To Fraudster Posing As Federal Agent, Police Say
A months-long investigation has led to the arrest of a man who authorities say impersonated a federal agent and used fear and intimidation to convince a Long Island victim to hand over money.
On Friday, Oct. 25, the suspect, Om Parkash, age 31, of Queens, was charged with second-degree grand larceny (a Class C felony).
In late July of 2023, Parkash contacted the victim in Sag Harbor stating she was involved in a fraud scheme involving large amounts of money, according to New York State Police.
From there, Parkash advised the victim she would have to give money to “federal a…
Westchester Man Posing As Attorney Scams Thousands From Victim, Police Say
A man from the region has been accused of posing as an attorney and targeting victims, including one he allegedly scammed out of thousands of dollars.
The New York State Police have reported that an investigation has revealed that Northern Westchester County resident David Karaca, 56, of Somers, impersonated a lawyer in a virtual Alcoholics Anonymous group based in Los Angeles.
Karaca, also known as David Radcliffe and David Corazza, defrauded a victim of $7,500 for legal fees despite not being a licensed attorney, said police.
Karaca has been charged with grand larceny, a Class…
Ex-Controller Who Stole $340K From Westchester Company Gets Prison Time
A 54-year-old woman who stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Northern Westchester-based company she worked for will spend several years in prison.
Mohegan Lake resident ToniAnn Rosado was sentenced to a term of two to six years in prison on Friday, Sept. 27 for stealing more than $340,000 from North Castle-based paint company CR Wallauer & Company, Inc., the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced on Tuesday, Oct. 1.
According to the DA's Office, in her role as the company's controller, Rosado stole $341,707.54 between July 7, 2017, …
4 Suspects Accused Of Leaving Wegmans In Harrison With Over $1K In Stolen Items
Four people were slapped with criminal charges after entering a Westchester supermarket with a child, filling their carts with merchandise, and leaving without trying to pay, police announced.
The arrests follow an incident on Saturday, Aug. 24 that happened at Wegmans in Harrison at 106 Corporate Park Dr., near the junction of I-684 and I-287, Harrison Police announced on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
According to the department, the four suspects and a child entered the supermarket, filled multiple shopping carts with products valued at over $1,000, and passed all of the store's cashier…
61-Year-Old Man Accused Of Stealing Boy's Bicycle At Park In Hudson Valley
A man was slapped with a grand larceny charge after allegedly stealing a bicycle worth thousands of dollars from a boy at a Hudson Valley park, authorities announced.
Dutchess County resident Roy Bishop, age 61, was arrested on Tuesday, Aug. 20 in connection with the bicycle theft, which allegedly happened in Philipstown on Monday, Aug. 19, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced on Friday, Aug. 23.
According to authorities, on the day of the theft, the young victim rode his YT Jeffsy mountain bike to the North Highlands Town Park to go fishing. At some point while he was a…
