$6.8M COVID-19 Scam: Ex-Hedge Fund Manager Gets 4+ Years, No Parole $6.8M COVID-19 Scam: Ex-Hedge Fund Manager Gets 4+ Years, No Parole
$6.8M Covid-19 Scam: Ex-Hedge Fund Manager Gets 4+ Years, No Parole A dual New York/Florida resident was sentenced in New Jersey to a plea-bargained 51 months in federal prison for fraudulently collecting more than $6.8 million in COVID-19 payroll protection loans -- $3 million of which he lost in the stock market. Gregory J. Blotnick, 35, will have to serve just about all of the sentence because there's no parole in the federal prison system. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti sentenced Blotnick in Newark to two years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $4,577,631. Blotnick told the judge last f…
Bean Counter Who Embezzled Hundreds Of Thousands From Bergen Tour Company Sentenced Bean Counter Who Embezzled Hundreds Of Thousands From Bergen Tour Company Sentenced
Bean Counter Who Embezzled Hundreds Of Thousands From Bergen Tour Company Sentenced An accountant from Lyndhurst was sentenced to a plea-bargained 21 months in federal prison for her role in embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from a guided tour company she worked for. Ruby Baroni, 55, took a deal from the government rather than face trial – the same as her former manager, Estela Laluf, 76, of River Edge. Laluf was sentenced in April to an agreed-upon 27 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals sentenced Baroni on Thursday to two years of supervised release and ordered her to pay $295,297 in restitution. Between 2010 and 2016, she and Lal…
Theft Of $8.2M In HIV Meds From NJ Vets Hospital Gets Rx Tech 2½ Years Without Parole Theft Of $8.2M In HIV Meds From NJ Vets Hospital Gets Rx Tech 2½ Years Without Parole
Theft Of $8.2M In HIV Meds From NJ Vets Hospital Gets Rx Tech 2½ Years Without Parole UPDATE: A former pharmacy tech was sentenced to a plea-bargained 57 months in federal prison Thursday for stealing $8.2 million worth of HIV medications from a New Jersey veterans hospital to sell on the black market, authorities said. Lisa M. Hoffman, 50, of Orange, will have to serve just about all of the term because there’s no parole in the federal prison system. U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas also sentenced Hoffman on Thursday to three years of supervised release while ordering her to pay the full $8.29 million in restitution – and to forfeit an additional $450,000. Hoffman wa…
STRIKE OUT: North Jersey Little League Treasurer Stole More Than $30K In Funding, Police Say STRIKE OUT: North Jersey Little League Treasurer Stole More Than $30K In Funding, Police Say
Strike OUT: North Jersey Little League Treasurer Stole More Than $30K In Funding, Police Say A North Jersey man has been accused of stealing more than $30,000 from a local little league over the course of several years while acting as its treasurer, authorities said. Daniel Raczynski, 40, was serving as the Florham Park Little League Treasurer when he stole the funds from its checking and savings accounts between October 2019 and January 2022, Florham Park Police Chief Joseph Orlando said in a release on Wednesday, May 18. An investigation was launched by Det. Frank Pietropinto after other board members noticed numerous suspicious transactions and “significant” missing funds during…
Man Jumps Out Third-Story Window In Bogota SWAT Standoff After Violent Pursuit: Police Man Jumps Out Third-Story Window In Bogota SWAT Standoff After Violent Pursuit: Police
Man Jumps Out Third-Story Window In Bogota SWAT Standoff After Violent Pursuit: Police A New York man who led a wild police pursuit dragging and almost hitting officers barricaded himself in a Bogota apartment bringing the Bergen County SWAT team to the scene before jumping out a third floor window, authorities said. Trouble started for 36-year-old Christopher A. Batista last week when management from The Atwater apartment complex reported a suspicious incident involving his rent pay, Bogota Police Sgt. Geoffrey Cole said. Officers stopped Batista later that day, but he gave police a fake name and license, Cole said. He then fled in his 2020 BMW 740.  The offi…
NJ Biz Owner Didn't Give Hurt Landscaper Worker's Comp, Woman Stole $19K In Unemployment: AG NJ Biz Owner Didn't Give Hurt Landscaper Worker's Comp, Woman Stole $19K In Unemployment: AG
NJ Biz Owner Didn't Give Hurt Landscaper Worker's Comp, Woman Stole $19K In Unemployment: AG Two New Jersey residents are facing federal charges for failing to provide workers compensation to an injured employee and stealing more than $19,000 in unemployment funds, authorities said. Richard Hockenberry, 71, of Hawthorne, and Brianna Larkins, 34, of Secaucus, were both charged by way of indictment for the employment benefit-related crimes, Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Monday, May 9. One of Hockneberry's employees at his landscaping company became injured at work on Feb. 26, 2018, Platkin said. On May 4, 2018, the victim filed a Workers’ Compensation…
More Fraud, Theft Charges For PA Pool Shop Owner Who Scammed Dozens Of Clients, DA Says More Fraud, Theft Charges For PA Pool Shop Owner Who Scammed Dozens Of Clients, DA Says
More Fraud, Theft Charges For PA Pool Shop Owner Who Scammed Dozens Of Clients, DA Says A Pennsylvania pool shop owner accused of scamming dozens of clients out of thousands of dollars is facing additional fraud and theft charges, authorities announced Wednesday. Bethlehem resident Roger Kornfeind, who owns Hydro Dynamic Pools, was initially charged in January with 26 counts each of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property, as well as 23 counts of home improvement fraud, DailyVoice.com previously reported. Starting in July 2018, Kornfeind, 58, failed to fully install pools for customers who had entered into a purchase agreement and paid at least $2,000 down,…
Cliffside PD: Essex Man Caught Trying To Cash Bogus Check After Parking Illegally Outside Bank Cliffside PD: Essex Man Caught Trying To Cash Bogus Check After Parking Illegally Outside Bank
Cliffside PD: Essex Man Caught Trying To Cash Bogus Check After Parking Illegally Outside Bank GOTCHA! An Essex County man driving a sedan being sought by New Jersey State Police was caught trying to cash a bogus check for nearly $9,000 at a Cliffside Park bank after he parked illegally, authorities said. Police Officer Steve Mantilla had a feeling something wasn't right when he spotted the Mercedes C-Class in a frequently-violated no-parking zone in front of the Wells Fargo Bank on Anderson Avenue, Deputy Police Chief Vincent Capano said. Mantilla ran the license plate and discovered an alert for the sedan after its driver eluded State Police, Capano said. Charles C. Okeke, 19, of …
NJ: Elderly Siblings With 8th-Grade Educations Swindled In $500,000 Investment Scam NJ: Elderly Siblings With 8th-Grade Educations Swindled In $500,000 Investment Scam
NJ: Elderly Siblings With 8th-Grade Educations Swindled In $500,000 Investment Scam A former investment adviser swindled four elderly New Jersey customers out of $529,780 that he used for gambling, meals and car payments, state authorities said. Three of the victims conned by Mario E. Rivero, Jr. were elderly siblings who had eighth-grade educations, couldn't speak or read English and had "diminished capacity," Acting New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said on Monday, March 14. Rivero -- who'd known the siblings for more than 10 years before becoming their financial professional -- told them and others that their money "would be invested in his mother's and fr…
ID Thieves Had Dozens Of Fake DLs, Debit Cards, Social Security Cards, More: Hawthorne PD ID Thieves Had Dozens Of Fake DLs, Debit Cards, Social Security Cards, More: Hawthorne PD
ID Thieves Had Dozens Of Fake DLs, Debit Cards, Social Security Cards, More: Hawthorne PD A New York City couple who both tried giving Hawthorne police fake IDs during a traffic stop had a trove of phony driver’s licenses, debit cards, Social Security cards and checks in other people’s names with them, authorities said. Various violations led police to stop their 2006 BMW 525, which had a temporary registration tag that didn’t belong to the vehicle, on Rea Avenue near Goffle Road around 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, Detective Lt. Matthew Hoogmoed said. After arresting both, police found “the driver’s licenses of 29 people as well as numerous TD bank debit cards,” Hoogmoed said. “T…
Man Wanted For Identity Theft In Lehigh Valley, Police Say Man Wanted For Identity Theft In Lehigh Valley, Police Say
Man Wanted For Identity Theft In Lehigh Valley, Police Say Police are seeking the public’s help identifying a man wanted for fraud in the Lehigh Valley area. The man pictured above is a suspect in an identity theft case in Bethlehem, city police said Monday. Anyone with information about the man’s identity is asked to contact Bethlehem Police at 610-865-7000 or email Detective Molony at smolony@bethlehem-pa.gov.
NJ Scammer Admits Selling Bogus Tom Brady Super Bowl Rings NJ Scammer Admits Selling Bogus Tom Brady Super Bowl Rings
NJ Scammer Admits Selling Bogus Tom Brady Super Bowl Rings A 24-year-old New Jersey man pleaded guilty to fraud for pretending to be a New England Patriots player to buy and sell Super Bowl rings engraved with Tom Brady's last name, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday, Feb. 2. Scott V. Spina Jr., of Roseland, could face decades in prison when he's sentenced May 23, for charges of mail fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft, authorities said. Spina's guilty plea comes one day after the quarterback announced his retirement after 22 seasons and seven Super Bowl titles. Spina ordered three replica Super Bo…