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Couple Accused Of Posing As Pro Sports Players To Make Millions
A couple allegedly had a bold game plan: pretend to be the next big thing in professional sports and let the money roll in.
Albert Paul Weber, 42, of Harvey, Louisiana, and Cyntrelle Lash, 39, of New Orleans, were indicted on Friday, April 24, on federal charges tied to a long-running scheme to impersonate professional athletes and pocket millions in fraudulent loans, the US Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana, announced.
According to court documents, Weber, Lash, and their coconspirators targeted athletes who were on the verge of being drafted by NBA and NFL teams and stood to…
Bergen County Accountant Admits $10M Ponzi Scheme, Bank Fraud: Feds
A Bergen County accountant and tax preparer admitted in federal court Tuesday, Feb. 17, to running a Ponzi and bank fraud scheme that bilked victims out of more than $10 million, authorities said.
Evangelos Drosos, 51, of Glen Rock, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in federal court in Trenton to three counts of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of failure to file an individual income tax return, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello said.
Drosos was first charged by the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office last April with stealing nearly half a m…
NJ Doctor Flooded Patients With 20K Oxycodone Pills In Health Care Fraud Scheme: DOJ
A physician forced patients into taking unwanted “Goody Bags” of drugs to get prescriptions, flooding them with oxycodone and defrauding health care plans out of millions, federal prosecutors said.
Neil K. Anand, M.D., 48, most recently of Bensalem, PA, but originally from Albany, NY, was convicted in April 2025 of conspiring to commit health care fraud, wire fraud, and the unlawful distribution of controlled substances. On Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Evidence at trial showed Anand and his conspirators require…
NJ Gun Case Looms As Ex-Eagles RB Wendell Smallwood Jr. Sentenced In COVID Fraud
Wendell Smallwood Jr., a former Philadelphia Eagles running back and Super Bowl champion, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the IRS in Wilmington, Delaware, on Thursday, Sept. 18, according to federal court documents obtained by Daily Voice.
U.S. District Senior Judge Richard G. Andrews also ordered Smallwood, 31, to repay the government $645,000. The punishment comes after Smallwood pleaded guilty in December 2024 to orchestrating schemes that defrauded COVID-19 relief programs and the IRS.
Smallwood earned about…
'Our Pesticides Kill COVID:' NJ Biotech Founder, Philly Firm Hit With Federal Charges
A New Jersey man and the Philadelphia-based biotech company he founded are accused of selling pesticides with false claims that they could kill the virus that causes COVID-19, federal prosecutors said.
James Young, 46, of Cherry Hill — founder of ViaClean Technologies, LLC — was charged by indictment with conspiring to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, mail fraud, and violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), according to U.S. Attorney David Metcalf.
Sean Storrie, 59, of Philadelphia, was also charged with FIFRA violations, prosecutors said.
The indictm…
$140K Fraud Committed By Former PA Senator's Aide Scamming Church, Supporters
A former aide to Pennsylvania state Sen. Vincent Hughes admitted to stealing more than $140,000 from a North Philadelphia church where he was a deacon and from a city political ward he led, the FBI announced on Saturday, Aug. 2.
Willie Jordan, 68, of Upper Darby, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle III to two counts of wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Wednesday, July 30.
From 2020 to 2024, Jordan exploited his roles at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church and Philadelphia’s 44th Ward for personal benefit, court d…
George Santos Surrenders To NJ Prison: Inside His New Life Behind Bars
Disgraced former New York Rep. George Santos is officially trading Cameo videos for commissary lines.
The ousted lawmaker, 37, surrendered to Federal Correctional Institution Fairton in New Jersey on Friday, July 25, to begin serving his seven-year sentence for wire fraud and identity theft.
And, true to form, Santos did not go quietly: “Well, darlings… The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed,” Santos told his 211,000 followers on X the night before.
“From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news, what a ride it’s been! Was it messy? Always. Glamorous…
Fyre Festival Brand Sold On eBay, Price Disappoints NJ Founder: 'This Sucks, It's So Low'
The name synonymous with a failed music festival, fraud, and bland cheese sandwiches has been sold on eBay.
A bidder purchased Fyre Festival's notorious brand, trademarks, and social media accounts for $245,300 on Tuesday, July 15. The eBay auction ended at 12:44 p.m., closing a chapter in one of the most infamous stories in music festival history.
According to the eBay listing, 42 bidders placed 175 bids in the auction. The brand's winning bidder hasn't been announced as of press time.
The listing claimed the winner would have access to "the most talked-about festival brand in t…
Wife Of Notorious NJ House Flipper Indicted After Smashing Phone In Husband's Federal Case
A New Jersey woman has been indicted in a federal case tied to her husband, a notorious house flipper, after she destroyed her cell phone as law enforcement tried to seize it during a fraud investigation, officials announced.
Jennifer Iturralde Pina, 43, of Franklin Lakes, was indicted on a charge of destruction of records in a federal investigation, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced Thursday, July 3.
The case stems from a federal investigation involving her husband, Cesar Humberto Pina, 45 — a real estate influencer better known as “Flipping NJ.”
Pina gained national attention through r…
$5.6M Multi-State Fraud Scheme With 1K+ Stolen IDs Lands Pennsylvania Man Federal Charges: DOJ
A Pennsylvania man is accused of stealing over $5.6 million in pandemic aid using more than 1,000 stolen or fake identities, federal prosecutors announced on Monday, June 16.
Adepoju Babatunde Salako, 32, has been indicted in Colorado on multiple federal charges after allegedly orchestrating a nationwide COVID-19 benefits scam, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.
Salako faces six counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and four counts of aggravated identity theft, according to t…
Taylor Swift's Neighbor, Distinguished PA Educator-Turned-Art Dealer Pleads Guilty In Art Scam
A former Hill School admissions director and neighbor of pop icon Taylor Swift pleaded guilty to selling fake artwork he falsely claimed was created by some of the world’s most legendary artists, federal authorities announced on Tuesday, June 3.
Carter P. Reese, 77, of Reading, admitted in federal court on Thursday, May 29, to wire fraud and mail fraud for a two-year scheme that duped customers into buying forged works he said came from Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and others, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Once respect…
Ex-Library Staffer From Hawthorne Admits Embezzling $3.2M From Couple Who Trusted Him, Feds Say
A Passaic County man and former tech administrator at a Bergen County library admitted to embezzling more than $3.2 million from a local couple who had hired him as a part-time personal assistant, federal prosecutors said.
Charles Gallo, 34, of Hawthorne, pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to one count of wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said Friday, May 2.
Gallo began working for the victims in 2018, helping manage their bills, banking, emails, and tech issues, court documents say. From March 2022 to March 2023, Gallo used his access to steal millions, including making ATM withdra…
Sean Kingston, Mom Federally Convicted In $1M Wire Fraud Scheme Weeks After NJ Show: Report
Rapper Sean Kingston and his mom Janice Turner have been convicted in a million-dollar luxury goods fraud scheme that prosecutors say involved bogus wire transfers, fake bank documents, and a whole lot of bling they never paid for, officials announced.
After more than 3½ hours of deliberation, a Florida jury on Friday, March 28, found Kingston, 34, and Turner, 61, guilty of federal wire fraud, NBC News reports.
Kingston was ordered to house arrest with electronic monitoring and must post a surety bond including a home worth $500,000 and $200,000 in cash, NBC said. Turner will remain in fede…
Teresa Giudice, Luis Ruelas Hit With $3M In Tax Liens, People Reports
Looks like the IRS might be flipping a table of its own.
"Real Housewives of New Jersey" OG Teresa Giudice and her husband Luis Ruelas are facing a massive tax mess—to the tune of $3 million, according to a new PEOPLE report citing court records.
Giudice, 51, reportedly owes $303,889.20. Her husband of two years? He's in deeper, with a jaw-dropping $2.6 million in unpaid taxes, PEOPLE reports. A lien for more than $163,500 was issued against Ruelas this past December, the outlet says, citing the New Jersey Courts website.
This isn’t Teresa’s first round with Uncle Sam. She served 11 months…
Office Manager Admits To Embezzling $350K From North Jersey Synagogue, Feds Say
A 52-year-old Scotch Plains woman pleaded guilty on Thursday, March 20, to embezzling more than $350,000 from a Union County synagogue she worked at, authorities said.
In 2010, Stacy Margaritondo began working at Congregation Beth Israel in Scotch Plains and was later promoted to bookkeeper and office manager in July 2020, U.S. Attorney John Giordano said.
Margaritondo’s duties included accounting/bookkeeping, payroll, preparing checks for accounts payable, and reporting to the synagogue’s board of directors regarding the synagogue’s financial condition, Giordano said.
From Dec. 2019 to Ma…
