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South Jersey Man Who Scammed $500K+ Sentenced In Foreign Currency, Car Loan Schemes: Feds
A Mount Laurel man will spend several years in prison after scamming hundreds of investors and car owners out of more than $500,000, authorities said.
Michael Salerno, 55, was sentenced on Monday, Aug. 26 to three years and one month in prison, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Jacqueline Romero said in a news release. He had pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud after he was indicted for schemes in September 2020 and February 2023.
Salerno operated Black Diamond Forex, L.P., BDF Trading, L.P., Advanta Capital Markets, Inc., and Advanta FX between …
Middlesex County Men Indicted In Alleged $7M Fuel Investment Scheme: AG
A New Jersey grand jury has indicted two Middlesex County men for allegedly defrauding fuel investors out of approximately $6.7 million, authorities said.
The scheme used sham companies and false identities to deceive investors into believing they would receive large guaranteed returns from investments in fuel products, according to Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin.
Instead, the defendants diverted investor funds for their own benefit, Platkin said.
Shahid Javed, 39, of Old Bridge, and Wilfredo Topacio, 64, of Woodbridge, were charged in an indictment with first-degree conspiracy, …
Contractor Conned Woman Out Of $341K In Home Repairs He Never Did In South Jersey: Prosecutor
A 32-year-old man from Gloucester County is accused of defrauding an elderly woman out of $341,000 in home repairs he never did, authorities said.
On Tuesday, July 23, Christopher Fuscellaro of Mantua Township was arrested and charged with theft, theft by deception and being an unlicensed contractor, according to the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office.
Between Sept. 7, 2022, and Nov. 16, 2023, Fuscellaro portrayed himself as a licensed contractor in Washington Township "and utilized various means of fraud and deception to defraud the elderly victim," the prosecutor said.
Christophe…
Mother, Son Admit Selling Cheap Parts To Military Through Jersey Shore Family Business: Feds
A New Jersey mother and son admitted to a years-long scheme to scam the Department of Defense by selling cheap military equipment not approved by their business's contracts, authorities said.
Linda Mika, 73, of Jackson, pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday, July 23 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release. Her son, 53-year-old Kenneth Mika of Ewing, also pleaded guilty to the same charge on Tuesday, June 25.
According to court documents and testimony, Linda and Kenneth Mika defrauded the DoD and the Defe…
