DoorDash Scammer Was Murdered Before Trial In NY, Now Feds Scramble To Return Stolen Money DoorDash Scammer Was Murdered Before Trial In NY, Now Feds Scramble To Return Stolen Money
DoorDash Scammer Was Murdered Before Trial In NY, Now Feds Scramble To Return Stolen Money Federal officials have recovered more than $736,000 linked to a Connecticut-based scam targeting DoorDash drivers. But the man behind the scheme was murdered just two days before a court appearance, and now prosecutors must figure out how to return the stolen cash. Police began investigating David Smith in January 2023 when Stamford police responded to a domestic violence call at a local apartment, the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut said. Inside, officers found a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine and multiple safes stuffed with $736,040 in cash, along with 118 credit and debit cards, most…
$20K RV, Ticket Scam Orchestrated By Man From Region, Police Say $20K RV, Ticket Scam Orchestrated By Man From Region, Police Say
$20K RV, Ticket Scam Orchestrated By Man From Region, Police Say A 63-year-old man is behind bars after allegedly conning multiple people out of thousands of dollars in a months-long fraud scheme, police said. Rensselaer County resident Patrick Walsh, of Nassau, was arrested following a New York State Police investigation Monday, May 5. Troopers determined that Walsh targeted victims while in Schodack, collecting payments for high-value items like RVs and concert tickets he never provided, police said. In total, he is accused of stealing over $20,000 through the alleged scam. Walsh is charged with four counts of grand larceny and one count of scheme to…
$10M Lie: Sweet-Talking Scammer Conned Hudson Valley Victim Out Of Thousands, Police Say $10M Lie: Sweet-Talking Scammer Conned Hudson Valley Victim Out Of Thousands, Police Say
$10M Lie: Sweet-Talking Scammer Conned Hudson Valley Victim Out Of Thousands, Police Say A fraudster convinced an elderly Capital Region man he had won millions in a sweepstakes, then walked away with tens of thousands in cash, police said. Lance Norman, 36, of Queens, was arrested on Monday, May 12, in connection with an elaborate Publishers Clearing House scam that targeted a victim in Columbia County, according to New York State Police. A Chatham man told troopers he received a phone call claiming he had won $10 million and a new Mercedes-Benz. The caller instructed him that in order to claim the prize, he needed to pay taxes up front. The victim handed over approximately $…
Luigi Mangione Musical Is Real, And It's Sold Out Luigi Mangione Musical Is Real, And It's Sold Out
Luigi Mangione Musical Is Real, And It's Sold Out A new musical rooted in true crime and real-world headlines is making waves for its surreal premise — and stranger backstory. The creators of Luigi The Musical, which centers on controversial figure Luigi Mangione, say it will offer a unique blend of comedy and social critique, distancing itself from any glorification of violence. It will premiere on Friday, June 13, in San Francisco, at the Taylor Street Theater. Tickets for all five of its initial performances are sold out, with new dates expected to be announced, according to the show’s website. Mangione, a 27-year-old Maryland native, …
HV Victim Gave $100K In Gold, Cash To Scammer Posing As Federal Agent, Police Say HV Victim Gave $100K In Gold, Cash To Scammer Posing As Federal Agent, Police Say
HV Victim Gave $100K In Gold, Cash To Scammer Posing As Federal Agent, Police Say A Long Island man posing as a federal agent conned a Hudson Valley woman into handing over nearly $100,000 in cash and gold, police said. Mykhaylo Mykhaylov, 39, of Copiague, was busted during an undercover operation in Columbia County on Wednesday, May 7 — just as the victim was about to deliver yet another payment, New York State Police said. The 73-year-old victim first contacted police on Monday, May 5, after realizing she may have been targeted in a fraud scheme that began in March. She told troopers that people claiming to be agents with the Federal Trade Commission had convinced her …
Whistleblower To Get $1M After Tipping Off DOJ About NY-Based Restaurant Chain's COVID Fraud Whistleblower To Get $1M After Tipping Off DOJ About NY-Based Restaurant Chain's COVID Fraud
Whistleblower To Get $1M After Tipping Off DOJ About Ny-based Restaurant Chain's COVID Fraud A whistleblower who alerted the federal government to a restaurant chain’s fraudulent pandemic aid claim will walk away with more than $1.17 million. CoreLife Eatery, which operates restaurants in several states, including New York and Pennsylvania, admitted it falsely claimed to be eligible for Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) money—federal grants meant to help small businesses hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s where the whistleblower comes in. The civil case was brought under the False Claims Act, which allows private citizens to file lawsuits on behalf of the government if t…
$50K In Checks Stolen From School District In Hudson Valley: 4 Charged, Police Say $50K In Checks Stolen From School District In Hudson Valley: 4 Charged, Police Say
$50K In Checks Stolen From School District In Hudson Valley: 4 Charged, Police Say Four people have been apprehended after allegedly stealing $50,000 in mailed checks from a Hudson Valley school district, police announced.  The arrests were revealed on Friday, April 25, following an investigation that began in Orange County in November 2024, when Pine Bush Central School District officials discovered that several district-issued checks had been altered, the Town of Crawford Police Department said.  An internal audit and joint investigation with Crawford Police revealed that the checks were stolen during the mailing process and fraudulently deposited into multipl…
$10M Fraud: NY Dad, Son Get Years For Spending Investor Money On Lavish Lifestyle $10M Fraud: NY Dad, Son Get Years For Spending Investor Money On Lavish Lifestyle
$10M Fraud: NY Dad, Son Get Years For Spending Investor Money On Lavish Lifestyle A New York father and son will spend years behind bars for conning investors out of millions of dollars that funded their lavish lifestyle. Long Island resident Eugene Austin, age 62, of Port Jefferson, was sentenced to 18 years in prison in Brooklyn federal court on Wednesday, April 23, following a jury conviction for wire fraud and money laundering. Austin’s 29-year-old son, Brandon Austin, of Coram, was previously sentenced to four years behind bars for his role in the scheme. The men offered to serve as a broker for sales of large quantities of cryptocurrency at below-market exchange r…
Fyre Festival 2 Postponed Due To Lack Of Venue Fyre Festival 2 Postponed Due To Lack Of Venue
Fyre Festival 2 Postponed Due To Lack Of Venue Anyone with a craving for a bland cheese sandwich is not going to like this news. Fyre Festival 2, the sequel to the infamous failed music festival that promised luxury but instead delivered tents and stale cheese sandwiches and sent Billy McFarland, a Short Hills native, to prison, has been postponed, organizers said on Wednesday, April 16. The event was scheduled to take place in Mexico at the end of May, only they were unable to find a venue. No musical guests had been announced, though tickets went on sale anyway, starting at $1,400. Top tickets were sold for $1 million with a promise o…
'Unrepentant' George Santos Crying Out For 'Significant' Prison Time With Social Posts: DOJ 'Unrepentant' George Santos Crying Out For 'Significant' Prison Time With Social Posts: DOJ
'Unrepentant' George Santos Crying Out For 'Significant' Prison Time With Social Posts: DOJ Disgraced former New York congressman and convicted fraudster George Santos is proving, once again, that he’s more concerned with clout than consequences. With just days before his sentencing, federal prosecutors filed a scathing letter in Central Islip federal court Thursday, April 17, highlighting a wave of Santos’ recent social media posts they say “cry out” for a stiff prison sentence. The letter–sent from US Attorney John Durham to Judge Joanna Seybert–claims the X posts are “antithetical to the ‘genuine remorse’” claimed by Santos’ attorneys in their sentencing memorandum. Santos, 36…
Data Breach Exposed Driver's Licenses, Credit Cards Of Hertz Customers Data Breach Exposed Driver's Licenses, Credit Cards Of Hertz Customers
Data Breach Exposed Driver's Licenses, Credit Cards Of Hertz Customers Customers of car rental company Hertz may have had their personal information stolen after a data breach exposed driver's license numbers, credit card details, and other sensitive records. Hertz confirmed the breach involved data stored by Cleo Communications, a vendor used by Hertz for file transfers. Hackers exploited security flaws in Cleo's system in October and December 2024, according to the company. Hertz verified on Monday, Feb. 10, that an "unauthorized third party" accessed customer data. The company completed its investigation on Wednesday, April 2, and began notifying affec…
'Pathological Liar' George Santos Deserves 'Significant Prison Sentence,' Feds Say 'Pathological Liar' George Santos Deserves 'Significant Prison Sentence,' Feds Say
'Pathological Liar' George Santos Deserves 'Significant Prison Sentence,' Feds Say Disgraced former New York congressman George Santos will sit in federal prison for more than a half decade if prosecutors get their way. In a sentencing memo filed in Central Islip on Friday, April 4, the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District urged Judge Joanna Seybert to impose an 87-month prison term–over seven years–describing Santos as a “pathological liar and fraudster” who “made a mockery of our election system.” Santos, 36, represented Long Island’s 3rd Congressional District, covering parts of Nassau County and Queens, until he was expelled from Congress in December 2023, as…