Scammers Stole Taylor Swift Eras Tour Tickets In $600K+ NY-Based Scheme, Prosecutors Say Scammers Stole Taylor Swift Eras Tour Tickets In $600K+ NY-Based Scheme, Prosecutors Say
Scammers Stole Taylor Swift Eras Tour Tickets In $600K+ Ny-based Scheme, Prosecutors Say Taylor Swift fans are hoping "Karma" comes to whoever scammed them out of expensive tickets to The Eras Tour. Two people were accused of stealing nearly 1,000 tickets to high-demand events, including the popstar's record-breaking concert tour. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced arrests in the case in a news release on Monday, Mar. 3. Tyrone Rose, 20, of Kingston, Jamaica, and Shamara Simmons, 31, of Queens, NY, were facing charges including grand larceny, conspiracy, and computer tampering.  "These defendants tried to use the popularity of Taylor Swift…
Contractor 'Thief With No Conscience' Skips Out On Sentencing After $84K Con Job In Region Contractor 'Thief With No Conscience' Skips Out On Sentencing After $84K Con Job In Region
Contractor 'Thief With No Conscience' Skips Out On Sentencing After $84K Con Job In Region A man who confessed to posing as a contractor in order to con a Capital Region homeowner out of over $80,000 failed to show up for his sentencing. Chad Nichols, 47, was sentenced to between four and 14 years in prison despite not showing up to Albany County Court on Thursday, Feb. 13, according to the DA’s office. Judge Thomas Marcelle issued a bench warrant for his arrest. It came after Nichols pleaded guilty to grand larceny and criminal impersonation for defrauding a Guilderland homeowner, wiping out her life savings. Nichols was hired by the victim in the spring of 2023 to complete sev…
NY's Top Prosecutor Resigns After Orders To Drop Charges Against NYC Mayor Adams: Reports NY's Top Prosecutor Resigns After Orders To Drop Charges Against NYC Mayor Adams: Reports
NY's Top Prosecutor Resigns After Orders To Drop Charges Against NYC Mayor Adams: Reports Following orders to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Acting US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Danielle Sassoon has decided to resign, according to reports.  Sassoon, who took the position in January following the resignation of Damian Williams, announced her resignation in a short statement to her colleagues, NBC News and The New York Times reported on Thursday, Feb. 13.  According to NBC, Sassoon, who resigned alongside two senior federal prosecutors in Washington, made the decision only three days after receiving a me…
$11.2M Loan Fraud Scheme: Nurse Practitioner From Hudson Valley Stole Doctors' Identities $11.2M Loan Fraud Scheme: Nurse Practitioner From Hudson Valley Stole Doctors' Identities
$11.2M Loan Fraud Scheme: Nurse Practitioner From Hudson Valley Stole Doctors' Identities A nurse practitioner from Westchester County who stole the identities of over a dozen doctors and orchestrated a multi-million dollar disability loan fraud scheme will spend years in prison, federal prosecutors announced. Catherine Seemer, age 44, of Elmsford, was sentenced to five years in prison on Wednesday, Feb. 5, after pleading guilty to defrauding federal disability loan programs of more than $11.2 million, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. From June 2017 through March 2022, Seemer ran a scheme that falsely claimed student loan borrowers wer…
NY State Workers Steal Debit Card Info From Disabled Residents In Region, Police Say NY State Workers Steal Debit Card Info From Disabled Residents In Region, Police Say
NY State Workers Steal Debit Card Info From Disabled Residents In Region, 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 …
Tax Preparer Steals $8K from Employer In Dutchess, Police Say Tax Preparer Steals $8K from Employer In Dutchess, Police Say
Tax Preparer Steals $8K from Employer In Dutchess, Police Say A 29-year-old Hudson Valley man is facing serious charges after allegedly mishandling client payments and documents, leading to the theft of thousands from his employer, police said. Dutchess County resident Jonathan Yousef Sawaged of Poughkeepsie was arrested on Tuesday, Jan. 21, following a fraud investigation, the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department announced on Wednesday, Jan. 22.  According to the department, authorities began looking into Sawaged after receiving a complaint on Oct. 17, 2024, alleging that he, while working as a certified tax preparer at a local compa…
$44M COVID Tax Scheme: Hudson Valley Man Among 7 NYers Nabbed In Largest US Case Ever $44M COVID Tax Scheme: Hudson Valley Man Among 7 NYers Nabbed In Largest US Case Ever
$44M COVID Tax Scheme: Hudson Valley Man Among 7 NYers Nabbed In Largest US Case Ever Seven New Yorkers have been charged in a sweeping tax fraud scheme, accused of exploiting pandemic relief programs to steal over $44 million, federal prosecutors announced. The indictment by the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, unsealed Wednesday, Jan. 22, alleges that the defendants filed over 8,000 fraudulent tax returns, seeking more than $600 million in COVID-19 relief funds through the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) and related programs. Investigators determined the group successfully secured $44 million from the federal government. Defendants Long Island …
American Express To Pay $230M For Misleading Small Business Customers American Express To Pay $230M For Misleading Small Business Customers
American Express To Pay $230M For Misleading Small Business Customers American Express said it will pay $230 million to resolve federal investigations into deceptive sales tactics and recordkeeping violations involving small business credit card and wire transfer products. The credit card company agreed to pay a $108.7 million civil penalty, the Department of Justice said in a news release on Thursday, Jan. 16. The settlement resolved claims against American Express of deceptive marketing and "dummy" account information. American Express was accused of engaging in unlawful sales tactics and falsifying records between 2014 and 2021. "When financial companies …
Don't Fall For It: New Twist On Imposter Fraud Targets Your Money, Personal Info Don't Fall For It: New Twist On Imposter Fraud Targets Your Money, Personal Info
Don't Fall For It: New Twist On Imposter Fraud Targets Your Money, Personal Info The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is sounding the alarm on a sophisticated new imposter scheme designed to steal your money and personal information.  These scams are becoming increasingly convincing, but learning to spot the red flags can help you stay protected. How the Scam Works Initial Contact: Scammers pose as representatives from well-known companies, such as Amazon or a tech support service. They’ll claim there’s a routine issue, like suspicious charges on your account, a computer virus, or an account breach. Escalation: The scammers lie, saying your name is tied to serious …
Joseph Nocella Named United States Attorney For Eastern District Of New York Joseph Nocella Named United States Attorney For Eastern District Of New York
Joseph Nocella Named United States Attorney For Eastern District Of New York Joseph Nocella, Jr., a veteran prosecutor and judge with an extensive legal background, has been named the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, according to a statement from former President Donald J. Trump. “Judge Nocella has a strong record of bringing Law and Order to the incredible people of New York,” Trump said in the announcement. “Congratulations, Judge Nocella!” Nocella served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District from 1991 to 1995, prosecuting cases involving racketeering, extortion, and fraud. His work earned recognition from the FBI direc…
Lagrangeville Contractor Stole $250K, Gaslit CT Homeowner For Months Over Unfinished Job: Cops Lagrangeville Contractor Stole $250K, Gaslit CT Homeowner For Months Over Unfinished Job: Cops
Lagrangeville Contractor Stole $250K, Gaslit CT Homeowner For Months Over Unfinished Job: Cops A Connecticut homeowner’s dream renovation turned into a $265,000 nightmare, and now the contractor faces criminal charges, authorities said.  William P. Rogers, of Lagrangeville, New York, has been charged with first-degree larceny after allegedly accepting $265,000 for several home improvements he never started, according to Connecticut State Police. In April 2023, a New Fairfield homeowner hired Rogers, of Valley Home Renovations, for a major project. The job included structural improvements, a new kitchen, a roof, a garage, and a stormwater management system. Rogers quoted the work…
$4.4M Medicaid Fraud Scheme: Five Plead Guilty, NY AG Says $4.4M Medicaid Fraud Scheme: Five Plead Guilty, NY AG Says
$4.4M Medicaid Fraud Scheme: Five Plead Guilty, NY AG Says Five Hudson Valley and Capital Region residents and seven transportation companies have admitted to stealing millions from Medicaid. New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Thursday, Dec. 5, that five have pleaded guilty to stealing more than $4.4 million from New York’s Medicaid program through fake billing, illegal kickbacks, and engaging in money laundering and other fraudulent schemes to conceal their crimes.  Muhammad Rizwan Khan, 38, Muhammad Usman Khan, 40, and Farhan Khan, 29, all of Orange County, and their related companies pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Dec. 4, in Or…