$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…
FBI In NY Still Searching For ‘Cryptoqueen’ Missing After $4B Scam FBI In NY Still Searching For ‘Cryptoqueen’ Missing After $4B Scam
FBI In NY Still Searching For ‘Cryptoqueen’ Missing After $4B Scam She promised the next Bitcoin. What investors got instead was a $4 billion black hole—and a fugitive who hasn’t been seen since 2017. Ruja Ignatova, the woman once known as the “Cryptoqueen,” remains one of the world’s most elusive fugitives and is currently on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list.  The founder of the fraudulent cryptocurrency OneCoin, Ignatova is accused of orchestrating a massive Ponzi-style scheme that duped investors around the globe out of billions. Authorities say the scam began in 2014, when Ignatova launched OneCoin Ltd., a Bulgaria-based company that marketed itself…
Don't Fall For This EZ-Pass Text Scam Don't Fall For This EZ-Pass Text Scam
Don't Fall For This Ez-pass Text Scam Fraudulent text messages pretending to be from E-ZPass are alarming users with false claims of unpaid tolls and directing them to a deceptive payment website.  Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and avoid clicking any links contained in these messages. These fake texts are often sent from an international number and request the consumer to reply with "Y" to receive a link to a counterfeit payment portal in an attempt to steal personal information and funds from unsuspecting individuals. This smishing tactic is designed to steal personal information and funds fro…
Fraudulent Texts Pretend To Be From USPS Fraudulent Texts Pretend To Be From USPS
Fraudulent Texts Pretend To Be From USPS A new scam is targeting people with fraudulent text messages pretending to be from the United States Postal Service (USPS) — and officials are urging caution. The US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is warning customers about a rise in phishing and smishing attacks, where fraudsters send fake texts and emails that appear to come from USPS. The messages often claim that a package is delayed or that a payment is due, directing recipients to click a link that steals personal information. Postal inspectors say these scams are becoming more advanced, but there are clear warning signs: Smishi…
Sean Kingston, Mom Federally Convicted In $1M Wire Fraud Scheme, Report Says Sean Kingston, Mom Federally Convicted In $1M Wire Fraud Scheme, Report Says
Sean Kingston, Mom Federally Convicted In $1M Wire Fraud Scheme, Report Says 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 Roasted Over 'Tone Deaf' Shirt Amid Alleged Tax Lien Drama Teresa Giudice Roasted Over 'Tone Deaf' Shirt Amid Alleged Tax Lien Drama
Teresa Giudice Roasted Over 'Tone Deaf' Shirt Amid Alleged Tax Lien Drama The internet is having a field day with Teresa Giuidice. On the very day that news broke that she and her husband Luis Ruelas allegedly owe nearly $3 million in tax liens, she made a curious wardrobe choice on Instagram. The "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star (who spent 11 months in fed pen for mail, wire, and bankruptcy fraud) shared a photo of herself wearing a shirt that says: "I speak fluent French: Hermes, Chanel, Dior, Saint Laurent."  If you're confused, those are all some very expensive French designer brands. And of course, Giudice is taking the heat. "Oh the prosec…
New Scam Involving Fraudulent Texts Impersonates IRS New Scam Involving Fraudulent Texts Impersonates IRS
New Scam Involving Fraudulent Texts Impersonates IRS A new scam involves unsolicited text messages impersonating the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the agency says. The fraudulent messages falsely claim recipients are eligible for a $1,400 Economic Impact Payment and instruct them to click a deceptive link to "claim" the funds. How The Scam Works Victims receive a text message that appears to be from the IRS, stating they are owed an Economic Impact Payment. The message urges them to provide personal information to process the supposed payment. Scammers promise the money will be deposited into a bank account or mailed as a check within 1-2…
NY ‘Legal Assistant’ Scammed Desperate Families Out Of Thousands, Jury Finds NY ‘Legal Assistant’ Scammed Desperate Families Out Of Thousands, Jury Finds
NY ‘Legal Assistant’ Scammed Desperate Families Out Of Thousands, Jury Finds A New York man who posed as a legal expert in order to scam desperate families out of thousands of dollars was convicted of multiple federal crimes. Christopher Reese, 57, of East Meadow, was found guilty of fraud and related charges in Manhattan federal court on Thursday, March 20. Using an unlicensed legal operation, Reese defrauded criminal defendants and their families by promising to secure prison releases he had no authority to deliver, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District said. Reese, also known as “Christopher Eugene Thomas,” targeted inmates, friends, and family memb…