Tag:

FBI

Ex-Abercrombie CEO Forced Aspiring Models To Take Part In ‘Sex Events’ In NY, Feds Say Ex-Abercrombie CEO Forced Aspiring Models To Take Part In ‘Sex Events’ In NY, Feds Say
Ex-Abercrombie CEO Forced Aspiring Models To Take Part In ‘Sex Events’ In NY, Feds Say Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries preyed on aspiring models and coerced them into prostitution in order to satisfy his and others’ sexual desires, prosecutors alleged. The 80-year-old Jeffries – along with his life partner Matthew Smith and a third defendant, James Jacobson – are named in a 16-count sex trafficking indictment unsealed in Central Islip federal court on Tuesday, Oct. 22. Prosecutors said the trio relied on Jeffries’ wealth and status, along with a network of employees, contractors, and security professionals, to victimize dozens of men over a seven year peri…
Crystal Meth Mailed To Board Of Elections Office In Region Crystal Meth Mailed To Board Of Elections Office In Region
Crystal Meth Mailed To Board Of Elections Office In Region State and federal law enforcement officials are investigating after a Board of Elections office in the region received a suspicious package from an unknown foreign sender via UPS. The incident occurred in Dutchess County at the Dutchess County Board of Elections (DCBOE) in Poughkeepsie on Monday, Oct. 7. Office officials said a team escalated a particular piece of mail to management for a higher review "due to advanced training and heightened awareness." Wearing personal protective equipment, this team and management commissioners thoroughly examined the suspicious package and contacted l…
7 Suspects Nabbed In Undercover Child Exploitation, Trafficking Detail In Hudson Valley 7 Suspects Nabbed In Undercover Child Exploitation, Trafficking Detail In Hudson Valley
7 Suspects Nabbed In Undercover Child Exploitation, Trafficking Detail In Hudson Valley Seven suspects have been charged following an undercover child exploitation detail. It was conducted over several days by New York State Police and the FBI in Orange County, in the town of Wallkill. "The detail deployed highly trained Investigators and agents to infiltrate online platforms where these crimes are often facilitated," according to state police. "Utilizing advanced cyber tactics, Investigators and Agents were able to identify individuals attempting to exploit vulnerable children through the internet and meet them in person." As a result of the operation, the following ind…
Juvenile Nabbed For Making 'Non-Specific' School Threat In Region, Police Say Juvenile Nabbed For Making 'Non-Specific' School Threat In Region, Police Say
Juvenile Nabbed For Making 'Non-Specific' School Threat In Region, Police Say A juvenile was charged with allegedly making a threat of mass harm after the FBI alerted the New York State Police of a school threat made in the region on TikTok. The incident occurred in Dutchess County on Tuesday, Oct. 1, in Wappinger. Trooper AJ Hicks said an investigation determined the "non-specific threat originated from the town of Wappinger.  Investigators located and arrested the minor soon after, Hicks said. He was released on an appearance ticket returnable to the Dutchess County Family Court. This is a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates. 
Man Took 5-Year-Old To VA, Upstate NY For Sex: USDOJ Man Took 5-Year-Old To VA, Upstate NY For Sex: USDOJ
Man Took 5-Year-Old To VA, Upstate NY For Sex: Usdoj A 54-year-old Pennsylvania man has been sentenced after admitting to taking a 5-year-old girl for sex in Virginia and New York, the US Department of Justice announced on Wednesday, Sept. 25.  John Oathout, of Harrisburg, PA, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes in Syracuse, NY on Friday, Sept. 20. He'll serve 25 years in federal prison followed by 20 years of supervised release, and he'll be a registered sex offender for the remainder of his life, according to the USDOJ release.  Oathout admitted to taking the 5-year-old girl on trips out of state w…
Retired NY Judge Commits Suicide As FBI Moves In To Arrest Him, Officials Say Retired NY Judge Commits Suicide As FBI Moves In To Arrest Him, Officials Say
Retired NY Judge Commits Suicide As FBI Moves In To Arrest Him, Officials Say A retired Hudson Valley judge and former assistant district attorney shot himself during an FBI raid at his home, according to multiple published reports. The incident occurred in Orange County early Tuesday, Sept. 24, in Campbell Hall. Law enforcement sources told ABC News 7 that Stewart Rosenwasser, a retired Orange County judge and former executive assistant district attorney of Campbell Hall, was being charged in a corruption case for allegedly taking bribes. The FBI released the following statement regarding the incident: "The FBI is reviewing an agent-involved shooting that occu…
Rally Rage: NY Trump Event's $1M Police Overtime Bill May Have Broken Finance Laws, Dems Argue Rally Rage: NY Trump Event's $1M Police Overtime Bill May Have Broken Finance Laws, Dems Argue
Rally Rage: NY Trump Event's $1M Police Overtime Bill May Have Broken Finance Laws, Dems Argue Who should foot the bill – taxpayers or the campaign? Democrats on Long Island are seething after learning that the extra-tight security measures around former President Donald Trump’s campaign rally at the Nassau Coliseum on Wednesday, Sept. 18, cost taxpayers $1 million in police overtime alone. Ahead of the rally – which came just days after what the FBI called an apparent second assassination attempt on Trump’s life in Florida – Nassau County leaders outlined the extensive security measures that were being taken around the arena. Earlier Report: Security Top Of Mind For Trump's …
Warning Issued For Nationwide Automated 'Sextortion' Scam: Here's What To Know Warning Issued For Nationwide Automated 'Sextortion' Scam: Here's What To Know
Warning Issued For Nationwide Automated 'Sextortion' Scam: Here's What To Know Authorities are warning the public of a nationwide automated scam in which scammers use people’s email addresses to coerce payments by intimidating them with threats of embarrassment. Victims of the "sextortion" scheme, usually children and teens, are manipulated to photograph or video material for extortionists. "After receiving the sexually explicit content from the child, the offender threatens to release that compromising material unless the victim produces additional explicit material," said the FBI in issuing the warning to parents, educators, caregivers, and children. In a sepa…
Trump Rally: False Report Of Bomb Outside NY Arena Amid Heightened Security Concerns Trump Rally: False Report Of Bomb Outside NY Arena Amid Heightened Security Concerns
Trump Rally: False Report Of Bomb Outside NY Arena Amid Heightened Security Concerns Reports that explosives were found outside the New York arena where former President Donald Trump will hold a campaign rally were unfounded, police said. On Long Island, Nassau County Police responded to a report that a bomb was found inside a parked car outside the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale on Wednesday morning, Sept. 18. A short time later, Commissioner Patrick Ryder put out a statement saying detectives were questioning a person who may have been training a bomb detection dog near the site. Earlier Report: Security Top Of Mind For Trump's Nassau Coliseum Rally, First Since Att…
Suspicious White Powder Sent To Election Offices Across Country — Including NY Suspicious White Powder Sent To Election Offices Across Country — Including NY
Suspicious White Powder Sent To Election Offices Across Country — Including NY A package with a suspicious white substance was intercepted at a United States Post Office in Connecticut earlier this week and could be part of a much larger scheme to disrupt or scare election workers ahead of election day, authorities said.  The package was found at a West Hartford post office on Monday, Sept. 16, the Connecticut Secretary of State said in a news release. No one was injured, but the contents were sent to a lab for testing.  Election offices in New York, Tennessee, Wyoming, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Indiana, Massachusetts, …
Security Top Of Mind For Trump's NY Campaign Rally, First Since Attempted Shooting Security Top Of Mind For Trump's NY Campaign Rally, First Since Attempted Shooting
Security Top Of Mind For Trump's NY Campaign Rally, First Since Attempted Shooting Security will be extra tight ahead of former President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in New York, his first since an apparent second assassination attempt on his life. The Republican presidential nominee, age 78, will address supporters on Long Island at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18. It will mark his first visit to Nassau County since his presidential run in 2016. Earlier Report: Trump To Hold Campaign Rally In NY: Here's Where, When For local leaders, security around the event is top of mind. The Nassau County Police Department …
Ex-Cuomo, Hochul Aide Raked In Millions Acting As Undisclosed Agent Of Chinese Government: Feds Ex-Cuomo, Hochul Aide Raked In Millions Acting As Undisclosed Agent Of Chinese Government: Feds
Ex-Cuomo, Hochul Aide Raked In Millions Acting As Undisclosed Agent Of Chinese Government: Feds This story has been updated. A former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is accused of acting as an agent for the Chinese government. Long Island residents Linda Sun, age 41, and her husband Chris Hu, age 40, were arrested at their Manhasset home on Tuesday morning, Sept. 3, on charges of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, money laundering, and related charges. According to federal prosecutors, Sun – who served as Hochul’s deputy chief of staff before being fired in 2023 – engaged in numerous political activities at the behest of Chinese government …
Bomb Hoaxer Who Targeted Jewish Hospitals In NY Was Motivated By Antisemitism, Feds Say Bomb Hoaxer Who Targeted Jewish Hospitals In NY Was Motivated By Antisemitism, Feds Say
Bomb Hoaxer Who Targeted Jewish Hospitals In NY Was Motivated By Antisemitism, Feds Say A man is facing federal charges in connection with a series of bomb threats that were made against Jewish hospitals in New York. Domagoj Patkovic, age 31, of Portland, Oregon, is charged with making bomb threats and related offenses in an indictment that was unsealed in Oregon federal court on Tuesday, Aug. 20. According to prosecutors, Patkovic and others called in bomb threats to Jewish hospitals and care centers in New York City and on Long Island beginning in May 2021. During the calls, they allegedly made violent threats and threatened to detonate explosive devices. Patkovic himself…
Details Emerge On Ex-Cuomo, Hochul Aide Whose $3.5M Manhasset Home Was Searched By FBI Details Emerge On Ex-Cuomo, Hochul Aide Whose $3.5M Manhasset Home Was Searched By FBI
Details Emerge On Ex-Cuomo, Hochul Aide Whose $3.5M Manhasset Home Was Searched By FBI A former top aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo whose Long Island home was searched by the FBI earlier this week was fired by the state last year after "evidence of misconduct, according to new reports. According to a report by Politico, Linda Sun was terminated by the Department of Labor in 2023 for “misconduct.”  “Immediately upon discovering the evidence of misconduct, the administration referred the matter to law enforcement authorities,” a source told Politico. The 40-year-old Sun's $3.5 million Manhasset home was searched by FBI agents Tuesday morni…
FBI Conducts Pre-Dawn Search Of Ex-Cuomo, Hochul Aide's $3.5M NY Home: Report FBI Conducts Pre-Dawn Search Of Ex-Cuomo, Hochul Aide's $3.5M NY Home: Report
FBI Conducts Pre-Dawn Search Of Ex-Cuomo, Hochul Aide's $3.5M NY Home: Report FBI agents searched the $3.5 million home of a former deputy chief of staff to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who also held a high position under ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a new report says. Click here for a new, updated story: Details Emerge On Ex-Cuomo, Hochul Aide Whose $3.5M Manhasset Home Was Searched By FBI The red-bricked home of Linda Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, is located on Long Island's North Shore, in a gated community in the hamlet of Manhasset.  According to The New York Times, the search was conducted Tuesday morning, July 23. It is unclear what potential crime…
Adult Film Actor From NY Accused Of Distributing Child Pornography Adult Film Actor From NY Accused Of Distributing Child Pornography
Adult Film Actor From NY Accused Of Distributing Child Pornography An adult film actor who resides in New York has been accused of sending and receiving hundreds of videos of child pornography, federal authorities announced. Justin Heath Smith, who uses the stage name “Austin Wolf.” sent images depicting children as young as infants, "including a ghastly video showing a young child bound, beaten, and raped," said Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. In addition to sharing child pornography via the Telegram app, the 43-year-old Smith was also charged with possessing hundreds of additional videos conta…
'Stop Calling Me Names,' Gabby Petito Wrote To Boyfriend Brian Laundrie: FBI Report 'Stop Calling Me Names,' Gabby Petito Wrote To Boyfriend Brian Laundrie: FBI Report
'Stop Calling Me Names,' Gabby Petito Wrote To Boyfriend Brian Laundrie: FBI Report Gabby Petito, the 22-year-old Long Island native who was killed by her fiancé Brian Laundrie in 2021, wrote him a letter imploring him to stop calling her names, according to FBI documents. Related: FBI Reveals How Brian Laundrie Took Responsibility For Gabby Petito’s Death The 300-plus documents, recently released by the FBI, outline the investigation and offer a glimpse into what transpired before and after the Suffolk County, Blue Point resident was killed by the man she said she loved in an undated letter included in the release. "You know how much I love you, so (and I'm writi…
$1M Scam: NY Man Sentenced For Stealing Federal Funds $1M Scam: NY Man Sentenced For Stealing Federal Funds
$1M Scam: NY Man Sentenced For Stealing Federal Funds A New York man who admitted to turning federal aid into a personal treasure chest of around $1 million has been sentenced. In previously pleading guilty, Asjid Parvez, age 38, of Albany, admitted that in May 2023, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) sent him a US Treasury check for $972,564.61.  In 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act authorized the FSA to financially assist certain distressed borrowers who had fallen behind on repaying their federally guaranteed farm loans.  The US Attorney's Office of the Northern District of…
These NY Locales Among Top 100 Best Places To Live In America, Brand-New Ranking Says These NY Locales Among Top 100 Best Places To Live In America, Brand-New Ranking Says
These NY Locales Among Top 100 Best Places To Live In America, Brand-New Ranking Says When it comes to putting down your roots, these New York locales are among the best in the nation, according to a brand-new ranking. Four cities in the Empire State made the top 100 on U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 “Best Places to Live in the US” ranking. Researchers pulled data from a variety of sources, including thousands of public survey responses, the US Census Bureau, FBI crime statistics, and school and hospital rankings to come up with the top 150 American cities. Cities were ranked using four key indicators: value, desirability, job market, and quality of life. The followi…
Capitol Riot: MTA Worker, Wife From NY Participated In Jan. 6 Breach, Feds Say Capitol Riot: MTA Worker, Wife From NY Participated In Jan. 6 Breach, Feds Say
Capitol Riot: MTA Worker, Wife From NY Participated In Jan. 6 Breach, Feds Say A husband and wife from New York are the latest to be charged in connection with the breach of the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Long Island residents Kevin Moore, age 61, and Carol Moore, age 57, of Massapequa, are named in a four-count criminal complaint that was filed in US District Court in Washington, DC on Monday, May 13. According to investigators, the couple attended then-President Donald Trump’s speech at the Ellipse that morning before making their way to the Capitol building. Along the way, Carol Moore was seen draped in a blue Trump flag. Earlier Report: Pot-Smoking NY Rioter …
Hudson Valley Veteran Lies About Earning Purple Heart To Defraud Gov't, Charity Donors: Feds Hudson Valley Veteran Lies About Earning Purple Heart To Defraud Gov't, Charity Donors: Feds
Hudson Valley Veteran Lies About Earning Purple Heart To Defraud Gov't, Charity Donors: Feds An Army veteran from New York is accused of lying about earning one of the nation's highest military honors in order to rake in six figures from the government and donors to her charity. Orange County resident Sharon Toney-Finch, of Newburgh, was arrested by the FBI’s White Collar Crime Task Force on Wednesday, May 1, following a two-year investigation. According to federal prosecutors, Toney-Finch falsely claimed that she suffered combat-related injuries during a mortar attack and a separate vehicle rollover while serving in Iraq in 2010. Those claims reportedly led to her receiving hundr…
$1.7M COVID-19 Fraud Scheme: Westchester Daughter, Mom Who Worked For Police Sentenced $1.7M COVID-19 Fraud Scheme: Westchester Daughter, Mom Who Worked For Police Sentenced
$1.7M Covid-19 Fraud Scheme: Westchester Daughter, Mom Who Worked For Police Sentenced A mother-daughter duo has been sentenced to prison for defrauding the government of approximately $1.7 million.  Westchester County residents Alicia Ayers and her mother, Andrea Ayers, both of Mount Vernon, were found guilty of submitting more than 300 fraudulent applications for US Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loans.  Andrea Ayers was a former Code Enforcement Officer for the City of Mount Vernon Police Department. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress expanded the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program to provide low-interest …
NY Man Known As 'Sal The Shoemaker' Admits Running Illegal Gambling Operation For Mafia NY Man Known As 'Sal The Shoemaker' Admits Running Illegal Gambling Operation For Mafia
NY Man Known As 'Sal The Shoemaker' Admits Running Illegal Gambling Operation For Mafia An associate of the Genovese organized crime family known as “Sal the Shoemaker” admitted to operating an illegal gambling business associated with La Cosa Nostra. Long Island resident Salvatore Rubino, age 60, of Bethpage, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, April 16, at federal court in Brooklyn to operating the business. Earlier this month, four co-defendant members and associates of the Genovese crime family admitted to various felony charges stemming from their long-running operation of several lucrative gambling operations in New York City. Of the five charged, four are from Long Isl…
Shenanigans, Indeed: Manager At Capital Region Gentleman's Club Busted Selling Meth, Feds Say Shenanigans, Indeed: Manager At Capital Region Gentleman's Club Busted Selling Meth, Feds Say
Shenanigans, Indeed: Manager At Capital Region Gentleman's Club Busted Selling Meth, Feds Say The general manager of a gentleman’s club in the region is facing federal charges after he was allegedly busted in an undercover sting selling drugs. Luiggi Canessa, who manages Shenanigans gentlemen's club in Schenectady, is named in a complaint filed in US District Court in the Northern District on Tuesday, April 9. FBI agents began investigating a “wide array of crime” occurring at the club, as well as an adjoining business, Sheer Pleasure Lingerie, in late 2023, according to the complaint. That conduct allegedly included drug and sex trafficking, and wire fraud. Canessa, who manages…
Pot-Smoking NY Rioter Who Donned Fake Beard In Capitol Breach Gets 3 Years In Prison Pot-Smoking NY Rioter Who Donned Fake Beard In Capitol Breach Gets 3 Years In Prison
Pot-Smoking NY Rioter Who Donned Fake Beard In Capitol Breach Gets 3 Years In Prison A New York man who was photographed smoking marijuana inside a Senate office during the US Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021 will spend years in prison. Brandon Fellows, age 29, of Schenectady, was sentenced to 3 ½ years in federal lockup on Thursday, Feb. 29 after a Washington, DC jury found him guilty of obstructing an official proceeding, a felony. “His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the US Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election,” the US Attorney’s Office said. Earlier Report: Capitol Rioter F…
Capital Region Man Admits Storing Child Porn On USB Flash Drive Capital Region Man Admits Storing Child Porn On USB Flash Drive
Capital Region Man Admits Storing Child Porn On USB Flash Drive A 40-year-old man from the region could spend decades behind bars for having child pornography. Schenectady County resident Aaron Griesche, of Niskayuna, pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography in Albany federal court on Thursday, Jan. 11. According to the US Attorney’s Office in the Northern District, Griesche admitted to storing illicit images of children on a USB flash drive that was found in his home in July 2021. He confessed to purchasing the memory stick online and then transferring videos depicting child sex abuse from the internet to the device. The case was investigated b…
Capital Region Farmer Admits Blowing $1M In Relief Funds On New House, Personal Expenses Capital Region Farmer Admits Blowing $1M In Relief Funds On New House, Personal Expenses
Capital Region Farmer Admits Blowing $1M In Relief Funds On New House, Personal Expenses The money was supposed to go toward paying off his farm loan, but prosecutors say a man from the region blew nearly $1 million on personal expenses instead. Asjid Parvez, age 37, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government property in Albany federal court on Friday, Jan. 5. According to prosecutors, Parvez admitted to receiving a check for over $972,000 from the Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) in May 2023. The funds were authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and are meant to assist borrowers who have fallen behind on their federally g…
Teen Admits Having Machine Gun At Capital Region Home Teen Admits Having Machine Gun At Capital Region Home
Teen Admits Having Machine Gun At Capital Region Home An 18-year-old from the region could spend years behind bars after being busted with a machine gun. Rensselaer County resident Ahmed AlSaadi, of Troy, pleaded guilty to weapons charges in Albany federal court on Thursday, Dec. 21. Prosecutors said AlSaadi admitted that in August 2023 he possessed three machine gun conversion devices and a Glock handgun that had been modified with such a device. The conversion devices can be attached to a handgun allowing the weapon to shoot and function as a fully automatic machine gun. AlSaadi was arrested following a joint investigation by the ATF, FBI…
Murder-For-Hire: Man Admits Paying $16K Bitcoin To Have NY Residents Killed Murder-For-Hire: Man Admits Paying $16K Bitcoin To Have NY Residents Killed
Murder-For-Hire: Man Admits Paying $16K Bitcoin To Have NY Residents Killed A Utah man has admitted to paying thousands of dollars worth of Bitcoin to arrange for the murders of two New York residents. Christopher Pence, age 43, of Cedar City, Utah appeared in Albany federal court on Wednesday, Dec. 6, and pleaded guilty to using the internet to solicit and pay for murder. According to prosecutors, Pence admitted to contacting the administrator of a website dedicated to arranging contract killings in 2021. He confessed to paying them $16,000 worth of Bitcoin to facilitate the murder of two Hoosick Falls residents in Rensselaer County. Pence gave the administrato…
Temple Shooting: 28-Year-Old Federally Charged After Gunshots At NY Synagogue Temple Shooting: 28-Year-Old Federally Charged After Gunshots At NY Synagogue
Temple Shooting: 28-Year-Old Federally Charged After Gunshots At NY Synagogue The man accused of opening fire at a New York synagogue on the first day of Hanukkah has been federally charged. Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, age 28, of Schenectady, appeared in Albany federal court on Friday, Dec. 8, where he was arraigned on one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm. According to the criminal complaint, Alkhader approached Albany’s Temple Israel, located on New Scotland Avenue, at around 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 7 armed with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun. He then fired the weapon twice into the air, prosecutors allege. Earlier Report: New Update: Shooting At NY Syna…
IDs Released For Couple Killed In Fiery Crash On Bridge Linking NY, Canada Caught On Video IDs Released For Couple Killed In Fiery Crash On Bridge Linking NY, Canada Caught On Video
IDs Released For Couple Killed In Fiery Crash On Bridge Linking NY, Canada Caught On Video The identities have now been released of a couple killed after crashing near a bridge connecting the United States and Canada on one of the year's busiest travel days. The Thanksgiving Eve incident happened early Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 22 on the Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls, New York. Niagara Falls Police say  Kurt Villani, and his wife, Monica Villani, both age 53, died in the vehicle explosion which led to a federal investigation. The two were residents of Grand Island, New York, located about 10 miles southeast of Niagara Falls. Authorities say the couple had originally been…