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$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…
Couple Accused Of $1M Lululemon Theft Spree Across 5 States, Including NY
A Connecticut couple has been accused of orchestrating a multi-state theft operation targeting Lululemon stores, resulting in approximately $1 million in stolen merchandise.
Jadion Anthony Richards, age 44, and Akwele Nickeisha Lawes-Richards, age 45, both from Danbury, were charged in in Minnesota on Friday, Nov. 22, at Ramsey County District Court with organized retail theft, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Their alleged activities spanned over two months and involved thefts in several states, including New York, Connecticut, Minnesota, Colorado, and Utah, the Star Tri…
Fire Company Financial Secretary In Region Admits Stealing $17K, DA Says
A financial secretary for a fire company in the region has admitted to stealing more than $17,000 from the department.
Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler announced on Friday, Nov. 1, that Lynn T. Simpson, age 43, of Wallkill, pled guilty to grand larceny in the Third Degree in connection with the theft of $17,947 from the parade fund of the Washington Heights Fire Company in Middletown.
As part of the plea agreement, Simpson will repay all the stolen money, Hoovler said.
The department was scheduled to host a parade in September 2023, which includ…
Pair Of 45-Year-Old Capital Region Women Nabbed For Animal Cruelty In Case Involving 40 Cats
Two women from the region have been charged with 40 counts of animal cruelty to cats.
The incident occurred in Columbia County on Friday, Oct. 18, in Hillsdale.
After receiving a tip about possible animal abuse, members of the New York State Police, with the Columbia-Greene Humane Society, Animal Nation, and the Hillsdale Building Department, determined that Jennifer Rossi, age 45, and Peggy Card, age 45, both of Hillsdale, failed to care for the animals, said Trooper AJ Hicks.
Animal Nation, located in Westchester County in South Salem, volunteered to care for the cats at their shelter, H…
Hudson Valley Woman Gets 6 Months In Jail For Double-Fatal Hit-Run Crash
A woman has been sentenced to six months in jail for the double-fatal, hit-and-run crash in the region.
Orange County resident Angela Fischl, age 25, of Newburgh, pleaded guilty to two counts of leaving the scene of an incident resulting in death on Tuesday, Oct. 15,
Following her plea, she was sentenced to five years probation and six months in the Ulster County Jail. Her driver’s license was also revoked, said Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji.
The plea and sentence are in connection to the Friday, March 1, hit-and-run resulting in the deaths of Ulster County residents…
Man Who Attacked Girlfriend With Belt In Region Faces 20 Years In Prison
A man is facing 20 years in prison after being found guilty of assaulting his girlfriend with a belt, severely wounding her in front of two toddlers in the region.
Dutchess County resident Javan McMillon, age 28, of Poughkeepsie, was convicted by a jury on Tuesday, Oct. 8, following two days of deliberations, said Dutchess County District Attorney Office Anthony Parisi.
The attack occurred on Saturday, March 9, on Bement Ave., in the city of Poughkeepsie, when McMillon repeatedly struck his girlfriend with a leather belt, causing substantial pain and bruising, the DA's office said.
Parisi…
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…
Girl's Death In 'Completely Avoidable' Wall Collapse Leads To Jail For NY Contractor
The owner of a Long Island construction company will spend months in jail after a stone wall he built collapsed, killing a 5-year-old girl.
Nadeem Anwar, age 48, of Valley Stream, was sentenced to six months behind bars and five years of probation in Brooklyn Supreme Court on Wednesday, Sept. 18, in the death of Alysson Pinto-Chaumana.
According to prosecutors, the young girl was with her mother visiting a friend’s home in Bushwick, Brooklyn, on Aug. 29, 2019, when a granite wall made of several stone pillars and a horizontal stone plate toppled onto her. The child suffered severe head trau…
New Details: Ex-Husband Shot Way Into NY Home Before Killing Woman, Her BF, DA Says
Authorities have released new details in the case of a New York couple who were shot to death inside their home.
Long Island resident Daniel Coppola, age 50, of St. James, was arraigned on four counts of first-degree murder in Suffolk County Court on Friday, Sept. 6, in the deaths of his ex-wife Kelly Coppola and her boyfriend, Kenneth Pohlman.
Suffolk County Police found Mrs. Coppola, age 50, and Pohlman, age 52, dead from gunshot wounds inside their St. James residence on Brasswood Road shortly before midnight on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
Earlier Report: Accused Murderer Ranted About Pr…
Tinder Luring: 19-Year-Old Gets Decade In Prison For Ambush Robbery In Capital Region
A 19-year-old man will spend a decade behind bars for his role in an ambush robbery in the region.
Rensselaer County resident William Camino, of Troy, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in Rensselaer County Court on Wednesday, Aug. 28, a month after pleading guilty to first-degree robbery.
According to prosecutors, Camino and two others – Katrina Carroll, age 24, and Terry Adams, age 18, both of Troy – used the dating app Tinder to lure a man into an alleyway near Congress and Cypress streets in Troy at around 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18.
Earlier Report: Dating App Setup: Trio Charged I…
$280K Scam: Father, Daughter Accused Of Stealing From Hudson Valley Woman
A man and daughter have been accused of stealing over $280,000 from a Hudson Valley resident.
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Tuesday, Aug. 13, the indictments and arrests of Ulster County residents Frank Whittaker, age 56, of Kingston, and his daughter Christine Ellsworth, age 38, of Accord, for allegedly stealing more than $280,000 from a vulnerable elderly victim.
After earning the trust of the victim, an Ulster County resident, by providing lawn maintenance and assisting with household tasks, Whittaker and Ellsworth gained access to the then-92-year-old’s checkbook …
Inmate Punches, Bites Corrections Officer At Capital Region Jail, Police Say
An inmate at a local jail is facing more charges after allegedly assaulting a corrections officer.
The incident happened Wednesday, May 22, at the Saratoga County jail in Ballston Spa, but was not reported publicly until Tuesday, July 2.
Sheriff’s officials said John Rathbun, age 26, punched a corrections officer in the face and bit him, causing injuries. The officer was treated at a medical facility and released.
Rathbun, who is homeless, was charged with second-degree assault, a felony.
He was arraigned in the Milton Town Court on Monday, July 1, and was taken back to the county jail w…