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Former NY Corrections Sergeant Convicted Of 128 Child Exploitation Charges Gets Jail Time Former NY Corrections Sergeant Convicted Of 128 Child Exploitation Charges Gets Jail Time
Former NY Corrections Sergeant Convicted Of 128 Child Exploitation Charges Gets Jail Time A former Rockland County corrections officer will spend years in state prison after admitting to uploading and storing dozens of files depicting the sexual exploitation of children, prosecutors announced. Valley Cottage resident Daniel Dworkin, 45, a former sergeant with the Rockland County Jail, was sentenced to one to three years in state prison, the Rockland County District Attorney's Office announced on Tuesday, Feb. 10. Dworkin previously pleaded guilty to the full indictment, which included 64 counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child and 64 counts of possessing a sexual per…

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by Ben Crnic
News
NY Hacker, 22, Ran Massive Cybercrime Forum, Hoarded Child Abuse Files: Here's His Fate NY Hacker, 22, Ran Massive Cybercrime Forum, Hoarded Child Abuse Files: Here's His Fate
NY Hacker, 22, Ran Massive Cybercrime Forum, Hoarded Child Abuse Files: Here's His Fate A Westchester County man has been resentenced to federal prison for running one of the world’s largest online marketplaces for stolen data and for possessing child sexual abuse material, prosecutors announced.  Conor Brian Fitzpatrick, 22, of Peekskill, received a three-year prison sentence on Tuesday, Sept. 16, the US Department of Justice announced.  Prosecutors said Fitzpatrick admitted to creating and operating BreachForums, an English-language hacking site launched in March 2022 that quickly grew to more than 330,000 members. According to federal officials, it became a go-to…

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by Ben Crnic
News
‘High School Catfish’: The Netflix True-Crime Twist Everyone’s Talking About ‘High School Catfish’: The Netflix True-Crime Twist Everyone’s Talking About
‘High School Catfish’: The Netflix True-Crime Twist Everyone’s Talking About What starts as a teen romance turns into a cyber nightmare in Netflix’s new true-crime documentary "Unknown Number: The High School Catfish" — and the final twist is jaw-dropping. Directed by Skye Borgman and released last week, the film explores the chilling real-life case of 13-year-old Lauryn Licari and her then-boyfriend, Owen, from Beal City, MI.  In October 2020 Lauryn and Owen began receiving bizarre texts from an unknown number. After a pause, the messages resumed in September 2021 — and this time, they didn’t stop. For the next 15 months, Lauryn was bombarded daily with …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
$70K Scheme: 2 Scammers Arrested After Posing As Police In NY Over Phone, Cops Say $70K Scheme: 2 Scammers Arrested After Posing As Police In NY Over Phone, Cops Say
$70K Scheme: 2 Scammers Arrested After Posing As Police In NY Over Phone, Cops Say Two suspects are facing charges after allegedly scamming a Westchester resident out of nearly $70,000 by posing as law enforcement officers in a sophisticated phone fraud scheme, police announced.  Queens residents Hongdong Liu, 30, and Pinting Lu, 28, were both arrested after allegedly calling a victim while pretending to be a Yonkers Police lieutenant.  The duo reportedly claimed the victim’s home computer had been involved in criminal activity—specifically child pornography—and demanded money to resolve the fabricated issue, Yonkers Police announced on Saturday, J…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Scam Targets Airlines As Hacking Group Expands Operations, FBI Warns Scam Targets Airlines As Hacking Group Expands Operations, FBI Warns
Scam Targets Airlines As Hacking Group Expands Operations, FBI Warns A cybercriminal group known for extorting people and companies across the world is now targeting the airline industry. The FBI has issued a warning about Scattered Spider, a hacking group that has  expanded its operations to include major US airlines and their vendors.  The group is known for using convincing impersonation tactics to access corporate networks, often bypassing multi-factor authentication by tricking IT staff into adding unauthorized devices. Scattered Spider impersonates employees or contractors to deceive help desks. "These techniques frequently involve methods …

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by Chris Spiker
News
Aflac May Have Exposed Social Security Numbers, Other Info Aflac May Have Exposed Social Security Numbers, Other Info
Aflac May Have Exposed Social Security Numbers, Other Info Aflac has confirmed a cybersecurity breach that may have compromised sensitive customer information. The company is the latest target in a string of attacks on major insurance providers. The company said the intrusion was first detected on Thursday, June 12, prompting an immediate internal response.  While systems remained operational and no ransomware was involved, investigators say the breach was part of a broader cybercrime campaign against the insurance industry. Aflac said the attacker used social engineering tactics to infiltrate its US network. A review of impacted files is sti…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Phony Texts Threaten Drivers With Suspensions: Here's What To Know Phony Texts Threaten Drivers With Suspensions: Here's What To Know
Phony Texts Threaten Drivers With Suspensions: Here's What To Know There’s a scam targeting drivers through text messages pretending to be from the DMV. Cybercriminals who once claimed victims owed unpaid tolls are now pivoting to a new phishing attack, according to authorities. If you’ve received a text message warning that your driver’s license is about to be suspended due to unpaid tickets, stop and think before you click. It might be a scam. The FBI and other law enforcement agencies are alerting the public about a new wave of phishing scams — specifically “smishing,” or fraudulent text messages — that claim to be from the Department of Motor Vehicles…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
NY Teacher, Coach Lured Underage Girls On Snapchat, Shared Child Porn, DA Says NY Teacher, Coach Lured Underage Girls On Snapchat, Shared Child Porn, DA Says
NY Teacher, Coach Lured Underage Girls On Snapchat, Shared Child Porn, DA Says Charging documents reveal chilling new details in the case of a former Long Island teacher accused of soliciting nude photos from underage girls. Ryan McCaffery, 37, of Ridge, was indicted for promoting a sexual performance by a child and related charges in Suffolk County Court on Wednesday, June 4. A New York State Police investigation found that McCaffery – a former Riverhead High School teacher and coach – posed as a teenage boy in order to chat with numerous underage girls on Snapchat, according to the Suffolk County DA’s office. He sent images of his exposed genitals and requested nu…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Many People Fear Cyberattacks But Don't Protect Themselves Properly, Survey Says Many People Fear Cyberattacks But Don't Protect Themselves Properly, Survey Says
Many People Fear Cyberattacks But Don't Protect Themselves Properly, Survey Says Most online users say they're worried about data breaches, but still skip basic ways to improve their cybersecurity, according to a new survey. The Acronis Data Privacy in 2025 Survey polled nearly 2,500 adults in the US and seven other countries, finding that many aren't doing enough to protect their personal data. The Swiss tech company found that while 64% of respondents listed data breaches as their top online privacy concern, only one-third back up their data daily or weekly. Fewer than half (46%) said they use security features like two-factor authentication. "Perhaps …

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Hackers Infect 394K+ Computers, Microsoft Disrupts 'Most Popular Infostealer': What To Know Hackers Infect 394K+ Computers, Microsoft Disrupts 'Most Popular Infostealer': What To Know
Hackers Infect 394K+ Computers, Microsoft Disrupts 'Most Popular Infostealer': What To Know A global cybercrime tool used to steal passwords and drain bank accounts was shut down in a major takedown led by Microsoft and federal authorities. The tool called Lumma Stealer had infected more than 394,000 Windows computers worldwide between March and May, Microsoft said in a blog post on Wednesday, May 21. Hackers used the malware to target schools, hospitals, banks, and gaming communities, often holding victims for ransom or committing financial fraud. A federal court order allowed Microsoft's digital crimes unit to seize more than 2,300 web domains that powered the malware's ope…

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
HV Math Teacher Busted With Child Porn Following Cybertip, Police Say (UPDATE) HV Math Teacher Busted With Child Porn Following Cybertip, Police Say (UPDATE)
HV Math Teacher Busted With Child Porn Following Cybertip, Police Say (Update) Police identified a Hudson Valley teacher who was arrested on charges related to child pornography. Sullivan County resident Christopher Dedonato, 26, of Liberty, was taken into custody Monday, May 5, following an investigation by New York State Police. Dedonato has worked as a math teacher at Liberty High School since 2022, according to his LinkedIn profile. Prior to that, he worked as a substitute teacher for both the Liberty Central and Beacon City school districts. New York State Police opened an investigation after receiving a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploit…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Online Scammers Using This Method To Steal Personal Info, FBI Says Online Scammers Using This Method To Steal Personal Info, FBI Says
Online Scammers Using This Method To Steal Personal Info, FBI Says The FBI has issued a warning about cybercriminals exploiting victims to distribute malware and steal personal information. ​ Fraudulent free online file converter tools offer services like converting or merging files—such as transforming a .doc file to a .pdf or combining multiple images into a single document. While they perform the advertised tasks, they may also install hidden malware on users' computers.  This malware can grant criminals access to sensitive data, including Social Security numbers, banking details, cryptocurrency information, email addresses, and passwords.  …

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Hudson Valley Corrections Sergeant Charged With Child Exploitation Charges Hudson Valley Corrections Sergeant Charged With Child Exploitation Charges
Hudson Valley Corrections Sergeant Charged With Child Exploitation Charges A 44-year-old sergeant at the Rockland County Jail is facing over 50 charges of possessing and promoting alleged child sexual abuse material, authorities announced. Daniel Dworkin, a corrections officer sergeant, was arrested Thursday, Nov. 21, following an investigation sparked by a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, according to Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II. Dworkin is charged with 51 counts each of promoting and possessing a sexual performance by a child. A search of his home and digital devices reportedly uncovered disturbing…

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by Daily Voice
News
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…

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by Joe Lombardi