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Restitution

CT Brother, Sister Sentenced In $1.2M Fraud Scheme Targeting 30 State Treasuries CT Brother, Sister Sentenced In $1.2M Fraud Scheme Targeting 30 State Treasuries
CT Brother, Sister Sentenced In $1.2M Fraud Scheme Targeting 30 State Treasuries A Greenwich woman will serve time in federal prison after prosecutors say she helped carry out a long-running scheme with her brother that drained more than $1.2 million from state treasuries across the country. Patricia White, 70, was sentenced Monday to nine months behind bars. She must also repay the full $1.2 million taken in the scheme, according to US Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Brian D. Miller. The case ties directly to her brother, Henry J. White Jr., 75. Together, officials say, they filed false claims for unclaimed property in nearly 30 states. Miller sai…
Man Sentenced In $500K Smash-And-Grab Spree Targeting Luxury Stores Across East Coast Man Sentenced In $500K Smash-And-Grab Spree Targeting Luxury Stores Across East Coast
Man Sentenced In $500K Smash-And-Grab Spree Targeting Luxury Stores Across East Coast A Washington, D.C., man will serve prison time for his role in a sweeping smash-and-grab series of retail burglaries that stretched across the East Coast, federal officials said. Ronald Patterson Jr., 35, was sentenced last week in federal court in Boston to three years and a month in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. He will also serve three years of supervised release and must pay $33,000 in restitution. Prosecutors said Patterson was part of a group behind a string of “smash and grab” break-ins targeting luxury stores from Florida to Massa…
NY Man Dodged $600K In Workers’ Comp Premiums: DA NY Man Dodged $600K In Workers’ Comp Premiums: DA
NY Man Dodged $600K In Workers’ Comp Premiums: DA A construction company owner who underreported more than $3.5 million in payroll to dodge workers’ compensation premiums has been sentenced, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced on Wednesday, Dec. 3. Mahendranauth Khargie, 36, and his Queens-based iron and erection company, GC Stud Inc., pleaded guilty on Oct. 21 to Insurance Fraud in the Third Degree, a felony. The company also pleaded guilty to failing to secure required workers’ compensation coverage, prosecutors said. The pair were sentenced on Tuesday, Dec. 2, to a Conditional Discharge and ordered to pay $625,000 in…
NY Native Doctor Flooded Patients With 20K Oxycodone Pills In Health Care Fraud Scheme: DOJ NY Native Doctor Flooded Patients With 20K Oxycodone Pills In Health Care Fraud Scheme: DOJ
NY Native Doctor Flooded Patients With 20K Oxycodone Pills In Health Care Fraud Scheme: DOJ A physician forced patients into taking unwanted “Goody Bags” of drugs to get prescriptions, flooding them with oxycodone and defrauding health care plans out of millions, federal prosecutors said. Neil K. Anand, M.D., 48, most recently of Bensalem, PA, but originally from Albany, NY, was convicted in April 2025 of conspiring to commit health care fraud, wire fraud, and the unlawful distribution of controlled substances. On Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Evidence at trial showed Anand and his conspirators require…
Firefighter Who Slammed Ex To Floor, Hit Her In NY Gets Probation, DA Says Firefighter Who Slammed Ex To Floor, Hit Her In NY Gets Probation, DA Says
Firefighter Who Slammed Ex To Floor, Hit Her In NY Gets Probation, DA Says A Westchester firefighter convicted of assaulting his then-girlfriend in a violent domestic attack has been sentenced, prosecutors announced.  Joseph Apostoli, 46, of the Fairview Fire Department in Greenburgh, received three years of probation with domestic violence conditions on Monday, Sept. 15, according to the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. The DA’s Office had sought a period of “shock probation,” which would have included jail time, but Judge James McCarty denied the request. Following a non-jury trial in June, McCarty convicted Apostoli of two counts of third-de…
Home Health Aide Who Forced Elderly NY Man To Write $18K In Checks At Knifepoint Learns Fate Home Health Aide Who Forced Elderly NY Man To Write $18K In Checks At Knifepoint Learns Fate
Home Health Aide Who Forced Elderly NY Man To Write $18K In Checks At Knifepoint Learns Fate A Bronx woman who terrorized an elderly Rockland County man while working as his live-in home health aide and forced him to write checks to herself has been sentenced to prison, prosecutors announced.  Delores Anderson, 60, was sentenced Wednesday, Aug. 27, to five to 15 years in state prison on each of five counts of second-degree grand larceny. The terms will run concurrently, Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II said on Wednesday. A jury convicted Anderson in May after a one-week trial, finding her guilty of coercing a 78-year-old man in Pearl River into ha…
Repeat Armed Robber Could Die In Prison Following Latest Hudson Valley Convenience Store Holdup Repeat Armed Robber Could Die In Prison Following Latest Hudson Valley Convenience Store Holdup
Repeat Armed Robber Could Die In Prison Following Latest Hudson Valley Convenience Store Holdup A repeat armed robber could spend the rest of his life behind bars following his latest holdup in the Hudson Valley. Bryan Robinson, 38, of Monticello, was sentenced to 22 years to life in prison as a persistent violent felony offender in Sullivan County Court on Thursday, Aug. 7. It came after a jury convicted him of first-degree robbery and related charges for holding up a Monticello convenience store at knifepoint. Robinson entered the Citgo Gas Station on State Route 42 on Sept. 17, 2023, wearing a face covering and armed with a knife. He went behind the counter, threatened to kill th…
PA Child Assaulted In Hotel During NYC Vacation: DOJ PA Child Assaulted In Hotel During NYC Vacation: DOJ
PA Child Assaulted In Hotel During NYC Vacation: DOJ A Macungie man will spend the next 30 years in federal prison for transporting a child across state lines to sexually abuse them and for accessing child pornography, the FBI announced on Friday, Aug. 1. George Travis Woodfield, 41, was sentenced to three decades behind bars and a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty earlier this year, according to federal prosecutors on Monday, July 28. He was also ordered to pay $12,000 in restitution. Court records show that in November 2018, Woodfield drove an 11-year-old child from Pennsylvania to New York City for an overnight trip, whe…
George Santos Surrenders To NJ Prison: Inside His New Life Behind Bars George Santos Surrenders To NJ Prison: Inside His New Life Behind Bars
George Santos Surrenders To NJ Prison: Inside His New Life Behind Bars Disgraced former New York Rep. George Santos is officially trading Cameo videos for commissary lines. The ousted lawmaker, 37, surrendered to Federal Correctional Institution Fairton in New Jersey on Friday, July 25, to begin serving his seven-year sentence for wire fraud and identity theft. And, true to form, Santos did not go quietly: “Well, darlings… The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed,” Santos told his 211,000 followers on X the night before. “From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news, what a ride it’s been! Was it messy? Always. Glamorous…
Fyre Festival Brand Sold On eBay For Disappointing Price: 'This Sucks, It's So Low' Fyre Festival Brand Sold On eBay For Disappointing Price: 'This Sucks, It's So Low'
Fyre Festival Brand Sold On eBay For Disappointing Price: 'This Sucks, It's So Low' The name synonymous with a failed music festival, fraud, and bland cheese sandwiches has been sold on eBay. A bidder purchased Fyre Festival's notorious brand, trademarks, and social media accounts for $245,300 on Tuesday, July 15. The eBay auction ended at 12:44 p.m., closing a chapter in one of the most infamous stories in music festival history. According to the eBay listing, 42 bidders placed 175 bids in the auction. The brand's winning bidder hasn't been announced as of press time. The listing claimed the winner would have access to "the most talked-about festival brand in t…
Man Beat Racehorse To Death At NY Training Facility: Here's His Fate Man Beat Racehorse To Death At NY Training Facility: Here's His Fate
Man Beat Racehorse To Death At NY Training Facility: Here's His Fate A Canadian man convicted of fatally beating a racehorse at an Orange County training facility has learned how long he will spend in state prison, prosecutors announced.  Frederick Bourgault, age 27, was sentenced on Monday, July 7, in Orange County Court following his April conviction on all charges related to the July 17, 2023, killing of a racehorse named “Finish Line” at the Pine Bush Training Facility in the Town of Crawford, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced.  Prosecutors said Bourgault struck the horse with a hard object, causing a linear depressed …
$17M Scam Funded Shore Mini-Golf Buy, Long Island Homes For Main Line Adviser: DOJ $17M Scam Funded Shore Mini-Golf Buy, Long Island Homes For Main Line Adviser: DOJ
$17M Scam Funded Shore Mini-Golf Buy, Long Island Homes For Main Line Adviser: DOJ A Main Line investment adviser stole millions from clients—including friends, relatives, and retirees—to bankroll a luxury lifestyle and buy into a Jersey Shore mini-golf course, the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced on Saturday, July 5.  Scott Mason, 66, of Gladwyne, was sentenced on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, to eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a sweeping fraud scheme that lasted over a decade. The Department of Justice says Mason stole more than $17 million while running his firm, Rubicon Wealth Management LLC, and never reported a cent to the IRS. Inste…
Funeral Home Owner Who Stashed 190 Decaying Bodies Gets Maximum Federal Sentence: 'Inhumane' Funeral Home Owner Who Stashed 190 Decaying Bodies Gets Maximum Federal Sentence: 'Inhumane'
Funeral Home Owner Who Stashed 190 Decaying Bodies Gets Maximum Federal Sentence: 'Inhumane' A Colorado man who gave grieving families urns filled with dry concrete instead of their loved ones’ ashes has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison — the maximum possible sentence, authorities announced Friday, June 27. Jon M. Hallford, 45, of Colorado Springs, was the owner of Return to Nature Funeral Home, which operated in Colorado Springs and Penrose alongside his wife, Carie Hallford.  Over a four-year period, Hallford failed to cremate or bury at least 190 bodies — while collecting more than $130,000 from families for services he never provided, the U.S. Attorney’s Office…
Man Admits Stealing Car With Victim's Mother Inside, Hitting Her In HV: Here's His Fate Man Admits Stealing Car With Victim's Mother Inside, Hitting Her In HV: Here's His Fate
Man Admits Stealing Car With Victim's Mother Inside, Hitting Her In HV: Here's His Fate A man who stole a car with an elderly woman still inside and struck her daughter with the vehicle during a harrowing Orange County carjacking has pleaded guilty and will serve time in state prison, prosecutors said. Edward Keegan, age 34, of Chester, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, June 11, in Orange County Court to third-degree robbery, a felony, in connection with the violent incident that took place on February 21 outside Liquor King in the Chester Mall at 78 Brookside Ave., Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced on Friday, June 13.  Prosecutors say Keegan jump…
Ex-Town Employee Let Man Illegally Dump Near Fragile Wetlands In HV: Here's Their Fate Ex-Town Employee Let Man Illegally Dump Near Fragile Wetlands In HV: Here's Their Fate
Ex-Town Employee Let Man Illegally Dump Near Fragile Wetlands In HV: Here's Their Fate A former municipal employee in Northern Westchester will spend time in federal prison for his role in a public corruption scheme that caused millions of dollars in damage to environmentally sensitive land, federal prosecutors announced. Robert Dyckman, age 53, of Verplanck, and the former Assistant General Foreman for the Town of Cortlandt, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison for accepting bribes from a local business owner, 56-year-old Glenn Griffin of Cortlandt, in exchange for allowing illegal dumping at a town facility, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ne…
‘The Magician’ Tax Preparer From HV Behind $145M Scheme To See Jail Time ‘The Magician’ Tax Preparer From HV Behind $145M Scheme To See Jail Time
‘The Magician’ Tax Preparer From HV Behind $145M Scheme To See Jail Time A Northern Westchester man known as “The Magician” for slashing clients’ tax bills using fraudulent methods will spend years in federal prison for running one of the largest tax fraud schemes ever prosecuted against a return preparer, federal officials said.  Rafael Alvarez, 61, of Cortlandt Manor, was sentenced on Thursday, May 29 in Manhattan federal court to four years in prison for orchestrating a decade-long scheme that cost the IRS $145 million in lost tax revenue, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced.  In addition to prison, Alvarez was s…
8 NY Nissan Dealerships Must Pay $3.2M For Overcharging Customers: NY AG 8 NY Nissan Dealerships Must Pay $3.2M For Overcharging Customers: NY AG
8 NY Nissan Dealerships Must Pay $3.2M For Overcharging Customers: NY AG Eight Nissan dealerships across New York—including ones in Rockland County and on Long Island—have been ordered to pay more than $3.2 million for illegally overcharging over 1,700 customers who were trying to buy out their leased vehicles, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced.  According to James, who unveiled the agreement on Tuesday, May 6, the dealerships added bogus fees or inflated prices to final invoices, forcing customers to pay more than the amount promised in their original lease agreements.  The affected dealerships include:  Action Nissan in Ro…
Lyin’ King George Santos Sentenced To Prison In Final Act Of Political Circus Lyin’ King George Santos Sentenced To Prison In Final Act Of Political Circus
Lyin’ King George Santos Sentenced To Prison In Final Act Of Political Circus Disgraced former New York congressman and convicted fraudster George Santos is heading to federal prison. The Republican ex-lawmaker, 36, was sentenced to 87 months (just over 7 years) behind bars in Central Islip federal court on Friday, April 25, months after pleading guilty to wire fraud and identity theft.  As part of his plea agreement, Santos agreed to pay a $200,000 forfeiture and over $373,000 in restitution to his victims. Friday’s sentencing capped off one of the most bizarre chapters in American political history, one in which a sitting member of Congress was expelled and l…
$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…
'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…
'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…
NY Art Advisor Who Stole $6.5M From Clients In Years-Long Fraud Scheme Sentenced To Prison NY Art Advisor Who Stole $6.5M From Clients In Years-Long Fraud Scheme Sentenced To Prison
NY Art Advisor Who Stole $6.5M From Clients In Years-Long Fraud Scheme Sentenced To Prison A once-prominent Manhattan art advisor who defrauded her wealthy clients of more than $6.5 million in a years-long scheme is heading to prison. Lisa Schiff, 54, a well-known contemporary art consultant, was sentenced to 30 months behind bars in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, March 19, after admitting to a massive fraud in which she stole money meant for art purchases and sales, instead using it to fund a lavish lifestyle and cover mounting debts. Schiff ran her scheme for five years, from 2018 through 2023, using her company, Schiff Fine Art (SFA), to swindle at least 12 clients, one…
Father-Daughter Duo Who Stole $230K From Elderly Victim In Hudson Valley Dodges Prison Father-Daughter Duo Who Stole $230K From Elderly Victim In Hudson Valley Dodges Prison
Father-Daughter Duo Who Stole $230K From Elderly Victim In Hudson Valley Dodges Prison A father and daughter who scammed a 92-year-old woman out of more than $230,000 in Ulster County won’t spend a day in prison. Frank Whittaker, 56, of Kingston, and his daughter, Christine Ellsworth, 39, of Accord, were sentenced to probation and ordered to pay restitution in Ulster County Court on Tuesday, March 4. The daddy-daughter duo gained the victim’s trust by helping with yard work and household tasks, according to the New York Attorney General’s office. Over time, Whittaker convinced the woman to grant him Power of Attorney over her finances. But instead of managing her money resp…
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…
$316K Fentanyl-For-Food Stamps Scheme At Deli In Region Lands Employee Behind Bars $316K Fentanyl-For-Food Stamps Scheme At Deli In Region Lands Employee Behind Bars
$316K Fentanyl-For-Food Stamps Scheme At Deli In Region Lands Employee Behind Bars A Schenectady deli worker who turned his family business into a hub of illegal exchanges will spend the next year behind bars. Omar Alaidrus, 24, was sentenced to 12 months in prison on Wednesday, Feb. 12, after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl and committing food stamp fraud totaling $316,975, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York. Alaidrus operated the scheme out of his family’s Schenectady deli, where he exchanged controlled substances—including fentanyl—for food stamps, prosecutors said.  He also gave out cash and other prohibited item…
$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…
Equifax To Pay $725K Over Inaccurate Credit Scores That Raised Costs For NY Consumers Equifax To Pay $725K Over Inaccurate Credit Scores That Raised Costs For NY Consumers
Equifax To Pay $725K Over Inaccurate Credit Scores That Raised Costs For NY Consumers Bad math at Equifax led to bad rates for New Yorkers – now it’s paying up. The credit reporting agency agreed to a $725,000 settlement reached with the Empire State Tuesday, Jan. 15, after a coding error wrongly lowered credit scores for over 77,000 New Yorkers. An investigation found that the three-week error in March 2022 caused inaccurate credit scores to be reported to lenders and insurers. The flub resulted in higher rates on loans, insurance policies, and other financial products for many consumers, James’ office said. Equifax, one of the nation’s largest credit reporting agencies, c…
Payback Time: NY Delivery Drivers Will Get Cut Of $4M Settlement Over Withheld Tips Payback Time: NY Delivery Drivers Will Get Cut Of $4M Settlement Over Withheld Tips
Payback Time: NY Delivery Drivers Will Get Cut Of $4M Settlement Over Withheld Tips Thousands of local delivery drivers are in for a much-deserved payday. Drizly, a now-defunct alcohol delivery platform, reached a $4 million settlement with the State of New York on Tuesday, Dec. 17, for failing to ensure that delivery workers received their rightful tips. According to New York Attorney General Leitita James, Drizly encouraged customers to tip delivery workers but sent the funds to liquor store owners instead. Store owners were responsible for distributing the tips, but in many cases, workers did not receive the money they earned. The investigation also revealed that Driz…
$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…
$9.6M Scheme: Businessman Admits To Fraud Involving Banks, Including 1 In Hudson Valley $9.6M Scheme: Businessman Admits To Fraud Involving Banks, Including 1 In Hudson Valley
$9.6M Scheme: Businessman Admits To Fraud Involving Banks, Including 1 In Hudson Valley The owner of a New York business admitted to running a multimillion-dollar check-kiting scheme to keep his company operating. Long Island resident John B. Mensch, age 54, pleaded guilty in connection with a nearly year-long fraud conspiracy involving banks in Suffolk County and the Hudson Valley, federal authorities announced Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 2. Mensch, of Quogue, faces up to five years’ imprisonment as well as financial penalties, including restitution to the two banks of approximately $9.6 million. According to court filings, Mensch was the owner and operator of East End, a…
Business Owner Who Scammed Customers Steals Wallet At Hudson Valley Gym: Police Business Owner Who Scammed Customers Steals Wallet At Hudson Valley Gym: Police
Business Owner Who Scammed Customers Steals Wallet At Hudson Valley Gym: Police A 36-year-old former business owner from Long Island who admitted to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from customers was apprehended after stealing a wallet from a Northern Westchester gym and using a credit card inside in the Hudson Valley, police said. The theft happened in Yorktown on Tuesday, Oct. 1, when a wallet was stolen from Club Fit at 600 Bank Rd., Yorktown Police said on Friday, Oct. 4.  Investigators quickly realized that the victim's credit card had recently been used in Putnam County, and when they obtained surveillance video from this location, they were able t…