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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…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
$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…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
$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…

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by Ben Crnic
News
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…

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by Michael Mashburn
Business
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…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
$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…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
$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…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
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…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Ex-Controller Who Stole $340K From Hudson Valley Company Gets Prison Time Ex-Controller Who Stole $340K From Hudson Valley Company Gets Prison Time
Ex-Controller Who Stole $340K From Hudson Valley Company Gets Prison Time A 54-year-old woman who stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Northern Westchester-based company she worked for will spend several years in prison.  Mohegan Lake resident ToniAnn Rosado was sentenced to a term of two to six years in prison on Friday, Sept. 27 for stealing more than $340,000 from North Castle-based paint company CR Wallauer & Company, Inc., the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced on Tuesday, Oct. 1.  According to the DA's Office, in her role as the company's controller, Rosado stole $341,707.54 between July 7, 2017, …

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by Ben Crnic
Business
$2M Con Job: NY Contractor Admits Defrauding Victims Of Hurricane Sandy $2M Con Job: NY Contractor Admits Defrauding Victims Of Hurricane Sandy
$2M Con Job: NY Contractor Admits Defrauding Victims Of Hurricane Sandy A former New York contractor confessed to stealing millions of dollars from homeowners who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy to fund his lavish lifestyle. Alexander Almaraz, age 56, who formerly lived on Long Island in Freeport, pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges in Central Islip federal court on Thursday, Sept. 5. Prosecutors said Almaraz, who owned Design Concepts Group (DCG) in Freeport, targeted homeowners who suffered extensive damage during Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 and later received relief funds from the governor’s office. Earlier Report: Lamborghini, Porsche, Jaguar,…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Ex-NY Attorney Who Stole $800K From Clients Gets Prison Time Ex-NY Attorney Who Stole $800K From Clients Gets Prison Time
Ex-NY Attorney Who Stole $800K From Clients Gets Prison Time A former New York attorney is heading to prison after confessing that he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from his clients. Former Long Island resident Douglas Valente, age 57, now of Florida, was sentenced to between one and four years in prison in Suffolk County Court on Thursday, Aug. 22. Prosecutors said Valente, the former principal attorney at the Valente Law Group in Stony Brook, stole more than $800,000 from three former clients by taking money from his escrow account. Earlier Report: Former NY Attorney Stole Nearly $1M From Clients, DA Says Among the victims was a cl…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Hudson Valley Caregiver Steals $164K From Elderly Victim, DA Says Hudson Valley Caregiver Steals $164K From Elderly Victim, DA Says
Hudson Valley Caregiver Steals $164K From Elderly Victim, DA Says A Hudson Valley woman was sentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison for stealing thousands from a man she was supposed to be a caregiver for. Dutchess County resident Sabrina Aboshanab, age 33, of Wappingers Falls, was sentenced on Wednesday, Aug. 14, and ordered to pay $164,332.26 in restitution, said Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi. Aboshanab became acquainted with the victim around 2017 and eventually moved into his home, where she lived rent-free in exchange for agreeing to act as a caregiver for the 81-year-old, who had no relatives to assist him, court docum…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
$1.6M Fraud Scheme: Capital Region Man Admits Role In Unemployment Insurance Scam $1.6M Fraud Scheme: Capital Region Man Admits Role In Unemployment Insurance Scam
$1.6M Fraud Scheme: Capital Region Man Admits Role In Unemployment Insurance Scam A man from the region admitted to taking part in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that targeted unemployment insurance benefits. Rensselaer County resident Todd Ward, age 45, of Troy, pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) in Albany federal court in late June 2024. Prosecutors said Ward confessed to providing co-conspirator Carl DiVeglia with the personal identifying information of another individual, which DiVeglia then used to file a false claim on the NYSDOL website. Earlier Report: Former State Employee From Albany Pleads Guilty…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Former Hudson Valley Finance Director Pleads Guilty To Theft Of $95K From Recreation Center Former Hudson Valley Finance Director Pleads Guilty To Theft Of $95K From Recreation Center
Former Hudson Valley Finance Director Pleads Guilty To Theft Of $95K From Recreation Center A former Hudson Valley finance director has pleaded guilty to the theft of tens of thousands of dollars from a local non-profit for his private use. Former Ulster County Finance Director Burton Gulnick, Jr., entered the plea on Tuesday, Oct. 10, said Ulster County District Attorney David Clegg. Following a lengthy investigation by the New York State Police, Gulnick was arrested in June and charged with felonies in connection with theft from the Hurley Recreation Center, a not-for-profit organization that provides summer activities and programs for families, including a children’s summer cam…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Hudson Valley Man Sentenced For Murder Of Ex-Girlfriend's Boyfriend Hudson Valley Man Sentenced For Murder Of Ex-Girlfriend's Boyfriend
Hudson Valley Man Sentenced For Murder Of Ex-Girlfriend's Boyfriend In a courtroom packed with large contingents of supporters for the victim and the defendant, a Hudson Valley man was sentenced to prison for gunning down and killing his ex-friend's new boyfriend. Orange County resident Walter Post, Jr., age 26, of Pine Bush was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison for his jealous killing of his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend, Michael Hankins, age 29, in Ulster County, on Vinegar Hill Road in Shawangunk in the early morning of Tuesday, Jan. 11, said the Ulster County District Attorney's Office. Visiting Ulster County Court Judge James Farrell also gr…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
NY Man Sentenced For Role In $12M Ponzi Scheme Targeting Nearly 50 Victims NY Man Sentenced For Role In $12M Ponzi Scheme Targeting Nearly 50 Victims
NY Man Sentenced For Role In $12M Ponzi Scheme Targeting Nearly 50 Victims A New York man was sentenced for his role in a $12 million Ponzi scheme that targeted nearly 50 victims from throughout the region and the nation between 2015 and 2017. Long Island resident Matthew Eckstein, age 52, of Syosset, was sentenced on Monday, July 11 to three-and-a-half to 10-and-a-half years in prison. Eckstein originally pleaded guilty to the charges on September 26, 2019, but later withdrew his plea. A new indictment was secured in August 2020, but court closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic further delayed the case. “This defendant preyed upon seniors and hard-working men…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Man From Capital District Sentenced For Hacking Classmates' Nude Photos, Possessing Child Porn Man From Capital District Sentenced For Hacking Classmates' Nude Photos, Possessing Child Porn
Man From Capital District Sentenced For Hacking Classmates' Nude Photos, Possessing Child Porn A former law student from the Capital District will spend the next decade in prison for stealing his college classmates’ naked photos and possessing child pornography. Michael Fish, age 26, of Albany, was sentenced to 111 months (just over nine years) behind bars Friday, May 20, on charges of computer fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to the US Attorney’s Office in the North District. It follows a 2020 guilty plea in which Fish admitted to hacking into dozens of female classmates’ school email accounts at SUNY-Plattsburgh and then using information from those accounts to access…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
NY To Have $110M In Student Debt Canceled As Part Of $1.85B Settlement NY To Have $110M In Student Debt Canceled As Part Of $1.85B Settlement
NY To Have $110M In Student Debt Canceled As Part Of $1.85B Settlement New Yorkers will have millions of dollars in debt canceled after one of the nation’s largest student loan services agreed to relieve $1.85 billion in loan debt as part of a multi-state agreement, authorities announced. Navient, the target of a bipartisan coalition of 39 attorneys general agreed to cancel $1.7 billion in private student loan debt and offered $95 million in restitution for thousands of students nationwide following an investigation into the company's business practices. New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the agreement on Thursday, Jan. 13, which will include mo…

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by Zak Failla
News
Area Man Accused Of Dealing Meth, Cocaine, Other Drugs Sentenced Area Man Accused Of Dealing Meth, Cocaine, Other Drugs Sentenced
Area Man Accused Of Dealing Meth, Cocaine, Other Drugs Sentenced A drug dealer has been sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of criminal sale of a controlled substance. Putnam County resident Brian Flandreau, age 42, of Lake Carmel, was sentenced on Tuesday, May 11. During a two-month investigation, members of the New York State Police Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team purchased over $2,800 worth of methamphetamine from Flandreau on four different occasions,  said Putnam County District Attorney Robert V. Tendy. These sales took place at Flandreau’s residence and at locations throughout Putn…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Nationally Known Westchester Restaurant Owner Sentenced For Not Paying Taxes Nationally Known Westchester Restaurant Owner Sentenced For Not Paying Taxes
Nationally Known Westchester Restaurant Owner Sentenced For Not Paying Taxes A nationally known celebrity chef known as “Lord of the Pies” who owns restaurants in Westchester and Fairfield counties will spend time behind bars after admitting to not paying taxes. Bruno DiFabio, age 51, of Ridgefield, was sentenced on Thursday, May 6 to 30 days in prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to a federal tax offense in 2018. Specifically, DiFabio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to file false income tax returns and payroll tax returns.  Currently, DiFabio has ownership interests in several pizza restaurants in Connecticut …

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Area Town Board Member Who Co-Owns Restaurant Admits To Theft Of Services Area Town Board Member Who Co-Owns Restaurant Admits To Theft Of Services
Area Town Board Member Who Co-Owns Restaurant Admits To Theft Of Services A town board member who also serves as co-owner of a restaurant in Carmel has admitted to theft of services. Michael Barile pleaded guilty to one count of the Class A misdemeanor in the Town of Philipstown Justice Court. "As Barile admitted in court, as the co-owner of Blu Restaurant, located at 825 South Lake Boulevard in the Town of Carmel, he illegally connected the restaurant’s waste system to the public sewer system without permission or authority to do so, and thereby avoided having to pay for using the sewer system as he would otherwise have been required to do,"&…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Former Employee Admits To Making 40 Charges In NY/CT With Credit Cards Stolen From Customers Former Employee Admits To Making 40 Charges In NY/CT With Credit Cards Stolen From Customers
Former Employee Admits To Making 40 Charges In NY/CT With Credit Cards Stolen From Customers A convicted felon with a rap sheet dating back to the 1980s will spend more time behind bars after admitting to credit card fraud, identity theft and a host of other charges. Steven Finkler, 55, of New Haven, pleaded guilty in Bridgeport district court to one count of access device fraud, one count of wire fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. U.S. Attorney John Durham said that in August 2017, Finkler stole credit cards from two of his employer’s customers and used the cards to make more than 40 fraudulent charges in Connecticut and New York. The charges included Finkler…

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by Zak Failla
News
Former HR Officer In Westchester Admits To $417K Performance Scam Former HR Officer In Westchester Admits To $417K Performance Scam
Former HR Officer In Westchester Admits To $417K Performance Scam A woman who worked as a human resources officer at FujiFilm in Westchester admitted to stealing more than $400,000 from the company. Fairfield County resident Maria Mecca, 39, of Greenwich, pleaded guilty to second-degree grand larceny in Westchester County Court, District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr., announced. She remains free on bail and was ordered to pay restitution to FujiFilm, which is based out of Valhalla. Mecca is due back in court on March 18 next year for sentencing. She is expected to receive a term of between one and four years in prison. According to Scarpino, in her pos…

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by Zak Failla
News
Westchester Business Owner Sentenced For Stealing From Clients Westchester Business Owner Sentenced For Stealing From Clients
Westchester Business Owner Sentenced For Stealing From Clients A Westchester County businessman will spend time behind bars after admitting to lining his own pockets with hundreds of thousands of dollars as part of a scheme to steal business taxes from clients that employed his services. Pleasantville resident Stefan Malgarinos, 48, has been sentenced to prison time after pleading guilty to grand larceny and scheme to defraud, both felonies, related to stealing withholding tax money from state and federal authorities collected from his clients. Westchester County District Attorney District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr., said that Malgarinos was …

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by Zak Failla
News
Former Teller Sentenced For Participating In Violent Bank Robbery In Westchester Former Teller Sentenced For Participating In Violent Bank Robbery In Westchester
Former Teller Sentenced For Participating In Violent Bank Robbery In Westchester A former bank teller in Westchester has been sentenced for her participation in an armed robbery that netted more than $300,000 and a vacation to Aruba. Virginia Blanco has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for participating in the robbery of a Wells Fargo Bank branch on Odel Avenue in Yonkers in October 2013 that included several rounds being fired during the exchange. She must also pay $303,500 in restitution. Blanco had been found guilty by a jury of conspiracy, bank robbery, and a firearm offense in July last year following a four-day trial in White Plains federal court, U.S. At…

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by Zak Failla
News
Bookkeeper Sentenced For Stealing $300K From Westchester Businesses Bookkeeper Sentenced For Stealing $300K From Westchester Businesses
Bookkeeper Sentenced For Stealing $300K From Westchester Businesses A 71-year-old former bookkeeper from heading to prison after stealing more than $375,000 from her Westchester employee of 20 years. Patricia Hunt of New Rochelle has been sentenced to a term of between two and six years in state prison after pleading guilty to grand larceny, Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr. announced. She has also been ordered to pay her former employer $375,825.88 in restitution. Hunt, worked as a former bookkeeper for Artisan Restoration Co., Inc. and E. Gargiulo Interior & Exterior Restoration Co., Inc. in Mount Vernon for two decades.…

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by Zak Failla
News
Here's When Bottini Fuel Fraud Victims Can Expect Refunds Here's When Bottini Fuel Fraud Victims Can Expect Refunds
Here's When Bottini Fuel Fraud Victims Can Expect Refunds For the thousands of customers who may have been defrauded by Bottini Fuel, refunds will soon be on the way.The Wappingers Falls-based heating oil delivery company stole more than 1.7 million from customers by keeping overpayments and duplicate payments over a 12 year period, according to the New York State Attorney General's Office.  Now, the company has to repay more than $3.2 million in penalties and restitution as part of an agreement with the government. According to the AG's office, Hudson Valley homeowners and businesses are owed $1,171,884 in refunds, and government entiti…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Northern Westchester Hedge Fund Manager Sentenced, Ordered To Pay $22M For Ponzi Scheme Northern Westchester Hedge Fund Manager Sentenced, Ordered To Pay $22M For Ponzi Scheme
Northern Westchester Hedge Fund Manager Sentenced, Ordered To Pay $22M For Ponzi Scheme A former hedge fund manager from Northern Westchester will spend nearly a decade behind bars after defrauding 45 investors out of more than $22 million through an elaborate Ponzi scheme that allowed him to live a lavish lifestyle. Michael Scronic of Pound Ridge, the former manager of the Scronic Macro Fund has been sentenced to 96 months in prison, Geoffrey Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced on Thursday. Scronic was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and must pay $22,026,427 in restitution to his victims. Scronic, 46, admitte…

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by Zak Failla
News
Ex-Comptroller Sentenced In White Plains For Embezzling $2.5 Million Ex-Comptroller Sentenced In White Plains For Embezzling $2.5 Million
Ex-Comptroller Sentenced In White Plains For Embezzling $2.5 Million The former comptroller of a pair of prominent Hudson Valley companies is going to spend some time behind bars after stealing millions of dollars from his employer to fund gambling and a lush lifestyle. Mark Cina, the former comptroller of two Poughkeepsie companies, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for mail fraud and tax evasion in White Plains Federal Court. He pleaded guilty to the charges in April. Cina, 56, must also pay $3,385,665 in restitution and forfeit a total of $2,254,820. In 2008, Cina was hired by an entrepreneur to act as a part-time bookkeeper for his company. Two years …

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by Zak Failla
News
Hudson Valley Accountant Sentenced, Ordered To Pay $600K Hudson Valley Accountant Sentenced, Ordered To Pay $600K
Hudson Valley Accountant Sentenced, Ordered To Pay $600K A Rockland County accountant admitted in White Plains federal court to his role in a multi-million dollar deception scheme is heading to prison and must pay $600,000 in restitution to his victims. Mitchell Klein, 62, has been sentenced to three years in federal prison and must pay the restitution for not reporting a theft from his real estate company, which was connected to the scheme involving his investors, family and friends. In total, more than 100 clients lost investments with Klein and his former business partners, who in total lost more than $60 million in real estate projects and ve…

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by Zak Failla
News
Hudson Valley Contractor Admits To Defrauding Customers Of $175,000 Hudson Valley Contractor Admits To Defrauding Customers Of $175,000
Hudson Valley Contractor Admits To Defrauding Customers Of $175,000 An area contractor is facing potential prison time and his corporation has agreed to pay back $175,000 for defrauding property owners who hired him to construct homes on their property. Goshen resident Charles Neustadt, 63, and JC Builders, Inc. pleaded guilty to felonies this week in Orange County Court. Neustadt pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny and theft of services. His business pleaded guilty to felony charges of grand larceny and scheme to defraud. As part of the plea agreement, Neustadt has agreed to pay back $175,000 and it has been recommended by the Orange County Distri…

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by Zak Failla