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COVID-19: Hudson Valley Man Admits To Stealing $4M In Relief Funds COVID-19: Hudson Valley Man Admits To Stealing $4M In Relief Funds
Covid-19: Hudson Valley Man Admits To Stealing $4M In Relief Funds A Hudson Valley man has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank and wire fraud and admitted to obtaining more than $4 million meant for businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ulster County resident Jean Lavanture, age 48, of Saugerties, also known as JR, and "Rudy" Lavanture, is the third person to plead guilty in this case, according to the US Attorney's Office. In pleading guilty, Lavanture admitted to conspiring with another person to obtain $4,309,581 in Paycheck Protection Program loans between June and August 2020, by submitting fraudulent loan applications in the nam…

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by Kathy Reakes
Politics
FBI Interviews Top NY Pol In Probe Of Cuomo Nursing Home Coverup, Book Deal, New Report Says FBI Interviews Top NY Pol In Probe Of Cuomo Nursing Home Coverup, Book Deal, New Report Says
FBI Interviews Top NY Pol In Probe Of Cuomo Nursing Home Coverup, Book Deal, New Report Says Federal investigators are interviewing some of New York’s top politicians as the investigation into Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s book deal and coverup of COVID-19 deaths in state nursing homes heats up, according to a new report. The New York Post is reporting that the FBI interviewed the chairman of the state Senate Health Committee as the probe into Cuomo continues, including his multi-million dollar book deal on leadership that he penned during the peak of the pandemic. Bronx Sen. Gustavo Rivera said this week that he was summoned to the FBI’s Brooklyn headquarters and interviewed for three hours…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
COVID-19: Nursing Home Scandal Fallout Increases As More Dems Turn On Cuomo, Feds Launch Probe COVID-19: Nursing Home Scandal Fallout Increases As More Dems Turn On Cuomo, Feds Launch Probe
Covid-19: Nursing Home Scandal Fallout Increases As More Dems Turn On Cuomo, Feds Launch Probe The heat is on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo as he attempts to counter the fallout from both sides of the aisle over his handling of COVID-19 cases in the state’s nursing homes. Some state Democrats have joined in the cacophony of Republican voices expressing outrage over Cuomo’s administration underreporting and subsequent coverup of COVID-19-related nursing home deaths in New York. The federal government is now planning to launch a probe into the scandal that has turned Cuomo from an Emmy award-winning national figure touted for his daily COVID-19 briefings complete with power-point slides …

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by Zak Failla
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NY Hedge Fund Founder Admits To Fraud In Connection With Neiman Marcus Bankruptcy NY Hedge Fund Founder Admits To Fraud In Connection With Neiman Marcus Bankruptcy
NY Hedge Fund Founder Admits To Fraud In Connection With Neiman Marcus Bankruptcy A hedge fund founder admitted to bankruptcy fraud for abusing his position on a Neiman Marcus Group Inc. bankruptcy committee to purchase securities at a deflated price. Nassau County resident Daniel Kamensky, of Roslyn, the founder of the New York-based hedge fund Marble Ridge Capital pleaded guilty to pressuring a rival bidder to abandon its higher bid for assets in connection with Neiman Marcus’s bankruptcy proceedings. U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said that Kamensky was the principal of Marble Ridgewhich had assets under management of more than $1 billion that invested in secu…

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by Zak Failla
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Fairfield County Man Indicted For Mob Assault On Capitol Police Officer Fairfield County Man Indicted For Mob Assault On Capitol Police Officer
Fairfield County Man Indicted For Mob Assault On Capitol Police Officer A Fairfield County man who was charged for allegedly being part of the pro-Trump mob that violently stormed the United States Capitol has been indicted by a grand jury with a second assault charged during the incident. Patrick Edward McCaughey III, age 23, of Ridgefield, has been charged with: Two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon Two counts of civil disorder Obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting Disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, with a deadly or dangerous weapon Engaging in p…

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by Kathy Reakes
Politics
Security Tightened, Roads Closed Near State Capitol As Inauguration Day Nears Security Tightened, Roads Closed Near State Capitol As Inauguration Day Nears
Security Tightened, Roads Closed Near State Capitol As Inauguration Day Nears Though “no specific threat” has been identified, security around the New York State Capitol in Albany has been beefed up in the wake of the deadly pro-Trump Capitol Hill riots in Washington D.C. and in advance of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday, Jan. 20. Additional law enforcement patrols began increasing security on Thursday, Jan. 14 at the Capitol, with some nearby roads closed down as a precaution as the state prepares for any potential threats. In advance of the inauguration, State Police troopers have also ramped up security at the state Capitol, some entrances w…

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by Zak Failla
News
Madoff Ponzi Scheme Victims To Get Nearly $500M More In Distributions Madoff Ponzi Scheme Victims To Get Nearly $500M More In Distributions
Madoff Ponzi Scheme Victims To Get Nearly $500M More In Distributions Thousands of Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi Scheme victims will be receiving their portions of the latest distribution of nearly $500 million. Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Audrey Strauss announced that the Madoff Victim Fund will be distributing approximately $488 million to more than 37,000 of his victims involved in the fraud scheme. To date, approximately $2.7 billion has been distributed to Madoff’s victims. Strauss said that this sixth payment will bring the victims’ total recovery to 80.05 percent of their losses. Ultimately, more than $4 billion will be returne…

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by Zak Failla
News
Man Charged In Sex Cult Case At College In Westchester Accused Of Witness Tampering Man Charged In Sex Cult Case At College In Westchester Accused Of Witness Tampering
Man Charged In Sex Cult Case At College In Westchester Accused Of Witness Tampering The father of a former college student in Westchester who allegedly ran a sex cult out of his daughter’s dorm room for nearly a decade is now reportedly manipulating his victims from his prison cell. Lawrence Ray, 60, who is facing charges that include sex trafficking, extortion, and forced labor, has been allegedly attempting to control at least two of his victims from inside his cell, according to a New York Times report. Ray was released from prison in 2010 and moved into the co-ed dorm of his daughter at Sarah Lawrence College near the border of Yonkers and Bronxville. It is alleged th…

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by Zak Failla
News
New Distribution Of More Than $378M Allotted To Madoff Ponzi Scheme Victims New Distribution Of More Than $378M Allotted To Madoff Ponzi Scheme Victims
New Distribution Of More Than $378M Allotted To Madoff Ponzi Scheme Victims Thousands of Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi Scheme victims will be receiving their portions of the fifth distribution of more than $378 million this week. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman announced that the Madoff Victim Fund will be distributing $378.5 million to more than 26,000 of his victims involved in the fraud scheme. To date, approximately $2.7 billion has been distributed to Madoff’s victims. Berman said that the fifth payment will bring the victims’ total recovery to 73.65 percent of their losses.  Ultimately, more than $4 billion will be returned due to losses suffered in Madoff’s Ponz…

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by Zak Failla
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Father In Westchester Sex Trafficking Case Pleads Not Guilty To Nine Federal Charges Father In Westchester Sex Trafficking Case Pleads Not Guilty To Nine Federal Charges
Father In Westchester Sex Trafficking Case Pleads Not Guilty To Nine Federal Charges The father of a former college student in Westchester has denied that he ran a sex cult out of his daughter’s dorm room by manipulating students. Lawrence Ray, 60, has pleaded not guilty to nine federal charges that he’s facing for allegedly moving into his daughter’s dorm at Sarah Lawrence College near the border of Bronxville and Yonkers and operating a sex cult. Specifically, Ray is charged with: Conspiracy to commit extortion; Extortion; Sex trafficking; Obtaining forced labor; Forced labor trafficking; Conspiracy to obtain forced labor; Two counts of violating the travel act; Money l…

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by Zak Failla
News
Area Business Owner Failed To Pay Taxes For Years, Lied To IRS, Feds Say Area Business Owner Failed To Pay Taxes For Years, Lied To IRS, Feds Say
Area Business Owner Failed To Pay Taxes For Years, Lied To IRS, Feds Say A Hudson Valley business owner is facing charges for allegedly “knowingly and willfully failing to pay over payroll taxes for his company and for corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the due administration of the internal revenue laws,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said Dutchess County resident William Grogg, of Millbrook, has worked in the printing and publishing industry in and around Poughkeepsie since the 1980s, owning and managing the financial affairs of multiple companies.  During his three decades working in the industry, it i…

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by Zak Failla
News
Area Man Admits To Defrauding Investors Out Of Nearly $1M Area Man Admits To Defrauding Investors Out Of Nearly $1M
Area Man Admits To Defrauding Investors Out Of Nearly $1M A Hudson Valley man has admitted to defrauding multiple victims out of nearly a million dollars as part of an elaborate scheme, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman announced. Rockland County resident Jorge Padilla, 33, of Haverstraw, pleaded guilty in district court to defrauding his victims out of more than $900,000 by soliciting investments in a sham financial firm by using misrepresentation and fraudulent documents. Specifically, Padilla pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. When he is sentenced, he will face up to 20 years in prison. Berman said that between September 2014 and April 201…

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by Zak Failla