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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 Gym In Region: Police Business Owner Who Scammed Customers Steals Wallet At Gym In Region: Police
Business Owner Who Scammed Customers Steals Wallet At Gym In Region: 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 Region Company Gets Prison Time Ex-Controller Who Stole $340K From Region Company Gets Prison Time
Ex-Controller Who Stole $340K From Region 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
Former Hudson Valley Deputy Mayor Sentenced For Stealing $11K From Foundation Former Hudson Valley Deputy Mayor Sentenced For Stealing $11K From Foundation
Former Hudson Valley Deputy Mayor Sentenced For Stealing $11K From Foundation The former deputy mayor and village trustee of a Hudson Valley village has been sentenced for stealing more than $11,000 from a non-profit foundation. Rockland County resident Emily Dominguez, age 53, of Haverstraw, was sentenced on Monday, May 22 for stealing more than $11,000 in funds and donations from the Rockland County Community Foundation, a non-profit organization that she oversaw, said District Attorney Thomas Walsh. The Rockland Community Foundation oversees and administers hundreds of charitable funds in Rockland County. One such fund is the Haverstraw Neighborhood Fund…

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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
Seven From Area Admit To Scam Stealing $14M Intended For Schools Seven From Area Admit To Scam Stealing $14M Intended For Schools
Seven From Area Admit To Scam Stealing $14M Intended For Schools Seven area residents charged in a scheme to steal $14 million from the federal “E-Rate” program designed to provide computer technology to students at underprivileged schools have pleaded guilty. Peretz Klein and Susan Klein, both of Spring Valley; and Simon Goldbrenner, Moshe Schwartz, Ben Klein, Sholem Steinberg, and Aron Melber, all of Monsey, pleaded guilty in White Plains Federal Court to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on Wednesday, Feb. 12, said U.S  Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey S. Berman. “Each of these defendants has now admitted hi…

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by Kathy Reakes
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