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Restitution

$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 Gym, Uses Credit Card In Putnam: Police Business Owner Who Scammed Customers Steals Wallet At Gym, Uses Credit Card In Putnam: Police
Business Owner Who Scammed Customers Steals Wallet At Gym, Uses Credit Card In Putnam: 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…
Ex-Controller From Mohegan Lake Who Stole $340K From Company Gets Prison Time Ex-Controller From Mohegan Lake Who Stole $340K From Company Gets Prison Time
Ex-Controller From Mohegan Lake Who Stole $340K From 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, …
$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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 …
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,"&…
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…
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…
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 …
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…
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.…
Northern Westchester Businessman Admits To Swindling Clients Out Of Thousands Northern Westchester Businessman Admits To Swindling Clients Out Of Thousands
Northern Westchester Businessman Admits To Swindling Clients Out Of Thousands A Westchester County businessman has admitted to lining his own pockets with thousands of dollars as part of a scheme to steal business taxes from clients that employed his services. Pleasantville resident Stefan Malgarinos, 48, has pleaded 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. Malgarinos, the owner of Manos Business Management in Pleasantville, was hired by businesses in the tri-state area to file withholding tax returns, to pay withholding taxes collected f…
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…
Ex-Chief Sentenced For Stealing $312K From Fire Department In Northern Westchester Ex-Chief Sentenced For Stealing $312K From Fire Department In Northern Westchester
Ex-Chief Sentenced For Stealing $312K From Fire Department In Northern Westchester A former fire chief and police officer will spend time behind bars after admitting to stealing more than $300,000 from a Northern Westchester fire department while he was a treasurer. Gerald Munson, who most recently served as the Croton-on-Hudson FD treasurer, pleaded guilty to grand larceny as a crime of public corruption after admitting to stealing $312,925 from the department earlier this year. On Wednesday, Munson was sentenced to a term of between a year-and-a-half and four-and-a-half years in state prison. Munson must also pay restitution to the fire department. Munson was in Westche…
Ex-Fairfield County Attorney Sentenced For Stealing Nearly $2M From Clients, Family, Friends Ex-Fairfield County Attorney Sentenced For Stealing Nearly $2M From Clients, Family, Friends
Ex-Fairfield County Attorney Sentenced For Stealing Nearly $2M From Clients, Family, Friends A 62-year-old former attorney in Fairfield County is going to spend more than six years behind bars for stealing nearly $2 million from clients, friends and family members. Thomas Murtha who previously had a law office in Bridgeport has been sentenced to 78 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud. He must also pay $1,994,467.15 in restitution. Beginning in November 2011, through April 2017, Murtha stole the money from 20 individuals, including approximately $516,000 from a person with mental health issues. As pa…
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…
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 …
Fairfield County Attorney Sentenced For Sexually Exploiting Boy, Ordered To Pay $215K Fairfield County Attorney Sentenced For Sexually Exploiting Boy, Ordered To Pay $215K
Fairfield County Attorney Sentenced For Sexually Exploiting Boy, Ordered To Pay $215K A former lawyer in the area is heading to prison for sexually exploiting a boy. Shelton resident Peter Kruzynski has been sentenced to 156 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to one count of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. He must also pay his victim $215,000 in restitution. Kruzynski, 51, used his cell phone to text a 12-year-old boy to engage in sexual activity. He sent text messages to the minor, telling him to come to his home, where Kruzynski then had sexual contact with his victim.  In December 2014, when his victim …
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…