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'High Risk, High Reward': Santos Staffer Impersonated Speaker's Aide To Fundraise, Feds Say 'High Risk, High Reward': Santos Staffer Impersonated Speaker's Aide To Fundraise, Feds Say
'High Risk, High Reward': Santos Staffer Impersonated Speaker's Aide To Fundraise, Feds Say A campaign staffer who worked to elect New York Rep. George Santos impersonated a high-level Congressional aide in order to raise money for the then-aspiring lawmaker, a scheme that Santos was well aware of, federal prosecutors allege. Samuel Miele, age 27, is charged with wire fraud and identity theft as part of a five-count indictment that was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday, Aug. 16. Miele was a fundraiser for Santos’ congressional campaigns in both 2020 and 2022, according to the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District. Earlier Report: Trio Of Schemes T…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Westchester Man Steals Credit Cards, Charges Over $2K To Them At Best Buy: Police Westchester Man Steals Credit Cards, Charges Over $2K To Them At Best Buy: Police
Westchester Man Steals Credit Cards, Charges Over $2K To Them At Best Buy: Police A Westchester man faces identity theft charges after stealing credit cards from a purse and using them to buy over $2,600 of electronics at a Best Buy in the Hudson Valley, police said.  The theft was originally reported to Yorktown Police on Saturday, June 10, when a victim told the department that a purse containing multiple credit cards had been stolen from their vehicle.  According to the department, one of the victim's credit cards was then used to buy $2,664.04 in electronics at a Best Buy in Rockland County located in the Palisades Mall in West Nyack.  An investigatio…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Multimillion-Dollar Scheme: Woman From Region Nabbed For Money Laundering, Bank Fraud, Feds Say Multimillion-Dollar Scheme: Woman From Region Nabbed For Money Laundering, Bank Fraud, Feds Say
Multimillion-Dollar Scheme: Woman From Region Nabbed For Money Laundering, Bank Fraud, Feds Say A 49-year-old woman from the region has been charged with conspiring to commit money laundering and bank fraud, stealing more than $10 million from victims. Sullivan County resident Tetiana Berriors, of the hamlet of Smallwood, was arrested on Thursday, June 8, said Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. According to court documents, Berriors conspired to commit money laundering and bank fraud in connection with laundering the proceeds of a series of business email compromise scams that sought to deceive victims into sending nearly $10 million to bank accoun…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Hudson Valley Man Charges $1K In Goods To Former Friend's Credit Cards Hudson Valley Man Charges $1K In Goods To Former Friend's Credit Cards
Hudson Valley Man Charges $1K In Goods To Former Friend's Credit Cards A Hudson Valley man has been charged with identity theft after allegedly using a former friend's credit card information to make purchases.  Orange County resident Gustavo W. Gonzalez, age 23 from the town of Monroe was arrested by state police Wednesday, May 17, and charged with grand larceny and identity theft. According to Trooper Steven Nevel, on Tuesday, April 4, state police received a complaint about unauthorized charges on several credit cards. The total amount of the transactions was $1,261.  An investigation revealed that Gonzalez had a falling out with a friend an…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Hudson Valley Woman Charged With Using Ex-Boyfriend's Credit Card, Bank Account Hudson Valley Woman Charged With Using Ex-Boyfriend's Credit Card, Bank Account
Hudson Valley Woman Charged With Using Ex-Boyfriend's Credit Card, Bank Account A Hudson Valley woman has been charged with allegedly using her ex-boyfriend's credit card and bank account to make $700 in purchases. Orange County resident Kelly Kopp, age 34, of Middletown, was arrested on Thursday, May 18, and charged with: Grand larceny Identity theft Petit larceny An investigation revealed that during the months of April and May, Kopp used the credit card, and bank account of an ex-boyfriend to make unauthorized purchases in the amount of $711.00, said Trooper Steven Nevel.  She was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Town of Monroe Court on Monday, M…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
$100K ID Theft Scheme: Trio Nabbed In Act At Auto Dealership In Westchester, Police Say $100K ID Theft Scheme: Trio Nabbed In Act At Auto Dealership In Westchester, Police Say
$100K ID Theft Scheme: Trio Nabbed In Act At Auto Dealership In Westchester, Police Say Three suspects were apprehended in the act of allegedly trying to pull off a $100,000 identity theft scheme at an auto dealership in Westchester County, according to authorities. At around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 30, detectives were alerted by staff at New Rochelle Toyota that a possible fraudulent purchase of a vehicle was in progress at the dealership. Responding detectives found the trio at the scene, two of whom were unlawfully using names and social security numbers of real persons from Pennsylvania and Iowa to fraudulently obtain a car loan for over $100,000, acc…

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by Joe Lombardi
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Westchester Caseworker Accused Of Stealing More Than $300K From Client Westchester Caseworker Accused Of Stealing More Than $300K From Client
Westchester Caseworker Accused Of Stealing More Than $300K From Client A Westchester County caseworker who resides in Connecticut faces numerous charges after allegedly stealing more than $300,000 from a 95-year-old woman suffering from dementia whom she had been taking care of.  Fairfield County resident Chantel Chenault, age 46, of Danbury, was indicted on multiple charges on Friday, March 24 for stealing from the elderly woman under her care in Westchester, according to New York Attorney General Letitia James.  According to officials from James's office, Chenault became the woman's caseworker in 2017 and was employed with the Westch…

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by Ben Crnic
News
New Update: Northern Westchester Woman Crashes Into 6 People, Including 2 Toddlers, Police Say New Update: Northern Westchester Woman Crashes Into 6 People, Including 2 Toddlers, Police Say
New Update: Northern Westchester Woman Crashes Into 6 People, Including 2 Toddlers, Police Say This story has been updated. A Northern Westchester woman has been arrested for allegedly losing control of a stolen car and careening onto an Upper Manhattan sidewalk, striking six people, including two 3-year-olds. Northern Westchester resident Sharon Godwin, age 32, of Peekskill, was arrested on Wednesday, March 15, after New York City Police responded to a 911 call of pedestrians struck by a motor vehicle at West 190th Street and Broadway, said the NYPD. Upon arrival, officers observed six pedestrians with injuries on the sidewalk. A preliminary investigation determined that Godwin los…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Man Uses Fire Department Credit Card To Make Purchases In Northern Westchester: Police Man Uses Fire Department Credit Card To Make Purchases In Northern Westchester: Police
Man Uses Fire Department Credit Card To Make Purchases In Northern Westchester: Police A man faces identity theft charges after ordering a replacement credit card for a fire department in Northern Westchester and using it to make purchases, police said.  On Saturday, Dec. 10, the Town of Bedford Police Department received a report from the Bedford Hills Fire District that they had identified numerous unauthorized charges on their credit card statement that had not been done by anyone with the fire department.  The Fire District had then discovered that a replacement credit card was fraudulently ordered and received by an unknown suspect, Bedford Police said.  …

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by Ben Crnic
News
Duo Nabbed In Westchester Break-Ins Part Of 'South American Theft Group,' Police Say Duo Nabbed In Westchester Break-Ins Part Of 'South American Theft Group,' Police Say
Duo Nabbed In Westchester Break-Ins Part Of 'South American Theft Group,' Police Say Two members of an organized crime ring are behind bars in connection with numerous home break-ins across the country, including in Westchester County and on Long Island, authorities said. Jorge Luis Araneda Pogge, age 39, and Ingrid Johana Gomez, age 33, were both arrested in Queens Thursday, Jan. 12, following a multijurisdictional investigation that began in 2020, according to Harrison Police. The pair is accused of taking part in multiple residential burglaries and other theft-related crimes throughout the country, including the Town of Harrison and Nassau County. Pogge and Gomez are b…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Father-Son Owners Of Hudson Valley Car Dealership Sentenced For Fraud Father-Son Owners Of Hudson Valley Car Dealership Sentenced For Fraud
Father-Son Owners Of Hudson Valley Car Dealership Sentenced For Fraud A father and son who own a Hudson Valley car dealership are heading to federal prison for their role in a multimillion-dollar tax and bank fraud scheme. Orange County residents Mehdi and Saaed Moslem, owners of the Exclusive Motor Sports dealership in Central Valley, were sentenced to eight years and three years in prison, respectively, in federal court in White Plains Monday, Oct. 17. Earlier Report: Father/Son Owners Of Area Auto Dealership Charged With Tax, Bank Fraud The pair was previously found guilty of defrauding their lenders and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) following …

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Police Issue Alert For Mailbox Thieves Stealing Checks In Northern Westchester Police Issue Alert For Mailbox Thieves Stealing Checks In Northern Westchester
Police Issue Alert For Mailbox Thieves Stealing Checks In Northern Westchester Police issued an alert to Northern Westchester residents about thieves who are stealing checks from a curbside mailbox in the area. The Peekskill Police Department announced on Friday, Sept. 9, that investigators believe suspects are stealing checks from the United State Post Office curbside mailbox located at 738 South St. in Peekskill. "Please do not place mail containing checks in the curbside mailbox located outside in front of the Peekskill Post Office," police said. "It appears that checks are being stolen from this particular curbside mailbox and the thieves are using them for i…

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by Nicole Valinote