Hudson Valley Man Among Four Charged In $40M Scam Hudson Valley Man Among Four Charged In $40M Scam
Hudson Valley Man Among Four Charged In $40M Scam A Hudson Valley man was among four charged in an 11-count indictment for allegedly stealing more than $40 million in investor funds as part of a cryptocurrency scam, federal authorities announced. On Tuesday, March 8, US Attorney Breon Peace announced that four owners and operators of online cryptocurrency companies - including one from Dutchess County - are facing a host of charges for allegedly running a sophisticated scheme to steal from investors and later attempting to obstruct justice as they were being investigated. Those charged, according to the US Attorney’s Office: Gregory Agg…
Westchester Woman Faces Child Porn Charges Westchester Woman Faces Child Porn Charges
Westchester Woman Faces Child Porn Charges A Westchester County woman is one of two people facing child pornography charges following an investigation. Dilicia Aguirre-Orellana, age 22, of Yonkers, and 33-year-old Jonathan Rivera, of Brooklyn, were both charged with production and receipt and distribution of child pornography, according to an announcement on Monday, Feb. 28, from Damian Williams, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York. Aguirre-Orellana was also charged with possession of child pornography, Williams said. Rivera was arrested on or about Saturday, Feb. 26, and Aguirre-Orellana was arres…
Westchester Investment Adviser Sentenced For Embezzling $640K From Clients Westchester Investment Adviser Sentenced For Embezzling $640K From Clients
Westchester Investment Adviser Sentenced For Embezzling $640K From Clients A Westchester County investment adviser has been sentenced in connection with a scheme to embezzle more than $640,000 from several of his clients. Gregg Brie, age 54, of White Plains, was sentenced on Monday, Nov. 15, to 63 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud, according to Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Brie was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay forfeiture and restitution in the amount of $642,333.33 each. Williams said Brie embezzled the funds from three of his clie…
Feds, Police In Westchester, Seize More Than A Ton Of Cocaine In The Area Feds, Police In Westchester, Seize More Than A Ton Of Cocaine In The Area
Feds, Police In Westchester, Seize More Than A Ton Of Cocaine In The Area Three men are facing charges for their roles in a multi-million dollar narcotics conspiracy ring that led to the seizure of more than a ton of cocaine, officials announced. Jorge Aponte-Guzman, age 33, Nelson Agramonte,-Minaya, age 37, and Carlos Maisonet-Lopez, age 32, have been indicted in federal court this week following their arrests in September that led to the seizure of 920 kilograms of cocaine. 
“A seizure of this magnitude underscores the critical importance of working together with our federal and local law enforcement partners in the DEA Westchester Task Force,” Westchester Cou…
Man Accused Of Selling Fentanyl At Hotel, Mall In Hudson Valley Man Accused Of Selling Fentanyl At Hotel, Mall In Hudson Valley
Man Accused Of Selling Fentanyl At Hotel, Mall In Hudson Valley An area man faces up to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl at a hotel and a mall. Timothy Schleede, age 30, of Lake Katrine, in Ulster County, pled guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute on Friday, Oct. 22, according to US Attorney Carla B. Freedman. As part of his plea, Schleede admitted that in 2020, he distributed a fentanyl mixture in glassine envelopes to another person in a mall parking lot in Ulster.  Schleede was arrested later the same day after selling glassine envelopes containing…
Four Ex-Employees Of NY-Based Company Admit To Bribery, Kickback Scheme Four Ex-Employees Of NY-Based Company Admit To Bribery, Kickback Scheme
Four Ex-Employees Of Ny-based Company Admit To Bribery, Kickback Scheme Two former employees of a New York-based utility company admitted to accepting bribes and kickbacks worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Long Island-based contractor. On Monday, Oct. 4, Long Island residents Patrick McCrann, age 57, of Selden, and Richard Zavada, age 65, of Hicksville, pleaded guilty to accepting the illegal payments, according to Jacquelyn Kasulis, acting United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Michael Driscoll, assistant director-in-charge of the FBI New York Field Office. Last week, two other former employees of the same co…
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…
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…
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 …
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…
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…
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…