Tag:

Extortion

US Sounds Alarm Over Tourist Crime In Popular Tropical Getaway US Sounds Alarm Over Tourist Crime In Popular Tropical Getaway
US Sounds Alarm Over Tourist Crime In Popular Tropical Getaway A popular Central American getaway spot is under new scrutiny after US officials warned that criminals are increasingly targeting tourists and foreign residents with robberies and extortion schemes. In a security alert issued on Tuesday, Nov. 25, the US Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica, said it is tracking a rise in property crimes, financial crimes, and robberies affecting foreigners across the country, including US citizens.  The alert describes criminal gangs targeting foreign-owned homes and businesses for break-ins and extortion. It also details cases in which foreign residents and…
Pair Steals $80K From Area Senior In Computer Scam, Police Say Pair Steals $80K From Area Senior In Computer Scam, Police Say
Pair Steals $80K From Area Senior In Computer Scam, Police Say Two downstate residents are accused of scamming a Saratoga County senior out of more than $80,000 in cash and gift cards, then returning to collect another $30,000 before being arrested. Chuncheng Lin, 26, of Brooklyn, and Hui Lin, 40, of Flushing, were arrested Thursday, July 31, following a joint investigation by New York State Police and the US Department of Homeland Security. The case began Monday, June 30, when an elderly Saratoga County resident reported being targeted in a computer scam, according to New York State Police. The victim told troopers they were first two weeks earlier v…
Ex-Police Officer Extorts $9K From Salon Owner In NY: Here's Her Fate Ex-Police Officer Extorts $9K From Salon Owner In NY: Here's Her Fate
Ex-Police Officer Extorts $9K From Salon Owner In NY: Here's Her Fate A former police officer who admitted to extorting thousands of dollars from an Orange County beauty salon has been sentenced, prosecutors announced.  Ally Thueson, 33, was sentenced on Thursday, July 31, to five years of probation in connection with the scheme, the Orange County District Attorney's Office announced on Monday, Aug. 4.  According to the DA's Office, Thueson, a former police officer, had been employed by a beauty salon in Montgomery. In May 2024, she threatened the business's owner that she would make false statements on the internet that would harm the salon un…
Scam Targets Airlines As Hacking Group Expands Operations, FBI Warns Scam Targets Airlines As Hacking Group Expands Operations, FBI Warns
Scam Targets Airlines As Hacking Group Expands Operations, FBI Warns A cybercriminal group known for extorting people and companies across the world is now targeting the airline industry. The FBI has issued a warning about Scattered Spider, a hacking group that has  expanded its operations to include major US airlines and their vendors.  The group is known for using convincing impersonation tactics to access corporate networks, often bypassing multi-factor authentication by tricking IT staff into adding unauthorized devices. Scattered Spider impersonates employees or contractors to deceive help desks. "These techniques frequently involve methods …
Mayor’s Bodyguard Tied To Crypto Torture Case? NYPD Officers Subject Of Internal Investigation Mayor’s Bodyguard Tied To Crypto Torture Case? NYPD Officers Subject Of Internal Investigation
Mayor’s Bodyguard Tied To Crypto Torture Case? Nypd Officers Subject Of Internal Investigation The bizarre Bitcoin torture saga playing out in a luxury Manhattan townhouse has now reached City Hall. Two members of the NYPD, including an officer assigned to Mayor Eric Adams’ security detail, have been placed on modified duty amid an internal investigation into whether they had any involvement in the kidnapping and torture of an Italian crypto trader, an NYPD spokesperson confirmed to Daily Voice. The detective assigned to Adams’ security detail provided security at the Prince Street townhouse in Nolita where John Woeltz and William Duplessie allegedly tortured the victim for 17 days, …
WATCH: Crypto Hostage Seen Bolting From NYC Townhouse After 17 Days Of Torture, Report Says WATCH: Crypto Hostage Seen Bolting From NYC Townhouse After 17 Days Of Torture, Report Says
Watch: Crypto Hostage Seen Bolting From NYC Townhouse After 17 Days Of Torture, Report Says A surveillance camera captured the dramatic moment a barefoot hostage victim made his daring escape after allegedly being kidnapped and tortured for weeks inside a Manhattan townhouse. Video obtained exclusively by CNN shows the 28-year-old Italian crypto trader sprinting up from the basement of the Nolita home on Prince Street, flinging open a gate, and darting past a stunned pedestrian before flagging down police on Friday, May 23. The man had allegedly been held hostage for 17 days by two business associates, including alleged “Crypto King of Kentucky” John Woeltz, in what prosecutors sa…
Former NYC Public Housing Super From Hudson Valley Accepted $32K In Bribes: Here's His Fate Former NYC Public Housing Super From Hudson Valley Accepted $32K In Bribes: Here's His Fate
Former NYC Public Housing Super From Hudson Valley Accepted $32K In Bribes: Here's His Fate A former NYCHA superintendent from Rockland County will spend time in jail for accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for awarding lucrative repair contracts, federal prosecutors announced.  Corey Gilmore, 47, of West Haverstraw, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison after being convicted of bribery and extortion under color of official right, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Wednesday, May 28.  Gilmore, who served as a superintendent at multiple New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments in the B…
US Issues Urgent Travel Warnings Covering 2 Countries: What To Know US Issues Urgent Travel Warnings Covering 2 Countries: What To Know
US Issues Urgent Travel Warnings Covering 2 Countries: What To Know The US State Department is warning Americans against traveling to part of one country and has issued a do not travel warning for one of its neighboring nations. A Level 3 Reconsider Travel Advisory covers these parts of eastern Colombia:  Arauca, Cauca (excluding Popayán), and Norte de Santander departments in Colombia; The Colombia-Venezuela border region. "Violent crime, like murder, assault, and robbery, is common in many areas in Colombia," the advisory says. "In some places, organized crime is rampant. This includes extortion, robbery, and kidnapping." A Level 4  Do No…
High-Ranking MS-13 Leader Arraigned On Terrorism Charges In NY After FBI's 'Most Wanted' Arrest High-Ranking MS-13 Leader Arraigned On Terrorism Charges In NY After FBI's 'Most Wanted' Arrest
High-Ranking MS-13 Leader Arraigned On Terrorism Charges In NY After FBI's 'Most Wanted' Arrest A top leader of the notorious MS-13 gang, who was recently added to the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list, has been arraigned in federal court in New York. Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, 47, was taken into custody in San Diego, California, on Tuesday, March 18, after Mexican authorities located him in Veracruz and expelled him from the country, the US Attorney’s Office said. He had been a fugitive for nearly three years. Roman-Bardales, a founding member of MS-13’s leadership structure known as Ranfla en las Calles, was arraigned in the Eastern District of New York on Wednesday, March 1…
NY Mobster Who Stripped Victim Naked, Enacted Mafia-Style Loan Shakedown Sentenced To Prison NY Mobster Who Stripped Victim Naked, Enacted Mafia-Style Loan Shakedown Sentenced To Prison
NY Mobster Who Stripped Victim Naked, Enacted Mafia-Style Loan Shakedown Sentenced To Prison A New York mobster will spend years in prison for relentlessly extorting a victim—even while under court supervision and after already being convicted of a similar crime. John “Bazoo” Ragano, a 62-year-old member of the Bonanno crime family from Franklin Square, was sentenced to three years behind bars in Brooklyn federal court on Wednesday, March 19. It followed his conviction of extortionate collection of credit for forcing a man to continue paying on a $150,000 loan with exorbitant interest rates. The payments, which were $1,800 per week, never reduced the principal of the loan, accordin…
Joseph Nocella Named United States Attorney For Eastern District Of New York Joseph Nocella Named United States Attorney For Eastern District Of New York
Joseph Nocella Named United States Attorney For Eastern District Of New York Joseph Nocella, Jr., a veteran prosecutor and judge with an extensive legal background, has been named the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, according to a statement from former President Donald J. Trump. “Judge Nocella has a strong record of bringing Law and Order to the incredible people of New York,” Trump said in the announcement. “Congratulations, Judge Nocella!” Nocella served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District from 1991 to 1995, prosecuting cases involving racketeering, extortion, and fraud. His work earned recognition from the FBI direc…
Poughkeepsie Man Charged With Extortion After Digital Scheme Nets $22,000 Poughkeepsie Man Charged With Extortion After Digital Scheme Nets $22,000
Poughkeepsie Man Charged With Extortion After Digital Scheme Nets $22,000 A Hudson Valley man faces multiple felony charges after allegedly extorting $22,000 by masquerading as a teenager online and then threatening a local victim with accusations of possessing child pornography. Ian D. Buckley Jr., age 25, of Poughkeepsie, was charged on Wednesday, Dec. 4, following an investigation by New York State Police. Trooper AJ Hicks said the investigation determined that  Buckley, using an alias, engaged in a digital conversation with the victim in which the two exchanged explicit images before meeting in person.  Buckley then informed the victim he was the f…
Sibling Sextortion: NY Child Abuser Had Help From Sister In Cyberstalking Scheme, Feds Say Sibling Sextortion: NY Child Abuser Had Help From Sister In Cyberstalking Scheme, Feds Say
Sibling Sextortion: NY Child Abuser Had Help From Sister In Cyberstalking Scheme, Feds Say A New York brother currently serving time in federal prison and sister are facing federal charges for an elaborate cyberstalking and extortion scheme involving explicit images and a fraudulent life insurance plot, federal authorities announced. Fred Mastroianni, of White Plains, and Doreen Mastroianni, of Yorktown Heights, have been charged with cyberstalking, extortion, and conspiracy to commit extortion, according to an indictment unsealed by federal officials. The pair allegedly targeted "Victim-1" by threatening to release sexually explicit photos and videos unless the victim complied w…
Sex Extortion Scam Circulating Through Emails In Region, Sheriff Says Sex Extortion Scam Circulating Through Emails In Region, Sheriff Says
Sex Extortion Scam Circulating Through Emails In Region, Sheriff Says Police in the region are warning of an automated sex extortion scam that is targeting residents through emails. Undersheriff Eric Chaboy of the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office said that scammers are acquiring emails and personal information on the so-called “Dark Web” and feeding it into what appears to be an artificial intelligence (AI) program that automatically contacts potential victims. Earlier report - Warning Issued For Nationwide Automated 'Sextortion' Scam: Here's What To Know According to Chaboty, the program claims in an email that the victim has been looking at pornogra…
Duo Extorts Thousands From Hudson Valley Business Owner Using Threats Of Libel, DA Says Duo Extorts Thousands From Hudson Valley Business Owner Using Threats Of Libel, DA Says
Duo Extorts Thousands From Hudson Valley Business Owner Using Threats Of Libel, DA Says Two Hudson Valley residents are accused of extorting a business owner out of thousands of dollars. Orange County residents Ally Thueson, age 32, and Elizabeth Sloanhoffer, age 33, both of Montgomery, were arrested by the county’s White Collar Crime Task Force on Tuesday, June 4, on suspicion of grand larceny and coercion. According to prosecutors, Thueson and Sloanhoffer threatened to post false statements about Thueson’s employer online unless they were paid $9,000. The employer reportedly paid the money to avoid harm to their business. Both defendants were arraigned in the Village o…
NY Man Known As 'Sal The Shoemaker' Admits Running Illegal Gambling Operation For Mafia NY Man Known As 'Sal The Shoemaker' Admits Running Illegal Gambling Operation For Mafia
NY Man Known As 'Sal The Shoemaker' Admits Running Illegal Gambling Operation For Mafia An associate of the Genovese organized crime family known as “Sal the Shoemaker” admitted to operating an illegal gambling business associated with La Cosa Nostra. Long Island resident Salvatore Rubino, age 60, of Bethpage, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, April 16, at federal court in Brooklyn to operating the business. Earlier this month, four co-defendant members and associates of the Genovese crime family admitted to various felony charges stemming from their long-running operation of several lucrative gambling operations in New York City. Of the five charged, four are from Long Isl…
Man's Brother Pretended To Be NY Mobster As Part Of $4M Embezzlement Scheme In MD/DC: Feds Man's Brother Pretended To Be NY Mobster As Part Of $4M Embezzlement Scheme In MD/DC: Feds
Man's Brother Pretended To Be NY Mobster As Part Of $4M Embezzlement Scheme In MD/DC: Feds Henry Hill immortalized the line "as far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster."  That mantra didn't work out well for a pair of brothers - one of whom pretended to be a New York mobster - to get a Maryland man to embezzle more than $4 million from his employer in Washington, DC.  New York native Corry Blue Evans, 31, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison for his role in an elaborate fraud, extortion, and money laundering scheme that involved several other close-knit co-conspirators who worked to exploit the multi-million dollar scheme. The sentence comes y…
8 NYers Among 16 Gambino Crime Family Members Nabbed In Coordinated US-Italian Takedown: Feds 8 NYers Among 16 Gambino Crime Family Members Nabbed In Coordinated US-Italian Takedown: Feds
8 NYers Among 16 Gambino Crime Family Members Nabbed In Coordinated Us-italian Takedown: Feds A total of 16 people in the United States and Italy have been charged after a two-year investigation that targeted members of New York's notorious Gambino crime family and some of its Sicilian associates. A 16-count indictment was unsealed on Wednesday, Nov. 8 in federal court in Brooklyn detailing the alleged involvement of the 10 Americans -- eight New Yorkers and two New Jersey residents -- in an attempt to dominate the New York carting and demolition industries. The 10 Americans have been charged with racketeering conspiracy, extortion, witness retaliation, and union-related crimes comm…
Northern Westchester Man Among 6 Genovese Crime Family Suspects Sentenced For Racketeering Northern Westchester Man Among 6 Genovese Crime Family Suspects Sentenced For Racketeering
Northern Westchester Man Among 6 Genovese Crime Family Suspects Sentenced For Racketeering Six members and associates of the Genovese organized crime family, including a Westchester man and a Fairfield County resident, have been sentenced on racketeering charges, federal officials said.  The sentencings were announced on Friday, Aug. 4 by US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams.  According to Williams, the six men were associated with the Genovese Organized Crime Family, part of a nationwide criminal organization known by various names such as "La Cosa Nostra" and the “Mafia."  Those sentenced included two "captains," who were r…
Sex Cult Leader At College In Westchester Draws 60-Year Sentence Sex Cult Leader At College In Westchester Draws 60-Year Sentence
Sex Cult Leader At College In Westchester Draws 60-Year Sentence A man who put a group of college students through sexual, psychological, and physical abuse after moving into his daughter's dorm room in Westchester County will spend the rest of his life in prison.  Earlier Report - Sarah Lawrence Sex Cult Leader In Bronxville Found Guilty On All Charges Larry Ray, also known as Lawrence Grecco, was sentenced to 60 years in prison on Friday, Jan. 20 for leading a sex cult out of Sarah Lawrence College located near the border of Bronxville and Yonkers, according to Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. …
3 From Westchester Charged In illegal Gambling Operation Allegedly Run By Lucchese Crime Family 3 From Westchester Charged In illegal Gambling Operation Allegedly Run By Lucchese Crime Family
3 From Westchester Charged In illegal Gambling Operation Allegedly Run By Lucchese Crime Family Five New York men, including three from Westchester County, have been accused of overseeing and operating a 15-year long, large-scale illegal, online gambling business with suspected ties to the Lucchese crime family, federal authorities announced. An indictment was unsealed in Brooklyn Federal Court on Wednesday, Sept. 14 charging them for their roles overseeing and operating a large-scale illegal, online gambling business under the protection of the Lucchese organized crime family. The gambling business known as “Rhino Sports” utilized an offshore website and dozens of bookmakers in …
Alleged Crime Family Members, Associates From Westchester Charged With Racketeering Alleged Crime Family Members, Associates From Westchester Charged With Racketeering
Alleged Crime Family Members, Associates From Westchester Charged With Racketeering Alleged members of the Genovese Organized Crime Family from Westchester and Fairfield counties are facing racketeering charges for their roles within the organization. Federal prosecutors announced that four members and two associates of the family have been charged with racketeering conspiracy involving illegal gambling and extortion. Those charged in Manhattan federal court: Michael Messina, age 69, of New Fairfield, Connecticut; Ralph Balsamo, age 51, of Tuckahoe, NY; Michael Poli, age 37, of Hawthorne, NY; Nicholas Calisi, age 63, of Boca Raton, Florida; John Campanella, age 47, of t…
Sarah Lawrence Sex Cult Leader In Westchester Found Guilty On All Charges Sarah Lawrence Sex Cult Leader In Westchester Found Guilty On All Charges
Sarah Lawrence Sex Cult Leader In Westchester Found Guilty On All Charges Larry Ray, the leader of a sex cult run out of his daughter's dorm room at Sarah Lawrence College in Westchester, will face life in prison after being found guilty by a jury of sexually exploiting and trafficking girls. Ray, now 62 years old following multiple delays in his trial and prosecution, was found guilty of 15 counts that include racketeering, sex trafficking, conspiracy, forced labor, extortion, tax evasion, and other crimes in relation to his scheme. Related story - DOJ Accidentally Publishes List Of Alleged Clients In Sarah Lawrence Case It reportedly took the jury le…
DOJ Accidentally Publishes List Of Alleged 121 Clients In Westchester Sex Cult Trial DOJ Accidentally Publishes List Of Alleged 121 Clients In Westchester Sex Cult Trial
DOJ Accidentally Publishes List Of Alleged 121 Clients In Westchester Sex Cult Trial The trial of a father accused of running an alleged sex cult out of his daughter’s college dorm room in Westchester County took an unexpected twist after federal prosecutors reportedly released a list of former clients tied to the operation. Lawrence Ray, age 62, the man who allegedly ran the cult out of Sarah Lawrence College near the border of Yonkers and Bronxville in Westchester, has been on trial in Manhattan for more than a week on charges that include sex trafficking, extortion, forced labor, and other offenses for running the shady operation at the school. Original story - Father O…
Person Claiming To Be From MS-13 Threatens Northern Westchester Man For Escort Payment Person Claiming To Be From MS-13 Threatens Northern Westchester Man For Escort Payment
Person Claiming To Be From MS-13 Threatens Northern Westchester Man For Escort Payment A person claiming to be an MS-13 street gang member has been terrorizing a Northern Westchester man with a barrage of threats if he fails to pay him after hiring an escort, police said. A Valhalla man reported to the North Castle Police Department on Sunday, Sept. 12 that the previous night he had contacted an escort for the evening, and has since been receiving messages from someone claiming to be her pimp. According to the complainant, after contacting the escort, he began receiving messages from her “pimp” who claimed to be an MS-13 member, demanding $2,000. To further his threat, the a…
14 Colombo Family Members From NY Indicted For Variety Of Crimes, Feds Announce 14 Colombo Family Members From NY Indicted For Variety Of Crimes, Feds Announce
14 Colombo Family Members From NY Indicted For Variety Of Crimes, Feds Announce Fourteen New Yorkers in the Colombo crime family, including 10 Long Islanders, have been indicted on a host of charges that includes labor racketeering, extortion, and money laundering. In federal court this week, a 19-count indictment was unsealed charging the 14, including the entire administration of the Colombo organized crime family, with a variety of offenses. According to federal officials, those arraigned will face charges that include labor racketeering involving multiple predicate acts of extortion conspiracy, attempted extortion and extortion, extortionate collection of credit co…
Woman Accused Of Conspiring With Father In So-Called Westchester College Sex Cult Case Woman Accused Of Conspiring With Father In So-Called Westchester College Sex Cult Case
Woman Accused Of Conspiring With Father In So-Called Westchester College Sex Cult Case A female cohort of the man accused of running a sex cult out of his daughter’s dorm at Sarah Lawrence College in Westchester Countyis facing charges for her role in helping him run the scheme. Staten Island resident Isabella Pollok, age 29, has been charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and extortion conspiracy for helping Lawrence Ray manipulate and groom the college students, who the convicted felon met after moving into his daughter’s on-campus room in 2010. Original story - Father Of College Student In Westchester Charged With Sex Trafficking Her F…
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…
Bail Denied For Father Charged With Running Sex Cult At Area College Bail Denied For Father Charged With Running Sex Cult At Area College
Bail Denied For Father Charged With Running Sex Cult At Area College Bail has been denied for the father of a former college student in Westchester who allegedly ran a sex cult out of his daughter's dorm room at Sarah Lawrence College. A judge in Manhattan federal court denied the bail appeal of Lawrence Ray, 60, who pleaded not guilty to nine federal charges 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; C…
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…
Father Of College Student In Westchester Charged With Sex Trafficking Her Friends Father Of College Student In Westchester Charged With Sex Trafficking Her Friends
Father Of College Student In Westchester Charged With Sex Trafficking Her Friends The father of a former college student in Westchester has been charged with running an alleged sex cult out of his daughter’s dorm room for nearly a decade. Lawrence Ray, 60, who was the subject of a cover story for New York Magazine, has been charged with sex trafficking, extortion, forced labor, and other offenses, officials announced on Tuesday, Feb. 11. 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 that Ray subjected “his victims to sexual and psychological manipulati…