Fair 63°
News
$31M Trip-Fall Fraud Scheme: Attorneys, Doctor Sentenced For Defrauding NY Businesses $31M Trip-Fall Fraud Scheme: Attorneys, Doctor Sentenced For Defrauding NY Businesses
$31M Trip-Fall Fraud Scheme: Attorneys, Doctor Sentenced For Defrauding NY Businesses Sentences have been handed out for two attorneys and a doctor convicted of defrauding New York businesses and their insurance companies of more than $31 million through a massive, three-year trip-and-fall fraud scheme. The three men all live on Long Island -- 60-year-old George Constantine in Plainview, 50-year-old Marc Elefant in Woodmere, and 67-year-old Andrew Dowd in Miller Place. Constantine and Dowd were convicted at a trial in mid-December 2022 of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, mail fraud, and wire fraud. Dowd was also found guilty of additional counts of conspiracy to co…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Welfare Fraud: 3 Women From Region Charged With Theft Of Funds Welfare Fraud: 3 Women From Region Charged With Theft Of Funds
Welfare Fraud: 3 Women From Region Charged With Theft Of Funds Three women from the region have been charged with allegedly stealing government funds following an investigation by the Sullivan County Welfare Fraud Task Force. Those charged are: Lisa Keitt, age 26, of Liberty, was arrested and charged on Sunday, March 19, and charged with theft of services and offering a false instrument. It is alleged that Keitt stole services totaling $505.74 in Medicaid transportation benefits. On Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, and on eight other dates, Keitt obtained a medical transportation ride by deception to two separate medical facilities to which s…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Politics
NY Rep. George Santos Confesses To Defrauding Brazilian Clerk Of $1,300 In Clothing: Report NY Rep. George Santos Confesses To Defrauding Brazilian Clerk Of $1,300 In Clothing: Report
NY Rep. George Santos Confesses To Defrauding Brazilian Clerk Of $1,300 In Clothing: Report Embattled New York Rep. George Santos has formally confessed to defrauding a Brazilian shop clerk of $1,300 in clothing and shoes, CNN reports.  The admission is part of an agreement requested by Santos’ attorney in January 2022 and accepted by Brazilian prosecutors that ensures he won’t be prosecuted for the crime, according to the outlet. Related Report: 'I've Been A Terrible Liar,' George Santos Admits After He 'Got Away With It' In 2020 It states that the freshman Republican lawmaker, whose 3rd District represents parts of Nassau County and Queens, agrees to confess to the fraud and p…

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
Politics
‘No Fortune For Fraud’: NY Reps Introduce Legislation Targeting George Santos ‘No Fortune For Fraud’: NY Reps Introduce Legislation Targeting George Santos
‘No Fortune For Fraud’: NY Reps Introduce Legislation Targeting George Santos Several freshman members of Congress are targeting embattled New York Rep. George Santos, a member of their own party, hoping to ensure that he can’t turn a profit should he be convicted of a crime. Speaking at a press conference outside the US Capitol on Tuesday, March 7, Republican New York Rep. Anthony D’Esposito - whose 4th District includes parts of Nassau County - announced that he was sponsoring legislation meant to bar current and former House members from profiting off their story should they violate election laws and other federal statutes. The proposals, dubbed the “No Fame for…

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
News
Accused NY Fraudster Agrees To Forfeit $248M He Allegedly Racked Up From Thousands Of Investors Accused NY Fraudster Agrees To Forfeit $248M He Allegedly Racked Up From Thousands Of Investors
Accused NY Fraudster Agrees To Forfeit $248M He Allegedly Racked Up From Thousands Of Investors A New York man admitted to committing fraud and has agreed to forfeit to the US government hundreds of millions of dollars he's accused of racking up from tens of thousands of investors until his arrest less than a year ago. Long Island resident Eddy Alexandre, age 50, of Valley Stream, the leader of a purported cryptocurrency and foreign exchange trading platform called EminiFX, solicited more than $248 million after making false representations in connection with the EminiFX trading platform, the Southern District of New York, announced on Friday, Feb. 10. According to the allegations in …

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
Westchester Man, Partner Sentenced For Roles In $1M Ponzi Scheme Westchester Man, Partner Sentenced For Roles In $1M Ponzi Scheme
Westchester Man, Partner Sentenced For Roles In $1M Ponzi Scheme A Westchester County man and his business partner have been sentenced for their roles in a nearly decade-long $1-million Ponzi scheme. White Plains resident James Doyle, age 74, and Carl Carro, age 61, of Walton, Delaware, were convicted of defrauding investors in New York and throughout the nation. On Thursday, Jan. 12, Carro was sentenced to four to eight years in prison, and Doyle was sentenced to five years probation, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced. As part of their respective sentences, Carro and Doyle agreed to pay a total of more than $1 million in judgments …

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
NYU Finance Director Embezzled $3.5M To Fund Her Lavish Lifestyle, DA Says NYU Finance Director Embezzled $3.5M To Fund Her Lavish Lifestyle, DA Says
NYU Finance Director Embezzled $3.5M To Fund Her Lavish Lifestyle, DA Says A former director at New York University is being accused of embezzling millions in state funding and using much of the money to fund a lavish lifestyle at her home in Connecticut home, according to authorities. The six-year fraud by Fairfield County resident Cindy Tappe, age 57, of Westport, related to two NYU programs, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced this week. Tappe used her position as the director of finance and administration for NYU’s Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and Transformation of Schools to diver…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
$31M Trip-Fall Fraud Scheme Results In Convictions For NY Attorney, Doctor $31M Trip-Fall Fraud Scheme Results In Convictions For NY Attorney, Doctor
$31M Trip-Fall Fraud Scheme Results In Convictions For NY Attorney, Doctor An attorney and doctor have been convicted of defrauding New York businesses and their insurance companies of more than $31 million through a massive trip-and-fall fraud scheme. Following a three-week trial, a jury in Manhattan just convicted George Constantine, a lawyer, and Andrew Dowd, an orthopedic surgeon, for their participation in the scheme from 2013 and 2018.  Both men live on Long Island -- the 60-year-old Constantine in Plainview, and the 67-year-old Dowd in Miller Place. The two were both found guilty of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, mail fraud, and w…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
Former Town Supervisor In Region Avoids Prison After Misusing Hurricane Irene Funds Former Town Supervisor In Region Avoids Prison After Misusing Hurricane Irene Funds
Former Town Supervisor In Region Avoids Prison After Misusing Hurricane Irene Funds A former town supervisor in the region will avoid prison after admitting to fraudulently obtaining public funds meant to help those impacted by Hurricane Irene. Greene County resident Kory O’Hara, age 45, formerly the town supervisor of Prattsville, was sentenced to one year of probation in federal court in Albany on Thursday, Dec. 8. Earlier Report: Former Prattsville Town Supervisor Admits To Fraud It followed his July 2022 guilty plea to a single charge of wire fraud stemming from various grant agreements O’Hara entered into that were meant to help Prattsville recover from the sig…

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
News
NY Businesswoman Convicted Of Obstructing IRS, Filing False Tax Returns NY Businesswoman Convicted Of Obstructing IRS, Filing False Tax Returns
NY Businesswoman Convicted Of Obstructing IRS, Filing False Tax Returns A New York businesswoman is facing federal prison time after being convicted of obstructing the IRS and filing false tax returns. Long Island resident Lorraine Pilitz, age 64, of Merrick, was found guilty on all five counts against her by a federal jury in Central Islip Wednesday, Nov. 9, following a two-week trial. Federal prosecutors said between 2011 and 2013, Pilitz, who owned several automotive businesses on Long Island, regularly structured cash deposits in a way that allowed her to avoid filing financial reports that are required for all transactions over $10,000. The scheme resulte…

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
News
Ex-Owner Of NY Commercial Check Cashing Companies Sentenced For $9.5M Fraud Scheme Ex-Owner Of NY Commercial Check Cashing Companies Sentenced For $9.5M Fraud Scheme
Ex-Owner Of NY Commercial Check Cashing Companies Sentenced For $9.5M Fraud Scheme The former owner of several check cashing businesses in New York is heading to federal prison after admitting to a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme. Long Island resident John Drago, age 58, of Central Islip, was sentenced to four years behind bars Friday, Oct. 21, in federal court in Central Islip. It followed his September 2021 guilty plea to fraud charges, in which he admitted to illegally structuring financial transactions and evading payroll taxes at several of his Long Island businesses. Federal prosecutors said between January 2010 and October 2013, Drago told employees to cash multi…

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
News
Bernie Madoff Ponzi Scheme Victims To Get $372M More In Distributions, Feds Announce Bernie Madoff Ponzi Scheme Victims To Get $372M More In Distributions, Feds Announce
Bernie Madoff Ponzi Scheme Victims To Get $372M More In Distributions, Feds Announce Thousands of Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme victims will be receiving their portions of the latest distribution of more than $370 million. US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams announced that the Madoff Victim Fund will be distributing approximately $372 million to 40,000 victims worldwide who were involved in the fraud scheme. Earlier Report: Madoff Ponzi Scheme Victims To Get Nearly $500M More In Distributions To date, approximately $4 billion has been distributed to Madoff’s victims. Williams said that this eighth payment will bring the victims’ total re…

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn