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NY Art Advisor Who Stole $6.5M From Clients In Years-Long Fraud Scheme Sentenced To Prison NY Art Advisor Who Stole $6.5M From Clients In Years-Long Fraud Scheme Sentenced To Prison
NY Art Advisor Who Stole $6.5M From Clients In Years-Long Fraud Scheme Sentenced To Prison A once-prominent Manhattan art advisor who defrauded her wealthy clients of more than $6.5 million in a years-long scheme is heading to prison. Lisa Schiff, 54, a well-known contemporary art consultant, was sentenced to 30 months behind bars in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, March 19, after admitting to a massive fraud in which she stole money meant for art purchases and sales, instead using it to fund a lavish lifestyle and cover mounting debts. Schiff ran her scheme for five years, from 2018 through 2023, using her company, Schiff Fine Art (SFA), to swindle at least 12 clients, one…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
$80K Wage Theft: LI Company, Leaders Admit Cheating Workers Out Of Rightful Pay $80K Wage Theft: LI Company, Leaders Admit Cheating Workers Out Of Rightful Pay
$80K Wage Theft: LI Company, Leaders Admit Cheating Workers Out Of Rightful Pay A Long Island company, along with its top executives, confessed to shortchanging workers on public school projects and falsifying payroll records. BJA Renovations Corp., a North Babylon-based asbestos removal and demolition company, and its manager, Joseph Demasco, 67, pleaded guilty to failing to pay more than $80,000 in required wages in Nassau County Court on Friday, March 14. The wages were owed for work performed at schools in the Merrick and Oceanside Union Free School Districts between 2019 and 2021, according to the Nassau County DA’s office. The company and its president, Nicholas…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Equifax To Pay $725K Over Inaccurate Credit Scores That Raised Costs For NY Consumers Equifax To Pay $725K Over Inaccurate Credit Scores That Raised Costs For NY Consumers
Equifax To Pay $725K Over Inaccurate Credit Scores That Raised Costs For NY Consumers Bad math at Equifax led to bad rates for New Yorkers – now it’s paying up. The credit reporting agency agreed to a $725,000 settlement reached with the Empire State Tuesday, Jan. 15, after a coding error wrongly lowered credit scores for over 77,000 New Yorkers. An investigation found that the three-week error in March 2022 caused inaccurate credit scores to be reported to lenders and insurers. The flub resulted in higher rates on loans, insurance policies, and other financial products for many consumers, James’ office said. Equifax, one of the nation’s largest credit reporting agencies, c…

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by Michael Mashburn
Politics
George Santos Pushes For Sentencing Delay As DOJ Fires Back In Long Island Court George Santos Pushes For Sentencing Delay As DOJ Fires Back In Long Island Court
George Santos Pushes For Sentencing Delay As DOJ Fires Back In Long Island Court Former Congressman George Santos has asked a federal judge to delay his sentencing for wire fraud and identity theft by six months, citing financial difficulties in fulfilling restitution and forfeiture payments, according to court documents filed Tuesday, Jan. 7, in Central Islip, New York. The U.S. Department of Justice opposed the request, calling it "unreasonable" and suggesting Santos’s claims are speculative. Santos, 36, pled guilty in August 2024 to fraud charges stemming from schemes that bilked donors and constituents of hundreds of thousands of dollars, prosecutors said. His sente…

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by Jillian Pikora
News
Immigrants Defrauded Out Of $40K By Fake Attorney: Nassau DA Immigrants Defrauded Out Of $40K By Fake Attorney: Nassau DA
Immigrants Defrauded Out Of $40K By Fake Attorney: Nassau DA A Ronkonkoma woman will spend up to four years in prison after posing as an immigration attorney and defrauding undocumented immigrants of more than $40,000, the Nassau County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday, Dec. 18. Tania Gonzalez, 48, also known as Tania Ayala, pleaded guilty earlier this year to grand larceny and scheme to defraud charges. Between December 2015 and March 2020, Gonzalez falsely claimed to be an immigration lawyer, offering legal assistance to immigrants desperate for help, according to DA Anne T. Donnelly. The DA's investigation revealed that Gonzalez mi…

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by Jillian Pikora
Business
Payback Time: NY Delivery Drivers Will Get Cut Of $4M Settlement Over Withheld Tips Payback Time: NY Delivery Drivers Will Get Cut Of $4M Settlement Over Withheld Tips
Payback Time: NY Delivery Drivers Will Get Cut Of $4M Settlement Over Withheld Tips Thousands of local delivery drivers are in for a much-deserved payday. Drizly, a now-defunct alcohol delivery platform, reached a $4 million settlement with the State of New York on Tuesday, Dec. 17, for failing to ensure that delivery workers received their rightful tips. According to New York Attorney General Leitita James, Drizly encouraged customers to tip delivery workers but sent the funds to liquor store owners instead. Store owners were responsible for distributing the tips, but in many cases, workers did not receive the money they earned. The investigation also revealed that Driz…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Former Hempstead Co-Op Prez Dodges Prison After Embezzling $26K Former Hempstead Co-Op Prez Dodges Prison After Embezzling $26K
Former Hempstead Co-Op Prez Dodges Prison After Embezzling $26K The former president of a Long Island co-op formally confessed to embezzling tens of thousands of dollars. Juan Alayo, age 72, of East Meadow, pleaded guilty to grand larceny and related charges on Friday, Nov. 15. New York Attorney General Letitia James said Alayo embezzled more than $26,700 between 2016 and 2023, during his tenure as president of the Marlboro Owners Corporation cooperative in Hempstead. An investigation found that he routinely wrote checks to himself and his company, A&J, that were neither discussed nor approved by the co-op board. He concealed his thefts by falsifyi…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
$9.6M Scheme: Long Island Businessman Admits To Bank Fraud Conspiracy $9.6M Scheme: Long Island Businessman Admits To Bank Fraud Conspiracy
$9.6M Scheme: Long Island Businessman Admits To Bank Fraud Conspiracy 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…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Business Owner From LI Who Scammed Customers Steals Wallet At Gym: Police Business Owner From LI Who Scammed Customers Steals Wallet At Gym: Police
Business Owner From LI Who Scammed Customers Steals Wallet At Gym: 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…

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by Ben Crnic
News
'Cherry-Picking' Fraud: Financial Advisor Sentenced For Stealing $2.7M From 45 Clients 'Cherry-Picking' Fraud: Financial Advisor Sentenced For Stealing $2.7M From 45 Clients
'Cherry-Picking' Fraud: Financial Advisor Sentenced For Stealing $2.7M From 45 Clients A Connecticut investment advisor was sentenced for defrauding clients of $2.7 million through a “cherry-picking” securities scheme.Fairfield County resident Jonathan Vincent Glenn, age 55, of Greenwich, will serve 21 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The sentencing was announced in Hartford on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Glenn also must serve the first six months of his supervised release in home confinement. “Cherry-picking” is a fraudulent securities trading practice in which a responsible individual executes trades without assigning them to a particular trading ac…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Ex-LI Town Employee Admits Stealing $56K Of Deceased Mother's Pension Funds Ex-LI Town Employee Admits Stealing $56K Of Deceased Mother's Pension Funds
Ex-LI Town Employee Admits Stealing $56K Of Deceased Mother's Pension Funds A former town employee on Long Island confessed to stealing thousands of dollars from his deceased mother’s pension funds. Moses Johnson, age 63, of Huntington, pleaded guilty to grand larceny in Suffolk County Court on Tuesday, Sept. 3. Prosecutors said Johnson’s mother died in April 2021 and he never notified the bank or the New York State and Local Retirement System of her death. Between April 2021 and June 2022, he collected a total of 15 unauthorized payments totaling $56,411. The stolen funds were traced from Johnson’s mother’s bank account into his bank account. Johnson worked for …

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by Michael Mashburn
Business
$2M Con Job: Freeport Contractor Admits Defrauding Victims Of Hurricane Sandy $2M Con Job: Freeport Contractor Admits Defrauding Victims Of Hurricane Sandy
$2M Con Job: Freeport 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,…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Ex-Long Island Attorney Who Stole $800K From Clients Gets Prison Time Ex-Long Island Attorney Who Stole $800K From Clients Gets Prison Time
Ex-Long Island 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…

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by Michael Mashburn
Business
Long Island Business Owners Dodge Prison After $1M Sales Tax Fraud Scheme Long Island Business Owners Dodge Prison After $1M Sales Tax Fraud Scheme
Long Island Business Owners Dodge Prison After $1M Sales Tax Fraud Scheme Two Long Island business owners will avoid prison after confessing that they intentionally dodged income taxes to line their pockets. Brian Soltan, age 62, of West Islip, and Gerald McCrystal, age 51, of Dix Hills, were both ordered to pay six-figure restitution payments in Suffolk County Court on Wednesday, June 26. According to prosecutors, Soltan admitted that he intentionally failed to report more than $2.8 million in taxable sales between January 2011 and November 2015 from several auto body businesses he owned in East Islip. Those companies included Long Island Auto Body, Long Islan…

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by Michael Mashburn