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Allentown Inmate With Criminal History Dies By Suicide At Lehigh County Jail: Coroner
An Allentown man with a lengthy criminal history of drug and fraud-related offenses has died by suicide while incarcerated at Lehigh County Jail, authorities announced on Friday, March 14.
Forest M. Touchberry, 31, was found unresponsive in the facility before being rushed to St. Luke’s Hospital, Sacred Heart Campus, where he was pronounced dead at 3:29 p.m. on Thursday, March 13, according to the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office.
An autopsy confirmed the manner of death as suicide, the office said.
Originally from Allentown and most recently living in Philadelphia, Touchberry had been e…
$50K Bitcoin Scam Gets Two Men Detained By ICE For Deportation: Lebanon DA
Two men convicted in a $50,000 Bitcoin scam in Lebanon County have been detained by federal authorities for deportation, officials announced.
Digvijaysinh Chauhan, 23, and Hemal Patel, 26, were sentenced for felony theft and conspiracy charges on Tuesday, March 12, 2025, before the Lebanon County Court of Common Pleas, according to the district attorney’s office. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) immediately took them into custody for deportation proceedings.
The scam began in January 2024 when victims received fraudulent messages claiming their bank accounts had been hacked, authori…
Scammers Stole Taylor Swift Eras Tour Tickets In $600K+ Scheme, Prosecutors Say
Taylor Swift fans are hoping "Karma" comes to whoever scammed them out of expensive tickets to The Eras Tour.
Two people were accused of stealing nearly 1,000 tickets to high-demand events, including the popstar's record-breaking concert tour. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced arrests in the case in a news release on Monday, Mar. 3.
Tyrone Rose, 20, of Kingston, Jamaica, and Shamara Simmons, 31, of Queens, NY, were facing charges including grand larceny, conspiracy, and computer tampering.
"These defendants tried to use the popularity of Taylor Swift…
Mafia Hoax: Fake Kidnapping Photos By PA Man Prompts Friends To Call London Police, FBI
A Lancaster County man faked his own Mafia abduction—complete with staged beatings, a gun to his head, and ransom demands—scamming victims out of more than $126,000 before law enforcement unraveled his elaborate scheme, authorities said.
Joshua B. Fernando, 27, of Salisbury Township, was sentenced to six to 23 months in prison followed by two years of probation after pleading guilty to felony theft by deception, the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office announced on Thursday, Feb. 27.
Fernando convinced his victims that he had traveled to Europe on business in May 2024 but soon call…
Lisa Shopa, Patricia Althouse Stole From Court: DA
Two longtime Montgomery County court employees are accused of stealing thousands of dollars in cash payments for traffic and parking violations while altering court records to cover their tracks, prosecutors announced on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
Lisa Anne Shopa, 58, of Havertown, and Patricia Althouse, 54, of Ardmore, worked at Magisterial District Court 38-1-07 in Lower Merion Township, where they allegedly manipulated payment records and pocketed fines, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said in a release.
The alleged thefts surfaced during an internal review that began in S…
Philadelphia Man Who Stole Dead Classmate’s Identity To Get Passport, Gun Permit Sentenced
A Philadelphia fraudster who spent decades living under a dead classmate’s identity—scamming his way into a driver’s license, insurance, and even a gun permit—has pleaded guilty, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced on Friday, Feb. 7.
Anthony Percell, 56, admitted in Philadelphia County Court to stealing the identity of a former classmate who died in 1986 and using it to apply for a concealed carry firearms permit, obtain a Pennsylvania driver’s license, and file a fraudulent workers’ compensation claim, authorities said.
Now, he’s headed to prison.
Under a plea deal, Percel…
PA Resident Duped Out Of $60K In Fraudulent Website Scheme By Texas Woman: Police
A York resident was scammed out of over $60,000 through a fake business website, and Ayme Galvan, a Texas woman, has been charged in connection with the fraud, York City police announced on Monday, Jan. 27.
Ayme Galvan is accused of orchestrating the scheme, which detectives say involved transferring $60,264 from the victim’s account to a series of transactions in Texas. Detective Batten led the investigation after receiving the report of fraud on Nov. 5, 2024, police said.
The investigation uncovered a multi-state operation involving ATM and Walmart transactions. Using bank records, survei…
$1 Million In Medicaid Fraud, Neglect Hidden By Woman's Falsified Docs: PA AG
A Berks County woman who owns shared-care homes is accused of defrauding Medicaid of over $1 million and neglecting vulnerable residents under her care, Attorney General Michelle Henry announced on Wednesday, Jan. 16.
Tina Bell, 56, Wernesville, the owner and manager of Superior Health, Inc., an Erie County-based home care agency, has been charged with theft by deception, receiving stolen property, Medicaid fraud, tampering with public records, and neglect of a care-dependent person, according to Henry.
Bell allegedly misrepresented the qualifications of caregivers and billed Medicaid for s…
Nearly $15K Stolen From Housing Assistance Program By PA Woman: Chesco DA
A Thorndale woman is accused of stealing nearly $15,000 from a Chester County non-profit dedicated to aiding families facing housing insecurity, the District Attorney’s Office announced on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2025.
Patricia Ginter, 56, allegedly submitted a fraudulent application to the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) in September 2023, intentionally omitting over $60,000 in household income to qualify for COVID-related eviction relief, according to the Chester County Detectives’ criminal complaint. Ginter’s deception resulted in her receiving $14,617 in federal funds meant for strug…
U.S. Attorney for Middle District of Pennsylvania Announces Resignation
Gerard M. Karam, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, has announced his resignation, effective January 10, 2025. Appointed by President Biden in 2022, Karam described the role as "an honor of a lifetime" and expressed gratitude to federal and local law enforcement partners for their dedication to public safety and justice.
During his tenure, Karam prioritized public safety, healthcare fraud, civil rights enforcement, and tackling fraud and theft. His office prosecuted numerous high-profile cases, including:
A life sentence for a man convicted in the murder …
Husband, Wife Led $20M Medicaid Fraud Ring At Pharmacy: PA AG
A husband and wife are accused of masterminding a $20 million Medicaid and Medicare fraud scheme from their South Philadelphia pharmacy, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced on Thursday, Dec. 19.
Elizabeth Thompson, 70, the registered owner of Broad Street Family Pharmacy, and her husband, Peter Dello Buono, 70, allegedly ran the scheme alongside pharmacist Frank Bengermino, 70, defrauding federal healthcare programs by faking prescriptions and pocketing the cash, investigators said.
From 2016 to 2021, the couple and their co-conspirators allegedly billed Medicaid and Medi…
Owner Of Montgomery County Home Care Agency Charged In $12M Medicaid Fraud Scheme: AG
The owner of a Bala Cynwyd-based home care agency, her daughter, and 18 others have been charged in a multi-million dollar Medicaid fraud scheme, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced on Friday, Dec. 13.
Stephanie Mobley, 52, owned ComfortZone Home Health Care, LLC, a Medicaid-approved provider based in Bala Cynwyd. She, her second-in-command daughter, Naya Campbell, 29, of Audubon, and 18 others allegedly defrauded the Medicaid program by filing false reimbursement claims for services never provided, according to court documents.
All 20 defendants face charges including …
Felon Mom With ‘Love Yourself First’ Tattoo Sentenced For Drowning 5-Year-Old In Susquehanna
A Lancaster County mother has been sentenced after pleading no contest to charges related to the drowning death of her 5-year-old son in the Susquehanna River, authorities confirmed to Daily Voice on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024.
Autumn Lynn Vossler, 31, of Columbia, pleaded Nolo Contendere on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024 — the day after her — to involuntary manslaughter and four counts of endangering the welfare of children, according to Susquehanna Regional Police and court records.
For the drowning, Vossler was sentenced to a prison term ranging from nearly five to nine and a half years on Thu…
Trump Names Ex-sec Chief, PA Native To Replace Damian Williams As Sdny's Top Prosecutor
President-elect Donald Trump is looking to replace Damian Williams, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, with a familiar face from his previous administration who hails from Pennsylvania.
Trump announced on Thursday, Nov. 14 that he would nominate Jay Clayton, who has no experience as a criminal prosecutor, to be the next US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Clayton, age 58, previously served as Chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission from May 2017 to December 2020, a role in which Trump wrote he "did an incredible job."
Before that, he…
PA Judge Indicted For 31 Counts Of Fraud, Witness Tampering: Usdoj
A federal grand jury has indicted a Pennsylvania judge and lawyer on 31-counts of wire and mail fraud, as well as witness tampering and obstruction of justice, the US Department of Justice announced on Tuesday, Oct. 8.
Steven Stambaugh, age 61, of York, has been charged with twenty-six counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, two counts of tampering with a witness, and one count of obstruction of justice for a COVID-19 scheme, according to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam explained.
Stambaugh is accused of defrauding the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania "to ob…
