Tag:

Fraud

Fraudulent House Flipping in Philly Gets Delaware Man Jail Time: USDOJ Fraudulent House Flipping in Philly Gets Delaware Man Jail Time: USDOJ
Fraudulent House Flipping in Philly Gets Delaware Man Jail Time: Usdoj A Delaware man is facing jail time for fraud after flipping three Philadelphia properties he promised to convert into affordable housing, authorities said. Felton Hayman, 54, of Wilmington, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison and three years of supervised release for his scheme on Monday, Oct. 28, according to a US Department of Justice news release. Hayman used his longtime friendship with an unnamed Philadelphia city councilmember to purchase three vacant city properties at below-market prices based on his promise to build affordable housing on the lots, the news release states. …
Voter Registration Forms Under Investigation In PA Tied To Arizona Company: Authorities Voter Registration Forms Under Investigation In PA Tied To Arizona Company: Authorities
Voter Registration Forms Under Investigation In PA Tied To Arizona Company: Authorities Some suspicious voter registration forms that are under investigation in Pennsylvania have been tied to an Arizona company, authorities said. About 30 irregular forms that were turned over to Monroe County District Attorney Mike Mancuso to investigate turned out to be fraudulent, according to a post on the district attorney's Facebook page.   Posted by Monroe County Office of the District Attorney on Tuesday, October 29, 2024 Several of the voter registration applications and mail ballot request forms were determined to be fraudulent because they weren't authorized by…
Hundreds Of Forged Voter Registration Found In 2.5K Questionable Applications: Lancaster DA Hundreds Of Forged Voter Registration Found In 2.5K Questionable Applications: Lancaster DA
Hundreds Of Forged Voter Registration Found In 2.5K Questionable Applications: Lancaster DA The Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office has found hundreds of fraudulent voter registration applications while continuing to investigate the 2,500 applications dropped off at the county Board of Elections. Election workers initially noticed the irregularities before the applications had been processed and notified the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office, as Daily Voice previously reported. Detectives quickly noticed "fraud indicators" such as "incorrect and non-existent addresses, false personal identification information, as well as false names and incorrect social security…
Owner of PA Restaurant Gets Prison Time For Defrauding COVID Programs: Authorities Owner of PA Restaurant Gets Prison Time For Defrauding COVID Programs: Authorities
Owner of PA Restaurant Gets Prison Time For Defrauding COVID Programs: Authorities The owner of a Montgomery County Italian restaurant is getting prison time for defrauding several federal COVID-19 relief programs, authorities said. Giuseppina “Josephine” Leone, 62, of North Wales, was sentenced to 21 months in prison and one year of supervised release on Tuesday, Oct. 22, the US Department of Justice said in a news release. She must also pay a $50,000 fine and a $300 special assessment for pandemic program fraud, the news release states. Leone has also paid full restitution in the amount of $972,861. Her request for a sentence involving an alternative to jail time was de…
PA Judge Indicted For 31 Counts Of Fraud, Witness Tampering: USDOJ PA Judge Indicted For 31 Counts Of Fraud, Witness Tampering: USDOJ
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…
NJ, NY Stolen Cars Shipped Overseas From PA Chop Shop: DA NJ, NY Stolen Cars Shipped Overseas From PA Chop Shop: DA
NJ, NY Stolen Cars Shipped Overseas From PA Chop Shop: DA Stacks of car parts being shipped to the Dominican Republic from a Chop Shop has lead to six arrest, the Buck County District Attorney's Office announced on Monday, Oct. 7.  A Pennsylvania State Police investigation lead to the dismantling of a Milford Township chop shop run out of a garage located at 2150 Rosedale Road, as detailed in the release.  Hundreds of thousands of dollars in stolen parts were sold and shipped to the Dominican Republic from the shop, according to the release. The following men were charged in connection to the illegal sale of the stole car parts fro…
Police FINALLY Remove Skimmer Redditors Warned About At PA Sheetz PNC ATM Police FINALLY Remove Skimmer Redditors Warned About At PA Sheetz PNC ATM
Police Finally Remove Skimmer Redditors Warned About At PA Sheetz PNC ATM A skimmer at Sheetz that Redditors warned people about three months ago was removed on Thursday, Sept. 12, police announced.   The skimmer was found on the PNC ATM at the Sheetz located at 1205 Lancaster Road in Manheim, police explained.  "If you used the ATM machine located inside the store over the past month, please review your bank transactions and report any fraudulent or suspicious activity to your bank and local police department," the police said.  Redditor users in the Lancaster subreddit have been posting about this since June.  The first post reads: "…
$100K+ Allegedly Stolen By Former PA Attorney General Director $100K+ Allegedly Stolen By Former PA Attorney General Director
$100K+ Allegedly Stolen By Former PA Attorney General Director A McKeesport Area School District police chief, Director of the Community Violence Fund program for the McKeesport Chapter of the NAACP, and Regional Director of the PA Office of Attorney General’s Region 5 Bureau of Narcotics Investigation is accused of stealing over $100,000 drug forfeiture money and numerous over monetary thefts, the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office announced on Thursday night, Sept. 5.  Brenda D. Sawyer, 61, of North Versailles, was arrested on the following charges on Sept. 5 for her alleged crimes of taking the money which went missing from…
Caretaker Accused Of Stealing Up To $200K From Patient For Drugs In Lancaster County Caretaker Accused Of Stealing Up To $200K From Patient For Drugs In Lancaster County
Caretaker Accused Of Stealing Up To $200K From Patient For Drugs In Lancaster County A Lancaster County caretaker is accused of stealing prescription drugs and up to $200,000 from a patient she cared for, authorities said. Jamie Lynn Lloyd, 42, of Lilitz was charged with Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities, Identity Theft, Financial Exploitation of an Older Adult or Care-dependent Person, Theft by Deception, Criminal Use of Communication Facility, Access Device Fraud, Unlawful Use of Computer and Other Computer Crimes Arrest, according to Manheim Township police. In the spring of 2023, Lloyd began voluntarily helping the victim, including taking them to appointm…
Western PA Man Convicted For Fake 'Kidnapping For Drugs' Plot: DA Western PA Man Convicted For Fake 'Kidnapping For Drugs' Plot: DA
Western PA Man Convicted For Fake 'Kidnapping For Drugs' Plot: DA A McKean County man was convicted on Friday, Aug. 23 in a fake "kidnapping for drugs" plot, authorities said. Tuesday Hale, formerly of Bradford, was found guilty of crimes related to the staged kidnapping in August 2023, according to District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer. The conviction followed a two-day jury trial at the McKean County Courthouse, she said. Hale was charged after the City of Bradford Police received a report from a Bradford man who had received messages – including a staged picture – from his girlfriend’s cell phone stating that his girlfriend had been kidn…
Caretaker Steals $4.5K From Elderly Woman, Berks DA Alleges Caretaker Steals $4.5K From Elderly Woman, Berks DA Alleges
Jennifer Konen Charged With Fraud, Exploitation: DA A 46-year-old woman from Reading is charged with making more than 80 unauthorized purchases on the bank cards of an elderly woman whom she cared for, authorities said. Jennifer Konen is accused of stealing nearly $4,500 by making the transactions using a 78-year-old woman's banking information, according to the Berks County District Attorney. Konen was the woman's healthcare provider. In April, Berks County District Attorney’s detectives initiated a criminal investigation into allegations involving exploitation and fraud involving the senior citizen. It was reported that numerous&…
$1.5M Con: Ex-Employee Admits Defrauding CT Insurance Company $1.5M Con: Ex-Employee Admits Defrauding CT Insurance Company
$1.5M Con: Ex-Employee Admits Defrauding CT Insurance Company A former employee from Pennsylvania admitted to defrauding a Connecticut insurance company to the tune of $1.5 million. James Keating, age 52, of Paoli, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in New Haven federal court on Tuesday, July 30. Prosecutors said Keating – who served as assistant vice president and a surety bond claims handler at Hartford County-based Allied World Insurance Company in Farmington – created a shell company to bill Allied World for unnecessary claims work that was never performed. Between 2017 and 2021, he also solicited and received kickbacks from Allied World…
Red Lion Employee Spends $8K+ On Manheim Disability Service Provider's Credit Card: NLCRPD Red Lion Employee Spends $8K+ On Manheim Disability Service Provider's Credit Card: NLCRPD
Red Lion Employee Spends $8K+ On Manheim Disability Service Provider's Credit Card: Nlcrpd An employee at a disability service company is accused of making unauthorized purchases on her work's credit card totaling over $8,000, police announced on Thursday, July 11.  Kiara Kim Vandersluys, 30 of Red Lion, was an employee of Faithful Homes when she "used a company credit card for unauthorized purchases which totaled $8,028.48. The purchases included multiple food items, health care, and jewelry items," the police said.  The police were first alerted to these purchases by management at Faithful Homes located at 1467 Lancaster Road in Manheim on June 20, according to t…
Philly Area Gravestone Salesman Scammed Mourners Out Of $1.5 Million, Feds Say Philly Area Gravestone Salesman Scammed Mourners Out Of $1.5 Million, Feds Say
Philly Area Gravestone Salesman Scammed Mourners Out Of $1.5 Million, Feds Say The owner of a headstone company is accused of ripping off hundreds of grieving customers across greater Philadelphia, federal prosecutors allege in an indictment.  Gregory J. Stefan Jr., 54, of Upper Merion, is charged with seven counts of wire fraud, according to the US Attorney's Office.  Between January 2018 and September of last year, Stefan accepted more than $1.5 million from customers who ordered memorials for loved ones, then failed to deliver the headstones they bought, authorities said. Stefan accepted the orders from nearly 500 customers through his companies 1843 LLC…
PA Gravestone Thief's Brother Bilked NJ Widow Out Of $5,000, Indictment Says PA Gravestone Thief's Brother Bilked NJ Widow Out Of $5,000, Indictment Says
PA Gravestone Thief's Brother Bilked NJ Widow Out Of $5,000, Indictment Says Another New Jersey widow has come forward alleging she was bilked out of money for a gravestone she never got. Jerry J. Stefan, 49, of Gladwyne, PA, has been indicted alleging he bilked a Deptford, NJ widow out of $5,054 for a gravestone she never received for her late husband. He's the brother of a Pennsylvania gravestone dealer already charged in three states with defrauding gravestone customers. A Gloucester County grand jury indicted Jerry J. Stefan on June 26 on a charge he never provided a gravestone or returned the money he took. He was indicted on a third-degree charge of failure t…
Philly Woman Stole $184K In COVID Relief Money For Butt Lift: Warrant Philly Woman Stole $184K In COVID Relief Money For Butt Lift: Warrant
Philly Woman Stole $184K In COVID Relief Money For Butt Lift: Warrant A Philadelphia woman is accused of fraudulently cashing a COVID-19 relief check and spending the money on plastic surgery.  In an arrest warrant obtained by Local10.com, authorities said 30-year-old Ashley Stibbins-Parker made a bank account for a Georgia entity called "City of Weston LLC.''  Investigators believe she used the account to collect $184,838.72 in federal CARES Act funding meant for the real City of Weston in Florida.  Broward County commissioners sent the money to Weston City Hall via check in February 2021, but by the next month, it had been deposited into Sti…
$118K+ Furniture Scam Lands Bedminster Couple Jail Time: DA $118K+ Furniture Scam Lands Bedminster Couple Jail Time: DA
$118K+ Furniture Scam Lands Bedminster Couple Jail Time: DA A husband and wife in Bedminster will spend time in jail for ripping off customers of their furniture business, according to prosecutors.  Austin Smallacombe pleaded guilty last month to felony theft by deception and related counts, the Bucks County District Attorney's Office said in a release. His wife Amanda Smallacombe previously pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of the same offenses, authorities said.  Investigators have said the pair ran "A&A Custom Furniture" from their Perkasie home, taking large deposits for custom furniture orders that they never delivere…
Former Bucks Hospital Director Pleads Guilty To Stealing $600K From Charitable Account: DA Former Bucks Hospital Director Pleads Guilty To Stealing $600K From Charitable Account: DA
Former Bucks Hospital Director Pleads Guilty To Stealing $600K From Charitable Account: DA A one-time director of Doylestown Hospital pleaded guilty to embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars on Monday, April 15, according to the Bucks County District Attorney's Office.  Norma Galagarza, 68, of Chalfont, was previously accused of siphoning over $600,000 from a corporate account filled with charitable donations, Daily Voice reported.  On Monday, she entered an open guilty plea to felony counts of theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, forgery, access device fraud, and computer trespass, the DA's Office said.  She was sentenced to five years' pr…
Fake Cop Scammed Elderly Couple Out Of $30K In Bucks County: Authorities Fake Cop Scammed Elderly Couple Out Of $30K In Bucks County: Authorities
Fake Cop Scammed Elderly Couple Out Of $30K In Bucks County: Authorities A fraudster claiming to be a Warwick police officer shook down a township couple over the weekend, according to officials.  Township police said the scammer called an elderly couple in the Hidden Ponds neighborhood and claimed he had arrested their adult daughter.  The victims handed over more than $30,000 for a "cash bail," investigators said.  "Unfortunately, this is a common scam," township police said. "We will do everything we can to try and recover our victims' lost money, but we have little evidence. Please be alert, and share this information with friends and relativ…
Bensalem Police Won't Ask You For Money: Department Warns Of Scam Callers Bensalem Police Won't Ask You For Money: Department Warns Of Scam Callers
Bensalem Police Won't Ask You For Money: Department Warns Of Scam Callers Police in Bensalem are advising area residents to be on the lookout for scam phone calls.  BPD says multiple residents have reported fraudulent phone calls from scammers impersonating officers, sometimes using the names of real policemen.  The fraudsters "often state that someone in the home has missed a grand jury date or hearing and owes money to avoid criminal or civil penalties," the department says.  No Bensalem police officer of any rank will call to ask for money, authorities warn.  Residents should be weary of any callers who ask them to pay through gift cards,…
PA Youth Club Treasurer Purchased Eagles Tickets For Husband, Vacationed With Stolen $136K: DA PA Youth Club Treasurer Purchased Eagles Tickets For Husband, Vacationed With Stolen $136K: DA
PA Youth Club Treasurer Purchased Eagles Tickets For Husband, Vacationed With Stolen $136K: DA The treasurer of a Delaware County-based youth sports non-profit organization has been arrested on accusations she stole more than $136,000 from it, authorities said. Kathleen "Kathy" Hammond, 54, of Springfield, has served as the treasurer of the Springfield Youth Club (SYC) since 2018, but was terminated amid the accusations, the county's District Attorney said. Hammond used the money on an "array of personal expenses," including vacations, concerts, and tickets to Eagles games, DA Jack Stollsteimer said. Hammond admitted to the thefts when SYC confronted her about missing funds fro…
PA Family Dollar Employee Bilked $170K Through Workers' Comp Scheme: AG PA Family Dollar Employee Bilked $170K Through Workers' Comp Scheme: AG
PA Family Dollar Employee Bilked $170K Through Workers' Comp Scheme: AG A Delaware woman will spend at least five years in a Pennsylvania prison after admitting to defrauding two employers through a workers' compensation scam, authorities say.  Victoria Newell-Brown, 56, pleaded guilty to 10 felonies in October, said the Attorney General's Office in a release.  In 2019, while working at a Family Dollar store in Philadelphia, prosecutors said Newell-Brown claimed she was "totally disabled" from a fall. The company paid her medical expenses, workers' compensation, and wage-loss benefits for $1,500 every two weeks for over two years, according to of…
PA Man Gets Prison Time For Concealing Dad's Death To Collect Social Security PA Man Gets Prison Time For Concealing Dad's Death To Collect Social Security
PA Man Gets Prison Time For Concealing Dad's Death To Collect Social Security A Monroe County man was sentenced to five years in federal prison this week for covering up his father's death and continuing to cash his checks, according to the US Attorney's Office.  Timothy Gritman, 56, of Brodheadsville, pleaded guilty to Social Security and wire fraud in a federal court exactly one year ago, Feb. 14, 2023, Daily Voice reported. This year on Valentine's Day, Gritman was sentenced to five years plus three more of supervised release, prosecutors said in a release.  Authorities have said Gritman's father Ralph was 79 and "in poor health" when he was l…
Trenton Lead Inspectors Admit Inflating Overtime Pay: Feds Trenton Lead Inspectors Admit Inflating Overtime Pay: Feds
Trenton Lead Inspectors Admit Inflating Overtime Pay: Feds Two Trenton lead inspectors admitted that they received nearly $55,000 in illegal overtime pay from the city for hours they did not work, federal authorities said. Michael Ingram, 71, of Trenton, and William Kreiss, 40, of Yardley, PA, pleaded guilty in Trenton federal court to conspiracy to embezzle, steal, and obtain by fraud from the city of Trenton, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Trenton’s Department of Health and Human Services was required to provide services to identify lead sources in homes in Trenton where children had tested positive for elevated levels of lead in their …
Ex-Employees Defrauded Chesco Business Out Of $133K, Police Believe Ex-Employees Defrauded Chesco Business Out Of $133K, Police Believe
Ex-Employees Defrauded Chesco Business Out Of $133K, Police Believe Four former workers at a Kennet Square company wrote phony checks for over a year to steal more than $130,000 from their ex-boss, according to borough police.  Authorities said they were contacted by a West State Street business in April about fraudulent bank activity. The owner told investigators that some employees were previously given permission to write checks for business-related purposes.  After that, officials said the owner discovered approximately $133,000 in bogus checks had been inked in the company's name. The alleged fraud was first noticed in September 2022 but may…
Bucks Contractor Scammed Homeowners Out Of Over $100K, Court Finds Bucks Contractor Scammed Homeowners Out Of Over $100K, Court Finds
Bucks Contractor Scammed Homeowners Out Of Over $100K, Court Finds A general contractor in Bucks County may face prison time for fraud after he was convicted of ripping off nine Philadelphia-area homeowners on renovation projects last week.  Joseph Eibell, 48, of Huntingdon Valley, was found guilty in a Bucks County court on Thursday, Oct. 26 following a three-day trial, the District Attorney's Office said.  The contractor was first charged in June 2022 with defrauding four customers, but more victims were uncovered as the investigation continued, officials said.  Police found evidence that from April 2019 until June 2022, Eibell's company&…
Grieving Bridgewater Woman Victimized By NJ Gravestone Scammer: 'People Can't Find Closure' Grieving Bridgewater Woman Victimized By NJ Gravestone Scammer: 'People Can't Find Closure'
Grieving Bridgewater Woman Victimized By NJ Gravestone Scammer: 'People Can't Find Closure' Barbara Kalmus was still reeling from the death of her sister last May when she was preyed upon by Gregory Stefan, Jr. The Bridgewater resident was one of several people authorities say was grifted by Stefan, who was recently arrested on a warrant by police in Vineland for scamming customers out of thousands of dollars through his company Colonial Memorials, not long after it was revealed he had been doing the same with his father and brother with their Pennsylvania company, 1843 LLC. Following her sister's death due to cancer, Stefan reached out to Kalmus about getting a headstone for he…
South Korean Clothing Manufacturer Admits Customs Fraud, Agrees To Pay US $2 Million South Korean Clothing Manufacturer Admits Customs Fraud, Agrees To Pay US $2 Million
South Korean Clothing Manufacturer Admits Customs Fraud, Agrees To Pay US $2 Million A South Korean company has agreed to reimburse the United States $2 million for defrauding Customs officials about the value of imported clothing and apparel. Principals with Anyclo International Inc. admitted this week that the company evaded duties on clothing and apparel that it manufactured abroad and imported into the U.S. for nearly seven years, beginning in October 2012, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. The fraud involved preparing two invoices for the same shipments, the U.S. attorney said. One invoice bore the true value of the merchandise, Sellinger said. Th…
$6M Ponzi Scheme: Braggart Hedge Fund 'Tycoon' Busted By Undercover NJ Fed $6M Ponzi Scheme: Braggart Hedge Fund 'Tycoon' Busted By Undercover NJ Fed
$6M Ponzi Scheme: Braggart Hedge Fund 'Tycoon' Busted By Undercover NJ Fed The well-heeled hedge fund tycoon from Chicago seemingly couldn’t help but boast of some spectacular achievements during a meeting with an investment manager in New Jersey. There were annual returns of 336 percent, more than $2 billion raised in just 60 days and a list of investors that included a well-known owner of a professional sports team, authorities said. Phillip Galles, 57, also took a page from George Santos’s book, claiming that he’d graduated from a prominent university in the Midwest, they said. Galles’s “outlandish claims of experience, expertise and success” were all BS, a co…
NJ Psychic Pulls 'Death Card' Con On PA Couple: Police NJ Psychic Pulls 'Death Card' Con On PA Couple: Police
NJ Psychic Pulls 'Death Card' Con On PA Couple: Police A Pennsylvania-based fortune teller from New Jersey not only failed to predict the future but allegedly conned a family while doing it, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice.  Police in Pennsylvania have formally charged 25-year-old Billie Loren Mitchell of Kearny, NJ on April 27, 2023, but have yet to apprehend and arraign her, according to a police release on May 9, 2023.  Mitchell runs Psychic World at 501 East Main Street in Palmyra, PA, and claims to be a "Clairvoyant psychic and certified holistic healer," as stated on her Facebook page.  An elderly coup…
PA High School Music Booster Treasurer Spoiled Herself Using Thousands In Stolen Cash: Police PA High School Music Booster Treasurer Spoiled Herself Using Thousands In Stolen Cash: Police
PA High School Music Booster Treasurer Spoiled Herself Using Thousands In Stolen Cash: Police A school district volunteer in Bucks County faces criminal charges after police claim she used her role as treasurer in the Music Boosters Association to steal over $25,000 in club funds.  Rebekah Ann Watson, 46, of Bensalem, surrendered to authorities on Friday, March 24, and was charged with access device fraud, theft by unlawful taking, and theft by failure to make required deposits, township police said in a statement.  The investigation into the Bensalem High School Music Booster Association's treasury was launched on Feb. 8, when the club's president and vice president repor…