Tag:

Identity theft

PA Fugitive Wanted Since 2018 Caught By Police On Jersey Shore PA Fugitive Wanted Since 2018 Caught By Police On Jersey Shore
PA Fugitive Wanted Since 2018 Caught By Police On Jersey Shore A fugitive wanted in the Philadelphia area for more than five years was caught in Atlantic County, authorities said. Nyieem Ruff, 44, of Philadelphia, was arrested on Saturday, Mar. 23, the Brigantine Police Department said in a news release on Tuesday, Apr. 2. An officer stopped Ruff in a vehicle he was driving without any lights on at around 2:51 a.m. Investigators said Ruff gave the officer a name and "other biographical information" instead of a driver's license. Dispatchers checked national databases and couldn't find any information or a license matching the identity he provided. A s…
Chesco Fraudster Stole Mail From Montco Residents, DA Says Chesco Fraudster Stole Mail From Montco Residents, DA Says
Chesco Fraudster Stole Mail From Montco Residents, DA Says A Spring City man is charged with more than 500 counts in two separate cases of alleged forgery, identity theft, and related offenses, according to the Chester County District Attorney's Office.  Joshua Hartmann, 41, stole mail from residents in Schuylkill Township, Phoenixville, Malvern, Tredyffrin, Upper Providence, and Lower Providence for months, prosecutors claim.  Authorities say he used the victims' information to change their addresses on file with government agencies, then stole their identities and opened credit cards in their names.  Tredyffrin…
Bucks County Fugitive Found With Meth, Brass Knuckles On Jersey Shore: Police Bucks County Fugitive Found With Meth, Brass Knuckles On Jersey Shore: Police
Bucks County Fugitive Found With Meth, Brass Knuckles On Jersey Shore: Police A man and woman from Pennsylvania were arrested after police found drugs and brass knuckles during a traffic stop, authorities said. Michal Ray, 47, of Morrisville, PA, and Nicole Olenick, 47, also of PA, were arrested on Monday, Feb. 12. The Brigantine Police Department announced their arrests on Tuesday, Feb. 13. At around 10:45 a.m., a Brigantine officer stopped a vehicle for speeding near the intersection of 31st Street and Bayshore Avenue. The officer noticed Ray was not wearing his seatbelt in the front passenger's seat. Ray and Olenick gave identification to the officer who not…
Lansdale Man Used Photo Of Son's Former Teacher In Soliciting Sex From 13-Year-Old: Affidavit Lansdale Man Used Photo Of Son's Former Teacher In Soliciting Sex From 13-Year-Old: Affidavit
Thomas Bowes Arrest Authorities have released chats between undercover officers posing as a 13-year-old girl and a Montgomery County man asking for sexual favors. Thomas Bowes, 39, of Lansdale, became the center of an investigation in October 2023, following a tip from the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, according to the criminal complaint obtained by Daily Voice. ** WARNING: The following news story contains disturbing and graphic information that depicts the sexual abuse of small children ** Montgomery County investigators created profiles on the social media app Whisper, and began engaging with…
Berks Woman Stole Thousands From Elderly Victim's Bank Account, Prosecutors Say Berks Woman Stole Thousands From Elderly Victim's Bank Account, Prosecutors Say
Berks Woman Stole Thousands From Elderly Victim's Bank Account, Prosecutors Say A Reading woman is accused of defrauding a senior out of thousands of dollars, says the Berks County District Attorney's Office.  Tracy Hoffman, 58, is charged with felony financial exploitation of an older adult, identity theft, forgery, and related counts, according to prosecutors.  Investigators said Hoffman issued multiple checks from the victim's personal bank account without her knowledge, allegedly withdrawing more than $9,000. She's also accused of making over $12,000 in authorized credit card transactions in the victim's name, authorities said.  Detectives believe t…
King Of Prussia Woman Accused Of Stealing Connecticut Resident’s Identity King Of Prussia Woman Accused Of Stealing Connecticut Resident’s Identity
King Of Prussia Woman Accused Of Stealing Connecticut Resident’s Identity A woman from Pennsylvania has been charged with burglary and identity theft after she allegedly broke into a car in Connecticut, and tried to cash checks she stole from that car, police said. Kaitlyn Miller, age 28, of King of Prussia in Montgomery County, PA, was arrested on Wednesday, Nov. 15, in Fairfield County after police said she broke into a car in Wilton Center on Jan. 24. She stole checks from that car and cashed, or tried to cash them, at different banks shortly after, according to police. Miller was arraigned at Stamford Superior Court and charged with: Conspiracy to coming t…
NJ Man Steals $8K+ From Woman Using Passport At PA Bank: Police NJ Man Steals $8K+ From Woman Using Passport At PA Bank: Police
NJ Man Steals $8K+ From Woman Using Passport At PA Bank: Police An elderly woman has lost nearly $9,000 from her bank account after a New Jersey man used a fake passport card at a bank in Bethlehem, PA, police announced on Wednesday, Nov. 22.  Dax Perez Velazquez, 49 of West New York, NJ, somehow obtained a US passport card with his image on it but the elderly woman's name, and used it at a Member's 1st bank in Bethlehem, PA on September 30, Lower Allen Township police detailed in the release. The man initially made a cash withdrawal of $6,800 using the woman's account info and his fraudulent passport card at a teller window inside the bank and the…
Fraudster Leads Police On Foot Chase In Upper Merion: Authorities Fraudster Leads Police On Foot Chase In Upper Merion: Authorities
Fraudster Leads Police On Foot Chase In Upper Merion: Authorities An accused fraudster is in Upper Merion police custody after leading officers on a brief foot chase across Valley Forge Center plaza, officials say.  The suspect walked into the TD Bank at 100 E. Dekalb Pike on Oct. 26 and tried to withdraw $2,800, but the teller became suspicious and alerted management, authorities said.  The bank manager called police after confirming the withdrawal was unauthorized, but the suspect had fled on foot by the time officers arrived, the department said.  A nearby patrol officer spotted the suspect dart across North Henderson Road towards the S…
$2 Million Stolen From PA Banks, By Convicted PUA Fraudster, AG Says $2 Million Stolen From PA Banks, By Convicted PUA Fraudster, AG Says
$2 Million Stolen From PA Banks, By Convicted PUA Fraudster, AG Says Three more men have been taken into police custody inconnection to with a $2 million bank scheme, according to an updated release by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.  Less than one week ago, we reported that Carl Gonzalez, 19 of Highspire and Tyreese Lewis, 22, of Harrisburg, had been arrested for allegedly impersonating Pennsylvania bank employees and customers. Now, Jaire Amari Cotton, 22, of Harrisburg; Lavon Whittaker, 22, of Harrisburg; and Zyaire Monserrat, 22, of Steelton, join them in the Dauphin County Prison on the following changes.  Corrupt organizations Id…
$2 Million Stolen From PA Banks, By Convicted PUA Fraudster, AG Says $2 Million Stolen From PA Banks, By Convicted PUA Fraudster, AG Says
$2 Million Stolen From PA Banks, By Convicted PUA Fraudster, AG Says Two men stole approximately $2 million from banks by impersonating employees and customers – something one of them had experience doing before, authorities say.  According to the Office of the Attorney General, investigators found that the young men allegedly targeted financial institutions and consumers in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, and York Counties. Carl A. Gonzalez, 19, of Highspire, was arrested Thursday and arraigned. His bail was set at $10,000. Tyreese Lewis, 22, of Harrisburg, was recently arrested in Los Angeles and arraigned in Dauphin County. He is being held wit…
Trio Used Soldier's Stolen ID To Buy Guns Illegally: PA Prosecutors Trio Used Soldier's Stolen ID To Buy Guns Illegally: PA Prosecutors
Trio Used Soldier's Stolen ID To Buy Guns Illegally: PA Prosecutors Three men are charged in connection with a scheme to use a US soldier's stolen identity to buy guns illegally, according to authorities.  Taalibudeen “Taalib” Ibn Hasdn Anderson, 22, and Tariq Anderson, 23, both of Philadelphia, and Daijon Griffin, 21, of Wilmington, Delaware, are each in police custody, said Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele's Office.  It began in Apil, prosecutors said, when an active duty Army serviceman visited his mother in Philly while on leave, the DA's Office said.  The soldier lost both his Pennsylvania driver's license and his U…
Bucks Woman Sought On Identity Theft Charges Bucks Woman Sought On Identity Theft Charges
Bucks Woman Sought On Identity Theft Charges A Bucks County woman is wanted on charges of identity theft after police claim she stole her grandmother's credit card.  Nautica Merritt, 23, of Langhorne, is also sought for felony theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property, according to Lower Southampton police and state court records.  Investigators believe Merritt used the credit card to make "numerous" unauthorized purchases. A warrant for her arrest had been issued Lower Southampton police added.  Anyone with information is asked to call the department at 215-357-1234 or submit a tip on the Bucks Count…
ATM 'Skimming' Device Found At Chesco Wawa: Police ATM 'Skimming' Device Found At Chesco Wawa: Police
ATM 'Skimming' Device Found At Chesco Wawa: Police Authorities in Chester County are warning Wawa shoppers to double-check their bank statements after an illegal skimming device was discovered on an in-store ATM.  It happened in Caln, township police said. A service technician located the device on a PNC Bank ATM at the 3025 Lincoln Highway Wawa, the department wrote in a release.  Investigators believe the skimmer was installed sometime between 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, and 2 p.m. on Monday, May 15. The device, authorities say, is thought to be able to read the debit card number and record the PIN entered by the user.  With…
PA Vet Aide Took Dead Dog's Drugs, Stole 1K+ In Gift Cards, AG Alleges PA Vet Aide Took Dead Dog's Drugs, Stole 1K+ In Gift Cards, AG Alleges
PA Vet Aide Took Dead Dog's Drugs, Stole 1K+ In Gift Cards, AG Alleges A 42-year-old veterinarian's aide has been charged for allegedly stealing various drugs, cash, and gift cards from her co-workers and the hospital where she worked.  Heidi Schumacher of Springdale was working at River Valley Veterinary Hospital when she was caught on camera "taking medications— often after hours when employees should not have been at the facility," Attorney General Michelle Henry stated in the release on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.  An investigation by the AG's office found that she "printed forged prescription bottle labels and entered the locked pharmacy after h…
PennDOT Employee Photographed Customer Docs., State Police Say PennDOT Employee Photographed Customer Docs., State Police Say
PennDOT Employee Photographed Customer Docs., State Police Say A 63-year-old Lebanon man admitted to taking pictures and personal information from customers while working at a PennDOT License Center, Pennsylvania State Police announced on Tuesday, May 2, 2023.  Ashwin Pari was working as a greeter at the Lancaster Driver’s License Center located at 2090 East Lincoln Highway when PennDOT Risk Management Office contacted State Police on December 9, 2022. Investigators reviewed surveillance video inside the PennDOT facility and found Pari took photos with his cellphone of customer’s information on driver’s licenses, social se…
Philly Thief Goes Shopping In NJ With Victim's Stolen Cards: Police Philly Thief Goes Shopping In NJ With Victim's Stolen Cards: Police
Philly Thief Goes Shopping In NJ With Victim's Stolen Cards: Police Police in Bucks County are pressing charges against a Philadelphia woman who they say snatched a wallet from a diner at a Feasterville restaurant.  Diane Doughty, 32, of Philadelphia, is wanted for felony identity theft, said Lower Southampton police in a release.  Investigators believe Doughty swiped the wallet from a customer at an eatery on the 100 block of East Street Road on Feb. 13. After that, detectives say she used the victim's cards at retail stores in Pennsylvania and out-of-state.  Police tracked the debit and credit activity to a business in Deptford, New Jersey…
Greedy PA Workers Paid Off Student Loans, Took Trips To Jersey Shore On Doctor's Dime: DA Greedy PA Workers Paid Off Student Loans, Took Trips To Jersey Shore On Doctor's Dime: DA
Greedy PA Workers Paid Off Student Loans, Took Trips To Jersey Shore On Doctor's Dime: DA Trips to the Jersey Shore, student loan payments and gifts to their boyfriends. Two employers of a West Chester doctor sneakily stole $450,000 of his money to do just that and more, but not before trying to sell one of the doctor's $1 million properties without his permission, according to authorities in Chester County. Mikayla Zeigler, 22, of West Chester, and Danielle King, 25, of Chadds Ford, "engaged in a cunning scheme to steal from their boss and spent it lavishly on themselves," District Attorney Deb Ryan said. "They used the money to pay their rent, student loans, and credit card d…
Employee Embezzled $2.4 Million From Bucks Gaming Company, DA Charges Employee Embezzled $2.4 Million From Bucks Gaming Company, DA Charges
Employee Embezzled $2.4 Million From Bucks Gaming Company, DA Charges An employee at a Bensalem-based casino supply company is accused of writing hundreds of phony checks to pay himself millions of dollars, say prosecutors.  Michael Bull, 47, of Emmaus, surrendered to police on Monday, March 27, and was charged with multiple felonies related to theft, forgery, and identity theft, Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said in a release.  In 2014, Bull began working at KGM Gaming in Bensalem, a firm that sells specialized seating, signage, and indoor fixtures for casinos, the DA said. He first came under scrutiny during a December 2022 audi…
Card-Skimming Devices Found On Bucks Gas Pumps, Authorities Warn Card-Skimming Devices Found On Bucks Gas Pumps, Authorities Warn
Card-Skimming Devices Found On Bucks Gas Pumps, Authorities Warn Card skimming devices that steal sensitive data have been found at two different gas stations in Bucks County, authorities revealed.  The discoveries come just days after five such devices were discovered across Montgomery County. Both skimmers in Bucks were discovered Monday, March 13, and found in Penndel Borough, police said in a statement. One was located at the 7-Eleven at 527 West Lincoln Highway, and the other at Express Gas, 652 Bellevue Avenue, the department added.  Penndel police said they have received "numerous complaints" regarding suspicious devices in th…
Boyfriend Of NJ Woman Missing For Years Charged With Stealing Disabled Son's Benefits Boyfriend Of NJ Woman Missing For Years Charged With Stealing Disabled Son's Benefits
Boyfriend Of NJ Woman Missing For Years Charged With Stealing Disabled Son's Benefits The former live-in boyfriend of a Newark woman who's been missing more than five years accessed her personal information and within days began embezzling benefit payments meant for her disabled son, federal authorities charged. Asmar Earp, a 37-year-old ex-con with an extensive criminal record, first changed the pin code on the benefits debit card belonging to Venika Williams less than a week after she was reported missing in December 2017, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. A few months later, he used Williams's name, date of birth and Social Security number to receive …
Bucks Identity Thief Bilked Senior For $33K, Cops Say Bucks Identity Thief Bilked Senior For $33K, Cops Say
Bucks Identity Thief Bilked Senior For $33K, Cops Say An accused thief in Bucks County is charged with ripping off a senior citizen to the tune of $33,000, authorities say.  Justin T. Rose, 33, of Sellersville, surrendered to the Perkasie Borough Police Department on Thursday, Jan. 26, officials wrote in a statement. Investigators say he racked up the debt over a period of years, using the victim's credit cards to make unauthorized purchases and cash transfers.  Rose was charged with felony identity theft, receiving stolen property, and related counts, court records show. Perkasie police said he was released from custody after h…
Man Left For Dead Under Bridge Was Robbed By Evicted Pair: Montco DA Man Left For Dead Under Bridge Was Robbed By Evicted Pair: Montco DA
Man Left For Dead Under Bridge Was Robbed By Evicted Pair: Montco DA Two 20-year-old people who had been evicted from their apartment robbed and killed of a man whose body was found under a Montgomery County bridge last month, authorities said. Ana Gonzalez-Munguia, 20, and Erick Galo-Ponce, 20, beat 23-year-old Nilson Velazquez-Cardona to death before his body was found under the Stony Creek Bridge on W. Marshall Street Saturday, Dec. 17 around 7:30 a.m. — Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Norristown Acting Police Chief Michael Bishop said. Dr. Ian Hood of the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office, who found that the male died of blu…
Philly Man Made $150K In ID Theft Purchases: Police Philly Man Made $150K In ID Theft Purchases: Police
Philly Man Made $150K In ID Theft Purchases: Police Police in South Jersey have charged a Philadelphia man with making more than $150,000 in purchases using a stolen identity. On Dec. 11, 2022, Evesham Twp. Patrol Officers took a report in which the victim reported that an unknown person had used his personal and financial information to purchase several motor vehicles and various other items. An extensive follow-up investigation was conducted and a suspect, Dajuan White, was identified. White, who is currently incarcerated out of state, on unrelated charges has been charged with impersonation and identity theft, Evesham polic…
PA Widow Who Fell Victim To $39K Romance Scam 'Forgot How Good It Felt To Be Loved' PA Widow Who Fell Victim To $39K Romance Scam 'Forgot How Good It Felt To Be Loved'
PA Widow Who Fell Victim To $39K Romance Scam 'Forgot How Good It Felt To Be Loved' After losing her life savings to an internet romance scam, one Pennsylvania senior is speaking out to protect others from falling victim.  Kate Kleinert of Glenolden had been widowed for 12 years and had stopped looking for love when she received a Facebook friend request in August 2020, she wrote to a US Senate committee last year.  The man said he was a doctor named Tony Richard, and quickly struck up a friendship with Kate based on mutual interests, she said.  "We started talking on the phone through an app he had me download," Kate told Senators. "He told me he was …
Andrew Bucklandon Is NOT Missing: Here's How Social Scammers Get You Andrew Bucklandon Is NOT Missing: Here's How Social Scammers Get You
Andrew Bucklandon Is NOT Missing: Here's How Social Scammers Get You A boy named Andrew Bucklandon hasn't gone missing. He didn't leave for school and not return. He doesn't even exist. For those who've seen -- or, worse, shared -- the Facebook post about a purportedly missing boy the past couple of days, here are a few questions: Does the post include a town? A link? Contact details? It doesn't. Because it's bogus. Like any good phishing scam, the missing boy ploy tugs at the heartstrings and plays on the fears of those who want to help. They're actually helping the scammers find more victims. Phishers threw their latest line into social media waters on…
Thief Installed Card-Scanning Device On Philly ATM, Cops Say Thief Installed Card-Scanning Device On Philly ATM, Cops Say
Thief Installed Card-Scanning Device On Philly ATM, Cops Say Police in Philadelphia are searching for a thief who they say installed secret surveillance devices on a Roxborough ATM.  The suspect walked into the 7-Eleven at 5632 Ridge Avenue just after 11 a.m. on Nov. 25 and immediately approached the ATM, detectives said. An employee witness told police she saw him "acting suspiciously" near the machine.  The next day, staff found a card reading device and a small video camera attached to the ATM, police said. Investigators later determined the devices were capturing card information and PIN numbers entered on the machine.  To submit …
Chesco Lawyer Stole $169K From Her Own Dad, Jury Finds Chesco Lawyer Stole $169K From Her Own Dad, Jury Finds
Chesco Lawyer Stole $169K From Her Own Dad, Jury Finds A Chester County attorney who is already accused of killing her husband with fentanyl was convicted of bilking her own father for $169,000, authorities say. Diane L. Rohrman, a now-suspended lawyer from Downingtown, was convicted of theft, identity theft, and related counts following a three-day trial in Bucks County, said District Attorney Matthew Weintraub in a statement Wednesday, Dec. 14. Authorities say Rohrman was given power of attorney over her 83-year-old father's finances in August 2016, and got to work almost immediately draining him of his life savings — spending thousands pay…
Montco School Admin Embezzled $579K, Opened Cards In Employees' Names: DA Montco School Admin Embezzled $579K, Opened Cards In Employees' Names: DA
Montco School Admin Embezzled $579K, Opened Cards In Employees' Names: DA A private school administrator in Montgomery County is accused of embezzling more than half a million dollars, opening credit accounts in her employees' names, and using the money to live a lavish lifestyle, authorities say.  Katherine Paprocka, 36, of Paoli, was arraigned on dozens of felony charges Tuesday, Dec. 13 related to her work as senior administrator at the Penn Christian Academy in East Norriton, a private non-profit educational institution, said county District Attorney Kevin R. Steele in a statement.  Investigators first began examining the school's finances after a private in…
Scammer Stole Thousands From Bucks County Grandmother, Police Say Scammer Stole Thousands From Bucks County Grandmother, Police Say
Scammer Stole Thousands From Bucks County Grandmother, Police Say A scam caller who stole thousands of dollars from a Bucks County grandmother is now facing jail time, according to authorities.  Police in Falls Township charged Christopher Mauricio, 19, of Philadelphia, with two felony counts of theft and receiving stolen property, the department announced.  Investigators say Mauricio ran an elaborate scam involving multiple assumed identities and phony paperwork to steal $5,000 from a woman in her 90s.  Officials said a caller contacted the victim on April 25, claiming to be her grandson. He told her he was in jail in Allentown and needed…
Bucks Caregiver Financially Abused Senior, Police Say Bucks Caregiver Financially Abused Senior, Police Say
Bucks Caregiver Financially Abused Senior, Police Say The caregiver of an 87-year-old Bucks County resident is accused of financial abuse, authorities say.  Theresa Schmanek, 57, of Philadelphia, is charged with forgery, identity theft and financially exploiting a senior, said Warrington Township Police Department in a release on Tuesday, Nov. 15.  Authorities said the 87-year-old victim's family tipped them off in September that Schmanek may have been taking advantage.  Investigators said they later found evidence that Schmanek opened multiple credit cards in the victim's name without permission, then made purchases and receiv…
Philadelphia Medical Assistant Used Patient's ID For $31K Shopping Spree: AG Philadelphia Medical Assistant Used Patient's ID For $31K Shopping Spree: AG
Philadelphia Medical Assistant Used Patient's ID For $31K Shopping Spree: AG A 34-year-old former medical assistant from Philadelphia has been charged with stealing information from her patients to open credit card accounts for wild shopping sprees, authorities said. Ashley Latimer, who worked at Axia Women's Health in Montgomery County, used the cards to spend more than $31,000 on items from Wafair, and other personal belongings, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. “This defendant is accused of taking advantage of her position and violating her trust and responsibility as a medical professional,” Shapiro said. “We will not, under any circumstance, allow indivi…