FBI, Police Crack 2 Major Sex Crime, Multi-Million Dollar Scam Cases In Bedford
Two high-profile police investigations in Westchester County—one involving the sexual abuse of a minor and another tied to a nationwide fraud ring—have concluded with major developments in federal court, authorities announced.
According to Bedford Police, the first case began on Aug. 30, 2023, when detectives arrested John Lord, 40, of Arizona, after he engaged in sexual acts with a 15-year-old boy in a wooded area of Katonah earlier that day. The FBI later charged Lord with persuading, inducing, enticing, and coercing the child to engage in sexual activity.
This week, Lord was s…
$1M IRS Fraud Scheme Masterminded By Woman With Multiple Personas In York: DOJ
A York woman plotted an elaborate scheme to steal more than $1 million from the IRS by filing fake tax documents and a bogus check, federal prosecutors announced on Wednesday, August 13.
Queen Naja, 44, also known as Renata Winifred Ince and Naja Talibah Zahir, worked with 42-year-old Quentin Diego Sturgeon of Montgomery, Alabama, to carry out the plan, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama.
The two met through social media in April 2021, when Naja proposed creating a legal trust, submitting fraudulent paperwork to the IRS, and using a counterfeit check …
Illegal Turn Leads To Arrest Of Oakland Man In Car Burglary, Credit Card Fraud Case: Cops
An illegal left turn in Oakland led police to a man wanted for burglary and stolen credit card fraud, authorities said.
On Sunday, Aug. 10, at 4:04 p.m., Officers Nicholas Maricich and Timothy McDonough saw a white 2019 Honda Civic make an illegal left turn on Ramapo Valley Road from Maple Avenue, Oakland Police Chief Timothy Keenan said.
The driver, identified as Michael Bentley, 37, of Oakland, gave officers a fake name and pedigree information, Keenan said. Officer McDonough recognized Bentley and knew there was an active arrest warrant for burglary, theft, possession of stolen credit ca…
Ex-Mass State Trooper Guilty In CDL Bribery Scandal Gets Month In Prison: Feds
A former Massachusetts State Police trooper has been sentenced for his involvement in a scheme to falsify records related to Commercial Driver’s License applicants, impacting public safety in the process.
Perry Mendes, 64, of Wareham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to one month in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, with the first two months on home confinement. The government had recommended a year behind bars.
In July 2025, Mendes pleaded guilty to several charges, including conspiracy to falsify records, falsifying records, and making fals…
$1M Cross-Country Title-Washing Ring Used Stolen Porsches, Audis, BMWs In PA: AG
A high-end title-washing ring based in central Pennsylvania profited more than $1 million by selling stolen luxury cars from Florida, Attorney General Dave Sunday announced on Wednesday, Aug. 6.
The fraudulent operation was allegedly led by 44-year-old Anthony E. Troncoso, who, with a network of 12 others, used fake documents to “wash” vehicle titles, then sold over two dozen stolen cars to private buyers, dealers, and auction houses between 2022 and 2023, according to AG Sunday.
The vehicles—many of them Porsches, Audis, BMWs, Land Rovers, and other high-end brands—were stolen in Florida. …
