Brookfield, CT
News
CT Woman Sentenced For Theft Of Social Security Benefits CT Woman Sentenced For Theft Of Social Security Benefits
CT Woman Sentenced For Theft Of Social Security Benefits A Connecticut woman has been sentenced to three months in prison for illegally receiving Social Security benefits. Omayra Santiago, 44, of Waterbury, was sentenced on Thursday, Jan. 28, to prison time followed by three years of supervised release, said John Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.d According to court documents and statements made in court, for approximately 13 years, Santiago received monthly Social Security benefits from the Social Security Administration in the form of Supplemental Security Income.   Santiago was the representative payee of her ch…

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by Kathy Reakes
Highland Lakes-Vernon, NJ
Police & Fire
COVID-19: Feds Nab Fleeing Sussex Man Accused Of Pocketing $5.6M Small Biz Pandemic Loan COVID-19: Feds Nab Fleeing Sussex Man Accused Of Pocketing $5.6M Small Biz Pandemic Loan
Covid-19: Feds Nab Fleeing Sussex Man Accused Of Pocketing $5.6M Small Biz Pandemic Loan A Sussex County man who collected $5.6 million in federal COVID-19 pandemic loans that he wasn't entitled to was about to board a flight to Pakistan when federal agents arrested him, authorities said. Azhar Sarwar Rana, 30, of Newton, took the money -- designed to keep struggling small businesses afloat during the pandemic – and invested millions in the stock market, made a payment to a luxury car dealership and sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to accounts in Pakistan, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Rana submitted an application for a stimulus loan under the federal Paycheck Prote…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Massapequa, NY
News
Fifth Man Pleads Guilty On Long Island To $2M Scheme Impersonating Federal Employees Fifth Man Pleads Guilty On Long Island To $2M Scheme Impersonating Federal Employees
Fifth Man Pleads Guilty On Long Island To $2M Scheme Impersonating Federal Employees An Indian national became the fifth person to plead guilty in federal court on Long Island to federal charges for his role in running a multi-million dollar transnational fraud scheme. Ajay Sharma, a citizen of India who served as the director and owner of APS Technology, a telemarketing call center located in New Delhi, pleaded guilty this week in Central Islip federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a fraudulent scheme targeting thousands of Americans. Four of Sharma’s co-conspirators - Bellrose resident Ankur Sharma, Queens Village resident Harpreet Singh, Hu…

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by Zak Failla
Fairfield, CT
News
Employee At CT Used Car Dealership Admits To Role In Loan Fraud Scheme Employee At CT Used Car Dealership Admits To Role In Loan Fraud Scheme
Employee At CT Used Car Dealership Admits To Role In Loan Fraud Scheme An employee of an area car dealership has pleaded guilty to write fraud as part of an auto loan scheme. Justin Williams, 42, of Rocky Hill, pleaded guilty on Friday, Nov. 20, to taking part in the scheme at Car Nation in Middletown, said John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut. According to court documents and statements made in court, Williams worked as a salesman and de facto general manager at Car Nation, sometimes known as Middletown Motorcars, which was owned and operated by George Hajati.  In connection with automobile loan applications for multiple borrowe…

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by Kathy Reakes
North Hunterdon, NJ
News
NJ COVID-19 Scammer Pocketed $1.8M In Taxpayer-Funded Rescue Loans, Feds Charge NJ COVID-19 Scammer Pocketed $1.8M In Taxpayer-Funded Rescue Loans, Feds Charge
NJ Covid-19 Scammer Pocketed $1.8M In Taxpayer-Funded Rescue Loans, Feds Charge A North Jersey businessman fraudulently secured nearly $2 million in federal COVID-19 pandemic loans he wasn't entitled to, then diverted the money into accounts held by family members, including his young children, federal authorities charged. Rocco A. Malanga, 48, of Hackettstown, “used a variety of false statements to fraudulently obtain approximately $1.8 million in federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds meant for distressed small businesses,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said Thursday. He then diverted the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) money to “accounts under the control of his …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Cliffside Park-Edgewater, NJ
Police & Fire
Feds Pursue Bank Accounts, Mansion Bought By Bergen Lawyer With $9M In COVID Relief Funds Feds Pursue Bank Accounts, Mansion Bought By Bergen Lawyer With $9M In COVID Relief Funds
Feds Pursue Bank Accounts, Mansion Bought By Bergen Lawyer With $9M In COVID Relief Funds Federal authorities have moved to seize 11 bank accounts, an investment account and a million-dollar Cresskill home bought by a Cliffside Park lawyer accused of scamming lenders out of $9M intended for small businesses crippled by COVID-19. Jae H. Choi, 48, got the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds from three lenders on behalf of non-existent businesses that he claimed provided educational services, an indictment returned by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in Newark alleges. Choi fabricated the existence of hundreds of employees, manipulated bank and tax records, and falsified a d…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Darien, CT
News
Darien Resident Loses $900 After Being Directed To ATM In Bitcoin Scam Darien Resident Loses $900 After Being Directed To ATM In Bitcoin Scam
Darien Resident Loses $900 After Being Directed To ATM In Bitcoin Scam A man posing as a member of the Social Security Administration bilked a Fairfield County resident out of nearly $1,000. A Darien resident reported to police that on Thursday, Aug. 6, she received a phone call from a man stating he was a member of the U.S. Social Security Administration. Police said the caller told the woman that she would not be receiving her next social security check because she was being investigated for alleged drug trafficking. The caller then stated that unless the woman sent him money, sheriffs would be coming to arrest and take her into custody. The woman said that…

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by Zak Failla
Newark, NJ
Police & Fire
Feds: Crew In NJ, NY, Michigan Conned Banks, Merchant Processors Out Of $3.5 Million Feds: Crew In NJ, NY, Michigan Conned Banks, Merchant Processors Out Of $3.5 Million
Feds: Crew In NJ, NY, Michigan Conned Banks, Merchant Processors Out Of $3.5 Million Federal agents arrested five people from New Jersey, New York and Michigan and were searching for two others Monday in connection with a $3.5 million bank fraud. Working together, the defendants defrauded several major banks and electronic merchant processors by creating shell companies that issued checks to one another, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. They also conducted “fraudulent credit card and debit card transactions between shell companies to fraudulently credit payee accounts and fraudulently overdraw payor accounts,” Carpenito said. The shell companies also issued temporary re…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Massapequa, NY
News
NY Green Light Law Allowing Driver's Licenses To Undocumented Immigrants Takes Effect NY Green Light Law Allowing Driver's Licenses To Undocumented Immigrants Takes Effect
NY Green Light Law Allowing Driver's Licenses To Undocumented Immigrants Takes Effect Thousands of undocumented immigrants living in New York will soon be able to obtain a valid driver’s license now that a new law has taken effect. The Green Light Law, which was signed by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier this year, went into effect as of Monday, Dec. 16, allowing upwards of 80,000 people statewide to receive legal New York State driver’s licenses. "The Green Light law is legal and enforceable," New York Attorney General Letitia James said. "We expect all public officials to comply with the law. As the state's chief law enforcement officer, I’ll continue to vigorously …

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by Zak Failla
Hackensack, NJ
Police & Fire
ALERT: Bergen Sheriff Warns Citizens Not To Fall For Arrest-Threat Phone Scam ALERT: Bergen Sheriff Warns Citizens Not To Fall For Arrest-Threat Phone Scam
ALERT: Bergen Sheriff Warns Citizens Not To Fall For Arrest-Threat Phone Scam Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton warned citizens again Tuesday about a phone scam by thieves impersonating department officers. The scammers are “spoofing” his office's general number, then posing as sheriff's officers threatening unsuspecting victims with arrest for what they say are outstanding summonses for failing to appear in court, he said. One scammer previously claimed to be with a "Division of Warrants and Citations" -- not an official title under the sheriff's command. “The Bergen County Sheriff's Office, IRS, Social Security, or any other legitimate business or governm…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Massapequa, NY
News
Ex-NYPD Member From Queens Stole More Than $130K In Benefits Intended For His Kids, Feds Say Ex-NYPD Member From Queens Stole More Than $130K In Benefits Intended For His Kids, Feds Say
Ex-nypd Member From Queens Stole More Than $130K In Benefits Intended For His Kids, Feds Say A former member of the NYPD is facing charges or allegedly stealing more than $130,000 in benefits over nearly a decade that were intended for his children. Queens resident Michael Conway, 60, was arrested early on Wednesday, Aug. 28, U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue announced. He is scheduled to appear later in the day in Brooklyn federal court for his initial appearance. It is alleged that Conway began receiving retirement, survivors and disabilities benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) in May 2009 for a work-related injury he suffered while employed by the NYPD. Donoghue…

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by Zak Failla
Massapequa, NY
News
Long Island Brothers, Queens Man Led $2M International Fraud Ring, Feds Say Long Island Brothers, Queens Man Led $2M International Fraud Ring, Feds Say
Long Island Brothers, Queens Man Led $2M International Fraud Ring, Feds Say Two brothers from Long Island and a man in Queens are facing charges for allegedly running a multi-million-dollar scheme by impersonating federal employees. Huntington residents Kamil Zafar, 51, Jamal Zafar, 48, and College Point resident Armughanul Asar, 68, were charged in Central Islip federal court with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to launder money in furtherance of their fraudulent scheme directed at thousands of individuals in the United States. United States Attorney Richard Donoghue said that the three were arrested on Monday, Aug. 26 and are scheduled to be arraig…

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by Zak Failla