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Tag:
Bank Fraud
Baltimore
News
Financial Advisor Stole Elderly Client's $1M Life Savings In 'Heartless' Maryland Scheme: Feds
The financial advisor in Maryland who stole the American Dream from a man who tirelessly worked his entire life to enjoy his retirement will spend years in prison after admitting to stealing his life savings during a long-ranging scam. Eddy Blizzard, 45, of Havre de Grace, pleaded guilty late last year in connection to a bank fraud scheme in which he embezzled upwards of $1 million from an elderly client's retirement account. On Thursday, May 2, federal authorities announced that Blizzard has been sentenced to 42 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. “Eddy Blizzard…
Burlington
Police & Fire
Skimming Device Found On ATM At South Jersey 7-Eleven
A skimming device was found on an automatic teller machine at 7-Eleven in Burlington County, authorities said. It was found by a customer at the convenience store on Route 130 on Monday, April 1, Cinnaminson police said. A review of surveillance footage revealed the device was placed on the ATM at 9:21 p.m. on March 22, Cinnaminson police said. Skimmers are card readers designed to look like a part of the ATM. They collect debit card numbers and PIN codes. The stolen data is then used to make counterfeit debit cards. Anyone who used a debit or credit card since March 22 is advised to revi…
Cliffside Park-Edgewater
Police & Fire
'
Bust
OUT': Dual US, Greek Citizen Living In Bergen Charged With $2.8M Bank Fraud
A dual U.S. and Greek national with a home in Bergen County orchestrated a classic debit card "bust out" scheme that fleeced a half-dozen banks out of $2.8 million, federal authorities charged. Dino Koutsogiannis, 57, of Fairview, and some unidentified cronies played the long game, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. They began by opening bank accounts for two bogus companies that Koutsogiannis created in Florida -- called Vegan Vacation and Orlando Dinos -- according to a federal complaint filed in Newark. Koutsogiannis was the only officer or director of the shell comp…
Norfolk
Police & Fire
Quincy Man Admits To Writing 100 Bad Checks Worth Over $1M: Feds
A Quincy man faces up to 30 years behind bars after he admitted to writing more than 100 bad checks worth more than $1 million, authorities said. Hui Zhang, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud on Friday, March 1, and will be sentenced on May 28, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. Prosecutors said Zhang opened multiple bank accounts under fake names from June 2020 through at least May 2022 and deposited 114 counterfeit checks worth more than $1 million into them. The checks were drawn on the account of a Boston-based retailer. Zhang withdrew hundreds of thousands …
Howard
News
Bank Employee Used Position To Facilitate Elaborate Fraud Scheme, Prosecutors Say
A former bank employee from Maryland was convicted of using his position to facilitate an elaborate fraud scheme, prosecutors announced Tuesday, Feb. 20. Jalen Craig McMillan, 30, of Jessup, was convicted by a federal jury for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft on Friday, Feb. 16, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron said. Prosecutors laid out evidence during McMillan’s four-day trial of his intent to use his position as a “Member Service Representative” at a federal credit union to open accounts and loan transactions in t…
Hartford
News
$479K Scheme: Man Admits Helping To Steal From Retired Victim's Bank Account In CT
A 44-year-old man has admitted to his role in a scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from a retired woman his accomplice had been working for in Connecticut, federal officials announced. New York resident Mavani Coleman of Brooklyn, age 44, pleaded guilty in Hartford federal court on Wednesday, Feb. 14 to one count of bank fraud, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced. According to federal officials, the scheme began in 2018, when Coleman's accomplice, New Haven resident Gregory Ivy, began working odd jobs for a retired woman in Connecticut. In Octobe…
Alexandria
News
Drug Kingpin Peddling Nearly Pure Meth In Virginia Convicted For 15th Time: Feds
A Virginia Beach man just earned himself his 15th conviction — this one federal. Malik Dillard, who guys by “Mayo,” used out-of-state methamphetamine suppliers to import bulk packages of nearly pure methamphetamine (98.6% purity) to Virginia through the U.S. Postal Service, according to Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Dillard employed a network of sub-dealers to scale and expand his methamphetamine operation across the Hampton Roads region over multiple years, Aber's office said. "Methamphetamine is a powerful, highly addictive stimulant that affec…
Prince George's
News
Prince George's County Scammers Accused Of Stealing $5M In Checks From The Mail: Feds
A group of five from Maryland has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection to an alleged multi-million dollar stolen check scam in the region. On Monday, authorities announced that five people - all from Prince George's County - will face charges for a fraud scheme that saw them take more than 600 checks with a face value greater than $5 million. Those charged: Tianna "Mendoza" Cosby, 23, of Upper Marlboro; Marche Sisco, 26, of Suitland; Tommi Cosby, 21, of District Heights; Biniah Carter, 24, of Upper Marlboro; Zion Oluwademilade Adeduqon, 22, of Bowie. Tianna Cosby and …
Rye
News
$20M Scheme: Former Rye Resident Steals Funds From Bank For Investment Firm, Feds Say
A former Westchester resident faces charges after allegedly stealing funds from a bank through lines of credit totaling $20 million for the multi-million-dollar municipal tax lien investment firm that he founded, federal officials announced. John Arthur Hanratty, a 49-year-old New York-licensed attorney who lived in Rye until 2019 before moving to San Juan, Puerto Rico, was arrested on fraud charges in connection with a scheme to steal money from a bank for his investment firm, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York said. According to federal officials,&nb…
Baltimore
News
Financial Advisor Stole Elderly Client's $1M Life Savings In 'Heartless' Maryland Scheme: Feds
The financial advisor in Maryland who stole the American Dream from a man who tirelessly worked his entire life to enjoy his retirement is facing decades in prison after admitting to stealing his life savings during a long-ranging scam. Eddy Blizzard, 45, of Perry Hall, pleaded guilty this week in connection to a bank fraud scheme in which he embezzled upwards of $1 million from an elderly client's retirement account. Blizzard, who worked for a bank securities and bank investment security companies in Maryland for years, targeted a lifelong resident, "R.M.," who attended school through the …
Capital District
News
Covid-
19: Albany Restaurateur Admits To $163K Pandemic Relief Fraud
A former restaurant owner in the region raked in six figures by defrauding a relief program meant to help businesses impacted by COVID-19. Scott Solomon, age 37, of Albany, pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud in Albany federal court on Monday, Dec. 11. According to prosecutors, he admitted to applying for and obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in 2020 for two Saratoga Springs restaurants that he formerly operated. PPP loans were issued by financial institutions in 2020 and 2021 and guaranteed by the US Small Business Administration. Funds were meant to help businesses…
Sussex
Police & Fire
$2M NJ Scammer Who Claimed Dead People As Biz Partners Gets 3 Years, No Parole
UPDATE: A scammer from Sussex County who fraudulently collected more than $2 million in federal funds by identifying people who'd been dead for more than a decade as business partners must spend the next three years in federal prison. John Jhong, 54, of Sparta, actually submitted bogus applications for more than $15 million in federal pandemic aid earmarked to help struggling companies during COVID-19, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. Jhong "turned these vital relief programs into his personal ATM," spending the more than $2 million he illegally collected on personal expenses, the U.…
Nassau
News
New Yorkers At Risk Of Scam Calls, Attorney General Warns
As New Yorkers across the state report being contacted by scammers impersonating their banks, officials are cautioning consumers to keep their eyes peeled. In a statement on Friday, Oct. 27, NY Attorney General Letitia James provided tips to avoid getting scammed by callers pretending to be bank or government officials. “Scammers claiming to be a trusted bank, or any institution relied on for financial services, can seriously harm New Yorkers by taking their money and their personal information,” she said. James said the Office of the Attorney General has been receiving calls from New Y…
Mount Vernon
News
$760K Check Scheme: Mount Vernon Man Nabbed For 'Malicious Fraud,' Feds Say
A 26-year-old Westchester man who was arrested while hiding under his co-conspirator’s couch now faces charges in connection to a $760,000 check fraud scheme that victimized several people and their businesses, officials announced. Mount Vernon resident Ishmael Benreuben, age 26, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Oct. 10 to participating in a scheme involving the deposit of around $760,000 in fraudulent checks into bank accounts in several states, the US Attorney's Office for Southern District of New York announced. According to federal officials, between September 2021 and March 2…
Nassau
Police & Fire
$108K Scam: Jericho Bank Employee Ran Check Scheme, Police Say
A Long Island woman was arrested after she used her position as a bank employee to pull off a hundred-thousand-dollar scam. Cricel A. Santamaria, age 24, was arrested on Tuesday, Oct. 3 for the crime she allegedly committed while working at a Jericho bank, according to Nassau County Police. Santamaria, a resident of Hauppauge, was working at Webster Bank, located at 1 Jericho Plaza, on February 4, 2022, when authorities allege she fraudulently accessed check images. She then sold them on the messaging app Telegram. In total, the bank lost approximately $108,000 due to Santamaria’s sche…
South Passaic
Police & Fire
Feds: Mailbox ‘Fisher’ Who Plagued Bergen, Morris, Hudson Gets 27 Months Without Parole
UPDATE: A member of a crew that fished more than $100,000 worth of checks from mailboxes in Bergen, Hudson and Morris counties is headed to federal prison for more than two years. Brando Mancebopujols, 24, will have to serve just about all of the plea-bargained 27-month sentence because there’s no parole in the federal prison system. Mancebopujols, formerly of Paterson, admitted that he and his associates pocketed the money by depositing the checks into bank accounts that they controlled, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. As many as 40 postal boxes had been broken into…
Norfolk
Police & Fire
Tattoo Unravels $1M Fake Check Empire In Quincy: Feds
A 41-year-old Quincy man was arrested last week with writing more than 114 bad checks worth more than $1 million total, federal authorities said. Hui Zhang, 41, was charged with one count of bank fraud on Thursday, Sept. 7, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. Investigators said Zhang opened multiple fake bank accounts from June 2020 through May 2022 and deposited more than $1 million across 114 bad checks. He would then withdraw hundreds of thousands of dollars from these accounts through ATMs before the bank realized and canceled the fake checks. Police were abl…
Dauphin
News
3 More Men Arrested In Convicted Harrisburg Hacker's $2 Million Bank Scheme: AG
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…
Dauphin
News
$2 Million Stolen From Banks By Convicted Harrisburg Impersonator: AG
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…
Saratoga
News
Covid-
19 $558K Scam: Saratoga County Couple Admits Defrauding Relief Programs With Nightclub
A husband and wife duo from the region accused of raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars by defrauding COVID-19 relief programs through their former nightclub business has pleaded guilty. Saratoga County residents Deborah Budhraj, age 52, and Adesh Budhraj, age 53, both of Ballston Lake, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and wire fraud charges in federal court in Albany on Wednesday, July 19. The couple formerly owned the Tropics Restaurant & Bar, located in Schenectady on South Brandywine Avenue. According to prosecutors, they agreed to sell the business to another couple in February 2…
Fairfax
Police & Fire
VA Man Who Made Siblings Ringleaders In $1.7M Pandemic Scheme Gets Time In Fed Pen
A northern Virginia man will be spending time in federal prison for instructing his siblings how to file bogus pandemic unemployment claims that netted nearly $1.7 million. Eric Wilhoit, II, 29, of Fredericksburg, conspired with Odyssey Wilhoit, 23, Jeremiah Wilhoit, 26, Dejhaun Wilhoit, 26, from May 2020 through in or about January 2022, Virginia's US Attorney General Jessica D. Aber said. Eric, Odyssey, and Dejhaun are siblings. It was unclear how Jeremiah was related. Eric Wilhoit admitted that he instructed his co-conspirators on how to make the claims. The group then used VPN…
Ulster Sullivan
News
Multimillion-Dollar Scheme: Smallwood Woman Nabbed For Money Laundering, Bank Fraud, Feds Say
A 49-year-old woman from the region has been charged with conspiring to commit money laundering and bank fraud, stealing more than $10 million from victims. Sullivan County resident Tetiana Berriors, of the hamlet of Smallwood, was arrested on Thursday, June 8, said Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. According to court documents, Berriors conspired to commit money laundering and bank fraud in connection with laundering the proceeds of a series of business email compromise scams that sought to deceive victims into sending nearly $10 million to bank accoun…
White Plains
News
Former Detective, 4 Other Men Nabbed For Robbing Homes In Westchester, Rest Of Country
A former New York City Police Department detective and four other men have been charged as members of an organized crew that conducted residential robberies across the country, including Westchester. The unsealing of the five suspects' indictments was announced on Thursday, June 8 by the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. The five men charged with participating in the string of violent armed robberies are: Bronx resident Dagoberto Soto-Ramirez, age 41, also known as "Pito"; Queens resident Saul Arismendy De La Cruz, age 31, also known as "Nene" a…
Nassau
News
Seaford Tax Preparer Got $13M In Fraudulently Obtained Business Loans, Feds Say
A business owner on Long Island is facing federal charges after allegedly conning his way into millions of dollars in government-backed loans. Sandeep Grover, age 54, of Massapequa, is charged with major fraud against the US and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, according to an indictment that was unsealed by the US Attorney’s Office in the Southern District on Wednesday, May 24. Grover is the owner of Excellent Business Services Inc., a tax preparation business based in Seaford. Prosecutors allege that between April 2020 and June 2021, he submitted over 100 applications for …
Hudson
Police & Fire
Ex-Hudson Sheriff's Officer Admits $98,000 Short-Sale Mortgage Scheme For Jersey Shore Home
A former Hudson County sheriff’s officer admitted defrauding a bank to duck $98,000 in mortgage payments on a Jersey Shore home, federal authorities said. Osbado Hernandez, 54, of Avenel, conspired with others to lie about a bogus short sale of his house in Keansburg so that the unidentified bank would discharge what was left on his mortgage, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. Hernandez bought the property for $239,900 in 2006, financing it through a mortgage loan from the victimized bank, a complaint on file in U.S. District Court in Trenton says. He ended up behind on the payments,…
New Canaan
Police & Fire
New Canaan Woman Turns Self In Year After Committing Bank Fraud: Police
A 56-year-old Fairfield County woman turned herself in to police a year after committing bank fraud, officials say. Robin Gutzler, of New Canaan, turned herself in to police and was arrested at approximately 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, according to the New Canaan Police Department. Gutzler was wanted on an active arrest warrant for reportedly committing fraud via an online banking account in May 2022. She was processed at the New Canaan Police Headquarters on a charge of first-degree larceny. Gutzler was released on a $5,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, March 2…
Capital District
Police & Fire
Check Fraud: Nearly $5,000 Stolen From Victim's Bank Account By Schenectady Man, Police Say
A 24-year-old man is facing charges after allegedly stealing nearly $5,000 from a victim’s bank account using fraudulent checks. Zyaire Sheppard, of Schenectady, was arrested Friday, April 28, following an investigation by New York State Police, the agency said. The victim first contacted troopers in December 2022 reporting that multiple fraudulent checks had been written from their bank account. Investigators determined that Sheppard conspired to deposit two fraudulent checks worth over $4,800 into a bank account belonging to someone else, police said. Sheppard was arrested on the follow…
Yonkers
Police & Fire
Card Skimming Devices Found At Bank ATM In Yonkers: Users Should Check Accounts, Police Say
Authorities are warning people to check their bank accounts after two card skimming devices were found at a bank's ATM in Westchester, police said. Two incidents of card skimming devices were found installed on an ATM located at a Webster Bank in Yonkers at 760 McLean Ave., according to Yonkers Police. The devices, which can be found at ATM machines, gas station fuel pumps, outdoor point-of-sale locations, and even some indoor locations, are used to steal people's bank card information. They can often lead to fraudulent charges on victims' bank accounts. Because of t…
Norfolk
Police & Fire
Canton Man Who Swindled $1.1M From Lonely 'Mugus' Gets Over 4 Years In Prison: Feds
A 43-year-old man who admitted to preying on vulnerable and lonely people online to swindle $1.1 million from them was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison, authorities said. Mark Arome Okuo, of Canton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud and obstruction of justice earlier this year, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. Along with his 55 months in prison, Okuo must repay his victims, the judge ruled. Investigators said Okuo took part in romance scams, where he would meet his victims on dating and social media apps, gain their trust, …
Nassau
News
Crips Gang Nabbed For Alleged Murders, Fraud, More Across Hempstead: US Attorney
A federal court unsealed a 59-count indictment, which charges eight people for various offenses related to their roles in a subset of the Crips street gang, officials have announced. According to the Eastern District of New York’s US Attorney’s Office, those charged were either members or associates of the Insane Crips Gang, or “ICG.” Seven of the eight people were arrested on the morning of Thursday, April 13, and were arraigned later that day. Officials said one defendant remains at large. The indictment, authorities said, charges seven people with racketeering and conspiracy to commi…
Middlesex NJ
News
'We Don't Want To End Up In Orange Jumpsuits,' Said CEO Arrested For $175M Scam In NJ
A former CEO whose star once shone so bright she made the Forbes 30-Under-30 list could soon be swapping her business suits for prison jumpsuits — something she'd been dreading. "We don't want to end up in orange jumpsuits," is what Charlie Javice apparently said months before her New Jersey arrest Monday, April 3, according to federal prosecutors. The 31-year-old founder of Frank, a for-profit company that simplified the student loan application process, is facing federal charges for falsifying data sets, ultimately scamming J.P Morgan Chase out of $175 million officials said. It wasn't i…
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