Office Manager Embezzled $350K From North Jersey Synagogue, Feds Say Office Manager Embezzled $350K From North Jersey Synagogue, Feds Say Office Manager Embezzled $350K From North Jersey Synagogue, Feds Say
Office Manager Embezzled $350K From North Jersey Synagogue, Feds Say A 51-year-old Scotch Plains woman is charged with embezzling more than $350,000 from a Union County synagogue she worked at, authorities said.  In 2010, Stacy Margaritondo began working at Congregation Beth Israel in Scotch Plains and was later promoted to bookkeeper and office manager in July 2020, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said.  Margaritondo’s duties included accounting/bookkeeping, payroll, preparing checks for accounts payable, and reporting to the synagogue’s board of directors regarding the synagogue’s financial condition, Sellinger said. From Dec. 2019 to May 20…
Boston Officer Guilty Of Overtime Fraud Scheme Avoids Jail But Must Pay Back Thousands Boston Officer Guilty Of Overtime Fraud Scheme Avoids Jail But Must Pay Back Thousands Boston Officer Guilty Of Overtime Fraud Scheme Avoids Jail But Must Pay Back Thousands
Boston Officer Guilty Of Overtime Fraud Scheme Avoids Jail But Must Pay Back Thousands The sixth Boston police officer convicted in a long-running overtime fraud scheme that swindled thousands of dollars from taxpayers must repay more than $16,000 but won't serve jail time, authorities announced.  Michael Murphy, 64, of Hyde Park, was sentenced to two years of probation and must pay a $5,000 fine and $16,014 in restitution after he pleaded guilty last month to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said.  Murphy and dozens of other officers were accused of filing false overtime slips from September 2016 until February 2019 for wor…
Teen Demanded Gold Bars From Elderly Maryland Woman To Keep Russia Away From Her Assets: Police Teen Demanded Gold Bars From Elderly Maryland Woman To Keep Russia Away From Her Assets: Police Teen Demanded Gold Bars From Elderly Maryland Woman To Keep Russia Away From Her Assets: Police
Teen Demanded Gold Bars From Elderly Maryland Woman To Keep Russia Away From Her Assets: Police A 19-year-old New Yorker implicated in a government-imposter-related scam received nearly a million dollars in gold bars from an elderly Maryland woman who sought to keep Russia away from her money, authorities announced on Tuesday. Brooklyn resident Zhenyong Weng has been arrested for allegedly targeting an 82-year-old Silver Spring woman who reached out to her and allegedly instructed her to transfer her assets into gold bars to keep Russian hands off. The woman complied, police say, and handed off several packages worth an estimated $900,000 in gold bars. Shortly before 5:30 p.m. o…
74-Year-Old Man Defrauded By Delco Duo: Police 74-Year-Old Man Defrauded By Delco Duo: Police 74-Year-Old Man Defrauded By Delco Duo: Police
74-Year-Old Man Defrauded By Delco Duo: Police A man and woman in Upper Chichester are wanted for stealing from an elderly man, according to authorities.  Police said the pictured pair approached the 74-year-old victim with a $20 bill and said that he had dropped it.  When the man opened his wallet to check, investigators said the suspects recorded video of his license and bank card. A short time later, a large sum of money went missing from the senior's bank account, police said.  The suspects "had darker complexions and spoke with Eastern European accents," according to authorities.  Anyone who can identify them …
Duo Accused Of Skimming Cards At Long Island Banks Duo Accused Of Skimming Cards At Long Island Banks Duo Accused Of Skimming Cards At Long Island Banks
Duo Accused Of Skimming Cards At Long Island Banks Two men on Long Island were arrested after police said they set up card skimming devices multiple times at local banks. According to Nassau County Police, the pair was caught following a Franklin Square incident on Saturday, June 22. On that day, a witness reported seeing two men — later identified as Pavel Olewski, age 30, and Andrei Stefan, age 36 — placed a skimming device on the ATM at Ridgewood Savings Bank, located at 1010 Hempstead Turnpike. Further investigation revealed that the two men were responsible for a number of other incidents not only at the Ridgewood Savings Bank in F…
$2K+ Fraud At Ephrata Performing Arts Center By Employee From Elizabethtown: Police $2K+ Fraud At Ephrata Performing Arts Center By Employee From Elizabethtown: Police $2K+ Fraud At Ephrata Performing Arts Center By Employee From Elizabethtown: Police
$2K+ Fraud At Ephrata Performing Arts Center By Employee From Elizabethtown: Police A 38-year-old Elizabethtown woman is accused of stealing thousands from the Ephrata Performing Arts Center, the Ephrata police announced on Thursday, May 30.  Megan L. Riggs was arrested on the felony charge of Access Device Fraud and a misdemeanor for Theft by Deception on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, the police detailed.   The charges come as the result of an investigation beginning in August of 2023. Riggs had been employed by Ephrata Performing Arts Center through August 2022, the police explained. During her tenure with the EPAC she allegedly made "unauthorized purchases us…
NY Financial Advisor Stole Over $1M From Clients To Buy Car, High-End Clothing, Jury Finds NY Financial Advisor Stole Over $1M From Clients To Buy Car, High-End Clothing, Jury Finds NY Financial Advisor Stole Over $1M From Clients To Buy Car, High-End Clothing, Jury Finds
NY Financial Advisor Stole Over $1M From Clients To Buy Car, High-End Clothing, Jury Finds A former investment adviser and founder of a New York financial advisory firm could spend decades in federal prison for conning his clients out of more than $1 million. Long Island resident Jeffrey Slothower, age 46, of Southampton, was found guilty of wire fraud and related charges by a jury in Central Islip federal court on Thursday, May 16. According to prosecutors, in 2017 Slothower targeted a California couple whose money he had managed at another financial services firm, promising them he could beat any rate of return they were receiving at his own firm, Battery Private. He offered t…
$1.4M Bank Loan Scheme: Hudson Valley Man Sentenced $1.4M Bank Loan Scheme: Hudson Valley Man Sentenced $1.4M Bank Loan Scheme: Hudson Valley Man Sentenced
$1.4M Bank Loan Scheme: Hudson Valley Man Sentenced A Hudson Valley man has been sentenced to prison in connection with a scheme to obtain a fraudulent $1.4 million loan from Park Avenue Bank. Rockland County resident Mendel Zilberberg, age 65, of Monsey, was sentenced on Wednesday, March 19 following a one-week trial. According to court documents, Zilberberg, who was a member of the bank's board of directors at the time of the offense, conspired with others, including Aron Fried, to obtain a fraudulent loan using a "star borrower" to make the loan application.  The straw borrower applied for a $1.4 million loan from the Bank base…
Geek Squad Scammer Stole Over $55K From Long Island Victims: Police Geek Squad Scammer Stole Over $55K From Long Island Victims: Police Geek Squad Scammer Stole Over $55K From Long Island Victims: Police
Geek Squad Scammer Stole Over $55K From Long Island Victims: Police A 21-year-old scam artist from Queens was arrested after police uncovered that he had tricked tens of thousands of dollars out of two people on Long Island. Jarnail Singh, age 21, of South Ozone Park, Queens, started his scam by posing as a member of the Geek Squad, the Best Buy tech service team, Suffolk County Police announced on Friday, Feb. 2. A 77-year-old Amityville man received an email from Singh, claiming the victim had a $399 charge. When the victim called the number listed on the email to dispute the charges, Singh allegedly answered, directing the man to log into his bank acc…
Man Scams 9/11 Victim, Widow On Long Island: Police Man Scams 9/11 Victim, Widow On Long Island: Police Man Scams 9/11 Victim, Widow On Long Island: Police
Man Scams 9/11 Victim, Widow On Long Island: Police A Queens man has been arrested after he allegedly conned two women out of over $150,000, including one Long Islander who was awarded money as part of the 9/11 Victim Fund, police said. Richard Yasnis, age 42, was arrested on Wednesday, Dec. 20 for his alleged Locust Valley crimes, according to Nassau County Police. In July 2023, Yasnis, who is from Jamaica, Queens, allegedly posed as an investment advisor and representative of the Cahill Financial Group, which is based in New York City. Under the guise that it would be used to invest in stocks and real estate, police said Yasnis receive…
Jersey Shore Woman Charged With Stealing $195K From Former Employer: Prosecutor Jersey Shore Woman Charged With Stealing $195K From Former Employer: Prosecutor Jersey Shore Woman Charged With Stealing $195K From Former Employer: Prosecutor
Jersey Shore Woman Charged With Stealing $195K From Former Employer: Prosecutor An Ocean County woman is accused of stealing nearly $200,000 from her former employer in Monmouth County, authorities said. Jessica L. Schott, 44, of Point Pleasant, was charged with theft by unlawful taking, forgery and false uttering, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said on Tuesday, Nov. 14. An investigation by the MCPO Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Bureau began earlier this year after a tip from a Wall Township-based company that used to employ Schott, Santiago said. The prosecutor did not name the company. A review of the company’s financial…
Woman Scammed $750K Out Of Long Island Victim, Sentenced Woman Scammed $750K Out Of Long Island Victim, Sentenced Woman Scammed $750K Out Of Long Island Victim, Sentenced
Woman Scammed $750K Out Of Long Island Victim, Sentenced A Long Island woman who stole nearly three-quarters of a million dollars from an elderly woman will now spend years behind bars, authorities announced. On Friday, Sept. 15, Elizabeth Reilly, a 50-year-old New Hyde Park woman, was sentenced to three to six years in prison for grand larceny, according to the Nassau County District Attorney. Original story: $750K Stolen: New Hyde Park Thief Used Money On Plane Tickets, Beauty, DA Says At the time of the crimes, Reilly was employed by a Floral Park attorney who had a verbal agreement with a 91-year-old woman to handle her finances whil…