East Meadow ‘Legal Assistant’ Scammed Desperate Families Out Of Thousands, Jury Finds
A New York man who posed as a legal expert in order to scam desperate families out of thousands of dollars was convicted of multiple federal crimes.
Christopher Reese, 57, of East Meadow, was found guilty of fraud and related charges in Manhattan federal court on Thursday, March 20.
Using an unlicensed legal operation, Reese defrauded criminal defendants and their families by promising to secure prison releases he had no authority to deliver, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District said.
Reese, also known as “Christopher Eugene Thomas,” targeted inmates, friends, and family memb…
Iran Sent Hitmen To Kill NY Journalist: Two Mobsters Convicted In Foiled Plot
Two Eastern European mobsters were convicted in a chilling plot to assassinate an Iranian-American journalist on US soil—at the behest of the Iranian government.
A Manhattan federal jury found Rafat Amirov, 46, of Iran, and Polad Omarov, 40, of Georgia, guilty on all five counts related to a murder-for-hire scheme targeting journalist and human rights activist Masih Alinejad on Thursday, March 20.
The pair orchestrated the plan under orders from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), offering a hitman $500,000 to kill Alinejad outside her Brooklyn home, according to prosecutors.
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AK-47, Cocaine, $2.4K Seized In Lancaster Drug Bust: Police
An AK-47 pistol-rifle, cocaine, cash, and more were seized during a drug and firearms bust in Lancaster Township, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office announced on Tuesday, March 18.
Deputies served a search and arrest warrant for Codie Bingham at a home in the 1500 block of Passey Lane around 4 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office. Bingham was wanted for violating probation and had an additional arrest warrant from Manheim Township Police, authorities said.
While clearing the residence, deputies spotted two firearms and a marijuana cigarette in plain view. Bingham was arrested and take…
$22M Medicare Scam: Plainview Biz Owner Exploited Immigrants To Line Pockets, DOJ Says
A former Long Island business owner is accused of masterminding a massive health care fraud scheme that allegedly scammed Medicare out of more than $12 million by exploiting elderly immigrants.
Oleg Beretsky, 67, was indicted on health care fraud, money laundering, and related charges in Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday, March 18.
It followed accusations he used his former Plainview company, Obest Inc., to funnel senior citizens to certain doctors in exchange for bribes. Many of the alleged victims were immigrants from the former Soviet Union.
Beretsky, now a resident of Naples, Florida, …
Freeport Tax Preparer Stole $2M Through False Returns, Covid-19 Relief Fraud, DOJ Says
A Long Island tax preparer is facing federal charges for allegedly orchestrating a massive $12 million fraud scheme.
Damaris Beltre, 57, of Freeport, was indicted on wire fraud and related charges in Central Islip federal court on Wednesday, March 12, after filing hundreds of false tax returns and stealing COVID-19 relief funds, prosecutors alleged.
Beltre ran multiple tax preparation businesses where she falsely inflated tax refunds for clients, claiming fake dependents, fraudulent sick leave, and fuel tax credits, according to prosecutors. She allegedly charged a percentage of …
Bergen Prosecutor’s Lt. Faces 50-Count Indictment For Stealing Fentanyl, Heroin: AG
A Bergen County prosecutor’s office lieutenant is facing a 50-count indictment after allegedly stealing cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl from the evidence vault and depositing $600,000 in cash into his personal accounts, authorities said.
A state grand jury in Trenton indicted Kevin T. Matthew, 48, of Cedar Grove, after an investigation revealed he had allegedly signed out narcotics from BCPO’s main evidence vault between January 2019 and November 2023, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Wednesday, March 12.
Authorities said Matthew was not part of BCPO’s narcotics unit, but as a me…
