$700K Gold, Bitcoin Scam: ‘PayPal’ Poser From NJ Cons Elderly Lehigh County Man, DA Says
A slick con artist posing as a PayPal agent scammed a 74-year-old Pennsylvania man out of nearly $700,000 in gold and cryptocurrency, authorities revealed on Friday, Jan. 16.
Hirtik Hemchand Khatri, of Lawrence Township, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Thursday, Nov. 20 to felony charges of Theft by Extortion, Theft by Unlawful Taking – Movable Property, and Criminal Use of a Communication Facility, according to Holihan.
Khatri was sentenced at a hearing before Judge Thomas M. Caffrey to 12 months, minus a day, to 36 months in prison for both theft charges, along with two years of proba…
MS-13 Gang Leader 'Pirana' Wanted For Murder, Kidnapping, Deported From Pennsylvania: ICE
A dangerous MS-13 gang leader wanted for kidnapping, extortion, and murder was removed from the United States after finishing a federal sentence in Pennsylvania, ICE announced on Sunday, Sept. 7.
Jose Alberto Zamora-Zamora, 31, also known as “Pirana,” was flown back to El Salvador on Aug. 15 after being arrested by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Philadelphia. He had just completed a 24-month sentence for illegal reentry at Federal Correctional Institution Allenwood Low in Union County, according to officials.
Zamora-Zamora was previously deported in December 2022 but returned …
Pair Steals $80K From Saratoga County Senior In Computer Scam, Police Say
Two downstate residents are accused of scamming a Saratoga County senior out of more than $80,000 in cash and gift cards, then returning to collect another $30,000 before being arrested.
Chuncheng Lin, 26, of Brooklyn, and Hui Lin, 40, of Flushing, were arrested Thursday, July 31, following a joint investigation by New York State Police and the US Department of Homeland Security.
The case began Monday, June 30, when an elderly Saratoga County resident reported being targeted in a computer scam, according to New York State Police.
The victim told troopers they were first two weeks earlier v…
Ex-Police Officer Extorts $9K From Salon Owner In Montgomery: Here's Her Fate
A former police officer who admitted to extorting thousands of dollars from an Orange County beauty salon has been sentenced, prosecutors announced.
Ally Thueson, 33, was sentenced on Thursday, July 31, to five years of probation in connection with the scheme, the Orange County District Attorney's Office announced on Monday, Aug. 4.
According to the DA's Office, Thueson, a former police officer, had been employed by a beauty salon in Montgomery. In May 2024, she threatened the business's owner that she would make false statements on the internet that would harm the salon un…
Fugitive Busted With Drugs After Dramatic Manhunt In Stafford County, Sheriff Says
A wanted man who ran from deputies was captured in Virginia after an hours-long manhunt — and now he's facing even more charges.
Christopher Stanley, 41, of Bealeton, was spotted by a Fauquier County Sheriff’s deputy on Thursday, July 10 around 10:22 a.m. in the Country Wood Estates Subdivision, according to the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office.
Stanley was wanted out of Culpeper County for extortion, using threatening messages, and contempt of court, authorities said.
But when Stanley saw the deputy, he took off on foot, kicking off a manhunt in the neighborhood.
Deputies set up a perime…
Stratford Teen Blackmailed Multiple Women, Including 14-Year-Old, To Send Him Nudes: Police
A Connecticut teen has been arrested after allegedly blackmailing multiple women — including a 14-year-old — into sending nude photos, police said.
Mikel Reyes, 18, of Stratford, is facing several charges after victims — ages 14, 17, 18, and 20 — came forward last month with similar stories, according to Stratford police.
The victims told police that Reyes contacted them through an anonymous texting app, threatening to post their nude photos online unless they sent him more explicit images.
Investigators say they were able to connect Reyes to all the incidents.
Reyes knew the victims pers…
CDL Bribery Scam: Ex-Mass Trooper Let Unfit Truckers Drive For Candy, Cash, And Favors
A former Massachusetts State Police sergeant was found guilty of running a years-long bribery and extortion scheme that let unqualified drivers skip commercial license tests and hit the road, putting everyone at risk, federal authorities announced.
Gary Cederquist, 59, of Stoughton, was convicted in federal court of nearly 50 charges, including conspiracy, mail fraud, falsifying records, and taking bribes, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. He gave passing scores to applicants who failed — or never even took — the Commercial Driver’s License test, required for tractor-trailer truc…
US Issues Urgent Travel Warnings Covering 2 Countries: What To Know
The US State Department is warning Americans against traveling to part of one country and has issued a do not travel warning for one of its neighboring nations.
A Level 3 Reconsider Travel Advisory covers these parts of eastern Colombia:
Arauca, Cauca (excluding Popayán), and Norte de Santander departments in Colombia;
The Colombia-Venezuela border region.
"Violent crime, like murder, assault, and robbery, is common in many areas in Colombia," the advisory says. "In some places, organized crime is rampant. This includes extortion, robbery, and kidnapping."
A Level 4 Do No…
High-Ranking MS-13 Leader Arraigned On Terrorism Charges On LI After FBI's 'Most Wanted' Arrest
A top leader of the notorious MS-13 gang, who was recently added to the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list, has been arraigned in federal court in New York.
Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, 47, was taken into custody in San Diego, California, on Tuesday, March 18, after Mexican authorities located him in Veracruz and expelled him from the country, the US Attorney’s Office said. He had been a fugitive for nearly three years.
Roman-Bardales, a founding member of MS-13’s leadership structure known as Ranfla en las Calles, was arraigned in the Eastern District of New York on Wednesday, March 1…
Fake Cops, Real Crimes: Paterson Crew Busted In $190K Bergen County Bail Scam: Prosecutor
Three Paterson residents have been arrested in connection with a phony bail bond scam that swindled nearly $190,000 from unsuspecting victims across Bergen County, authorities announced.
Yasen R. Delgado, 26; Ahjainay N. Gawthney, 27; and Delareese Delgado, 31, were taken into custody on Thursday, Feb. 27, following a multi-agency investigation, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
The suspects are accused of posing as law enforcement officers and bail bondsmen, calling victims and threatening them with arrest warrants for missing court dates or jury duty. Victims were told to hand o…
Alleged Russian Ransomware Mastermind Extradited From South Korea To Maryland
A Russian national accused of running a global ransomware operation that extorted more than $16 million from victims worldwide has been extradited from South Korea to Maryland to face federal charges, authorities announced.
Evgenii Ptitsyn, 42, is charged with operating and administering the sale, distribution, and deployment of the notorious Phobos ransomware, which targeted over 1,000 public and private organizations globally, including schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure.
Ptitsyn made his first appearance in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland earlier this …
