Investigators say there was so much fraud in federal covid-relief programs that — even after two years of work and hundreds of prosecutions — they’re still just getting started.
Tag Archives: Frauds and Swindling
After Basquiat Raid, Orlando Museum Faces Crisis of Credibility
As OMA cancels three shows, some donors shift their support — and a celebrated collection — to the Rollins Museum of Art.
Judge Denies Trump Executive’s Request to Dismiss Manhattan Tax Case
Allen H. Weisselberg, who was indicted last summer, and the Trump Organization are scheduled to stand trial in October.
Hunting for Voter Fraud, Conspiracy Theorists Organize ‘Stakeouts’
A nascent effort to surveil drop boxes for potential fraud is taking shape in at least 10 states, worrying election officials and law enforcement.
New Jersey Man Gets 5 Years in Prison in GoFundMe Fraud Case
Prosecutors said Mark D’Amico and his then-girlfriend made up a heartwarming tale of a homeless man to help raise more than $400,000.
Why Don’t Expect Alex Jones’s Comeuppance to Stop Lies
His success has inspired a new generation of conspiracy theorists, who have learned how to stay away from legal trouble.
Don’t Expect Alex Jones’s Comeuppance to Stop Lies
His success has inspired a new generation of conspiracy theorists, who have learned how to stay away from legal trouble.
ID Theft, Fraud, Prison: The Wild Life of a Bishop Robbed at the Pulpit
The police said Bishop Lamor Whitehead was robbed of a fortune in jewelry, the crime caught on camera. But the focus soon turned to him and his past run-ins with the law.
On the Docket: Atlanta v. Trumpworld
Eighteen months into a criminal investigation of election interference by Donald J. Trump and his allies, a Georgia prosecutor is beginning to show the broad contours of her inquiry.
Fake Indian Cricket League Swindles Russian Gamblers
The bats and balls were real, but not much else was authentic in what officials said was an elaborate scheme to dupe Russian gamblers through hoax games streamed on YouTube.
Security Forces in China Attack Protesters Seeking Frozen Funds
After a rare mass demonstration, bank depositors demanding their money back were beaten, kicked to the ground and dragged away in the city of Zhengzhou.
Columbia Loses Its No. 2 Spot in the U.S. News Rankings
U.S. News & World Report announced that it had “unranked” the Ivy League university after being unable to verify its data.
No. 2 Theranos Executive Found Guilty of 12 Counts of Fraud
Ramesh Balwani, who helped his ex-girlfriend Elizabeth Holmes lead the failed blood testing start-up, was convicted on Thursday. They will likely be sentenced together.
Funeral Home Operator Pleads Guilty in ‘Illegal Body Part Scheme’
Megan Hess, who pleaded guilty to mail fraud, sold body parts without families’ consent in a business she operated with her mother, officials said.
76 Fake Charities Shared a Mailbox. The I.R.S. Kept Approving More.
The tax agency is the gatekeeper for America’s charity system, but reduced vetting has opened the door to scams.
Lev Parnas, Ex-Giuliani Associate, Sentenced to 20 Months
Lev Parnas, a Soviet-born businessman, tried to use campaign donations funneled from Russia to advance a cannabis business.
Orlando Museum Director Loses Job After Disputed Basquiat Show
Aaron De Groft was removed from his position days after the F.B.I. seized 25 works that had been shown in a Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibit and whose authenticity had been questioned.
Margaret Keane, Painter of Sad-Eyed Waifs, Dies at 94
Her work was immensely popular and virtually ubiquitous. But until the matter was settled in court, her husband fraudulently claimed credit for it.
Big Returns for Investing in Fine Wine and Whiskey? It Was Fraud, U.S. Says.
The scheme, which the authorities say used “aggressive and deceptive tactics,” defrauded more than 150 people of about $13 million, according to court documents.
When Customers Say Their Money Was Stolen on Zelle, Banks Often Refuse to Pay
Federal law requires banks to reimburse customers for unauthorized electronic transfers, but they often refuse, stranding victims.
From the Big Short to the Big Scam
Fraud aside, what are cryptocurrencies for?
Narender Singh Yadav, Accused of Faking Everest Summit, Climbs Everest
A disgraced Indian climber, who continues to maintain he already climbed the mountain once before, made sure to have lots of photos and videos taken.
‘2000 Mules’ Repackages Trump’s Election Lies
A new documentary from Trump allies makes the latest case the election was stolen, but the group behind the claim has been assailed even by some on the hard right.
Ex-N.Y.C. Shelter Boss Gets Prison Time in $1.2 Million Bribery Scheme
Victor Rivera was sentenced to more than two years in prison for accepting kickbacks while running his Bronx homeless shelter organization.
Japanese Man Gambles Away a Town’s Covid Funds
An official in the rural Japanese town wired the 24-year-old man nearly $360,000 by mistake. He lost it in online casinos. Now, the town is suing and he has been arrested.
In South Korea, ‘Ghost Surgeries’ Lead to Cameras in Hospitals
After scandals in which doctors let unsupervised assistants operate on patients, the country is becoming one of the first to require cameras in operating rooms.
The Tale of ZenLedger’s Dan Hannum, Who Wasn’t Who He Said He Was
The chief operating officer of ZenLedger, a software company, boasted of work for Goldman Sachs and Larry King. Did anyone check to see if it was true?
Review: ‘Dead in the Water,’ by Matthew Campbell & Kit Chellel
In Matthew Campbell and Kit Chellel’s real-life whodunit “Dead in the Water,” Big Oil, Big Insurance and global corruption clash on a giant scale.
Likelihood of Trump Indictment in Manhattan Fades as Grand Jury Wraps Up
The Manhattan district attorney is continuing to investigate Mr. Trump, but knowledgeable people say charges are unlikely to occur in the foreseeable future, if ever.
Lt. Gov. Benjamin Resigns Following Campaign Finance Indictment
Brian A. Benjamin, New York’s second in command to Gov. Kathy Hochul, was charged with bribery, fraud and falsification of records while a state senator.
In a First, Google Goes After Puppy Fraud in Court
The company’s first consumer protection lawsuit, filed Monday, claims a Cameroon man tricked would-be buyers using Gmail and other services.
Lt. Gov. Benjamin Arrested in Campaign Finance Scheme
Brian A. Benjamin, New York’s No. 2 official to Gov. Kathy Hochul, will face a federal charge that he conspired to commit bribery while a state senator.
11 Set Up Hundreds of Sham Marriages for Green Card Seekers, U.S. Says
Clients paid fees up to $30,000 as part of the yearslong scheme, an affidavit said. Some applications falsely claimed the clients had been abused by their spouses, prosecutors said.
New Witnesses Interviewed in Trump Investigation, Manhattan D.A. Says
Alvin Bragg, in his first public comments about the inquiry into the former president, insisted his office was continuing to pursue the matter but provided few additional details.
Text Spam Is on the Rise. Here’s How to Spot It and What to Do
Text spam is on the rise. The latest version involves scammers sending messages to you seemingly from your own phone number. Here’s what to do.
A Producer Seeks a Broadway Comeback, Mired in Offstage Drama
With the musical “Paradise Square” preparing to open Sunday, Garth Drabinsky is hoping to re-establish himself after serving time in a Canadian prison for fraud.
Former Yale Official Admits to $40 Million Fraud Scheme
For a decade, a Yale School of Medicine administrator used university funds to buy computer equipment, which she resold to pay for luxury cars, real estate and vacations, the authorities said.
Verizon Investigates Spam Texts but Sees No Russia Link
The wireless carrier said that it was working with the F.B.I. and the Secret Service to investigate a recent wave of fraudulent messages, but said the source did not appear to be Russian hackers.
Lt. Gov. Benjamin Is Focus of Federal Inquiry Into Campaign Fraud
Prosecutors are examining whether Brian Benjamin, New York’s second-highest state official, participated in a plan to boost his campaign fund with fraudulent donations.
Anna Delvey and the Tinder Swindler: Why We Fall for Scams
You might think you wouldn’t fall for the scams depicted in a crop of new shows about con artists. I know I could.
Anna Sorokin on the ‘Free Anna Delvey’ Exhibition and Making Art
The group art show, “Free Anna Delvey,” is only the beginning for the imprisoned fake heiress.
Anna Sorokin Talks About Making Art
The group art show, “Free Anna Delvey,” is only the beginning for the imprisoned fake heiress.
Trump Is Guilty of ‘Numerous’ Felonies, Prosecutor Who Resigned Says
Mark F. Pomerantz, who had investigated the former president, left after the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, halted an effort to seek an indictment.
Theranos Trial Starts for Ramesh Balwani, Elizabeth Holmes’s Ex-Partner
Prosecutors say Ramesh Balwani worked hand in hand with Elizabeth Holmes, the Theranos chief executive, who was convicted of four counts of fraud.
Man Posing as Students Convicted in $1.4 Million Loan Scheme
Elliott Sterling of Louisiana falsified nearly 200 financial aid applications and spent at least $250,000 of the money at casinos, prosecutors said.
The Key to a $4 Billion Fraud Case: A Banker Who Says He ‘Lied a Lot’
Only one person is likely to ever face trial in the United States over the looted billions from a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund. The case hangs on his former boss at Goldman Sachs.
Justice Dept. Names Prosecutor to Pursue Covid-19 Relief Fraud
President Biden had pledged to name a chief prosecutor to go after “criminals who stole billions in relief money.”
Elizabeth Holmes’s Ex-Boyfriend Set to Go on Trial in Theranos Case
Jury selection was set to start today in Sunny Balwani’s fraud trial, which will establish just how much he knew about the blood-testing start-up Theranos and Ms. Holmes’s actions.
He Spent $57,000 in Covid Relief on a Pokémon Card. Now the U.S. Owns It.
The mint Charizard trading card will be auctioned off with other fraudulently obtained luxury items seized by the U.S. Marshals. Its former owner was sentenced to three years in prison.
Fraud Investigation in Food Aid Puts Focus on Role of Nonprofits
The F.B.I. is investigating what it called a “massive fraud scheme” in the Minneapolis area as the government cracks down on misuse of pandemic assistance.