Maryland ‘Clown’ Who Scammed 80-Year-Old Virginia Woman Out Of $26K Busted In Sting: Sheriff
An 80-year-old Virginia woman was conned out of more than $26,000 by crooks posing as US Treasury agents — until detectives set a trap that ended with a Maryland man in cuffs, officials said.
The suspect, James Smith, 30, of Gaithersburg, was arrested after showing up to grab another $10,000 in cash from the victim, the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies were waiting.
Smith had already squeezed $26,000 from the woman over several days, investigators said.
He and others pretended to be Treasury agents, threatening the woman with “criminal charges” unless she handed…
Babylon Boat Broker Pocketed Hundreds Of Thousands From Client Sales, DA Says
A Long Island boat broker is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from clients who trusted him to sell their vessels.
Rory Hogan, 60, of Babylon, was indicted in Suffolk County Court on Friday, Sept. 5, on grand larceny and related charges.
Hogan, the owner of Riteway Marine Solutions in Babylon, took boats from more than ten clients under the agreement that he would sell them and deliver the proceeds, between October 2023 and April 2025, prosecutors said.
Instead, investigators allege Hogan sold the vessels and kept the money for himself while telling customers the sales h…
Lancaster Woman Defrauds Veterans Groups Out Of $1.4M, Sentenced To Prison: FBI
A Lancaster woman who defrauded two nonprofit veterans organizations out of more than $1.4 million has been sentenced to prison, federal prosecutors announced on Friday, Sept. 5.
Jessika L. Hiepler, 47, was sentenced to 24 months in prison, three years of supervised release, a $10,000 fine, 100 hours of community service, and restitution of $432,925.35, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Court records show Hiepler pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud last September after being charged in August 2024. She also agreed to a forfeiture money …
Woman Scams Victim Out Of $500K In Carmel, Said Funds Were For College, Childcare: Sheriff
A Brooklyn woman has been arrested for allegedly scamming a Putnam County resident out of hundreds of thousands of dollars over several years while claiming the funds were being used for school, medical bills, and childcare, authorities announced.
The arrest of Natasha Mansfield, 26, for second-degree grand larceny was announced by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, Sept. 4.
According to Acting Putnam County Sheriff Brian Hess, the investigation into Mansfield began in August 2024, when a Carmel resident reported being defrauded out of about $500,000.
The victi…
$84K Theft Scheme Targets Lincoln Hall In Somers: Fifth Suspect Arrested, Police Say
The final suspect has been arrested in connection with a scheme that stole more than $84,000 from a Northern Westchester nonprofit school, police said.
The case involved Lincoln Hall, a residential facility in Somers that supports underserved families. In February 2024, three Lincoln Hall checks totaling $84,772.14 were stolen, altered, and deposited into multiple bank accounts, New York State Police said in an announcement on Wednesday, Sept. 3.
On Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, investigators arrested the fifth and final suspect, Lenys A. Solano Cueva, age 50, of the Bronx, for allowing a $29,4…
