Category: Fraud

2020 Election Doubts: Extreme or Mainstream Opinion?

News Analysis Nearly two years into the Biden presidency, allegations of fraud in the 2020 Presidential election continue to make headlines, and make powerful political ammunition for both the Democratic and Republican parties. Allegations of voting fraud are not a fringe position held by a small minority. Polling shows that nearly half of American voters…


Archegos Tried to Lull Banks Before $36 Billion Firm Collapsed: Prosecutors

NEW YORK—Archegos Capital Management LP made a last-ditch effort to falsely persuade banks its survival was not at stake in an unsuccessful bid to forestall the sudden collapse of the $36 billion private investment firm, U.S. prosecutors said. The accusation came in a 12-page letter filed on Thursday night in Manhattan federal court, where Archegos’…


Kids-for-Cash Judges Ordered to Pay More Than $200 Million

Two former Pennsylvania judges who orchestrated a scheme to send children to for-profit jails in exchange for kickbacks were ordered to pay more than $200 million to hundreds of people they victimized in one of the worst judicial scandals in U.S. history. U.S. District Judge Christopher Conner awarded $106 million in compensatory damages and $100…


California Man Pleads Guilty to Running Fraudulent Competing PACs, Stealing $3.5 Million

A California man pleaded guilty on Aug. 8 to conspiracy to solicit millions of dollars by running two fraudulent political action committees (PACs), according to a press release by the U.S. Department of Justice. Robert Reyes Jr., along with others, ran the Liberty Action Group PAC and the Progressive Priorities PAC. The former supported former…


Justice Department Announces $1.2 Billion Health Care Crackdown Tied to Telehealth, Cardiovascular Tests

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department unveiled a $1.2 billion health care fraud crackdown on Wednesday, revealing criminal charges against 36 defendants for alleged fraudulent billing schemes tied to telemedicine, genetic and cardiovascular testing, and equipment. The criminal charges, which were unsealed across 13 federal districts between July 11 through July 20, target clinical laboratory owners, marketers, medical…


My Big Coin Founder Convicted in $6 Million Crypto Fraud Scheme

The founder of a purported cryptocurrency was convicted by a federal jury in New York on Thursday for defrauding investors who thought the virtual money was backed by commodities, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, 51-year-old Randall Crater from East Hampton offered virtual payment services through…


NY Residents With Ties to China Arrested Over Alleged $27 Million Green Card Fraud, Selling Access to Prominent Politicians

Two New York residents have been arrested for allegedly defrauding $27 million out of investors, in part by promising them access to prominent politicians such as former President Donald Trump, the Justice Department announced on July 18. The two individuals, Sherry Xue Li and Lianbo Wang, also known as Mike Wang, have perpetuated a near-decade-long…


‘Real Housewives’ Star Jennifer Shah Pleads Guilty in Telemarketing Fraud Case, Faces up to 14 Years in Prison

By John Annese From New York Daily News “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jennifer Shah chose to keep her drama on the TV screen, not in the courtroom, and has taken a plea deal in her telemarketing fraud case. Shah, 48, pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one week before…


Jury Convicts Former Theranos President Sunny Balwani of Fraud

A jury on Thursday convicted former Theranos Inc. President Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani of defrauding investors and patients about the blood testing startup that was once valued at $9 billion. The San Jose, California, jury deliberated for a little more than five days before convicting Balwani on two counts of conspiracy and 10 counts of fraud,…


Funeral Home Owner Who Sold Body Parts Pleads Guilty to Fraud

A former Colorado funeral home owner pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a federal charge of defrauding relatives of the dead by dissecting their family members’ corpses and selling the body parts without permission, a practice exposed in a 2018 Reuters investigative report. Megan Hess, who operated a funeral home called Sunset Mesa and a human…