Category: Fraud

Elizabeth Holmes Fraud Case Heads to the Jury

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—The jury that will weigh 11 charges of fraud and conspiracy against former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes finally got the case Friday afternoon after a three-month trial that captivated Silicon Valley. The hand-off came after lawyers for the opposing sides wrapped up a second day of painstaking final arguments to sum up their…


Ex-Weight-Loss Doctor Found Guilty in Lap-Band Trial in LA

LOS ANGELES—The operator of the now-defunct 1-800-GET-THIN ad campaign and a Beverly Hills-based company he controlled were found guilty Dec. 16 of using fabricated sleep studies to persuade insurance companies to pay out tens of millions of dollars for Lap-Band surgery. Julian Omidi, 53, of West Hollywood, and Surgery Center Management (SCM) were found guilty…


North Carolina Man Charged With Voter and Passport Fraud

“Get out and vote” is an exhortation that Garbant Piquant of Garner, North Carolina, took seriously. Records show the 53-year-old Bahamas native voted in every Primary and General Election from 2018 through 2020. But Piquant is not an American citizen. He was arrested on December 9 and charged with falsely claiming to be a United States…


Staffer from Australia’s One Nation Party Charged with Fraud

Queensland police have arrested and charged a man who works for the One Nation Party with fraud relating to election funding. Alexander Jones, named on the party’s website as national executive treasurer, was charged with four counts of fraud after the Electoral Commission of Queensland referred a complaint to police. Following investigations launched in January,…


San Diego Man Arrested by Feds, Charged in $28 Million Investment Fraud

SAN DIEGO—A San Diego man has been charged with securities fraud and money laundering for allegedly running an investment fraud scheme that took at least $28 million from investors over the past five years, according to an indictment unsealed Dec. 14. Denny Bhakta, 39, allegedly solicited investments for his companies, Fusion Hotel Management, LLC and Fusion Hospitality Corporation, then…


Ex-NFL Player Bellamy Gets 3 Years for COVID-19 Relief Fraud

TAMPA, Fla.—Former NFL player Josh Bellamy has been sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining over $1.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds. Bellamy, 32, of St. Petersburg, Florida, was sentenced Friday in Tampa federal court, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to commit wire…


Escondido Man Gets Three Years in Prison for Selling Forged Art

SAN DIEGO—An Escondido man who pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud charge for selling $1.1 million of forged artworks—which he claimed were created by acclaimed artist Richard Hambleton—was sentenced Dec. 10 to three years in prison. Jason Harrington, 38, admitted to selling forgeries to at least 15 galleries and individuals between 2018 and 2020, according to the U.S. Attorney’s…


Escondido Man Gets 3-Year Term for Selling $1 Million of Forged Art

SAN DIEGO—An Escondido man who pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud charge for selling $1.1 million of forged artworks—which he claimed were created by acclaimed artist Richard Hambleton—was sentenced Dec. 10 to three years in prison. Jason Harrington, 38, admitted to selling forgeries to at least 15 galleries and individuals between 2018 and 2020, according to the U.S. Attorney’s…


The Government Is Not Immune to Account-Takeover Fraud, and That Could Be Trouble for You and Me

By Jonathan McDonald Government agencies (and their customers) aren’t immune to cyberattacks. In fact, they’re often a more tempting target with an extensive network of compromised personal data available for sale or provided by a consumer unaware of a scam. The pandemic only exacerbated an already serious problem with cybersecurity in the public sector. Now,…


Eight Philadelphia Police Department Employees Indicted on Theft and Fraud Charges

A total of eight employees of the Philadelphia Police Department have been caught double-dipping: receiving unemployment benefits while still working and receiving paychecks from the department. United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams said in a statement Tuesday that the eight employees were charged with fraudulently obtaining emergency unemployment benefits related to COVID-19, resulting in each…