Category: Fraud

8 Philadelphia Police Department Employees Indicted on Theft, Fraud Charges

Eight Philadelphia Police Department civilian employees have been accused of receiving unemployment benefits while still working and receiving paychecks from the department, officials said. The employees were charged federally with fraudulently obtaining emergency unemployment benefits related to COVID-19, resulting in each facing one count of mail or wire fraud and one count of theft of…


DeFi Theft and Fraud Losses Reach $10.5 Billion in 2021, Mostly on Ethereum

According to a report from London-based firm Elliptic, about $10.5 billion worth of user funds has been stolen in cases of fraud and theft on DeFi products. DeFi platforms have become increasingly popular in recent years, but the platforms are not regulated. The “total value locked” (TVL), a measure of the liquidity of DeFi services,…


California Couple Who Stole Millions in COVID-19 Relief Funds on the Run: FBI

A California couple who were convicted of running a scheme that defrauded the government of millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief funds cut their electronic bracelets and fled while awaiting sentencing, officials said last week. Richard Ayvazyan, 43, and his wife, Marietta Terabelian, 37, used false identifies to claim money that was meant for small…


Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes Takes Stand to Defend Herself in Fraud Case

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes took the stand on Friday to defend herself against charges of defrauding investors and patients about the now-defunct blood-testing startup once valued at $9 billion. Holmes, 37, is accused of making false claims about Theranos, including that its technology could run a range of diagnostic tests more quickly and…


Investors Have Lost $12 Billion This Year in DeFi Products and Services: Report

Investors have lost billions of dollars this year due to theft and fraud among criminals targeting decentralized finance (DeFi) products and services, according to new research by Elliptic. The London-based firm, a leader in crypto-asset risk management, released the report titled, “DeFi: Risk, Regulation, and the Rise of DeCrime,” on Thursday.  Elliptic found that more than $10…


How to Help Detect Real Estate Fraud

Dear Monty: I rented out my house to a couple I thought were married. A year later, they decided to buy a home. The woman contacted me by phone with the news that they were not married, and the loan she applied for stated she had to be living alone. She then said they were…


Man Gets Over 4 Years in Prison for COVID-19 Funds Fraud

LOS ANGELES—A Santa Clarita Valley man was sentenced on Nov. 15 to 51 months in federal prison for scheming to fraudulently obtain about $1.8 million in COVID-19 relief funds. Hassan Kanyike, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Virginia A. Phillips, who also ordered him to pay a $20,000 fine and over $1.3 million in restitution to the Small…


Pennsylvania House Advances Bill Preventing Private Election Funds

Did Facebook money pay for training election staff at your polling place? In Pennsylvania, it depends on the county where you voted. Now, Republican lawmakers aim to end that practice through House Bill 2044, sponsored by state Rep. Eric Nelson. It amends the Pennsylvania Election Code to prohibit county boards of election and the secretary…


Sepp Blatter, Platini Indicted for Fraud in Switzerland

GENEVA—Former FIFA officials Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini were charged with fraud and other offenses by Swiss prosecutors on Tuesday after a six-year investigation into a controversial $2 million payment. The 85-year-old Blatter and 66-year-old Platini now face a trial at federal criminal court in Bellinzona. They could be jailed for several years if found…


LA Man Charged With Impersonating Attorney

LOS ANGELES—A Lake Balboa man with a prior conviction for unlawful practice of law is set to be arraigned Nov. 1 on nine felony counts for offering legal services in family law and personal injury cases, along with other legal matters, without being a licensed attorney. Efferin Deans, 55, is charged with three felony counts each of grand theft and…