Authorities have thwarted a complex escape plan by a wealthy businessman who intended to break out of a Florida jail and return to his castle in France. The elderly businessman had previously fled to France to evade child pornography charges.
Governor Ron DeSantis has signed the "Property Rights" bill (HB 621), which aims to offer homeowners new remedies against squatting and imposes stricter penalties on squatters. “We are putting an end to the squatters scam in Florida,” DeSantis stated in his announcement.
Jacob Parrish, a 36-year-old from Florida, was arrested Friday afternoon after attempting to rob a Wells Fargo advisor office in Lake County, which he mistakenly believed was a bank. The building does not operate as a bank branch and does not hold cash. Authorities report that Parrish, armed with a knife, informed an employee of his intent to rob the office.
Rapper Pras Michel was found guilty on Wednesday in federal court in Washington of 10 criminal charges connected to an international conspiracy involving efforts to influence the U.S. government.
Linda Johnson, a former general manager at a Wendy’s in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, faces charges for allegedly embezzling over $20,000 by creating a fictitious employee named William Bright. Johnson reportedly set up the "ghost employee" to siphon off wages intended for non-existent staff.
A homeowner in Queens, NY, was arrested after she changed the locks and attempted to evict three alleged squatters from her million-dollar property. The incident involved two individuals trying to forcibly remove the squatters.
Authorities have charged a Texas man with murder after he allegedly posed as a minor online to arrange a meeting with and subsequently kill a convicted sex offender.
A 22-year-old Florida woman, charged with pretending to be a 14-year-old girl to sexually assault teenage boys, will remain in jail while awaiting trial.
A recent exposé from a Russian website has shed light on the operations of a “troll factory” managed by Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. This organization is responsible for disseminating disinformation and propaganda across the internet.
Tyler Loudon, 41, has pleaded guilty to insider trading charges after making $1.76 million from nonpublic information about BP's acquisition of TravelCenters of America. Loudon, whose wife is a BP executive, admitted to eavesdropping on her work calls to gain this insider knowledge.
A group of individuals, alleged to be migrants, were apprehended in the Bronx during the early hours of Monday for a series of criminal activities across New York City, which notably involved snatching phones from women, the police revealed.
Acting on a search warrant, the New York Police Department conducted an operation at a suspected hideout, leading to the arrests of seven individuals. The apprehended suspects are anticipated to face charges related to numerous robberies and grand larcenies, with ongoing efforts to locate additional individuals involved.
Authorities have indicated that all suspects are believed to originate from Venezuela. According to law enforcement officials, these men have been connected to a string of incidents amounting to at least 62 cases where women had their belongings, including phones, grabbed from them. The modus operandi involved the suspects swiftly approaching their victims, primarily women walking alone, seizing their phones or purses, and making a swift escape.
Investigators suspect that the motive behind the phone thefts was to exploit features like Apple Pay, utilizing credit cards associated with the stolen phones to make purchases within the United States or Central America. Subsequently, the phones were reportedly dispatched to Colombia, where they were wiped clean, as per police statements. In response to these developments, NYPD Assistant Commissioner Kaz Daughtry emphasized on social media the city's commitment to apprehend those engaging in criminal activities, underlining the substantial progress made in addressing this significant robbery pattern.
These arrests mark the second notable instance involving individuals identified as migrants within the city in recent weeks. Last week, a group of asylum-seekers was arrested for assaulting police officers in Times Square, an incident that was captured on video. Authorities continue to seek additional suspects associated with the attack.
Furthermore, law enforcement agencies, in collaboration with the Manhattan district attorney's office, are investigating whether four previously released defendants, who were not held on bail, traveled to California under false identities following their release.
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A significant judgment has been ruled against a woman whose false accusation of rape led to the wrongful imprisonment of former prep football star Brian Banks. Wanetta Gibson has been ordered by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge to pay a total of $2.6 million in connection to the case.
The judgment includes a sum of $1.5 million as well as an additional $1.1 million covering fees, which encompass costs associated with the false claim and court proceedings. This ruling comes as a result of Gibson's accusation against Banks, dating back to 2002 when they were acquaintances at Long Beach Polytechnic High School.
The California Innocence Project, an organization instrumental in Banks' exoneration, provided insight into the case, shedding light on Gibson's false allegations that resulted in Banks' wrongful imprisonment.
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A Florida mother faced a costly scam after putting her home up for sale, as scammers orchestrated the removal of her driveway, leaving her with a $10,000 bill for replacement just weeks before her planned move.
Amanda Brochu listed her home in Apopka, Florida, for sale in December. Soon after, individuals arrived at her $289,000 property, attempting to measure her concrete driveway. One contractor revealed that a person named Andre had inquired about a driveway replacement quote at Brochu's address but backed out when asked for payment and proof of ownership.
As Brochu was preparing to leave for the holidays, she received a doorbell camera notification that crews were tearing up her driveway. Upon her return, she found her driveway gone, having fallen victim to a scam where scammers enlist contractors to work on homes, leaving the homeowner responsible for the bill.
The contractor Brochu confronted showed her text messages indicating that Andre had received a $7,200 quote for driveway replacement and had agreed to it but claimed he couldn't provide the deposit. Brochu contacted the Orange County Sheriff's Office, leading to an attempt to contact Andre.
Initially, Andre denied the accusations and hung up on the police, later stating it was a mistake and providing them with a supposed contractor's number, which turned out to be the Orlando airport's phone number. Subsequently, her driveway was removed, leaving a dirt track.
Unable to afford the $10,000 replacement cost, Brochu sought help. A local radio sponsor, upon learning about the incident, offered to replace the driveway for free. Brochu plans to donate the funds raised from her GoFundMe to charity.
Brochu's real estate agent, Rocki Sanchez, expressed shock at the situation and learned it might be part of a scam. The four-bedroom, two-bathroom house is currently listed on Zillow for $289,990, with a commitment to install a new driveway before closing.
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A novel ATM scam has emerged, targeting Chase Bank customers in San Francisco. In this deceptive ploy, criminals applied glue to the card reader, compelling victims to use the tap feature and subsequently draining their accounts. Despite falling prey to this scheme, customers faced denial from the bank when filing claims.
Joey Mularky, a victim of this scam, decided to take matters into his own hands after the bank rejected his claim. Recounting the incident, Mularky described how he encountered a glued card slot at a Chase Bank ATM. A helpful stranger advised him to tap his card, purportedly due to a malfunction. Unbeknownst to Mularky, this set the stage for the scammers.
Upon returning to the same ATM, Mularky withdrew $60, only to notice the same individual present again. Sensing something amiss, he proceeded with another withdrawal, and the suspicious man approached closely. The aftermath revealed multiple unauthorized withdrawals totaling $1,640 from Mularky's account.
Several other victims shared similar experiences, recounting encounters with the glued card reader and subsequent unauthorized transactions. Despite the victims' pleas, Chase Bank dismissed their claims, asserting that there was no evidence of a scam. The bank contended that customers had authorized the withdrawals.
Frustrated by the lack of assistance, Mularky undertook his investigation. He observed the same suspect lingering near the ATM and covertly recorded a video of the individual engaging in the scam with someone else. However, even armed with this evidence, Chase Bank initially refused to acknowledge it as proof of Mularky's victimization.
Upon media intervention, Chase Bank reviewed Mularky's case and issued a refund. The bank extended similar restitution to other scam victims but remained silent on its investigative processes. Chase Bank vaguely mentioned implementing changes to its ATMs for customer protection without specifying the nature of these modifications.
Victims speculated that scammers might have observed their PIN entries by exploiting the close proximity during transactions or employing hidden cameras. While relieved to have his money returned, Mularky stressed the importance of thorough investigations and adherence to legal requirements.
Consumer advocates emphasized the significance of banks incorporating surveillance video evidence in their investigations, as mandated by law. The incident sheds light on the vulnerabilities of current ATM systems and underscores the need for robust security measures to protect customers from evolving scams.
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