Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
News
'Like Watching Him Go Through Chemo': Clayton Morris Moves To Portugal With Worried Wife 'Like Watching Him Go Through Chemo': Clayton Morris Moves To Portugal With Worried Wife
'Like Watching Him Go Through Chemo': Clayton Morris Moves To Portugal With Worried Wife A former FOX News talkshow host accused of being involved in a real estate Ponzi scheme have moved out of the U.S. Clayton Morris and his wife, Natali, first left their Florham Park for Pennsylvania, but have resettled in Portugal. Morris is facing more than two dozens lawsuits saying he organized a scheme that defrauded customers for his own financial gain when he sold them rental properties that were in much worse shape than advertised. Natali wrote on her website that the media attention and accusations were taking their toll on her husband, facing dozens of lawsuits from across th…

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by Cecilia Levine
Fairfield, CT
News
CT Investment Adviser Found Guilty Of $1.5M Ponzi-Like Fraud Scene CT Investment Adviser Found Guilty Of $1.5M Ponzi-Like Fraud Scene
CT Investment Adviser Found Guilty Of $1.5M Ponzi-Like Fraud Scene A Connecticut jury has found a former investment adviser guilty on all counts of a 21-count indictment accusing him of running a Ponzi-like scheme to the tune of $1.5 million. Leon Vaccarelli, 42, has been found guilty in New Haven district court of numerous fraud and money laundering charges stemming from an elaborate investment scheme that saw him defraud more than a dozen victim investors. U.S. Attorney John Durham said that Vaccarelli, of Waterbury, was a registered representative of The Investment Center, and was an investment adviser with IC Advisory Services, Inc. He also was the own…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant, NY
News
Westchester Real Estate Developer Sentenced For Operating Ponzi Scheme, Ordered To Forfeit $58M Westchester Real Estate Developer Sentenced For Operating Ponzi Scheme, Ordered To Forfeit $58M
Westchester Real Estate Developer Sentenced For Operating Ponzi Scheme, Ordered To Forfeit $58M A real estate developer will spend time behind bars for operating a years-long $58 million Ponzi scheme that included properties in the area. Michael D’Alessio, 53, was sentenced on Friday, April 5 to six years in prison for his elaborate scheme to defraud investors in luxury real estate developments in Manhattan, the Hamptons, Westchester and elsewhere.  In addition to the prison term, D'Alessio was sentenced to three years of supervised release and order to pay forfeiture in the amount of $58,090,047. D'Alessio is the former president and CEO of real estate development firm Michael …

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by Joe Lombardi
Mount Pleasant, NY
News
Financial Adviser Admits To Stealing $11.5M From Clients Financial Adviser Admits To Stealing $11.5M From Clients
Financial Adviser Admits To Stealing $11.5M From Clients Hector May, a prominent investment adviser, has pleaded guilty to federal charges to participating in a conspiracy to defraud clients in the area out of more than $11 million. May, 77, of Orangeburg in Rockland County,  the president of Executive Compensation Planners in New York City, admitted stealing the money with the help of an unindicted co-conspirator, said Geoffrey S. Berman, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced on Thursday. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in…

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by Kathy Reakes
Hackensack, NJ
News
Ex-Bergen County Man Charged In $900G Ponzi Scheme That Funded Amazon Purchases, Cars, Golf Ex-Bergen County Man Charged In $900G Ponzi Scheme That Funded Amazon Purchases, Cars, Golf
Ex-Bergen County Man Charged In $900G Ponzi Scheme That Funded Amazon Purchases, Cars, Golf A former Bergen County man was arrested in Kansas and charged with running a foreign currency Ponzi scheme in which he stole $900,000 from at least 20 investors to pay for a luxury car, jewelry and golf, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced. Thomas Lanzana, 51 formerly of Midland Park, was charged by complaint with one count each of wire fraud and commodities fraud, Carpenito said. He made an initial appearance Wednesday in federal court -- hours after his Park City, Kansas arrest. Lanzana -- who had been living in South Carolina -- in 2013 began convincing prospective clients to invest…

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by Cecilia Levine
White Plains, NY
News
New Payoff To Thousands Of Victims Of Madoff Ponzi Scheme Totals $695 Million New Payoff To Thousands Of Victims Of Madoff Ponzi Scheme Totals $695 Million
New Payoff To Thousands Of Victims Of Madoff Ponzi Scheme Totals $695 Million Thousands of Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi Scheme victims will soon see some relief, as the Department of Justice begins the latest distribution of nearly $700 million. This week, the Madoff Victim Fund, which was established by the DOJ, began distributing $695.4 million in funds that were forfeited to the government in connection to Madoff’s scheme. The money will be distributed to more than 27,000 of Madoff’s victims, many of whom call the area home. The latest distribution marks the third in a series of payments from the Madoff Victim Fund as part of Madoff’s fraud, which totaled more than $4 bi…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant, NY
News
Westchester Developer Admits To Ponzi Scheme, Could Face Decades In Prison Westchester Developer Admits To Ponzi Scheme, Could Face Decades In Prison
Westchester Developer Admits To Ponzi Scheme, Could Face Decades In Prison A real estate developer has admitted to operating a years-long Ponzi scheme that included properties in Westchester. Michael D’Alessio, 53, has pleaded guilty to one count of committing wire fraud and one count of concealing assets from a bankruptcy court. He faces up to 20 years in prison and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines when he is sentenced on March 22 next year. The elaborate scheme involved defrauding investors of luxury real estate developments in Manhattan, the Hamptons, Westchester and other locales. D'Alessio is the former president and CEO of real estate deve…

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by Zak Failla
Armonk, NY
News
Westchester Native, Ousted WFAN Radio Host Craig Carton Found Guilty Of Ponzi Scheme Westchester Native, Ousted WFAN Radio Host Craig Carton Found Guilty Of Ponzi Scheme
Westchester Native, Ousted Wfan Radio Host Craig Carton Found Guilty Of Ponzi Scheme After just a weeklong trial, former WFAN sports talk personality and Westchester native Craig Carton has been found guilty on all counts in his fraud trial. The 49-year-old Carton, who grew up in New Rochelle, was found guilty of wire fraud, securities fraud and conspiracy for his role in a Ponzi scheme, which was aimed with an eye toward clearing gambling debt. The scheme was tied to a fake ticket scam. The trial kicked off last week on Oct. 31. Carton now faces up to 45 years in prison following the conviction. He remains released on bail. “The government is dead wrong. The government ha…

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by Zak Failla
Armonk, NY
News
Westchester Native, Ousted WFAN Radio Host Craig Carton's Trial Underway Westchester Native, Ousted WFAN Radio Host Craig Carton's Trial Underway
Westchester Native, Ousted Wfan Radio Host Craig Carton's Trial Underway Westchester native and former WFAN sports talk personality Craig Carton’s fraud trial has started this week. The 48-year-old Carton, who grew up in New Rochelle, has been charged with wire fraud, securities fraud and conspiracy for his role in an alleged Ponzi scheme, which was allegedly aimed with an eye toward clearing gambling debt. The scheme was tied to a fake ticket scam. In his opening statement, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Quigley said that Carton diverted the money to pay for gambling debt and personal expenses. Carton’s lawyers have reportedly said he is the victim of an alleg…

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by Zak Failla
Norwalk, CT
News
Investment Fund Co-Founder From Rowayton Charged In $20 Million Fraud Scheme Investment Fund Co-Founder From Rowayton Charged In $20 Million Fraud Scheme
Investment Fund Co-Founder From Rowayton Charged In $20 Million Fraud Scheme The former co-founder of a multi-million dollar hedge fund is facing charges claiming that he lied to his investors and misappropriated nearly $20 million as part of a Ponzi scheme. Jason Rhodes of Fairfield County was arrested on Tuesday morning on conspiracy, securities fraud, wire fraud, and investment adviser fraud charges.  The charges stem from his participation in an elaborate scheme to defraud investors in the hedge fund and using investor funds to repay earlier investors in a Ponzi-like manner. Beginning in November 2013, Rhodes, a resident of the village of Rowayton in Norwalk, a…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant, NY
News
Northern Westchester Hedge Fund Manager Sentenced, Ordered To Pay $22M For Ponzi Scheme Northern Westchester Hedge Fund Manager Sentenced, Ordered To Pay $22M For Ponzi Scheme
Northern Westchester Hedge Fund Manager Sentenced, Ordered To Pay $22M For Ponzi Scheme A former hedge fund manager from Northern Westchester will spend nearly a decade behind bars after defrauding 45 investors out of more than $22 million through an elaborate Ponzi scheme that allowed him to live a lavish lifestyle. Michael Scronic of Pound Ridge, the former manager of the Scronic Macro Fund has been sentenced to 96 months in prison, Geoffrey Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced on Thursday. Scronic was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and must pay $22,026,427 in restitution to his victims. Scronic, 46, admitte…

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by Zak Failla
Fairfield, CT
News
Ex-CEO, 33, Fined $9 Million, Sentenced To Prison For Digital Currency Ponzi Scheme Ex-CEO, 33, Fined $9 Million, Sentenced To Prison For Digital Currency Ponzi Scheme
Ex-ceo, 33, Fined $9 Million, Sentenced To Prison For Digital Currency Ponzi Scheme The former CEO of a virtual currency company is heading to prison and must pay more than $9 million in restitution for his role in his companies’ purported generation and sale of virtual currency that devolved into a Ponzi Scheme. Josh Garza, 33, formerly of Somers, Connecticut, was sentenced in Hartford District Court to a term of 21 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, the first six months of which he will have to spend in home confinement for his role in the multi-million dollar scheme. According to court documents and statements made in court, “virtual curren…

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by Zak Failla