Teaneck Tax Preparer Got $1.43M For Himself, $40M For Clients In COVID Scam: Indictment Teaneck Tax Preparer Got $1.43M For Himself, $40M For Clients In COVID Scam: Indictment
Teaneck Tax Preparer Got $1.43M For Himself, $40M For Clients In COVID Scam: Indictment A Teaneck tax preparer illegally collected $1.43 million for himself and $40 million for clients from the IRS by purposefully exploiting COVID-related credits that neither he nor they were entitled to, a federal indictment alleges. Leon Haynes, 50, was originally arrested on a criminal complaint last July. The investigation leading to the charges continued before a grand jury in Newark. The result: a 55-count indictment for tax evasion, preparing false returns, aggravated ID theft and mail fraud, authorities said. Haynes fraudulently sought more than $150 million from the IRS by claim…
'Ruthless' Brick City Brims Druglord From Montclair Convicted Of Three Murders, More 'Ruthless' Brick City Brims Druglord From Montclair Convicted Of Three Murders, More
'Ruthless' Brick City Brims Druglord From Montclair Convicted Of Three Murders, More The leader of a notorious Essex County street gang that dominated the region's drug trade was convicted by a federal jury of three murders, among other counts, authorities said. Michael Healy, 43, of Montclair, "ruthlessly ordered murders so that he could protect his narcotics operation and continue to sell large quantities of dangerous [drugs],” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said after federal jurors in Newark returned their verdicts on Wednesday, April 3. Healy "recruited men to kill someone he thought was an informant, and even when they killed the wrong person – a bystander – he ord…
Victims Scammed Out Of $2.2M By NJ Couple In 'Publishers Clearing House Lottery' Scheme: Cops Victims Scammed Out Of $2.2M By NJ Couple In 'Publishers Clearing House Lottery' Scheme: Cops
Victims Scammed Out Of $2.2M By NJ Couple In 'Publishers Clearing House Lottery' Scheme: Cops A couple from Secaucus is facing a litany of charges after scamming residents in multiple states out of more nearly $2.2 million, police said. Akeem Lee and Majda Hodzic-Lee called victims in Florida, Minnesota, Arizona, Kansas, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Nebraska, saying they'd won the "Publishers Clearing House Lottery," Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller said. In exchange for the vehicles and large sums of money the victims were told they won, they were required by Lee and Hodzic-Lee to send cash, money orders and/or gift cards for taxes, fees and IRS …
PA Man Goes Postal Over Undelivered Mail, Worker Bloodied At USPS: Police PA Man Goes Postal Over Undelivered Mail, Worker Bloodied At USPS: Police
PA Man Goes Postal Over Undelivered Mail, Worker Bloodied At USPS: Police A 47-year-old man is accused of seriously assaulting a US Postal Service worker over undelivered mail, Susquehanna Regional Police announced on Tuesday, March 26.  James Gordon Moore "was upset about a package not being delivered [...] Moore jumped over the counter and punched the victim in the head several times before being knocked unconscious," the USPS employee told the SRPD officers.  Officers were called to the scene of the assault at the Marietta Post Office located at 16 North New Haven Street at 12:56 p.m. on Monday, March 25. The postal worker was found "lying behind th…
Hudson Valley Duo Nabbed For Stealing Checks Worth $130K From Post Office Boxes, Police Say Hudson Valley Duo Nabbed For Stealing Checks Worth $130K From Post Office Boxes, Police Say
Hudson Valley Duo Nabbed For Stealing Checks Worth $130K From Post Office Boxes, Police Say Two men from the region have been charged with possession of stolen property and robbery for allegedly stealing more than 100 checks worth $130,000 from post office boxes. Dutchess County residents Jaiyah Shabelch, age 25, and Raheem Angus, age 25, both of Poughkeepsie, were arrested on Monday, March 11 following an investigation into the thefts. According to the Town of Poughkeepsie Police, officers were conducting surveillance of a free-standing US postal box on Raymond Avenue after several complaints of stolen checks. While watching, two people accessed the mailbox and ran away when off…
Mail Theft: Former CT Postal Carrier Admits Stealing Packages, Feds Say Mail Theft: Former CT Postal Carrier Admits Stealing Packages, Feds Say
Mail Theft: Former CT Postal Carrier Admits Stealing Packages, Feds Say A 37-year-old former Connecticut postal carrier has admitted to stealing packages while on the job, federal officials announced.  New Haven County resident Shawn Fuller of Hamden, who once worked as a US Postal Service carrier in Meriden, pleaded guilty to a mail theft offense on Friday, Feb. 16, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced.  Earlier Report - Mail Theft: Meriden Postal Carrier Charged With Stealing Packages, Distributing Cocaine According to federal officials, while working as a mail carrier, Fuller was investigated for stealing package…
Half-Baked Convict Admits To Illegally Possessing USPS 'Arrow' Keys, Stolen Checks In MD: Feds Half-Baked Convict Admits To Illegally Possessing USPS 'Arrow' Keys, Stolen Checks In MD: Feds
Half-Baked Convict Admits To Illegally Possessing USPS 'Arrow' Keys, Stolen Checks In MD: Feds A convict from Montgomery County admitted to illegally possessing USPS “arrow keys” used to open collection boxes outside a local post office, authorities announced Monday, Feb. 5. Andrew Steven Martin, 30, of Silver Spring, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of US Postal Service keys used to access US Postal Service mail receptacles, as well as being a felon in possession of ammunition, Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland said. Martin was charged following a traffic stop that led to the discovery of a bag of marijuana in the center vehicle console and a h…
Drug Kingpin Peddling Nearly Pure Meth In Virginia Convicted For 15th Time: Feds Drug Kingpin Peddling Nearly Pure Meth In Virginia Convicted For 15th Time: Feds
Drug Kingpin Peddling Nearly Pure Meth In Virginia Convicted For 15th Time: Feds A Virginia Beach man just earned himself his 15th conviction — this one federal. Malik Dillard, who guys by “Mayo,” used out-of-state methamphetamine suppliers to import bulk packages of nearly pure methamphetamine (98.6% purity) to Virginia through the U.S. Postal Service, according to Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Dillard employed a network of sub-dealers to scale and expand his methamphetamine operation across the Hampton Roads region over multiple years, Aber's office said. "Methamphetamine is a powerful, highly addictive stimulant that affec…
Postal Carrier Admits Collecting Disability While Operating Morris Travel Agency: Feds Postal Carrier Admits Collecting Disability While Operating Morris Travel Agency: Feds
Postal Carrier Admits Collecting Disability While Operating Morris Travel Agency: Feds A now-former postal service worker from Morris County admitted lying to the government to collect $155,000 in disability benefits while running her own travel agency, authorities said. Pamela VanSyckle, 60, of Oak Ridge, VanSyckle began receiving disability benefits in September 2020 for an injury that she claimed had occurred while working as a rural carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. Over the course of three years, VanSyckle continued to complete and sign "multiple federal claim forms alleging that she had not worked or had outside employment," th…
Unsolved Murder Of Postal Worker In Mamaroneck Is Focus Of National Crime Podcast Episode Unsolved Murder Of Postal Worker In Mamaroneck Is Focus Of National Crime Podcast Episode
Unsolved Murder Of Postal Worker In Mamaroneck Is Focus Of National Crime Podcast Episode The unsolved stabbing death of a 36-year-old postal worker at a Westchester residence is the subject of the latest episode of a weekly national true crime audio podcast series.  The newest episode of the true crime podcast "APB Cold Case," released on Wednesday, Jan. 10, focuses on the 2007 murder of 36-year-old Stephen Spina in Mamaroneck, which remains unsolved.  Earlier Report - Daughter Searches For Answers 10 Years After Father's Murder In Mamaroneck During the episode, listeners will get to hear from the case detective currently leading the investigation into…
Gunman Who Killed 24-Year-Old Postal Worker In Capital Region Sentenced To Prison Gunman Who Killed 24-Year-Old Postal Worker In Capital Region Sentenced To Prison
Gunman Who Killed 24-Year-Old Postal Worker In Capital Region Sentenced To Prison More than a year after a young postal worker was shot to death in the region, his killer is heading to prison. Laquan Fallen, age 24, of Albany, was sentenced to between five and 15 years in prison in Albany County Supreme Court on Friday, Dec. 1. It followed his guilty plea to manslaughter for shooting and killing 24-year-old Czsar Lewis in Albany. Earlier Report: Postal Worker From Albany Who Died At Age 24 Remembered As 'Bright Light' According to prosecutors, the two were near Central Avenue and Robin Street on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, when Fallen shot Lewis with a handgun. He was…
Pounds Of Cocaine Seized In Pennsylvania Helps Convict Last Member Of Puerto Rican Drug Ring Pounds Of Cocaine Seized In Pennsylvania Helps Convict Last Member Of Puerto Rican Drug Ring
Pounds Of Cocaine Seized In Pennsylvania Helps Convict Last Member Of Puerto Rican Drug Ring The seventh and final member of a drug smuggling ring that ran from Puerto Rico to Pennsylvania — has been convicted, according to a release by the US Department of Justice on Nov. 16.  Moniqua Ramirez, 44, has been found guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, according to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam. She was convicted at the end of a three-day jury trial before U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson on Wednesday, Nov. 15. Ramirez, along with six other Puerto Ricans conspired to smuggle kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico into Central Pennsylvania using the US Post…