Hoboken NJ, A Hudson County, New Jersey, woman was convicted today of charges of forced labor, alien harboring for financial gain, and marriage fraud, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito and Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division announced.
Alia Imad Faleh Al Hunaity, a/k/a “Alia Al Qaternah,” 43, was found guilty on all counts of the indictment against her following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court. The jury deliberated for two hours before returning the guilty verdicts.
Hoboken NJ, A Hoboken, New Jersey, man today admitted promoting a voter bribery scheme in two city elections, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Matthew Calicchio, 28, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court to an information charging him with using the mails to promote voter bribery from 2013 to 2015 in municipal elections in Hoboken.
Defendant Conspired to Expose Millions of Internet Users to Malicious Advertisements Designed to Hack and Infect Victims’ Computers with Malware
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Newark NJ, A Ukrainian national charged with participating in a years-long, international scheme to infect computers with malware through online advertisements – so-called “malvertising” – will appear in Newark federal court today after being extradited from the Netherlands, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito for the District of New Jersey and Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division announced.
Contact a Health Care Provider if Exposure Suspected
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Newark NJ, On April 16, 2019, an international traveler from Israel who has been confirmed to have had measles — a highly contagious disease — arrived in Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport from Tel Aviv. The individual was infectious on that day and may have exposed others to measles. If you were in Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport on April 16 between 4 and 8 a.m., you may have been exposed to measles and, if infected, could develop symptoms as late as May 7.
Trenton NJ, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that five defendants pleaded guilty today in connection with criminal schemes that generated millions of dollars through illegal loansharking, unlicensed check cashing, gambling, and money laundering. The schemes were linked to the New York-based Genovese organized crime family.
The defendants were indicted in “Operation Fistful,” a joint investigation by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice and the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, conducted with assistance from the New York and Queens County District Attorneys’ Offices and other law enforcement agencies.
Trenton NJ, The New Jersey Department of Health is warning residents about a confirmed case of measles in a New York City resident who potentially exposed individuals in Middlesex and Ocean counties on April 22 and 23.
Anyone who visited the following locations may have been exposed to measles:
Elmwood Park NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrest of FRANCESCO CARAMAGNA (DOB: 04/11/1945; married; retired) of 126 Gilbert Ave., Elmwood Park, N.J. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert ANZILOTTI.
Newark NJ, An NJ Transit Police officer took this photo after patrolling Branch Brook Park Station during the week. One of the great things about being New Jersey Transit Police Officers is that our area of patrol spans the entire state. No matter where we go, there’s always something interesting to see.
Here’s a little known fact: New Jersey has more cherry trees than Washington D.C. Every spring, residents and visitors alike can see the largest cherry blossom collection in the United States.
TRENTONNJ, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that a Monmouth County man was sentenced to prison today for hacking into the private cloud-based accounts of two women and stealing sexually explicit videos and photos of them, which he posted on publicly accessible sites.
Patrick S. Farrell, 37, of Clarksburg (Millstone Township), N.J., was sentenced today to five years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Richard W. English in Monmouth County. Farrell pleaded guilty on Dec. 7, 2018 to an accusation charging him with second-degree computer theft. Deputy Attorneys General Joseph Remy and Thomas Huynh took the guilty plea and handled the sentencing for the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau. Farrell was charged in an investigation by the New Jersey State Police Troop C Criminal Investigations Office, Cyber Crimes Unit, and Digital Technology Investigations Unit, the Division of Criminal Justice, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the New Brunswick Police, and the Montclair State University Police.
NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County, New Jersey, man has been arrested and charged in connection with allegedly building and exploding a bomb, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Christopher Faschan, 31, of Landing, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count each of possession of numerous explosive/destructive devices, possession of precursor materials, and being a felon in possession of explosive materials, firearms and ammunition. He is scheduled to appear April 5, 2019, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Falk in Newark federal court.
LIVINGSTON NJ, State Senator Richard J. Codey today asked New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal to launch a criminal investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of 11 children last fall at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation.
“The facility, as admitted to by their so called “Medical Director,” had no idea how to deal with this situation, and waited far too long to get help for these kids.” Senator Codey stated in his request. “One suffering child should be enough to demand action, but it took the loss of numerous lives before the facility’s leadership took this seriously.”
East Orange NJ, An East Orange, New Jersey, man was charged today with conspiring to transact in criminal proceeds involving $2.36 million in funds obtained through a business email scheme, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Samora Patterson, 40, is charged by complaint with one count of conspiring to transact in criminal proceeds. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven C. Mannion in Newark federal court.
According to the complaint:
In March 2015, three related real estate companies entered into a multi-million dollar transaction to sell certain commercial real estate properties. “Title Company A” was the closing agent for the transaction.
Paterson NJ, A federal grand jury indicted a City of Paterson, New Jersey, police officer for conspiring to violate individuals’ civil rights by stopping and searching people in their vehicles and on the street and stealing their cash, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Eudy Ramos, 28, of Paterson, was charged in a nine-count indictment with conspiring to violate, and violating, the civil rights of individuals in Paterson, and with filing multiple false reports to conceal his criminal conduct. Ramos was previously charged by criminal complaint in April 2018. He will be arraigned in federal court on a date to be determined.
Middletown NJ, An investment manager with an office in Middletown, New Jersey, has been convicted of running a Ponzi scheme, concealing losses, faking investment returns, and stealing more than $10 million in investor money, U.S Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Vicent P. Falci, 59, of Middletown, was convicted of all four counts of a superseding indictment: three counts of wire fraud and one count of securities fraud. He was convicted Dec. 13, 2018, following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson in Trenton federal court. The jury deliberated for 90 minutes before returning the verdict.
According to the superseding indictment and evidence at trial:
Falci controlled a number of investment funds under the names “Saber Funds” and “Vicor Tax Receivables LLP.” The Saber Funds were a collection of investment funds that Falci created and operated, starting in the early 2000s. Many of his earliest victims were friends, family, and associates. Falci served as a fire chief in Middletown, and some victims were policemen, fireman, and retirement funds for first responders. The Saber Funds grew to have more than 200 investors from whom the defendant raised more than $10 million.
Falci falsely told investors that the Saber Funds were conservatively invested in tax liens – which generated high returns with little risk. In reality, Falci diverted investor money to himself, his family, and to other companies he controlled. Some of the diverted funds were used for riskier ventures, such as day trading and real estate. Falci concealed losses and his own theft from investors. Based on these misrepresentations, investors continued to entrust additional funds to Falci and left previous investments under his control.
In early 2012, Falci started the Vicor Fund, targeting wealthier investors with greater sophistication in financial affairs. The investors in the Vicor Fund included financial industry professionals, and Falci ultimately raised $20 million from these victims. He again falsely represented that he had experience and a track record of success investing in tax liens, and promised that he could produce high rates of return with little risk. In reality, the assets of the Vicor Fund were rapidly depleted by Falci’s theft.
In order to support his own lifestyle and repay investors the gains he had promised, Falci stole more than $10 million from the Vicor Fund between 2012 and 2016. At the same time, he reported fake investment gains to his investors on monthly statements. Falci concealed his theft in several ways, including by diverting funds to a fake company that he created to steal from investors. He also forged emails and reports, and created fake assets for the fund.
Each charge of wire fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge of securities fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 21, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited inspectors of U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge James V. Buthorn, with the investigation leading to today’s verdict. He also thanked the N.J. Bureau of Securities in the State Attorney General’s Office, under the direction of Attorney General Gurbir Grewal and Bureau Chief Christopher Gerrold, for its assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Herring, Chief of the Cybercrimes Unit, and Paul A. Murphy, Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Newark NJ, A 38-year-old Hungarian citizen, wanted in his home country for the offenses of theft and assault with a firearm, was removed from the United States on Thursday, December 6th, by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). ICE-ERO Officers turned Imre RACZ over to Hungarian authorities at the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport.
RACZ entered the United States as a visitor on June 10, 2016, through Miami International Airport in Miami, FL. He overstayed his authorized admission of 90 days, under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
On October 10, 2018, RACZ was arrested outside his residence in Lakewood, NJ by ICE ERO officers. On the same date, ICE issued a Final Administrative Removal Order.
“This individual’s crime history in his home country shows that he is a dangerous person who warranted removal from the community and the U.S.,” said John Tsoukaris Field Office Director for ICE ERO Newark.
