The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
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Ridgewood NJ, you’re a grandparent, and you get a phone call or an e-mail from someone who identifies himself as your grandson. “I’ve been arrested in another country,” he says, “and need money wired quickly to pay my bail. And oh by the way, don’t tell my mom or dad because they’ll only get upset!”
Continue reading The Grandparent Scam: Don’t let it Happen to You or a Loved One
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Newark NJ, four individuals were charged for their roles in a conspiracy to receive, retitle, and “re-VIN” stolen vehicles, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Continue reading Four Individuals Charged in North Jersey Stolen Car Ring
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Lakewood NJ, an Ocean County, man today admitted committing a series of violent assaults on members of the Orthodox Jewish community in and around Lakewood, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced.
Continue reading Ocean County Man Admits He Committed a Series of Violent Assaults on Orthodox Jews
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Newark NJ,a historic and priceless English painting, “The Schoolmistress” by artist John Opie, stolen over 50 years ago by New Jersey mobsters, has been returned to its owner, Francis Wood, after a two-year FBI investigation. The painting, taken from Wood’s Newark home in 1969, was recently ruled as his rightful property by a judge in Washington County, Utah. The FBI, along with detectives from the Metropolitan Police in London, played a crucial role in the investigation. The painting, dating back to around 1784, depicts an elderly woman teaching children in a classroom in Cornwall, England. It was found in Utah in 2021, among the property of a deceased client who unwittingly purchased a house containing the stolen artwork. The painting, previously thought to be in the possession of organized crime gangs, has now been returned to the Wood family.
Continue reading Priceless Painting Returned to Owner After Being Stolen in North Jersey in 1969
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Jersey City NJ, five years ago, Mayushi Bhagat left her Jersey City apartment in pajama pants and was never seen again. Despite efforts by family and friends, including a fundraiser, to find her, there are still no answers nearly five years later. Last month, the FBI Newark Field Office announced a new $10,000 reward for information about the missing student. Mayushi, born in India on July 12, 1994, was in the U.S. on an F1 student visa, studying at the New York Institute of Technology.
Continue reading FBI Offers $10,000 Reward For Indian Tech Student Missing From North Jersey
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Cliffside Park NJ, a Cliffside Park man today admitted possession of heroin with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Continue reading Cliffside Park Dealer Admits Possession With Intent To Distribute Heroin
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Secaucus, NJ, an Iowa man was sentenced today to 94 months in prison for robbing a bank in Secaucus, New Jersey, in January 2017, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
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Ridgewood NJ, The FBI this week issued a new warning about an evolving online threat targeting minors and young adults: financially motivated sextortion.
Continue reading FBI warns about dangers Sextortion schemes targeting young adults and minors
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Closter NJ, a Closter New Jersey business owner is facing allegations of constructing an explosive device and placing it at a residence in Westchester County.
Continue reading Closter Business Owner Allegedly Sent Bomb to Intimidate a Business Associate
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Ridgewood NJ, The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) confirmed that its X account, responsible for deciding on the approval of bitcoin ETFs, experienced a compromise, as reported to CoinDesk by Nikhilesh De and Krisztian Sandor. The SEC clarified that it had not granted approval for bitcoin ETF applications, contradicting a brief statement posted on its compromised X (formerly Twitter) account.
Continue reading SEC “X” Account Hacked Briefly Before Bitcoin EFT Approval
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Trenton NJ, Karrem Nasr, a 23-year-old from New Jersey, has been arrested by the FBI on charges of attempting to provide material support to the African-based terrorist organization al Shabaab. The arrest comes after Nasr reportedly became inspired to wage Jihad following the October 7 terrorist attacks. He is accused of flying from Egypt to Kenya on December 14 with the intent of joining the terrorist organization. Nasr allegedly communicated with an FBI confidential source, expressing his strong anti-American sentiments and indicating his readiness to engage in violent jihad. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams emphasized Nasr’s willingness to kill and be killed for the jihadist cause, describing America as ‘evil’ in his statements. Nasr is expected to appear in federal court later today.
Continue reading New Jersey Man Inspired by Hamas Arrested on Terrorism Charges
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Newark NJ, FBI Newark Safe Streets Gang Task Forces based in Newark Headquarters and the North Jersey Violent Crime Task Force based at the Garret Mountain Resident Agency worked with law enforcement agencies in Hudson, Passaic and Essex Counties to organize a month-long effort titled Operation Clean House to proactively locate and arrest violent offenders in a strategic effort to address violent crime. FBI agents, task force officers, and detectives made 29 arrests beginning November 1, through December 1, 2023. The charges range from drug possession, conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin, to manslaughter and murder.
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Paterson NJ, two men have been charged in connection with their respective roles in an armed kidnapping for ransom of a Paterson, New Jersey, resident, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Continue reading Two North Jersey Men Charged with Kidnapping
Download The King of Con Audio Book
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Upper Saddle River NJ, from time to time the Ridgewood blog does book reviews and we just finished the “King of Con ” by Thomas Giacomaro and Natasha Stoynoff published in 2018 . We received a copy from the author Tom Giacomaro , the “King of Con: himself through a mutual friend in early February and finally got to reading it this past weekend .
Continue reading The King of Con by Thomas Giacomaro and Natasha Stoynoff
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West New York NJ, a West New York financial advisor was found guilty on 11 counts of defrauding public health insurance plans out of more than $4 million and transacting in the criminal proceeds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
