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FBI and ATF Arrest Morris County Man with Firearms and Bombs

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Newark NJ, A Morris County, New Jersey, man admitted today possessing bombs, precursor materials, and being a felon in possession of guns, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Christopher Faschan, 31, of Landing, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of unlawful possession of destructive devices and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

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Teaneck Man Admits Embezzlement from Employee Benefit Plan

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Teaneck NJ, a Bergen County, New Jersey, man today admitted that he embezzled funds from an employee benefit plan, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Howard Preschel, 63, of Teaneck, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to one count of an indictment charging him with embezzling funds from the CMG Vending Inc. Pension Trust Fund.       

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Bergen County Man Admits Exchanging Over $750,000 In Food Stamps For Cash

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Teaneck NJ, A Bergen County man admitted today that he stole more than $750,000 from the U.S. Government through a scheme to exchange government benefits for cash, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.     

Jamil Bader, 60, of Teaneck, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court to an indictment charging him with one count of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (formerly known as the food stamp program) fraud.

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Bergen County Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Distributing Images of Child Sexual Abuse

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Bergenfield NJ, A Bergen County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for distributing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Barry Goldstein, 46, of Bergenfield, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with one count of distribution of images of child sexual abuse. Judge Arleo imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

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Essex County Man Convicted Of Wire Fraud And Massive Identity Theft

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

NEWARK NJ, An Essex County, New Jersey, man was convicted for his role in a scheme to steal victims’ personal information, use it to obtain replacement credit cards and then use the cards to purchase high-value items from retailers, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.

Richard Adebayo, 42, of East Orange, New Jersey, was convicted June 27, 2019, on all counts of an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 14 counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft following a nine-day trial before Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court. The jury deliberated one day before returning the guilty verdicts.

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Former Hoboken City Council Candidate Convicted of Conspiring in Vote for Cash Bribery Scheme

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Hoboken NJ, A former candidate for the Hoboken City Council was convicted today of conspiring to promote a voter bribery scheme by use of the mail, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced. 

Francis Raia, 67, of Hoboken, New Jersey, was a candidate for Hoboken City Council in 2013. He was convicted of one count of conspiracy to violate the federal Travel Act for causing the mails to be used in aid of voter bribery, contrary to New Jersey state law, during that election. The jury deliberated for one day, following a five-day trial before Senior U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court.

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Twp. of Washington Man Arrested on Child Pornography Charge

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog’

Twp of  Washington NJ, A Bergen County, New Jersey, man was arrested and charged today with distributing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Jeffrey Laino, 37, of Washington Township, New Jersey, was arrested at his home. He is charged by complaint with one count of distributing child pornography. Laino made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor today in Newark federal court.

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Hudson County Woman Convicted of Slavery

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

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. 

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Bergen County Real Estate Developer Charged with Bank Fraud

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the staff pof the Ridgewood blog

Englewood NJ, An Englewood, New Jersey-based real estate developer today admitted his role in a conspiracy to illegally obtain nominee loans from Mariner’s Bank, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

James Demetrakis, 79, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to make false entries to deceive a financial institution and the FDIC.

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Seven Charged In Massive Health Care Fraud Scheme in New Jersey that Targeted the Elderly

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

NEWARK NJ, One of the largest health care fraud schemes investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and prosecuted by the Department of Justice resulted in charges against 24 defendants – seven of whom were charged in the District of New Jersey – including the CEOs, COOs and others associated with five telemedicine companies, the owners of dozens of durable medical equipment (DME) companies and three licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving more than $1.2 billion in loss, as well as the execution of over 80 search warrants in 17 federal districts. In addition, the Center for Medicare Services, Center for Program Integrity (CMS/CPI) announced today that it took adverse administrative action against 130 DME companies that had submitted over $1.7 billion in claims and were paid over $900 million.

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Morris County Man Charged with Bomb Making

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

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.

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Enforcer for NJ Sex Trafficking Ring Sentenced To Life Plus 20 Years On Racketeering, Murder, And Weapon Charges

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New Brunswick NJ, A New Brunswick, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to life plus 20 years in prison for his violent role in a racketeering conspiracy involving multiple brothels that employed illegal aliens throughout New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Wilmer Chavez Romero, a/k/a “Charmin,” 29, was previously convicted of all eight counts of an indictment charging him with one count each of racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to harbor aliens; two counts of using a firearm for a violent crime; and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. He was convicted following a two and a half-week trial before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls, who imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

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DOJ Charges East Orange, Title Agent With Money Laundering

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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.

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Paterson Police Officer Allegedly Targeted, Stopped, Searched Vehicles and Stole Cash

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

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.

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Two Local New Jersey Men Arraigned In Reverse Mortgage Scheme

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Mahwah NJ, A Passaic County, New Jersey, man and a Bergen County, New Jersey, man have been arraigned for their respective roles in a reverse mortgage scheme that took advantage of several elderly homeowners, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.

Rafael Peralta, 46, of Clifton, New Jersey, and Philip Puccio Jr., 40, of Mahwah, New Jersey, were indicted Feb. 8, 2019, by a federal grand jury on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and six counts of bank fraud. They were arraigned March 15, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson in Trenton federal court.

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