FraudsWatch

FraudsWatch is а site reporting on fraud and scammers on internet, in financial services and personal. Providing a daily news service publishes articles contributed by experts; is widely reported in thе latest compliance requirements, and offers very broad coverage of thе latest online theft cases, pending investigations and threats of fraud.

Illustrative image of uncut diamonds with background elements symbolizing wire fraud and legal documents, representing the Edward Carlos St. Mary III diamond fraud case.

Edward Carlos St. Mary III Indicted in Alleged Multi-Million Dollar Wire Fraud Scheme Targeting International Diamond Market

NEW YORK, NY – October 26, 2023 – A significant federal indictment was unsealed today by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, charging prominent international businessman Edward Carlos St. Mary III with multiple counts of

Edward Carlos St. Mary III Indicted in Alleged Multi-Million Dollar Wire Fraud Scheme Targeting International Diamond Market Read More »

Image depicting the extradition of Liridon Masurica and the disruption of BlackDB.cc.

The Extradition of Liridon Masurica and the Disruption of the BlackDB.cc Criminal Marketplace: A Case Study in International Cybercrime Enforcement

I. Executive Summary This report details the extradition of Liridon Masurica, allegedly known as “@blackdb,” from Kosovo to the United States to face federal charges related to his purported role as the lead administrator of BlackDB.cc, an online criminal marketplace.

The Extradition of Liridon Masurica and the Disruption of the BlackDB.cc Criminal Marketplace: A Case Study in International Cybercrime Enforcement Read More »

Shattered digital heart symbolizing emotional and financial devastation from online romance scam.

Kingsley Ibhadore Jailed: Unmasking the Deceptive Triangle of Romance Scams, Money Mules, and Financial Structuring

Introduction: The Human Cost of a Calculated Deception – The Kingsley Ibhadore Case The fight against sophisticated financial fraud claimed a small victory on May 5, 2025, when Kingsley Sebastian Ibhadore, a 40-year-old Nigerian citizen and lawful U.S. resident residing

Kingsley Ibhadore Jailed: Unmasking the Deceptive Triangle of Romance Scams, Money Mules, and Financial Structuring Read More »

Illustration showing an unstable pyramid of cash, symbolizing the William Lamar Rhew III Ponzi scheme collapse.

The Case of William Lamar Rhew III: A Legal Analysis of a Multimillion-Dollar Ponzi Scheme and Financial Fraud

Executive Summary This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the criminal enterprise orchestrated by William Lamar Rhew, III, culminating in his guilty plea on May 6, 2025, to charges of wire fraud, money laundering, securities fraud, tax evasion, and failure

The Case of William Lamar Rhew III: A Legal Analysis of a Multimillion-Dollar Ponzi Scheme and Financial Fraud Read More »

Credit Suisse DOJ guilty plea

Credit Suisse’s Repeated Failures: An Analysis of the 2025 DOJ Settlement for Offshore Tax Evasion Conspiracy

Introduction: Credit Suisse Settles Again – A Legacy of Tax Evasion and Broken Promises On May 5, 2025, a significant chapter unfolded in the long and often contentious history of U.S. efforts to combat offshore tax evasion facilitated by Swiss

Credit Suisse’s Repeated Failures: An Analysis of the 2025 DOJ Settlement for Offshore Tax Evasion Conspiracy Read More »

Image depicting federal court proceedings related to the $9.1 million VA Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits fraud scheme in Honolulu involving Brian Matsudo, Marshall Scott, and Raheem Wells.

$9.1M GI Bill Fraud: Honolulu School Owner Pleads Guilty in Scheme Exploiting Veteran Education Benefits; Two Others Face Charges

HONOLULU, HI – The owner of a Honolulu massage therapy school has pleaded guilty to federal charges, admitting his role in a complex scheme that defrauded the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of over $9.1 million intended for veteran

$9.1M GI Bill Fraud: Honolulu School Owner Pleads Guilty in Scheme Exploiting Veteran Education Benefits; Two Others Face Charges Read More »

Abstract image representing the conviction of a Louisiana nurse practitioner for telehealth and DME Medicare fraud.

Analysis of the Shanone Chatman-Ashley Healthcare Fraud Conviction: Exploitation of Telehealth and Durable Medical Equipment Schemes

Executive Summary Shanone Chatman-Ashley, a 45-year-old licensed Nurse Practitioner (NP) from Opelousas, Louisiana, was recently convicted by a federal jury for orchestrating a significant healthcare fraud scheme targeting the Medicare program. Operating between 2017 and 2019, Chatman-Ashley exploited her position

Analysis of the Shanone Chatman-Ashley Healthcare Fraud Conviction: Exploitation of Telehealth and Durable Medical Equipment Schemes Read More »

Cracking modern building facade reveals chaotic financial data and falling dollar signs within, symbolizing the Mara Investment Group hedge fund fraud and collapse.

From Quantitative Whiz to Convicted Felon: Inside Justin Murphy’s $3.5 Million Mara Investment Hedge Fund Fraud

The Fall of a Greenwich Hedge Fund Operator The world of high finance, particularly the exclusive enclave of Greenwich, Connecticut hedge funds, often conjures images of sophisticated strategies and substantial returns. It was within this environment that Justin C. Murphy,

From Quantitative Whiz to Convicted Felon: Inside Justin Murphy’s $3.5 Million Mara Investment Hedge Fund Fraud Read More »

Gavel and handcuffs on financial documents symbolizing federal sentencing for embezzlement, wire fraud conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft.

Decade of Deceit: Bookkeeper’s $1.4M Embezzlement Scheme Leads to Federal Prison – A Case Study in Fraud, Identity Theft, and Business Protection

Introduction In a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities businesses face from within, Valerie Joseph, 61, of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, was recently sentenced to 53 months in federal prison, followed by 12 months of home detention. Her conviction stemmed from

Decade of Deceit: Bookkeeper’s $1.4M Embezzlement Scheme Leads to Federal Prison – A Case Study in Fraud, Identity Theft, and Business Protection Read More »

Illustration depicting shadowy hands cutting lifeline ropes representing COVID relief programs like EIDL and MSLP, symbolizing pandemic fraud.

Exploited Lifelines: Anatomy of a Multi-Million Dollar Pandemic Relief Fraud – The Fayetteville Case

1. Introduction: Anatomy of a Pandemic Fraud – The Fayetteville Case In a Fayetteville, Arkansas federal courtroom, the carefully constructed facade of a legitimate business couple crumbled. Fawaad Welch and Julia Youngblood, both 41 and formerly residents of Northwest Arkansas,

Exploited Lifelines: Anatomy of a Multi-Million Dollar Pandemic Relief Fraud – The Fayetteville Case Read More »

Conceptual illustration of SIM unlocking fraud depicting a cracked padlock on a smartphone screen being manipulated from within, symbolizing insider threats in telecommunications cybersecurity.

Unlocking Trouble: Inside the Richard Sherman SIM Fraud Conspiracy and the Fight Against Telecom Insider Threats

I. Introduction: An Inside Job Shakes the Telecom Sector In a stark illustration of the vulnerabilities lurking within major corporations, a former employee of a multinational telecommunications company recently admitted to orchestrating a sophisticated, long-running fraud scheme. Richard Forrest Sherman,

Unlocking Trouble: Inside the Richard Sherman SIM Fraud Conspiracy and the Fight Against Telecom Insider Threats Read More »

Elderly hands holding a deceptive inheritance scam letter with a shadowy figure lurking, symbolizing the risk of elder financial exploitation.

The Phantom Fortune: Unmasking Inheritance Scams and Protecting America’s Seniors from Financial Predators

A letter arrives, perhaps bearing an official-looking crest, promising millions. It speaks of a distant relative, previously unknown, who has passed away overseas leaving behind a substantial inheritance. For the recipient, it paints a picture of unexpected, life-altering wealth. Yet,

The Phantom Fortune: Unmasking Inheritance Scams and Protecting America’s Seniors from Financial Predators Read More »

Gavel hitting a block labeled 'PPP Fraud Settlement,' illustrating the False Claims Act resolution involving Slifco Electric and COVID-19 relief funds.

Slifco Electric Pays $1.46M to Settle PPP Fraud Allegations Over Undisclosed Owner Payouts, False Certifications

DETROIT, MI – A Sterling Heights, Michigan electrical contracting firm, Slifco Electric, LLC, and its sole owner, John P. Slifco, have agreed to pay $1,460,062 to the United States government to resolve allegations of violating the False Claims Act (FCA).

Slifco Electric Pays $1.46M to Settle PPP Fraud Allegations Over Undisclosed Owner Payouts, False Certifications Read More »

Illustration depicting the Matthew Brown Elite Payroll tax fraud scheme, where over $20 million in withheld taxes were diverted to purchase luxury items like Ferraris and a yacht , leading to a federal prison sentence.

Elite Payroll Collapse: Matthew S. Brown – Analysis of a $22 Million Payroll Tax Fraud Scheme and Sentencing

Executive Summary This report details the significant payroll tax fraud scheme orchestrated by Matthew S. Brown of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, through his company Elite Payroll and other controlled businesses. Between 2014 and 2022, Brown systematically defrauded the United States

Elite Payroll Collapse: Matthew S. Brown – Analysis of a $22 Million Payroll Tax Fraud Scheme and Sentencing Read More »

Image depicting a gavel striking near a DNA helix intertwined with dollar signs, symbolizing the $6 million Genexe settlement for Medicare fraud involving medically unnecessary genetic testing and kickbacks under the False Claims Act.

Genexe, Immerge, and Executives Pay $6 Million to Settle Medicare Fraud Allegations Over Unnecessary Genetic Testing and Kickbacks

Settlement Resolves False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute Allegations Involving CGx/PGx Tests Procured Through Marketing and Telemedicine Scheme Introduction The landscape of federal healthcare fraud enforcement saw another significant development as Genexe, LLC, its parent company Immerge, Inc., Chief Executive

Genexe, Immerge, and Executives Pay $6 Million to Settle Medicare Fraud Allegations Over Unnecessary Genetic Testing and Kickbacks Read More »

Gavel rests on US currency symbolizing guilty plea in Thomas G. Ehr defense contractor tax fraud conspiracy case.

Longtime Defense Contractor Associate Thomas G. Ehr Pleads Guilty in $128 Million Tax Fraud Conspiracy Linked to Afghanistan Jet Fuel Contracts; Sixth Defendant Convicted in Major International Investigation

Introduction: Unveiling a Decade-Long Deception Affecting U.S. Treasury and Defense Operations WASHINGTON – A complex and long-running scheme designed to defraud the United States government culminated in a significant development as Thomas G. Ehr, 63, pleaded guilty in U.S. District

Longtime Defense Contractor Associate Thomas G. Ehr Pleads Guilty in $128 Million Tax Fraud Conspiracy Linked to Afghanistan Jet Fuel Contracts; Sixth Defendant Convicted in Major International Investigation Read More »