wire fraud

A magnifying glass focusing on a financial ledger, illustrating the importance of internal controls and vigilant oversight for preventing employee wire fraud in small businesses.

Greer Bookkeeper Jailed for $2.2M Wire Fraud: A Small Business Owner’s Guide to Detecting Embezzlement and Preventing Financial Ruin

June 23, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

In a case that serves as a chilling reminder for small business owners everywhere, Jennifer L. Bengston Cook, a 56-year-old part-time bookkeeper from Greer, South Carolina, was sentenced to three years in federal prison. For […] Read More

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

May 21, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

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 […] 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

April 30, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

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 […] 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

April 30, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

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 […] 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

April 30, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

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 […] 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

April 29, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

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 […] Read More

Matthew C. Browndorf, a California lawyer, sentenced to prison for wire fraud and money laundering after stealing over $2.4 million from client IOLTA accounts.

California Lawyer Gets 5+ Years in Federal Prison for $2.4 Million Client Fund Theft: A Case of Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and Luxury Spending

March 7, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

Matthew C. Browndorf, a 54-year-old California lawyer, has been sentenced to more than five years in federal prison for a brazen scheme that saw him siphon over $2.4 million from his clients’ trust accounts. The […] Read More

Conceptual image representing Trivikram Reddy's forfeiture of $40 million in overseas accounts after a healthcare fraud conviction. Shows stacks of US currency with an overlay of the Indian flag, symbolizing the funds' location.

Trivikram Reddy Forfeits $40M in Overseas Accounts After Massive Healthcare Fraud

March 4, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

WAXAHACHIE, TX (March 5, 2025) – Trivikram Reddy, a 43-year-old nurse practitioner from Waxahachie, Texas, has been ordered to forfeit over $40 million held in foreign bank accounts, the culmination of a years-long investigation into […] Read More

Conceptual image of hands reaching for COVID-19 relief funds, symbolizing PPP and EIDL loan fraud.

COVID-19 Relief Fraud: The Case of Casie Hynes and the $2 Million+ Scheme – A Deep Dive into Pandemic Loan Abuse

March 2, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented economic challenges, prompting the US government to launch massive relief programs like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. These initiatives, designed to keep […] Read More

Conceptual illustration of a computer network being attacked by Phobos ransomware, showing encrypted files and a ransom demand.

Phobos Ransomware Ring Busted: Roman Berezhnoy and Egor Nikolaevich Glebov Charged in $16M+ Global Cybercrime Spree

February 11, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a sweeping international operation, the U.S. Justice Department has unsealed charges against two Russian nationals accused of masterminding a global ransomware campaign that extorted over $16 million from victims, including hospitals, […] Read More

A computer screen with a dating website and a warning message about online romance fraud.

Cedric Wormely Indicted on Ten Counts of Wire Fraud in Vermont Romance Scam

February 5, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

Case Highlights Concerns About Online Romance Scams and Financial Exploitation Burlington, Vermont – A federal grand jury in Vermont has indicted Cedric Wormely, a 58-year-old resident of Birmingham, Alabama, on ten counts of wire fraud. […] Read More

Atlanta Cousins Sentenced in $2 Million+ COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme: Narcisse and Dieujuste Exploited PPP and EIDL Programs

January 29, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

Atlanta, GA – In a stark reminder of the pervasive fraud that plagued COVID-19 relief programs, two Georgia men, Johnny Narcisse and his cousin Johnson Dieujuste, have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles […] Read More

Former Politician Reginald Fullwood Jr. Sentenced

From State House to Prison: Ex-Florida Rep. Reginald Fullwood Jr.’s Decade-Long History of Fraud Culminates in 37-Month Sentence

January 24, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

From Campaign Finance Violations to Medicare Fraud: The Case of Reginald Fullwood, Jr. JACKSON, Mississippi – The saga of Reginald Fullwood Jr., a former Florida State Representative, took another dramatic turn this week as the […] Read More

Joshua and Nicole Pennington Allegedly Exploited COVID-19 Relief Programs

Joshua and Nicole Pennington Faces Justice: A Deep Dive into Multi-Million Dollar COVID-19 Relief Fraud

January 22, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges, not just in terms of public health but also in economic stability. To mitigate the financial fallout, the U.S. government implemented several relief programs, including the Economic Injury Disaster […] Read More

Scott Mason Charged in $17 Million Fraud Scheme Targeting Friends and Family: Lavish Lifestyle Funded by Decades of Deceit

January 18, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

Philadelphia, PA – A prominent Pennsylvania investment advisor, Scott Mason, 66, of Gladwyne, faces a litany of federal charges including wire fraud, securities fraud, investment advisor fraud, and filing false tax returns, after allegedly orchestrating […] Read More

The Unraveling Trust: David Smerling Accused of Embezzling Millions from Clients in Massachusetts

January 15, 2025 FraudsWatch 0

BOSTON – A case that strikes at the very heart of professional trust and fiduciary responsibility has rocked the legal and business communities in Massachusetts. David Smerling, a 74-year-old attorney from Lexington, Massachusetts, who also […] Read More

GAF Manager Accused of $1.3 Million Wire Fraud Scheme

December 2, 2024 FraudsWatch 0

Savannah, GA – GAF Materials Corporation Manager Indicted for Elaborate Wire Fraud Scheme Savannah, GA – A former manager at GAF Materials Corporation in Savannah is facing serious federal charges for allegedly orchestrating a complex […] Read More

Shielding Yourself from Wire Fraud in 2024: The Fight for Financial Security

February 9, 2024 FraudsWatch 0

Wire fraud continues to be a plague on financial transactions, and even the most tech-savvy individuals find themselves victims. Unfortunately, this trend will likely continue in 2024 as criminals get more resourceful, creating greater urgency […] Read More

Wire Fraud: Joann Johnson Davis Was Sentenced for Exploiting Her Position for Personal Gain

February 8, 2024 FraudsWatch 0

From Public Servant to Schemer: Ex-Director Exploits Housing Funds for Family and Friends Greensboro, N.C. – Joann Johnson Davis, once entrusted with helping low-income families find safe and affordable housing, was sentenced to 30 months […] Read More

Fraud

Financial Fraud: Barrie Osborne Was Charged By Indictment With Conspiracy to Commit Wire And Bank Fraud And Loan Fraud Scheme

November 28, 2021 FraudsWatch 0

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division announced that Barrie Osborne, 76, of Celebration, Florida, was charged by Indictment with […] Read More