Tag

Fraud

All articles tagged with #fraud

us-and-canada3 days ago•4 min saved

Jim Bakker, the televangelist who built and lost the PTL empire, dies at 86

Jim Bakker, the pioneering American televangelist who co-founded the massive PTL ministry and Heritage USA theme park with his first wife, Tammy Faye, has died at age 86. His death follows a career defined by rapid expansion in the 1980s and a subsequent collapse due to fraud and sex scandals that led to a federal prison sentence. He later returned to ministry with a focus on apocalyptic themes and health supplements, facing legal action for false pandemic claims.

via BBC|

#christianity #fraud #jim-bakker

finance7 days ago•25 min saved

SEC alleges fraud in fake pre-IPO OpenAI and SpaceX share sales

The SEC alleges that investors were defrauded when they attempted to buy pre-IPO shares of OpenAI and SpaceX, only to have their funds diverted to unrelated expenses like strip clubs and retail shopping. The agency claims the proceeds from these fraudulent transactions were used for personal luxuries rather than legitimate investment activities. This case highlights the risks associated with unregulated secondary markets for high-profile private companies. The SEC is pursuing legal action against the individuals responsible for these deceptive practices. Investors are advised to exercise extreme caution when dealing with unverified pre-IPO offers. The incident underscores the need for stricter oversight in private equity transactions. Regulatory bodies are likely to increase scrutiny on similar schemes in the future. The financial losses for victims may be significant and difficult to recover. This story serves as a warning against the allure of early-stage tech investments.

via finance.yahoo.com|

#finance #fraud #investor-scams

courts13 days ago•19 min saved

Bisnoff Convicted in $2M Smart Ring Ponzi Scheme

Michelle Bisnoff was found guilty on 22 federal counts for defrauding investors of nearly $2 million through a fake smart ring company. She falsely claimed ownership of a patent and partnerships with Apple and Roc Nation. Sentencing is scheduled for January 2027.

via Los Angeles Daily News|

#courts #federal-court #fraud

technology14 days ago•9 min saved

AI-Generated 'Pity Scams' Target Veterans with Fake Injury Stories

A wave of AI-generated 'pity scams' is exploiting social media to sell cheap goods by fabricating stories of injured veterans. British Army veteran Raymond Gilbert lost £154.99 to a TikTok account posing as a disabled ex-soldier, receiving a Chinese-made flag instead of a handmade item. Experts warn these sophisticated videos are increasingly difficult to distinguish from reality, while platforms like TikTok, Meta, and YouTube have removed flagged accounts. Charities fear the scams erode public trust in legitimate veteran support organizations.

via bbc.com|

#ai-scams #fraud #social-media

sports16 days ago•2 min saved

Alleged victim claims 49ers received fraud report months before FBI contact

An alleged victim of Daejon Love claims she reported the impostor to the San Francisco 49ers in December 2025, contradicting the team's assertion that they only learned of the scheme when the FBI contacted them in August 2026. The victim, Gwen Herndon, states she submitted a formal complaint via the team's website, naming Love and warning that he was damaging the team's reputation. The 49ers declined to confirm the existence of this exchange, while Love and his partner face fraud charges for stealing approximately $1.3 million from over 60 victims.

via nbcsports.com|

#daejon-love #fbi #fraud

politics17 days ago•4 min saved

Fraud crackdown trims ACA enrollment by hundreds of thousands

The White House said it is disenrolling about 760,000 ACA enrollees for fraudulent enrollment and will conduct additional verification on roughly 419,000 more, while suspending some brokers involved in improper signups. The move, led by Vice President Vance and a federal anti-fraud task force alongside HHS and CMS, is expected to save about $2.2 billion and reflects a broader shift to a more proactive fraud-fighting approach using data analytics to protect ACA programs.

via washingtonpost.com|

#aca #anti-fraud-task-force #enrollment

politics18 days ago•7 min saved

Autism Center Tied to Flanagan Ally Faces Medicaid Fraud Probe

The Milestone Development Center, run by Nimco Ahmed—a longtime friend of Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan—has been terminated from Medicaid and is under investigation for fraud along with Spectrum Therapy Center; both providers have appealed the termination during Minnesota’s Revalidate 2026 process, with DHS saying investigations are ongoing and details cannot be disclosed.

via Fox News|

#autism #fraud #medicaid

us-crime20 days ago•1 min saved

Dozens of Women Accuse Imposter NFL Star of $1.3 Million Fraud

The FBI says 35 additional women have come forward accusing Daejon Love, who with an accomplice posed as a San Francisco 49ers player and wealthy investor to steal about $1.3 million from victims met on dating apps. The scheme used AI-generated identities, fabricated investment accounts, and staged video calls, targeting people in California, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon from roughly Feb. 2022 until their August arrest on wire fraud charges. Authorities describe Love as nomadic with no known legitimate employment, and they urge other potential victims to come forward as prosecutors seek to recover funds.

via The Guardian|

#dating-app-scams #fake-identities #fbi

crime20 days ago•4 min saved

Imposter Darjean Love fraud victims surpass 60, FBI says

The FBI says the number of potential victims of Darjean Love, who posed as a San Francisco 49ers player to swindle people, has grown to more than 60, with Love and accomplice Taylor Chan stealing over $1.3 million through fake personas, staged video calls, and AI-generated identities; authorities urge any additional victims to come forward to help stop the scheme.

via NBC Sports|

#crime #darjean-love #fbi

business22 days ago•6 min saved

VC Funds, a House, and a Caribbean Wedding: Arrest Exposes Startup Fraud

Shiloh Luckey, founder of ComplYant, was arrested in Florida on nine counts of securities fraud, three counts of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, and two counts of money laundering, accused of misrepresenting herself as a CPA and siphoning VC funds to buy a Los Angeles home, a car, and to finance a Caribbean wedding. The case follows a $5.5 million seed round in 2022 led by Craft Ventures, a separate SEC civil action accusing revenue misrepresentation, and Luckey’s startup shutdown; prosecutors say she used check-kiting and other schemes to cover shortfalls. She faces federal court in Los Angeles after being released on bond.

via Business Insider|

#business #check-kiting #fraud

world22 days ago•25 min saved

Roblox widow says escort extorted millions from her fortune

Marianne Flippo, the widow of Roblox employee Chad Flippo, accuses Greggory Starr of manipulating her after her husband’s death and running a scheme that drained about $6 million from her inherited fortune, with attempts to take another $4 million. She has filed a Manhattan Supreme Court suit seeking the return of roughly $5.95 million she already wired, a temporary restraining order to stop further spending, and legal fees, describing a grieving period during which she says she was coerced by Starr and misled into signing contracts and other arrangements designed to control her finances.

via The Independent|

#escort #extortion #fraud

local-news22 days ago•2 min saved

Fraud allegations hit LA homelessness funding as two nonprofit workers are arrested

Federal prosecutors allege millions were siphoned from LA homelessness funding via two nonprofit workers: Michael Young, founder of Home At Last, embezzled more than $7.5 million to fund a restaurant and entertainment ventures; Lakiya Malone accepted over $180,000 in bribes from another nonprofit director; a third executive, Donye Mitchell of The Big Blue Umbrella, is being sought on wire-fraud charges for about $1.2 million in grants used for personal expenses; the case is led by a homelessness-fraud task force.

via The Guardian|

#corruption #fraud #local-news

legal23 days ago•9 min saved

Widow Alleges $6 Million Escort Scam Tied to Roblox Inventor's Death

Marianne Flippo, the widow of Roblox inventor Chad Flippo, claims she was duped by male escort Gregg Starr into signing a $10 million “Exit Agreement” and transferring about $6 million, under the influence of medications and alcohol after her husband’s death. She has filed a civil lawsuit to recover the funds and preserve assets, while Starr denies the allegations and says money went to expenses and donations; the dispute centers on alleged manipulation and ongoing efforts to recover stolen funds.

via New York Post|

#civil-lawsuit #escort-scam #fraud

real-estate23 days ago•26 min saved

Widow Buys $15.9M Manhattan Mansion to Live With Escort, Then Faces Lawsuit

A grieving widow, Marianne Flippo, spent $15.9 million to buy the landmarked James F.D. Lanier House in Manhattan’s Kips Bay to live with a male escort she later says coerced her into a bogus $10 million buyout; a Manhattan Supreme Court filing seeks to claw back funds as bank balances dwindled. The six-story, 11,638-square-foot Beaux-Arts mansion features 12 bedrooms, a wellness floor, and high monthly carrying costs (including roughly $14,000 in property taxes), while Flippo continued to split time between New Hampshire, where she has long been based.

via New York Post|

#escort #fraud #lawsuit

california23 days ago•7 min saved

LA homeless funds fraud: millions diverted to nightclub, vacations

Federal prosecutors say a Los Angeles–area homeless nonprofit worker misappropriated more than $7.5 million in taxpayer funds to finance a nightclub and luxury vacations, with two arrests tied to a broader crackdown on homelessness corruption; allegations include shell entities, ghost participants, and kickbacks, while LAHSA contracts were canceled and the probe widens.

via Los Angeles Times|

#california #federal-crimes #fraud