Tag

Wire Fraud

All articles tagged with #wire fraud

politics9 days ago•188 min saved

Democrats allege Trump-linked group diverted donors from America's 250th birthday plan

A House Democratic interim report claims donors intended for the bipartisan America250 celebration were redirected, without their knowledge, to Freedom 250—a Trump-aligned group—raising potential wire fraud and charitable solicitation concerns. The 41-page document says Freedom 250, led by Trump aides, sought to sideline America250 and center the president in the fundraising, while disputes over federal funding for the celebration continue. America250 says most support comes from private sources, and a spokesperson for Freedom 250 denies the allegations as partisan. The committee says it will pursue further investigations if Democrats win the House in November.

via CNN|

#america250 #freedom250 #fundraising

politics9 days ago•71 min saved

Fraud Claims Hit Trump-Backed Great American State Fair

Democrats allege that the Trump-backed Freedom 250 defrauded donors intended for America250 by redirecting funds via wire instructions, as the Great American State Fair draws sparse crowds and raises questions about turnout for July 4 events, prompting calls for investigation.

via The Daily Beast|

#america250 #donald-j-trump #freedom-250

entertainment10 days ago•4 min saved

Keanu Reeves Testimony Helps Director Get 30-Month Sentence for Netflix Fraud

Hollywood director Carl Rinsch, 48, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for looting about $11 million from Netflix and funding a luxury lifestyle; Keanu Reeves testified in support of leniency, citing potential mental-health issues. Rinsch must repay the $11 million, enter outpatient mental-health treatment, and halt narcotics use.

via New York Post|

#carl-rinsch #entertainment #keanu-reeves

crime11 days ago•14 min saved

Ex-Director Carl Rinsch Receives 30-Month Prison Term in Netflix Fraud Case

Director Carl Erik Rinsch was sentenced to 30 months in prison after being convicted of defrauding Netflix of about $11 million. Netflix had funded a $55 million sci‑fi project, Conquest (formerly White Horse), that produced no episodes; prosecutors say Rinsch used the funds for stock market and cryptocurrency bets and to buy luxury items, including Rolls‑Royces and a Ferrari. He cited health issues, but the judge said deceit persisted and emphasized deterrence against fraud.

via Rolling Stone|

#carl-rinsch #crime #fraud

entertainment12 days ago•18 min saved

Director Carl Rinsch Sentenced to Two-and-a-Half Years in Netflix Fraud Case

Director Carl Rinsch, known for 47 Ronin, was sentenced in federal court to 30 months in prison for wire fraud and money laundering tied to defrauding Netflix of about $11 million during the production of the never-completed sci-fi series White Horse (Conquest); the judge cited his mental-health issues and letters from Reeves and others, and ordered roughly $11 million in restitution, outpatient mental-health treatment, and drug abstinence, with Rinsch to surrender on Sept. 1.

via Variety|

#carl-rinsch #entertainment #keanu-reeves

crime12 days ago•4 min saved

Indictment Alleges Bribery and Inside-Betting Scheme Tied to NBA Games

A Brooklyn federal indictment charges six individuals, including former NBA players Malik Beasley and Edward Davis and a current NBA player agent, with wire fraud conspiracy, bribery in sporting contests, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy for a scheme to fix Beasley’s performance and use non-public information to place fraudulent bets, detailing three games (Jan 26, Feb 27, and Mar 10, 2024) and alleging hundreds of thousands of dollars in wagers; if convicted, defendants face up to 20 years on wire fraud and money laundering counts and up to 5 years on bribery.

via Department of Justice (.gov)|

#bribery #crime #money-laundering

sports1 month ago•2 min saved

Rozier Hit with Bribery and Fraud Charges in Gambling Case

Federal prosecutors added bribery in sporting contests and honest services wire fraud conspiracy charges to the case against former NBA player Terry Rozier, accusing him of agreeing to a $100,000 bribe to influence a game. Rozier’s lawyers say the new charges reflect shifting theories, and note a Supreme Court ruling that could affect the fraud counts, underscoring the ongoing fallout of gambling-related investigations in the era of legalized sports betting.

via NBC Sports|

#bribery #federal-indictment #sports

technology1 month ago•6 min saved

Google Engineer Charged in $1M Polymarket Insider Trading Case

A Google security engineer, Michele Spagnuolo, was arrested in New York and charged with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering for using confidential Google data to place bets on Polymarket, earning more than $1 million—including a $1.2 million win predicting Google’s most‑searched person of 2025. Prosecutors say trades were made Oct–Dec 2025 with insider information. Google says the employee is on leave and violated policies, while Polymarket cooperated with investigators. The case underscores heightened scrutiny of insider trading on prediction markets.

via WIRED|

#commodities-fraud #google #insider-trading

crime2 months ago•4 min saved

25 Convicted in $215 Million Global Business Email Compromise Scheme

A federal jury convicted 25 defendants in a cross-border business email compromise scheme that hacked victim email accounts to steal about $215 million from more than 1,000 victims across 47 states and 19 countries. Notable convictions include Oluwafemi Awoyemi, Aruan Drake, and Peter Reed for wire fraud conspiracy, with Awoyemi and Drake also guilty of money laundering conspiracy. The case involved a network of Nigerian-linked fraud operations, laundered funds through shell accounts, and the illicit proceeds included cash, cryptocurrency, cashier’s checks, luxury items, and a Georgia residence. Investigations were led by the FBI, USPS, and Border Patrol; sentencing will occur after consideration of various factors for each defendant.

via Department of Justice (.gov)|

#business-email-compromise #crime #cybercrime

crime2 months ago•5 min saved

New Jersey father-daughter admit guilt in $2M counterfeit-art scheme

A New Jersey-based father and daughter pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and misrepresenting Native American–produced goods after selling more than 200 counterfeit artworks—including pieces attributed to Warhol, Picasso, Banksy and others—by fabricating provenance. The scheme defrauded victims of at least $2 million across galleries and auction houses in the U.S., and the pair faces up to 20 years in prison with restitution potentially up to $1.9 million.

via Fox News|

#art-fraud #counterfeit-art #crime

sports2 months ago•5 min saved

First Guilty Plea Sparks New Chapter in NBA Gambling Probe

Damon Jones pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a federal gambling case, admitting he provided non-public NBA information to bettors and helped recruit participants for rigged poker games; prosecutors say the inquiry also involves Terry Rozier, who is facing possible new charges, with Jones's sentencing scheduled for January while Rozier's case proceeds.

via Defector|

#damon-jones #gambling #nba

sports2 months ago•2 min saved

Damon Jones Pleads Guilty in Insider-Info NBA Gambling Case

Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with an insider-information-based gambling scheme, admitting he used information obtained through his former-player relationships and discussed players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis; sentencing is set for January 6, 2027, with guidelines indicating a penalty of 21 to 27 months in prison.

via NBC Sports|

#damon-jones #gambling #insider-information

law2 months ago•12 min saved

SPLC Indictment Under Fire for Vague Charges and Legal Gaps

The piece argues that the DOJ’s 11-count indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center is frail, with a weak theory that donors were misled about supporting hate groups, lacking specific misrepresentations, and failing to meet the standards required to prove fraud beyond a reasonable doubt. It critiques the wire and bank fraud counts as poorly developed, notes ambiguities around “fictitious” companies and the use of “false and misleading” statements, and compares the case to other indictments to highlight its gaps. The author calls for a Bill of Particulars and warns the government may face serious legal and tactical challenges, suggesting the indictment may not withstand scrutiny or succeed on appeal.

via Just Security|

#bank-fraud #doj-indictment #law

crime2 months ago•1 min saved

Man jailed for 3 years for stealing Kristi Noem's handbag in DC restaurant

A 50-year-old man, Mario Bustamante Leiva, was sentenced to three years in prison for stealing former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's Gucci handbag from a Washington, DC restaurant last April; the bag contained about $3,000 in cash and he pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and one count of first-degree theft, with investigators tracing him via a stolen credit-card gift card. He faces deportation after serving his sentence.

via BBC|

#crime #handbag-theft #kristi-noem

crime2 months ago•3 min saved

Federal Grand Jury Indicts SPLC Over Alleged Donor Fraud Linked to Extremist Groups

A federal grand jury indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center on 11 counts, including wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering, alleging the nonprofit diverted more than $3 million in donations to individuals tied to violent extremist groups via fictitious entities and concealed the transfers; the case seeks forfeiture of the ill-gotten gains.

via Department of Justice (.gov)|

#crime #forfeiture #indictment