mail fraud

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Man Behind Decadeslong 'Psychic' Scam Learns His Fate

Patrice Runner was behind mailing of 56M letters promising personal fortunes, for a fee

(Newser) - The Canadian man who defrauded victims of $175 million via "a massive psychic mass-mailing fraud scheme" that spanned two decades was on Monday sentenced to 10 years behind bars, the Guardian reports. Patrice Runner, 57, was convicted in June after being extradited to the US to face charges. "...

'Real-Life Body-Snatching Case' Reaches Its Conclusion

Megan Hess sentenced to 20 years after pleading guilty to mail fraud

(Newser) - Prosecutors said what victims perceived as Megan Hess' lack of remorse would be considered at her January sentencing, and it apparently was. The former Colorado funeral home operator faced up to 20 years after pleading guilty in July to a count of mail fraud tied to a scheme in which...

Prosecutors: Amtrak Engineer Ran 7-Year Chain Saw Scheme

Agents say Jose Rodriguez obtained the equipment for work purposes, sold it

(Newser) - A New Jersey man who worked for Amtrak for nearly 15 years now faces up to 20 years in prison for what he admitted doing on the job. Federal officials say Jose Rodriguez of Brick, NJ, obtained equipment under the guise of needing it for projects he was doing as...

Man Accused of Selling Fake Vax Cards: 'I'm Gonna Be Rich'

Amar Shabazz of Maryland is facing charges of mail fraud, obstruction of justice

(Newser) - In April, Amar Shabazz was released from prison after time served for possession of child porn. By October, Shabazz's Maryland residence had been raided by authorities, and the 23-year-old is now facing new charges, this time for allegedly selling hundreds of fake vaccine cards, reports the New York Post...

Coupons Get Virginia Woman $400K and 12 Years in Prison

Once caught, the woman, who went by MasterChef, explained the scam to investigators

(Newser) - A Virginia Beach woman is going to prison for 12 years in a massive couponing scam. Lori Ann Talens designed counterfeit coupons at home, complete with product photos and working barcodes, the Virginian-Pilot reports. Because coupons are so widely distributed and thus don’t each have unique barcodes, they’re...

Mail Carrier Admits to Fudging Absentee Ballot Requests

USPS contractor in W. Va. pleads guilty, confesses to switching voter party affiliations

(Newser) - To boost mail-in voting amid the pandemic for the June 9 primary in West Virginia, absentee ballot applications were sent to all registered voters. At least eight of those ballot requests ended up with unwelcome changes, all at the hands of a mail carrier who now says he was just...

Loughlin's Daughter Has Something to Say

Olivia Jade Giannulli posts a fresh YouTube video

(Newser) - Olivia Jade Giannulli is back on YouTube. The daughter of Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli returned Sunday with her first video —called "hi again"—since her parents were indicted in March for allegedly taking part in the college admissions scandal, TMZ reports. They're accused of paying...

In College Admissions Brouhaha, the Longest Sentence Yet

Toby MacFarlane gets 6 months behind bars in California

(Newser) - Felicity Huffman has served her time , Lori Loughlin awaits her own fate, and an ex-California real estate executive has been hit with the longest prison sentence yet in the college admissions scandal . Per NBC News , six months behind bars was the sentence given Wednesday to Toby MacFarlane, 56, who was...

Felicity Huffman Begs Judge for No Jail Time

Prosecutors recommend a month in jail, $20K fine for actress in college admissions bribery scandal

(Newser) - Felicity Huffman pleaded guilty in May to a charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud in the college admissions bribery scandal, and now the government has handed down its recommendation for her fate. CBS News reports that federal prosecutors on Friday called for a month...

Man Accused of Making His Chicago Apartment UPS HQ

Dushaun Henderson-Spruce allegedly filled out USPS change-of-address form to get UPS mail

(Newser) - UPS headquarters is officially in Atlanta, but for a few months, it found a new home in what the Chicago Tribune last month called a tiny, "timeworn apartment" in Chicago—on paper, anyway. Per court documents cited by NPR , a fraudulent change-of-address form for UPS was submitted to the...

Rocker Faces 30 Years in Prison on Fraud Charges

Michael Davenport of The Ataris allegedly defrauded 100K people out of $27M

(Newser) - From hundreds of thousands of fans to 100,000 victims. The Santa Barbara Independent reports a pop-punk bassist is facing fraud charges and more than 30 years in prison over an alleged real estate scam. Prosecutors say Michael Davenport of The Ataris defrauded approximately 100,000 people in all 50...

Couple Admits Fleecing Amazon Out of $1.2M

Indiana duo ordered loads of stuff, and then returned it

(Newser) - An Indiana couple has admitted stealing more than $1.2 million in merchandise from Amazon in an elaborate scheme. Erin Joseph Finan, 38, and Leah Jeanette Finan, 37, pleaded guilty in federal court in Indianapolis to charges of mail fraud and money laundering in connection with the racket, the Star ...

Postal Workers Rigged Santa Program: Feds

Federal criminal charges include conspiracy and mail fraud

(Newser) - Three New York postal workers have been accused of playing the Grinch and stealing gifts destined for underprivileged children by rigging the Operation Santa program where they worked. Federal criminal charges including conspiracy and mail fraud against two current and one former postal worker were unsealed today in federal court....

Monroe Beachy, 'Amish Bernie Madoff,' Busted for Fraud
 'Amish Bernie Madoff' Busted 
Sep 16, 2011 2:21 AM CDT

'Amish Bernie Madoff' Busted

Ohio man accused of running $16.8m Ponzi scheme

(Newser) - We've had the Bernie Madoff of campaign treasurers , so now meet the Amish Madoff. A 77-year-old man in Ohio is accused of scamming thousands of investors in 29 states, mostly his fellow Amish, out of $16.8 million. Prosecutors say Monroe Beachy ran a Ponzi scheme for decades, telling...

Feds: 'Psychic' Family Scammed $40M

Claimed they spoke to God, made a fortune

(Newser) - If only they were real psychics, maybe they would have seen this coming. A Florida family has been indicted for running a psychic advice business that scammed clients out of $40 million over two decades, reports the Miami Herald . In "Operation Crystal Ball," federal prosecutors charged 10 people...

20,000 Letters Found in Missing Mailman's Garage

Some of the undelivered mail dates back to 1997

(Newser) - When a Philadelphia mailman didn't show up for work several days in a row last month, postal officials got worried. So they paid a visit to his home, little suspecting what they'd find there: roughly 20,000 undelivered and unopened pieces of mail, some dating to 1997. Paychecks, bills, and...

Madoff to Plead Guilty on 11 Counts, Faces 150 Years

(Newser) - Bernard Madoff's lawyer told a judge today his client will plead guilty later this week to 11 counts including money laundering, perjury and securities, mail and wire fraud. Prosecutors say the disgraced money manager will face up to 150 years in prison on the charges.

17 Stories