Tag Archives: scams

Crypto Scammer Sam Bankman-Fried Gets 25 Years

The New York Times reports: Sam Bankman-Fried, the former cryptocurrency mogul who was convicted of fraud, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Thursday, capping an extraordinary saga that upended the multi-trillion-dollar crypto industry and became a cautionary tale of greed and hubris. Mr. Bankman-Fried’s sentence was shorter than the 40 to 50 years that federal prosecutors had recommended, …

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Feds Seek 40-50 Years For Convicted Crypto Scammer

Law & Crime reports: Prosecutors said they want fallen ‘crypto king’ Sam Bankman-Fried sent to prison for up to half a century, less than the probation department’s recommended 110 years and a lot more than what his defense attorney wants — 6 1/2 years max. In the government’s 116-page sentencing memo, prosecutors said a sentence of between 40 and 50 …

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Man Charged With Trying To Scam Infamous Scammer

NBC News reports: Federal prosecutors have charged a Texas man they say tried to scam former Rep. George Santos as well as an actor, a musician and a professional athlete by falsely suggesting he could help get criminal charges dropped. Hector Medina, Jr., was arrested in his hometown of El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, and faces charges in the Eastern …

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FTC Moves To Ban AI Impersonation Of Individuals

Axios reports: Federal regulators are poised to ban the impersonation of anyone, aiming to thwart scams in an AI-driven world. An imminent onslaught of deepfake video and audio is creating a sense of urgency to protect consumers. The FTC announced Thursday that it’s proposing to modify a rule that already prevents the impersonation of government and businesses to include the …

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FCC Declares AI-Generated Voices In Robocalls Illegal

CBS News reports: The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday declared the use of voice-cloning technology in robocalls to be illegal, giving states another tool to go after fraudsters behind the calls. The ruling takes effect immediately and comes amid an increase in such calls due to technology that offers the ability to confuse people with recordings that mimic the voices …

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Donors Sue No Labels For Alleged Breach Of Contract

The New York Times reports: Two members of the powerful Durst real estate family in New York have sued the centrist group No Labels, accusing it of pulling a “bait and switch” by seeking donations for a bipartisan governing group and then moving to fund a third-party presidential candidacy. The breach of contract and “unjust enrichment” suit was filed in …

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CEO In $1.3 Billion Crypto Scam Exposed As Paid Actor

Ars Technica reports: An actor who was hired to pretend to be the highly qualified CEO of a shady, collapsed cryptocurrency hedge fund called HyperVerse has apologized after a YouTuber unmasked his real identity last week. An Englishman currently living in Thailand, Stephen Harrison confirmed that HyperVerse hired him to pose as CEO Steven Reece Lewis. Harrison told The Guardian …

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NJ’s “Seinfeld Bill” On Telemarketing Goes Into Effect

The New York Daily News reports: The new year begins with a series of new laws going into effect Monday throughout the New York area. Perhaps most notable is New Jersey’s bipartisan “Seinfeld Bill” requiring Garden State telemarketers to provide the name, mailing address, and telephone number of the company for which they’re working within 30 seconds. The inspiration for …

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Orlando Arena Sheds DeVos Family “Scamway” Name

The Orlando Sentinel reports: After a year in the market for a naming rights partner, the Magic’s home arena has a new name: Kia Center. The Magic announced the sale of its arena naming rights to Kia America on Wednesday, replacing Amway Center as the new name for the tax-payer funded venue in Orlando. The partnership will include new indoor …

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Makers Of “Ion Badge” Anti-COVID Device Once Touted By NYC Sheriff Pay $150K FTC “Deception” Settlement

The City reports: The makers of the “Invisible Mask” — which New York City Sheriff Anthony Miranda [photo] touted as a shield against COVID-19 in the weeks before Mayor Eric Adams brought him into the administration — have agreed to a $150,000 settlement following a FTC complaint that charged them with making a host of “deceptive claims.” Gary Kong, a …

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Authorities Warns Of New Holiday Gift Card Scam

The New York Daily News reports: According to authorities who uncovered the scheme during their “Operation Bad Elf” crackdown, a shocking number of gift cards were found to have been tampered with. Police say thieves have been stealing gift cards, replacing the barcodes with their own, and putting them back on the shelves. “When the consumer goes to check out, …

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Crypto CEO To Plead Guilty, Company To Pay $4.3B Fine

Bloomberg News reports: Binance Holdings Ltd.’s Chief Executive Officer Changpeng Zhao arrived in Seattle federal court Tuesday to plead guilty to anti-money laundering charges under a sweeping deal worked out with the Justice Department designed to keep the company operating. Zhao agreed to step down as part of the settlement, which included the Treasury Department and the Commodity Futures Trading …

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No Labels Floats $100 Fee To Vote At 2024 Convention

The Associated Press reports: No Labels, a political organization that has alarmed some Democrats with talk of launching a third-party presidential candidate, has contemplated requiring a donation of at least $100 in order to cast a ballot at the group’s upcoming nominating convention, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. The idea, which breaks from longstanding norms, would raise …

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Senate Hears Testimony About Scammer Who Used AI To Clone The Voice Of Man’s “Arrested” Son [VIDEO]

The Hill reports: Tech scholars and scam victims told lawmakers artificial intelligence (AI) is driving more sophisticated scams during a Senate hearing Thursday morning. Witness Gary Schildhorn testified about his experience being scammed. The scammer used AI to mimic his son’s voice. The scammer, posing as an attorney, told Schildhorn his son had been driving while drunk, caused a car …

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Amazon Warns Of Holiday Surge In Prime Scams

CBS News reports: Amazon.com is warning that scammers are just as eager as consumers to take advantage of holiday shopping deals, with bad actors trying to gain access to customers’ Prime accounts through scam emails, calls and texts. The online retailer said it has seen a surge in criminal activity involving the ecommerce platform as shoppers use Amazon to make …

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Crypto Mogul Found Guilty In $8 Billion Fraud Scheme

Reuters reports: FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty on Thursday of stealing from customers of his now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange in one of the biggest financial frauds on record, a verdict that cemented the 31-year-old former billionaire’s fall from grace. A 12-member jury in Manhattan federal court convicted Bankman-Fried on all seven counts he faced after a monthlong trial in …

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Largest US Christian College Fined $37 Million By Feds

Religion News Service reports: The country’s largest Christian university is being fined $37.7 million by the federal government amid accusations that it misled students about the cost of its graduate programs. Grand Canyon University, which has more than 100,000 students, mostly in online programs, faces the largest fine of its kind ever issued by the U.S. Education Department. The university …

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NY Sues Crypto CEOs For Alleged $1.1 Billion Scam

Via press release from New York AG Letitia James: New York Attorney General Letitia James today filed a sweeping lawsuit against cryptocurrency companies Gemini Trust Company (Gemini), Genesis Global Capital, LLC and its affiliates (Genesis), and Digital Currency Group, Inc. (DCG) for defrauding more than 230,000 investors, including at least 29,000 New Yorkers, of more than $1 billion. An investigation …

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FL “Bleach Church” COVID Cure Scammers Get 12 Years

Miami’s NBC affiliate reports: A Florida man and his three adult sons were sentenced Friday for selling a toxic industrial bleach as a fake COVID-19 cure through their online church. A federal judge in Miami sentenced Jonathan Grenon, 37, and Jordan Grenon, 29, to 12 years and seven months in prison, while Mark Grenon, 66, and Joseph Grenon, 36, each …

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SEC Sues Musk To Compel Testimony On Buying Twitter

Reuters reports: Billionaire Elon Musk is under investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over his 2022 purchase of social media giant Twitter, according to a Thursday court filing in which the agency sought to compel Musk to provide testimony. The investigation concerns whether Musk broke federal securities laws in connection with his 2022 purchases of stock in Twitter, …

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