Former sheriff's employee pleads guilty in theft, making repayment
Raymond Harris, 45, of Calumet Park, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of theft exceeding $10,000, a felony, a news release from Raoul's office.
Harris fraudulently applied for and received about $20,000 in a Paycheck Protection Program loan, according to the release.
Harris was employed by the Cook County sheriff's office in 2021 when he fraudulently applied for and a received the PPP loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration by falsely claiming that he owned a sole proprietorship business that did not exist, according to the sheriff's office.
Harris paid $2,500 in restitution upfront, with Cook County Judge Michael Pattarozzi ordering Harris to pay the remainder in $382 monthly installments and to complete two years of second chance probation, according to the news release.
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New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Curtis Sliwa is staying in the mayoral race — and in a 4-way battle, he has unique appeal
For much of New York City's business community, it's hard to take Curtis Sliwa seriously. He seems to sleep in his trademark red Guardian Angels beret. His high-octane rants in a heavily accented outer-borough brogue can be distracting. The largest sources of campaign cash barely know he's running for mayor as the fat cat class courts Eric Adams, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and even the Marxist Zohran Mamdani, who upended the race by winning the Democratic primary. Yet the last I checked, most Big Apple voters aren't fat cats. Sliwa, red beret and all, is within striking distance of frontrunners Mamdani and Cuomo, at 22%, and beating Adams handily in a four-man race, according to a recent Harris poll. 'You guys always say follow the numbers. In a four-way race, I have a path to victory because people actually like me and they have problems with the others,' Sliwa told me in an interview. Suffice to say, it's been an uneven trajectory to Sliwa's current role as the GOP mayoral candidate in a decidedly Democratic city. I have covered Sliwa's rise since I was a reporter for the Pace University newspaper back in the mid-1980s, following him and his crime-prevention troops, the aforementioned Guardian Angels. We have mutual friends and have broken bread over dinner. And yes, he was wearing his beret throughout our meals. Ever the showman, he once staged his own kidnapping to drum up publicity. He was once really kidnapped and shot three times, allegedly as payback for repeatedly attacking the mob for drug dealing. The shooting nearly took Sliwa's life, but it didn't slow him down. He kept trudging away on TV, as a radio-show host and with the Angels. He remained relevant as violent crime came back to the city during the Bill de Blasio years and then under Adams, whom Sliwa ran against and lost to by a wide margin. Money deficit He's back at it again and, according to the latest polls, has a shot. While Sliwa trails in raising money — by a lot (having pulled in just $169,000 compared with $1.5 million for Adams in the latest reporting period), his style of in-person campaigning, not in the Hamptons like Cuomo but on subways and around the five boroughs, seems to be working. In other words, he's earned the business community's attention. He says that he hasn't registered with Kathy Wylde of the NYC Partnership, the city's largest business group, who has been meeting with every candidate except Sliwa — even spending the past week listening to Mamdani's weird explanations of past socialist ravings about seizing the means of production, defunding the police and refusing to disavow globalizing the intifada. Sliwa tells me the city's power brokers are making a big mistake snubbing him because he's the only true business candidate. Keep up with today's most important news Stay up on the very latest with Evening Update. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters (Wylde says Sliwa, unlike the others, has yet to ask for a meeting.) He plans to return Midtown to a true business mecca through enhanced crime prevention and by ditching congestion pricing that is reducing retail foot traffic and hurting property values. He will cut taxes and eliminate swaths of government, like the city's education bureaucracy that does a horrible job educating kids and does a good job employing loads of bureaucrats. 'Big business is hedging its bets and moving to Florida, Texas, even Tennessee,' Sliwa said. 'It's impossible to keep them from diversifying but you have to convince them to keep what they have by getting rid of the homeless and making sure women are safe from pervs in the subway when going to work.' Brooklyn native Sliwa is a real New Yorker, a Brooklyn native who has never lived outside the city, unlike Adams or Cuomo, the son of former Gov. Mario Cuomo. He comes from a working-class family in Canarsie, which is far different from the privileged Manhattan upbringing of the silver-spooned Mamdani. Sliwa's pro-business policies are why he insists it 'behooves' the fat cats in Wylde's group 'to treat me with a modicum of respect. I am here to support small- and medium-sized businesses, as well as the Fortune 500 guys and gals who pay the bulk of our taxes.' One way to do just that is to address rising crime and keep Adams' very capable police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, in her job, he says. 'She's a saint in a cauldron of corruption,' Sliwa said, referring to the scandals that engulfed the Adams administration. 'Zohran would never exist if Adams had been a halfway decent mayor, and I'm the only person standing in the way of a complete socialist takeover of New York.' Cuomo, in Sliwa's view, is just as bad, having lost badly to Mamdani in the Democratic primary because of his own skeletons, his handling of COVID chief among them, the Republican candidate said. 'Cuomo's approvals are as bad as Adams'. People don't like them. But they like me,' he said. Mandami might be superficially likable, but he will turn the Big Apple into 'a sea of socialism and destroy the city,' according to Sliwa. More than anything, Sliwa wanted to make clear he isn't dropping out despite reports he might get a job in the Trump administration to narrow the field and prevent a Mamdani mayoralty. 'No one is going to bribe me from leaving the race,' he said. In fact, he's so committed, he pledged to put away his trademark red beret if elected. 'We realize that the beret is a recurring question,' he said. 'When elected mayor, I will retire it.'
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
Investigator says the 'most prolific' fraudsters he's ever seen are a pair of Texas singers
The behind-the-scenes reality wasn't nearly as glamorous as the show they put on. Sidhartha 'Sammy' Mukherjee and his wife Sunita built their reputation as Bollywood-style performers. Beloved in the community, the couple were more than just entertainers — they were stars. Don't miss Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it But now, investigators say they played a much darker role, one rooted not in music but in manipulation. Authorities believe more than 100 investors may have handed over money to Mukherjee for real estate deals that never existed. When dividend cheques started to bounce, suspicions grew. "They will make you believe that they are very successful businesspeople," Terry Parvaga, an alleged fraud victim, told CBS News. "But they will take every single penny you have." At first, police dismissed the complaints as civil disputes. Then a couple came forward, claiming they lost $325,000 in an investment scheme. That's when Detective Brian Brennan of the Euless Police Department took a closer look. "As I got into the case and dug into it, we realized that this was a lot larger than what initially was reported," Brennan said. Here's how it all unraveled. Paper trails and red flags At first glance, the pitch looked legit: remodeling contracts and invoices bearing the Dallas Housing Authority's name. But when Brennan called the agency to verify the deal, the illusion crumbled; there was no such project. "All fake," Brennan said. "The level of counterfeit documents … it had to be a full-time job for him to do that." A new report from IPX1031 found that nearly 30% of Americans have been scammed in 2024, and this case fits right into that growing trend. As the scheme ballooned, Brennan called in the FBI. Forensic accountants traced the cash, uncovering more than $4 million in confirmed losses. So far, 20 victims are on record, but investigators say the real number could top 100. Read more: Americans are 'revenge saving' to survive — but millions only get a measly 1% on their savings. A web of scams, not just showbiz It wasn't just real estate deals raising eyebrows. According to the arrest affidavit, the couple also used a fake company — complete with fake employees — to apply for a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan. When questioned by the FBI over lunch at a McDonald's, Mukherjee claimed he didn't recognize the names on the payroll form tied to his application — a slip-up that sent up serious red flags. And the paper trail didn't stop there. Authorities say the couple's bank accounts were also padded with funds from elderly victims who were targeted with threatening emails that falsely claimed they would go to jail unless they made payments. The FBI warns this isn't uncommon: in 2024, older Americans lost nearly $4.9 billion to fraud schemes — a 43% jump from the year before. "In [my] 23 years, [Sammy Mukherjee] is probably the most prolific fraudster I've seen," Brennan told the CBS News Texas I-Team. "Tentacles going in all different directions." Even as investigators closed in, the Mukherjees stayed in the spotlight, headlining a cultural gala under a nonprofit. One problem — tax records show the nonprofit was registered at their own home, the same place where police eventually made the arrest. The final curtain falls The spotlight has dimmed on the Mukherjees, and this time, there's no encore. The couple is now facing a first-degree felony theft charge that could put them behind bars for five to 99 years. After posting a $500,000 bond each, ICE agents showed up at their Plano home and took Sammy into custody. While the criminal case moves forward, alleged victims remain stuck in financial limbo. The Mukherjees filed for bankruptcy last year, and investigators are still following paper trails to see if any of the missing millions ended up in offshore accounts or crypto wallets. If an investment opportunity feels too good to be true — even when it comes from someone charismatic or well-connected — that's your sign to hit pause. Always verify documents, check for independent records and talk to a licensed financial advisor before sending money. If you've already fallen victim to a scam, getting your money back can be tough, and you can't undo any personal information that's been exposed. But you can take steps to limit the damage. Report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission, Better Business Bureau and any company involved, such as your bank or email provider. If you clicked on a suspicious link, run a virus scan. Change any passwords the scammer may have accessed and consider using passkeys for added protection. If you share personal or financial details, consider adding a free fraud alert or credit freeze to your credit report to help prevent further identity theft. What to read next Robert Kiyosaki warns of 'massive unemployment' in the US due to the 'biggest change' in history — and says this 1 group of 'smart' Americans will get hit extra hard. Are you one of them? How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you'll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
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Miami Herald
a day ago
- Miami Herald
Former mayoral candidate in this Broward city sentenced in PPP fraud case
A former Miramar mayoral candidate was sentenced Tuesday to three years of probation and ordered to repay more than $123,000 in federal funds after pleading guilty to fraudulently obtaining a COVID-19 relief loan. Rudy Theophin, 41, admitted in federal court to submitting a false application for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in July 2020. Prosecutors said he claimed his business employed eight people and had an annual payroll of more than $583,000. In reality, the company did not exist, and the tax documents supporting the loan were fabricated. Theophin received $123,675 through the PPP program, which was intended to help struggling small businesses during the pandemic. He used part of the funds to purchase a $255,000 condominium in Miramar. That property is now subject to federal forfeiture as part of a money judgment. Prosecutors argued for a prison sentence, citing the misuse of public funds at a time of national crisis. But U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith opted for probation, noting Theophin's lack of criminal history and longstanding community service. Several people submitted letters in support of Theophin, including David Burney, chairman of the Greater North Miami Chamber of Commerce. 'Rudy has been an unwavering advocate for young people — particularly high school students from under-resourced and under-served backgrounds,' Burney wrote. 'In his role as a mentor within our Chamber programs, he devoted countless hours to helping youth navigate their personal and academic challenges.' The court ordered Theophin to repay the full $123,675. If he fails to do so, the federal government may seize and sell the condo purchased with the loan proceeds.
