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New York Post
5 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Disgraced news achor admitted to COVID fraud scheme in text to hubby: ‘We don't quite qualify'
A former Emmy-nominated TV news anchor convicted in a billion-dollar COVID fraud scheme sent a scandalous text to her partner in crime that joked about cheating taxpayers out of taxpayer money. Stephanie Hockridge-Reis, who worked for a local station in Phoenix before becoming a fintech entrepreneur, sent the message to her husband, Nathan Reis, after applying for Payment Protection Program (PPP) loans during the height of the pandemic. 'This is us trying to apply for free money — when we don't quite qualify. lol,' she texted Reis, 47, according to a federal indictment obtained by The Arizona Republic. 5 Former TV anchor Stephanie Hockridge-Reis sent an scandalous text to her husband joking about cheating t taxpayers out of government funds. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis The couple was accused of fraudulently obtaining over $300,000 in PPP loans for themselves, including one application that falsely claimed he was a veteran and an African American. Reis took a plea deal on Monday and will be sentenced in November. Hockridge-Reis, 42, was found guilty on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in June by a jury in the Northern District of Texas. She was acquitted on four additional counts of wire fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 10. She faces up to 20 years in prison. The Post has sought comment from the duo. 5 The anchor and her husband, Nathan Reis, were convicted of a billion-dollar COVID cash scheme in June. Facebook / Stephanie Hockridge The couple's Scottsdale-based fintech firm, Blueacorn, which the couple co-founded in 2020, processed over $12.5 billion in PPP loans — with somewhere between $250 million and $300 million going to the company's ownership, including Hockridge-Reis. Blueacorn received over $1 billion in taxpayer-funded processing fees for facilitating PPP loans but spent less than 1% ($8.6 million) on fraud prevention and only $13.7 million on eligibility verification, according to a congressional investigation. The PPP was an $800 billion federal loan initiative launched in 2020 to help small businesses keep workers employed during the pandemic. It was part of a broader effort — including grants, tax credits and emergency loans — aimed at stabilizing the US economy and preventing mass business closures and layoffs. 5 The former KNXV-TV anchor claimed that her actions were a 'sincere effort to support small businesses' in navigating a chaotic government problem during an era of 'unprecedented need.' Facebook / Stephanie Hockridge Investigators claimed that the couple used the proceeds to enrich themselves personally, however. The former KNXV-TV anchor claimed that her actions were a 'sincere effort to support small businesses' in navigating a chaotic government problem during an era of 'unprecedented need.' As part of the proceedings, Congress said it obtained a video created by Reis and Hockridge-Reis showing off large amounts of cash in a bar on Dec. 21, 2021. According to public records, Reis relocated to San Juan, Puerto Rico, which has no capital gains tax, following his work at Blueacorn. 5 Reis took a plea deal over his role in the funding scandal. KPNX Another video months earlier showed Hockridge and Reis on the balcony of a luxury beachfront apartment in San Juan, The Post previously reported. A congressional report found that Blueacorn routinely failed to properly vet applicants and charged illegal 'success fees' to borrowers — violating Small Business Administration rules. The report also detailed how Blueacorn's leadership instructed staff to prioritize speed over accuracy. 5 Hockridge-Reis was once a familiar face in Arizona households. She spent seven years as an anchor at KNXV- TV, the ABC affiliate in Phoenix. Facebook / Stephanie Hockridge Hockridge-Reis was once a familiar face in Arizona households. She spent seven years as an anchor at KNXV-TV, the ABC affiliate in Phoenix, and had previously worked as a reporter for CBS News Radio in London. She was nominated for an Emmy and named 'Favorite Newscaster' by Arizona Foothills Magazine. Her conviction marks one of the highest-profile PPP fraud cases to date involving a public figure. Fraud related to COVID-19 relief programs was unprecedented in US history, with losses estimated in the hundreds of billions. The PPP, Economic Injury Disaster Loans and unemployment insurance programs were especially vulnerable — with watchdogs reporting widespread misuse, insider abuse and systemic failures in fraud prevention.
New York Post
28-06-2025
- New York Post
Hiking influencer Hannah Moody's cause of death revealed after being found dead on Arizona trail
Hiking influencer Hannah Moody's cause of death has been revealed more than a month after she was found dead near an Arizona trail. The 31-year-old, who frequently shared videos of her hiking adventures with her nearly 50,000 Instagram followers, died from environmental heat exposure, according to online records from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office. Her death was ruled accidental. Advertisement 4 Hannah Moody's death was ruled an accident after she died from enviornmental heat exposure. Instagram/@itshanrose Moody's lifeless body was found just 600 yards from the Gateway Trailhead parking lot in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve on May 22 — more than a day after she was last seen hiking in the area, the Scottsdale Police Department said at the time. Authorities launched an extensive ground and aerial search for the avid hiker after her concerned friends reported her missing on the evening of May 21 when they didn't hear from her. Advertisement 4 Search and rescue team at a trailhead. KNXV-TV 'I hope that she didn't suffer,' Moody's mom, Teri, told AZFamily. 'I hope that she was unaware of what was happening. It was preventable, which, that's kind of a hard pill to swallow.' The outlet reported that temperatures had reached 102 degrees when Moody set off on the fatal hike. Advertisement 4 Hannah was an experienced hiker who posted on her socials about her outings. The influencer, who also shared content about her faith, is remembered as a free-spirited and loyal friend, a fitness enthusiast and a fierce competitor. 4 Gateway Trailhead sign at McDowell Sonoran Preserve. KNXV-TV Advertisement 'It's still hard to picture what happened and to figure out how she was in those last moments,' her mother told the local outlet, expressing hope that her daughter's tragic death might save a life. 'I'm hoping that it wasn't all for nothing. That if one life is saved because of Hannah, then that's one life that's been saved.'
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Colombian 'burglary tourism' suspects arrested in a string of Burbank home break-ins
Seven Colombian nationals, suspected in a string of so-called "burglary tourism" home break-ins in Burbank and other Southern California cities, were arrested last week in Scottsdale, Ariz., authorities said Wednesday. The thefts appear to be part of a trend involving South American groups, whose members enter the U.S. on tourist visas and then target wealthy residences. The groups often steal jewelry and other high-value items that can be easily exchanged for cash, according to police, and may evade home security systems by using devices to interrupt Wi-Fi signals. The seven suspects were arrested in Arizona on Friday and are linked to burglaries in Burbank and other cities in California, Oregon and Washington, police said. Officials with the Burbank Police Department said in a news release that they worked with Scottsdale police to share descriptions of the suspects' cars after Burbank investigators suspected the group was headed to Arizona. Scottsdale police conducted surveillance on the group as residences were burglarized in Tempe and Mesa, Ariz. The suspects were arrested at a short-term rental in Scottsdale after police served a search warrant at the site, according to authorities. The suspects, who are being held on a $150,000 cash-only bond, are Nicolas Rojas Leon, 23, Joan Sebastian Orozco-Vargas, 26, Andres David Sanchez-Novoa, 38, Natalia Isabella Ortiz-Daza, 26, Martha Juliana Echiverri-Guzman, 28, Lady Johanna Gueito, 32, and Angie Paola Herandez-Manrique, 25, according to Burbank police. Scottsdale Police Officer Aaron Bolin said one of the female members of the group used a dog as part of the group's cover, walking a stolen French bulldog to blend in with the neighborhood while acting as a lookout. The bulldog was taken by the group during a burglary in California and was among the stolen items recovered, according to Scottsdale police. The dog is being reunited with its owner, according to police, who didn't reveal what city the dog was taken from. KNXV-TV in Phoenix showed video of officers in armored vehicles pulling up in front of a residence. Later, people can be seen sitting handcuffed on the ground. Officers are also seen trying to catch a loose French bulldog running to a neighbor's house. Several Colombian nationals suspected of being part of a South American crime ring operating in Los Angeles County were arrested last year in Glendale. Glendale police said that they found several jewelry boxes, along with a construction hard hat and a vest, which police say may have been used to get near a home without drawing attention. Last month, two members of a South American group were arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department after police found millions of dollars' worth of stolen cargo in a San Fernando Valley storage unit, according to the LAPD. About $1.2 million worth of goods, including clothing and speakers, was found in the container. Police also intercepted stolen bitcoin-mining computers, valued at $2.7 million, headed to Hong Kong as part of the operation. Times staff writer Nathan Solis contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Colombian 'burglary tourism' suspects arrested in a string of Burbank home break-ins
Seven Colombian nationals, suspected in a string of so-called "burglary tourism" home break-ins in Burbank and other Southern California cities, were arrested last week in Scottsdale, Ariz., authorities said Wednesday. The thefts appear to be part of a trend involving South American groups, whose members enter the U.S. on tourist visas and then target wealthy residences. The groups often steal jewelry and other high-value items that can be easily exchanged for cash, according to police, and may evade home security systems by using devices to interrupt Wi-Fi signals. The seven suspects were arrested in Arizona on Friday and are linked to burglaries in Burbank and other cities in California, Oregon and Washington, police said. Officials with the Burbank Police Department said in a news release that they worked with Scottsdale police to share descriptions of the suspects' cars after Burbank investigators suspected the group was headed to Arizona. Scottsdale police conducted surveillance on the group as residences were burglarized in Tempe and Mesa, Ariz. The suspects were arrested at a short-term rental in Scottsdale after police served a search warrant at the site, according to authorities. The suspects, who are being held on a $150,000 cash-only bond, are Nicolas Rojas Leon, 23, Joan Sebastian Orozco-Vargas, 26, Andres David Sanchez-Novoa, 38, Natalia Isabella Ortiz-Daza, 26, Martha Juliana Echiverri-Guzman, 28, Lady Johanna Gueito, 32, and Angie Paola Herandez-Manrique, 25, according to Burbank police. Scottsdale Police Officer Aaron Bolin said one of the female members of the group used a dog as part of the group's cover, walking a stolen French bulldog to blend in with the neighborhood while acting as a lookout. The bulldog was taken by the group during a burglary in California and was among the stolen items recovered, according to Scottsdale police. The dog is being reunited with its owner, according to police, who didn't reveal what city the dog was taken from. KNXV-TV in Phoenix showed video of officers in armored vehicles pulling up in front of a residence. Later, people can be seen sitting handcuffed on the ground. Officers are also seen trying to catch a loose French bulldog running to a neighbor's house. Several Colombian nationals suspected of being part of a South American crime ring operating in Los Angeles County were arrested last year in Glendale. Glendale police said that they found several jewelry boxes, along with a construction hard hat and a vest, which police say may have been used to get near a home without drawing attention. Last month, two members of a South American group were arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department after police found millions of dollars' worth of stolen cargo in a San Fernando Valley storage unit, according to the LAPD. About $1.2 million worth of goods, including clothing and speakers, was found in the container. Police also intercepted stolen bitcoin-mining computers, valued at $2.7 million, headed to Hong Kong as part of the operation. Times staff writer Nathan Solis contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
28-05-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Colombian ‘burglary tourism' suspects arrested in a string of Burbank home break-ins
Seven Colombian nationals, suspected in a string of so-called 'burglary tourism' home break-ins in Burbank and other Southern California cities were arrested last week in Scottsdale, Ariz., authorities said Wednesday. The thefts appear to be part of a trend involving South American groups, whose members enter the U.S. on tourist visas and then target wealthy residences. The groups often steal jewelry and other high-value items that can be easily exchanged for cash, according to police, and may evade home security systems by using devices to interrupt Wi-Fi signals. The seven suspects were arrested in Arizona on May 23 and are linked to burglaries in Burbank and other cities in California, Oregon and Washington, police said. Officials with the Burbank Police Department said in a news release that they worked with Scottsdale police to share descriptions of the suspects' cars after Burbank investigators suspected the group was headed to Arizona. Scottsdale police conducted surveillance on the group as residences were burglarized in Tempe and Mesa, Ariz. The suspects were later arrested at a short-term rental in Scottsdale on May 23 after police served a search warrant at the site, according to authorities. The suspects, who are being held on a $150,000 cash-only bond, are Nicolas Rojas Leon, 23, Joan Sebastian Orozco-Vargas, 26, Andres David Sanchez-Novoa, 38, Natalia Isabella Ortiz-Daza, 26, Martha Juliana Echiverri-Guzman, 28, Lady Johanna Gueito, 32, and Angie Paola Herandez-Manrique, 25, according to Burbank police. Scottsdale police officer Aaron Bolin said one of the female members of the group allegedly used a dog as part of the group's cover, walking a stolen French bulldog to blend in with the neighborhood while acting as a lookout, said Bolin. The bulldog was allegedly taken taken by the group during a burglary in California and was among the stolen items recovered, according to Scottsdale police. The dog is being reunited with its owner, according to police, who didn't reveal what city the dog lives in. KNXV-TV in Phoenix showed video of officers in armored vehicles pulling up in front of a residence. Later, people can be seen sitting handcuffed on the ground. Officers are also seen trying to catch a loose French bulldog running to a neighbor's house. Several Colombian nationals suspected of being part of a South American crime ring operating in Los Angeles County were arrested last year in Glendale. Glendale police said that they found several jewelry boxes, along with a construction hard hat and a vest, which police say may have been used to get near a home without drawing attention. Last month, two members of a South American group were arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department after police found millions of dollars worth of stolen cargo in a San Fernando Valley storage unit, according to the LAPD. About $1.2 million worth of goods, including clothing and speakers, was found in the container. Police also intercepted stolen bitcoin-mining computers, valued at $2.7 million, headed to Hong Kong as part of the operation. Times staff writer Nathan Solis contributed to this report.
