Latest news with #MelindaKatz
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Major car theft ring busted in Queens stole more than 100 vehicles: D.A.
A massive and sophisticated car theft ring based in Queens that sprawled across the U.S. has been uncovered, with 20 people indicted after a years-long investigation, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Thursday. The 'massive criminal ecosystem,' which involved individuals who teamed up to steal, broker and sell the stolen vehicles using high-tech as well as traditional methods, is 'one of the biggest auto theft rings that we have seen in the last decade,' Katz said at a press conference announcing the takedown. Of the 20 people indicted, 14 are facing the top charge of criminal enterprise, which carries a sentence of up to 25 years in prison. The other individuals are variously charged with possession of stolen property, grand larceny and conspiracy, and two people are charged with weapons possession after investigators uncovered four illegal firearms in connection with the case. The three-year investigation involving the Queens D.A.'s Office, the NYPD, state police and other agencies that led to the takedown was dubbed Operation Hellcat by police, 'because it began with a pattern of thefts of Dodge Hellcats, traditionally identified by their high horsepower and noise to attract attention,' Katz said. 'This was a multistate, multimillion-dollar auto theft operation,' Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at the press conference. 'It's important to note these were not high-end luxury cars. This crew targeted regular vehicles driven by everyday New Yorkers who relied on them to get to work, to take their kids to school and just to live their lives.' Ultimately, the crooks stole 38 Acuras, 24 Hondas, 23 BMWs, 20 Dodges, three Land Rovers and several others. Wednesday, dozens of police officers in full protective gear, along with snipers, drones and a robot dog could be seen surrounding a home in Howard Beach in connection with the case, PIX11 reported. Cops later arrested a man wearing only his underwear and seized two vehicles, a Dodge Charger and a BMW sedan, according to PIX11. 'What started as a case against a motorcycle thief soon uncovered a full-fledged criminal enterprise responsible for stealing and trafficking thousands of vehicles annually, worth tens of millions of dollars,' Tisch said. 'At the heart of this operation was a career thief who recruited, trained and led a steal crew that operated with precision, transitioning from motorcycles to cars. The crew began with simple driveway steals, opportunistically breaking into open vehicles. But, as the operation evolved, so did their methods.' The crew of car thieves used a range of old-school and high-tech methods to break into and swipe the cars, ranging from screwdrivers to tracking-device disablers and electronic car fobs that allowed them to reprogram the keys and drive away in under 90 seconds, Katz said. 'After this group stole the cars, a second set of specialized defendants took over,' Katz continued. 'Two of the defendants acted as brokers for the auto theft ring. They coordinated with the thieves to sell the cars on the black market, typically soon after the thefts, in exchange for a fee. These defendants used social media, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, to advertise the stolen vehicles.' 'This was a sophisticated criminal enterprise with defined roles and a clear hierarchy,' Tisch added. 'At the center was a nine person 'steal crew,' the ones physically breaking into the cars, reprogramming key fobs and driving them away. They were connected to two brokers — middlemen who took orders, some from out of state, including Tennessee, down to the make, the model and even the color of the vehicle. Then there were the sellers, who altered VINs, forged paperwork and resold the vehicles. Finally, the buyers who would pay for the stolen vehicle and arrange for its transport,' Tisch explained. Of 126 cars allegedly stolen by this group, 44 were purchased by undercover law officers. So far, police have arrested 16 of the individuals involved. Two others are planning to surrender in the coming days and two remain at large. 'I have a message to the buyers of these vehicles,' Katz said. 'If it's too good to be true, it probably is.'
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Yahoo
NYPD cop busted for sexting ‘14-year-old-girl' hit with new Queens charges
An NYPD officer accused of sending sexually explicit messages to someone he thought was an underage girl but was actually an undercover cop is facing new charges in Queens, District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Friday. Travis Desouza, 35, was assigned to Brooklyn's 75th Precinct in 2024, where he headed the NYPD Police Explorers youth program, when he allegedly sent sexually explicit pictures and messages to an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old girl. Last October, the 13-year Police Department veteran was arrested and charged in Brooklyn Criminal Court with attempted disseminating indecent materials to minors and attempted child endangerment. He was charged again yesterday, this time in Queens, which is where the undercover officer was when, while posing as a young girl, she received his messages in a police building. Desouza was charged in Queens with attempted dissemination of indecent material to minors, official misconduct, obscenity and attempted endangering the welfare of a child, Katz said. 'As alleged, this defendant took advantage of his position with the NYPD to prey on someone he thought was a 14-year-old, who happened to be a police officer undercover on assignment,' D.A. Katz said in a statement. 'The Explorers is an amazing program and our kids need to trust and have faith in its leaders. Although he was told that the 'girl' was just 14, the defendant allegedly sent explicit content to her.' Desouza's behavior working with the Police Explorers program — for young people between the ages of 14 and 20 who are interested in law enforcement — had sparked concerns. So in October 2024 authorities sent a young-looking undercover officer to approach him in person. She identified herself as a 14-year-old girl and expressed interest in the program, according to the initial complaint. Desouza and a different undercover officer, who pretended to be the same 14-year-old girl, then exchanged contact information and he began messaging her on Snapchat. In addition to sending sexually explicit messages, he allegedly sent the undercover cop a 'photo of a man wearing boxer shorts with his hand on his genitals,' according to police. Desouza has been suspended without pay, according to police.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Taylor Swift Tickets Hackers Reportedly Arrested Amid $600k Scam
Two individuals have reportedly been accused of planning a large-scale ticket scam linked to Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. The suspects allegedly exploited a security loophole to steal nearly 900 digital tickets, reselling them for massive profits. Now, many are eager to know what happened. Here are more details about the same. Two individuals from New York have been arrested for allegedly hacking and reselling nearly 900 concert tickets, including those for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, making over $600,000. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the arrests on Thursday, stating that the suspects exploited the high demand for tickets to Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Adele concerts, among other events. They have been charged with grand larceny, computer tampering, and conspiracy. According to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, the suspects exploited a security flaw in an offshore ticket vendor's system. Two insiders at a third-party company linked to StubHub allegedly stole ticket URLs and passed them to their associates in Queens, who then resold the tickets at inflated prices. Katz said, 'According to the charges, these defendants tried to use the popularity of Taylor Swift's concert tour and other high-profile events to profit at the expense of others.' (via Deadline) The accused, Tyrone Rose and Shamara P. Simmons, now face charges including second-degree grand larceny, first-degree computer tampering, and fourth-degree conspiracy. They could face sentences ranging from three to 15 years in prison if convicted. Authorities continue to investigate the extent of the operation and potentially more conspirators. StubHub responded by stating that they immediately reported the fraudulent activity to Sutherland Global Services (SGS), their third-party customer service provider. They also claimed that they worked with law enforcement to address the issue. They shared, 'At StubHub, ensuring a safe and secure platform for our fans is our highest priority.' (via Variety) Originally reported by Disheeta Maheshwari on ComingSoon. The post Taylor Swift Tickets Hackers Reportedly Arrested Amid $600k Scam appeared first on Mandatory.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Taylor Swift Tickets Hackers Arrested Amid $600K Scam
Authorities have arrested two individuals accused of planning a large-scale ticket scam linked to 's Eras Tour. The suspects allegedly exploited a security loophole to steal nearly 900 digital tickets, reselling them for massive profits. Now, many are eager to know what happened. Here are more details about the same. Two individuals from New York have been arrested for allegedly hacking and reselling nearly 900 concert tickets, including those for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, making over $600,000. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the arrests on Thursday, stating that the suspects exploited the high demand for tickets to Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Adele concerts, among other events. They have been charged with grand larceny, computer tampering, and conspiracy. According to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, the suspects exploited a security flaw in an offshore ticket vendor's system. Two insiders at a third-party company linked to StubHub allegedly stole ticket URLs and passed them to their associates in Queens, who then resold the tickets at inflated prices. Katz said, 'According to the charges, these defendants tried to use the popularity of Taylor Swift's concert tour and other high-profile events to profit at the expense of others.' (via Deadline) The accused, Tyrone Rose and Shamara P. Simmons, now face charges including second-degree grand larceny, first-degree computer tampering, and fourth-degree conspiracy. They could face sentences ranging from three to 15 years in prison if convicted. Authorities continue to investigate the extent of the operation and potentially more conspirators. StubHub responded by stating that they immediately reported the fraudulent activity to Sutherland Global Services (SGS), their third-party customer service provider. They also claimed that they worked with law enforcement to address the issue. They shared, 'At StubHub, ensuring a safe and secure platform for our fans is our highest priority.' (via Variety) The post Taylor Swift Tickets Hackers Arrested Amid $600K Scam – Report appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
CBS News
05-03-2025
- CBS News
Taylor Swift's Eras Tour tickets stolen, resold in $600k scheme, NYC prosecutors say
Two New York City residents are facing charges for allegedly stealing and re-selling more than 900 tickets, many for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. Prosecutors say the cybertheft scheme netted more than $600,000 in profits. Other high-profile events included Adele and Ed Sheeran concerts, NBA games and the US Open Tennis Championships. Queens residents Tyrone Rose, 20, and Shamara Simmons, 31, are charged with grand larceny and computer tampering. Prosecutors say another person involved has not yet been arrested. The Queens district attorney's office said Rose was a contractor at StubHub and redirected confirmation emails so tickets could be resold. "According to the charges, these defendants tried to use the popularity of Taylor Swift's concert tour and other high-profile events to profit at the expensive of others," Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement Tuesday. "They allegedly exploited a loophole through an offshore ticket vendor to steal tickets to the biggest concert tour of the last decade and then resold those seats for an extraordinary profit of more than $600,000." StubHub released a statement, writing in part, "ensuring a safe and secure platform for our fans is our highest priority." "StubHub has since replaced or refunded all identified orders impacted and strengthened security measures to further protect our fans and sellers," the statement continued. "We appreciate the efforts of District Attorney Melinda Katz and law enforcement in bringing these individuals to justice." Ticketmaster's site crashed during the pre-sale for Swift's Eras Tour, and re-sale tickets on sites like StubHub went for upwards of $20,000. Swift told her fans at the time the glitch "really pisses me off." The international tour was the first to gross more than $1 billion.
