Latest news with #NatalieDemaree
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Credit union worker steals $300K from elderly customers' accounts in NH, feds say
National Credit union worker steals $300K from elderly customers' accounts in NH, feds say An Arkansas woman who worked for a credit union was sentenced for stealing more than $300,000 from elderly people's accounts in New Hampshire, federal prosecutors said. Getty Images/iStockPhoto An Arkansas woman who worked remotely for a New Hampshire-based credit union stole more than $300,000 from elderly customers' electronic banking accounts, federal prosecutors said. Tyra Brown, 27, was sentenced to three years in prison and three years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Hampshire said in an April 24 news release. She pleaded guilty in January to one count of wire fraud, according to court documents. 'The defendant deliberately abused her position of trust and chose to target elderly account holders, knowing some of whom were unfamiliar with electronic banking,' Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack said in the release. McClatchy News reached out to Brown's attorney April 25 but did not immediately receive a response. According to court documents, Brown was employed as a customer service representative and had access to customer account information. Between March and August 2023, she used her access to direct customer money to personal bank accounts, prosecutors said. She stole a total of more than $300,000 during that period from about 10 elderly customers, and she attempted to steal more money from them, according to court records. Brown accessed sensitive, personal information in customers' bank accounts on multiple times, including once when she spoke with two victims of a shared account then created an unauthorized online banking profile for them before wiring herself money from their accounts, per court records. She sent four wires below the $25,000 threshold as to not appear suspicious, prosecutors said. Natalie Demaree mcclatchy-newsroom Go to X Email this person 479-616-0125 Natalie Demaree is a national real time reporter covering religion and the Southeast region for McClatchy Media. She holds a master's in journalism from Columbia Journalism School and a bachelor's in journalism and political science with a specialization in African and African American Studies from the University of Arkansas.
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Bank worker used customers' personal info to steal nearly $80,000 in NC, feds say
National Bank worker used customers' personal info to steal nearly $80,000 in NC, feds say A North Carolina woman who worked as a customer call representative at a bank pleaded guilty to using customers' personal info to steal money from their accounts, federal prosecutors said. Getty Images/iStockPhoto A former customer call representative at a bank based in North Carolina admitted to using customers' personal information to steal nearly $80,000 from their accounts, federal prosecutors said. Jillian Scott, 31, pleaded guilty May 7 to bank fraud and misuse of Social Security numbers, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina said in a news release. McClatchy News reached out to Scott's attorney May 7 but did not receive an immediate response. According to court documents, Scott used her position to gain access to more than 20 State Employees Credit Union customers' accounts between November 2018 and June 2021, the length of her employment. SECU is based in Raleigh. Scott made at least 18 fake PayPal and CashApp accounts and created fraudulent bill pay checks using customer information to transfer money from their accounts to her personal accounts, prosecutors said. In total, she made 688 fraudulent CashApp transactions, 120 fake PayPal transfers and 47 false bill pay checks for a total of more than $79,480, according to court documents. McClatchy News reached out to SECU on May 7 but did not receive an immediate response. She is set to be sentenced later this year and faces up to 35 years in prison, prosecutors said. Natalie Demaree mcclatchy-newsroom Go to X Email this person 479-616-0125 Natalie Demaree is a national real time reporter covering religion and the Southeast region for McClatchy Media. She holds a master's in journalism from Columbia Journalism School and a bachelor's in journalism and political science with a specialization in African and African American Studies from the University of Arkansas.
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Son runs over and kills dad after fight over restaurant bill, Louisiana cops say
National Son runs over and kills dad after fight over restaurant bill, Louisiana cops say Luther Stowe, 64, was fatally hit by a car in the parking lot of a Mexican restaurant, Louisiana police said. Screengrab from Brown Holley Funeral Homes A Louisiana man intentionally ran over his father and killed him after arguing over who would pay the bill at a Mexican restaurant they had just eaten at, deputies said. Deputies responded to the deadly incident May 1 in the parking lot of Gonzalez Mexican Restaurant in Columbia, about a 160-mile drive northwest from Baton Rouge, the Caldwell Parish Sheriff's Office said in a news release. There they found Luther Stowe, 64, with life-threatening injuries, deputies said. He was taken to a hospital where he died. Gonzalez Mexican Restaurant declined comment when McClatchy News reached out May 7. Stowe's son, 37-year-old Lucas Stowe, is accused of waiting for his dad to come out of the restaurant and 'purposely' hitting him with a vehicle before driving away, deputies said. He was arrested and charged with second-degree homicide, according to deputies. Luther Stowe was remembered as a 'hard-worker' and a 'modern-day cowboy' in an online obituary. '(He) was human, flawed, and full of fight. But he was loved deeply and will be remembered fiercely,' the obituary said. Natalie Demaree mcclatchy-newsroom Go to X Email this person 479-616-0125 Natalie Demaree is a national real time reporter covering religion and the Southeast region for McClatchy Media. She holds a master's in journalism from Columbia Journalism School and a bachelor's in journalism and political science with a specialization in African and African American Studies from the University of Arkansas.
Miami Herald
06-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Lottery player uses late mom's birthday as numbers — and wins big. ‘Unbelievable'
National Lottery player uses late mom's birthday as numbers — and wins big. 'Unbelievable' A Maryland woman won a top lottery prize using a number combination from her late mother's birthday, lottery officials said. Getty Images/iStockphoto A Maryland lottery player won a top prize with a number combination from her late mother's birthday, lottery officials said. 'I've been thinking about my mom recently, more so than I usually do,' the Frederick County woman told the Maryland Lottery, according to a May 6 news release. '... It gave me the idea to use some numbers from her birthday.' With those numbers, the lucky player won a top prize worth $50,000 in the April 29 Pick 5 drawing, lottery officials said. 'It really was unbelievable. I went from joy to doubt and back again,' the woman told the lottery. She said she's been using the number combination for the past few weeks on lottery games, and this win marks her biggest to date, according to lottery officials. The woman said her win wasn't because of luck or random chance, but because of her mother that she won, the lottery said. The winning ticket was purchased from a gas station in Damascus, about a 40-mile drive southwest from Baltimore, lottery officials said. The odds of matching all five digits in the exact order of the winning numbers in Pick 5 are 1 in 100,000, according to the game's web page. Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families. If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website. Natalie Demaree mcclatchy-newsroom Go to X Email this person 479-616-0125 Natalie Demaree is a national real time reporter covering religion and the Southeast region for McClatchy Media. She holds a master's in journalism from Columbia Journalism School and a bachelor's in journalism and political science with a specialization in African and African American Studies from the University of Arkansas.
Miami Herald
06-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Two die after being electrocuted while working on church roof, Maryland cops say
National Two die after being electrocuted while working on church roof, Maryland cops say A deadly power line incident electrocuted two men working on the roof of a church, Maryland police said. Screengrab from WRC-TV video. Two men working on the roof of a Maryland church died after being electrocuted by a power line, police said and news outlets reported. The deadly incident happened at about 10 a.m. May 6, a spokesperson for the Prince George's County Fire Department told McClatchy News. The men, who have not been identified, were working to repair shingles on the roof of First Baptist Church of Camp Springs, WRC-TV reported. McClatchy News reached out to the church May 6 but did not receive an immediate response. According to a preliminary investigation, the fire began when a ladder touched a power line, a spokesperson for Prince George's County Police Department told McClatchy News in a May 6 email. Witnesses told WRC-TV they saw the men's bodies on fire but couldn't step in and help. It took about 45 minutes for the power company to turn off the power so emergency responders could step in, according to the outlet. McClatchy News reached out to PEPCO, the energy company, May 6 but did not receive an immediate response. A spokesperson for the company told WJLA they were aware of the incident. 'Our thoughts are with the individuals impacted by this event,' the spokesperson said, according to the outlet. 'We are working closely with local authorities as the investigation continues.' Police said the Office of the Chief Medial Examiner will decide the cause of death. Camp Springs is about a 20-mile drive southeast from Washington, D.C. Natalie Demaree mcclatchy-newsroom Go to X Email this person 479-616-0125 Natalie Demaree is a national real time reporter covering religion and the Southeast region for McClatchy Media. She holds a master's in journalism from Columbia Journalism School and a bachelor's in journalism and political science with a specialization in African and African American Studies from the University of Arkansas.
