Latest news with #forgery
LBCI
3 days ago
- Business
- LBCI
Interrogation of former Lebanese Economy Minister Amin Salam postponed until next Thursday
Lebanon's top public prosecutor, Judge Jamal Al-Hajjar, has postponed until next Thursday the continuation of the interrogation of former Economy Minister Amin Salam, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA). The postponement comes after Salam's lawyer, Samer Al-Hajj, submitted documents intended to refute allegations made in a formal complaint filed by the Parliamentary Committee on Economy. The complaint alleges that the former minister committed forgery, embezzled public funds, and engaged in blackmailing insurance companies.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- RNZ News
Gang members trashed Carrington Resort: Ex-manager Belle Mumby's theft, forgery trial
Belle Mumb (inset). The former operations manager of Carrington Resort is charged with theft and forgery. Photo: Open Justice / NZME A chief executive has exposed chaos within a multimillion-dollar Northland getaway where gang members trashed the resort and a chef allegedly stole wine and urinated outside the restaurant. The revelations have emerged at a judge-alone trial in the Whangārei District Court against Belle Mumby, the former operations manager of Carrington Resort. Mumby is facing 14 theft and document forgery charges arising from her employment at the resort on the Karikari peninsula from 2018. Several of the charges relate to instances where Mumby is alleged to have forged the signature of chief executive and director Jing Ma to claim overtime. It is also alleged Mumby took advantage of her position to purchase an iPad, iPhone, AirPods, a Dyson hair dryer, CCTV home kit and a Fuji Instamatic camera from Noel Leeming. Crown lawyer Danica Soich told the court Mumby had also sold a six-tonne trailer and post rammer valued at $100,000 for $3000 and kept the money. However, Mumby's lawyer Wayne McKean said the director made up the allegations to wrongfully dismiss his client. "It is her case the CEO put her signature on the overtime form and asked her to photo copy it and use the photocopy form. "The CEO asked her to do it that way as the CEO was hardly ever around," McKean submitted. McKean also said the purchases from Noel Leeming were for the resort and the chief executive knew about the sale of the trailer and even took part of the proceeds. Jing Ma gave evidence she has worked for Carrington in various roles since 2014, managing projects and eventually became chief executive and a director in 2018. Ma said Mumby was employed as a tour guide in 2016 to look after delegations coming from China. Ma revealed an employment disciplinary procedure occurred following that position and she was let go. However, Ma said they had built a friendship and she urged the company to re-employ her as the guest co-ordinator, which they did in 2018. "That was biggest mistake I make, the others were right. I was wrong." Ma said at the time she was heavily pregnant, business was slow and the resort was facing several employment issues with staff members. "I asked Belle to just act like my eyes or like my ears and collect some information and allow me to make right decisions," Ma said through a Chinese interpreter in court. Ma said Mumby requested her role change to operations manager which Ma said she did not agree to. An employment agreement with her signature on it was presented to Ma which she claimed she had never seen and the signature was not hers. Ma said she noticed several of Mumby's overtime forms submitted during the low season would strangely exceed hours typically expected in the high season. Ma said she sent an email reminding staff overtime was to be authorised on pre-arrangement only with managers. "Did you ever sign any blank overtime forms with your signature?" Soich asked her. "No, it has to be applied for the overtime, tell me about it and when I get to resort then I will sign it," she said. "I paid her a high rate to do her job well but I found there's not much she's actually doing, she's just there but making lots of purchases as well." Ma said a disciplinary process began in 2019 after Mumby allegedly took a cash loan from the resort and travelled to Hong Kong. Ma also said when 300 gang members allegedly trashed the resort and police contacted her, Mumby brushed the incident off as "it's nothing". "What she's done was terrifying. "She told me lies everything. The chef was stealing a box of wine every day, he peed in front of the restaurant and it's all cover him up, I don't know why," Ma said. It was around this time Mumby was formally suspended from Carrington when Ma found out she had sold their trailer and post rammer. "I said to her you have been suspended because of a few things." McKean presented Ma with a signed employment agreement for operations manager yet Ma insisted she be shown the original copy which the court was unable to provide. "The operation manager was she said it (sic). It was herself gave her that title," Ma said through the interpreter. "I have said clearly to you, this agreement I did not make." McKean also put to Ma that she was never around in the weekends or public holidays when Mumby worked overtime. "Her so-called overtime, she would have a drink from the cafe sit on the winery cafe and drink it that will be her overtime," Ma said. When Ma was asked to look at the signatures on all the documents, Ma insisted the signature was one she had used 20 years ago and was not the same. The judge-alone trial is expected to finish on Friday. * This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald .
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
More than $10k stolen from Lancaster County MOD Pizza by former manager; police
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — More than $10,000 was stolen by a former manager of a MOD Pizza spot in Lancaster County, police said. Bryan Cramer, 33, of Lancaster, allegedly admitted to stealing the money while he worked at the MOD Pizza along Fruitville Pike, Manheim Township Police said Friday. Cramer had a logbook he used for the money courier to sign, so it seemed like the deposits were being made accurately, but he never showed that one to his employer. Instead, police said he would then lie about the deposit in the company's logbook and forge the courier's signature. Police file DUI, homicide by vehicle charges in fatal pedestrian crash in Carlisle Police allege he stole $10,249.91 through 32 deposits from MOD Pizza. When confronted in April, police said Cramer admitted to stealing money because of financial hardships. Cramer faces felony charges of theft by unlawful taking and forgery. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Cramer was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Courtney Monson, who set his unsecured bail at $10,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 9. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
National Post
3 days ago
- National Post
Churchill portrait thief sentenced to two years less a day in jail
OTTAWA — The Ontario man who pleaded guilty to stealing an iconic portrait of former British prime minister Winston Churchill said he committed the crime to find money to help his brother, who was experiencing mental health struggles, Justice Robert Wadden told the court during a sentencing hearing Monday. Article content Article content Jeffrey Wood kept his composure in the courtroom as Wadden told him he was being sentenced to two years less a day in jail. Article content Article content Wood admitted earlier this year that he stole the portrait from Ottawa's Chateau Laurier hotel and committed forgery. Article content Article content Renowned photographer Yousuf Karsh snapped the celebrated portrait in 1941 in the Speaker's office just after Churchill delivered a rousing wartime address to Canadian members of Parliament. Article content Karsh lived in the hotel, and operated a studio out of it, for almost two decades. He donated the Churchill portrait and six others to the hotel in 1998, when he moved out. Article content Police said the portrait was stolen from the hotel sometime between Christmas Day 2021 and Jan. 6, 2022, and replaced with a fake. Article content The swap was only discovered months later, in August, when a hotel worker noticed the frame was not hung properly. Article content The portrait was returned to the hotel after a lengthy international investigation determined it was bought at an auction in London by an Italian man who was not aware it was stolen. Article content During the sentencing hearing Monday, Wadden said Wood planned to use the money he received from selling the portrait to help his brother. Article content Article content Article content Article content Wadden said it was tricky to determine just how long Wood should serve for the crime because there is a lack of case law on similar art thefts in Canada. Article content Instead of focusing on a few domestic cases mentioned by the Crown, Wadden said he took into account international cases presented to him to help decide on the best approach. Article content Wadden said that Wood had no previous criminal record and maintained employment throughout his adulthood. Still, Wood did not help police recover the portrait, and when it was finally brought back to Canada it was damaged, Wadden said. Article content The Italian buyer forfeited the portrait when he learned it was stolen. Had he not done so, Wadden said, a major artifact of Canadian history would be lost forever. Article content 'The portrait is a reminder of the importance not just of Churchill, but of Karsh. It is a point of national pride that a portrait taken by a Canadian photographer would have achieved such fame,' Wadden said. 'There is an element of trust in our society that allows such properties to be displayed, to be enjoyed by all Canadians. To steal, damage and traffic in such property is to breach that trust.'
CTV News
4 days ago
- CTV News
Sentencing expected in case of stolen Winston Churchill portrait in Ottawa
Jeffrey Wood, centre, arrives at the Ottawa courthouse alongside Lawrence Greenspon, right, and Hannah Drennan for a hearing in Ottawa, on Friday, March 14, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Tanouye OTTAWA — The Ontario man who pleaded guilty to stealing an iconic portrait of former British prime minister Winston Churchill from Ottawa's Chateau Laurier is expected to be sentenced today in court. Jeffrey Wood entered his plea earlier this year, admitting to stealing the portrait and to knowingly committing forgery by making a false document. Renowned photographer Yousuf Karsh snapped the iconic portrait in 1941 in the Speaker's office just after Churchill delivered a rousing wartime address to Canadian lawmakers. Police said the portrait was stolen from the hotel sometime between Christmas Day 2021 and Jan. 6, 2022, and replaced with a fake. The swap was only discovered months later, in August, when a hotel worker noticed the frame was not hung properly. The portrait's return to the hotel followed a lengthy international investigation, with police determining it was bought at an auction in London by an Italian man who was unaware it was stolen. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2025. Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
