Friday, May 17, 2013
Kamara lied about car theft, housing arrangements to reap more than $70K
A former Newark police officer admitted Friday he scammed his automobile insurance carrier out of more than $10,000 -- the second time this month the officer pleaded guilty in a fraud case. State Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa said Suliaman Kamara, 31, was a member of the force Feb. 23, 2009, when he called Newark police and reported his 2003 GMC Yukon had been stolen. His insurance carrier, Liberty Mutual, reimbursed him for the truck, its contents and a rental vehicle. Kamara’s scheme unravalled when the State Police found the truck parked in front of his home last March and obtained a search warrant. The car had a license plate from another vehicle. In an unrelated case, Kamara admitted in federal court May 8 that he and his wife …
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Several were arrested after police broke up weapons sale at Newark apartment last year
A South Carolina man who was among more than a dozen people arrested after Newark police disrupted an illegal arms market last year was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in jail, US Attorney Paul Fishman announced. Bevan Holston, 41, of Columbia, SC previously pleaded guilty to one count of transporting stolen firearms across state lines. On March 7, 2012, Holston and three other men drove from South Carolina to the Newark apartment of Terrell James, 23, with nearly 22 weapons, including assault rifles and semi-automatic handguns. The guns had been stolen from gun shops in Tennessee and North Carolina. Newark police, who were watching James’s S. 20th St. home, moved in and arrested several people on weapons charges ,including Holston, who was…
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Kamara owned home while wife received $60K in rental assistance
A former Newark police officer Wednesday admitted he defrauded the city housing authority so that he and his wife could continue to receive federal rental assistance, US Attorney Paul Fishman announced. Suliaman Kamara, 31, owned a home on West End Avenue between 2006 and 2011 he shared with a woman identified in court papers as “S.L.” The couple were married in 2007. S.L. qualified for so-called "Section 8" subsidies administered through the Newark Housing Authority based on her income while living at the West End Avenue home. The couple also lived at a Lincoln Avenue home between March 2009 and February 2010. While S.L. was receiving the assistance, neither she nor Kamara had disclosed they were living together or married. Housing …
Monday, April 22, 2013
Multiple Grammy winner's sentencing adjourned to May 6. Singer did not pay taxes on three years' worth of earnings.
Sentencing in the federal tax evasion case against singer Lauryn Hill, who rose to fame as part of The Fugees and for her 1998 solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, was adjourned Monday until May 6 after a dispute arose over how much she actually owes. The 37-year-old singer and South Orange resident pleaded guilty in June 2012 to failing to pay taxes on $1.8 million in income earned in 2005, 2006 and 2007. The eight-time Grammy winner earned most of that income from music and film royalties and also owned at least four businesses. Sitting in Newark federal court, Judge Madeline Cox Arleo took Hill to task for failing to pay off the more than $500,000 in federal taxes she owes despite earlier promises to do so before her …
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Third suspect already pleaded guilty earlier this year
Two city men pleaded guilty Thursday to taking part in the robbery of an Orange jewelry store last August, US Attorney Paul Fishman announced. Antonio Moore, 44, pleaded guilty to robbery and weapons charges and Charles Madison, 41, pleaded guilty to a weapons charge and for aiding in the robbery. A third suspect, David Williams, pleaded guilty in January. On Aug. 6, 2012, the three men, two of whom were armed with handguns, entered the Golden Palace jewelry store around 7 pm. After demanding jewelry at gunpoint, the three fled in a pickup truck. They were arrested after being stopped by New Jersey State Police at South Orange and Speedway avenues a short time later.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Brunson already convicted of similar crime three years ago
- POLICE & FIRE
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Tuesday, March 12
A 39-year-old Newark woman was arrested Tuesday after allegedly tricking several elderly women into providing personal information and using the data to open fraudulent credit card accounts, US Attorney Paul Fishman said in a statement. For nearly a year, from April 2012 until last month, Terrell Brunson combed phone directories searching for first names common among senior citizens, such as “Ruth.” Brunson then called the women while posing as a credit card company employee and requested information such as Social Security numbers and dates of birth. Brunson then called credit card companies and used the information she obtained to open new credit card accounts or to add herself as an authorized user of her victim’s accounts. In one …
Monday, March 4, 2013
Cooper given light fine, will serve eight months house arrest
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, March 4
A Newark businessman avoided jail time for his role in a conspiracy involving a former deputy mayor, US Attorney Paul Fishman announced Monday. Sonnie Cooper, 70, was sentenced in Trenton to two years’ probation and eight months’ home confinement for his role in the scheme, under which his company, S. Cooper Brothers Trucking, received city work due to the influence of Ronald Salahuddin, 62, who was named deputy mayor of public safety in 2006. From the time of Salahuddin’s appointment, in July 2006, through October 2007, Salahuddin and Cooper worked together to pressure another contractor to share in demolition contracts at the Prudential Center and for the city. That contractor was a cooperating government witness. Salahuddin, who was …
Friday, March 1, 2013
Works are subject of a forfeiture action involving renewable-energy swindle
- POLICE & FIRE
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Friday, March 1
The Justice Department has seized millions of dollars of artwork that had briefly been stored in a Newark warehouse, a collection which authorities claim was bought with the proceeds of a fraud involving renewable fuel credits, US Attorney Paul Fishman announced Friday. The civil forfeiture action, known as an “in rem” proceeding, does not involve criminal defendants but rather objects -- in this case, several photographs by Alvin Langdon Coburn, Alfred Stieglitz and others. All told, the government has seized 2,200 pieces valued at $15.7 million. An in rem proceeding permits lawful, innocent owners to make a claim on that property. What remains can be sold off to reimburse victims of the crime used to purchase it, the US Attorney’s said. …
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Steele took part in conspiracy with more than 100 victims
- POLICE & FIRE
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Thursday, February 21
A 26-year-old city man pleaded guilty Thursday to taking part in a conspiracy involving $1.5 million in fraudulent checks, US Attorney Paul Fishman announced. Kurtis Steele faces up to 30 years in jail and a $1 million fine when he’s sentenced May 29. Steele was among a group that stole blank checks that had been mailed to bank customers, endorsed them for various sums, then deposited them into legitimate accounts opened at TD Bank, PNC, Valley National and other institutions. The funds were withdrawn before victims and the banks were able to discover the fraud. Steele was caught on surveillance video making deposits and withdrawing funds. The ring deposited $1.5 million in phony checks stolen from 122 victims at 258 different banks. The …
Monday, February 18, 2013
May, three others took car at gunpoint
- POLICE & FIRE
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Monday, February 18
A 29-year-old Newark man was sentenced Friday to nearly 10 years in prison for his role in a 2011 carjacking in Elizabeth. Jermaine May and three other men drove to Elizabeth Jan. 25, 2011 in order to get a vehicle. When the crew spotted a 2004 Infiniti G-35 on Britton Street, May and another man approached two people standing near the Infiniti and ordered them to the ground at gunpoint. Two of the other carjackers fled in the Infiniti while May and the fourth assailant fled in their vehicle. The three other conspirators had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit carjacking, carjacking, and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. May was sentenced to concurrent 58-months prison terms on the conspiracy and …
A. Newarker
2:31 pm on Monday, May 20, 2013
Not too bright is he and his wife? more ›