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Millionaire outsider forces runoff in Houston mayor race
HOUSTON (AP) — A millionaire Houston trial lawyer who once supported President Donald Trump forced a runoff election for mayor Tuesday night to keep alive his outsider challenge against the incumbent Democrat in Texas' biggest city.
Tony Buzbee, a former Marine who made his fortune taking down big corporations in court, had fewer votes than Mayor Sylvester Turner but denied him the outright victory needed in a crowded race of a dozen candidates to cinch a second term.
Turner needed more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff. He got almost 49%, while Buzbee finished second with 29%.
Houston is solidly Democrat, and Turner sailed into office four years ago running an unapologetically liberal campaign in a city that consistently ranks as the most racially and ethnically diverse in the country. He shepherded Houston through the devastating floods of Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and reduced the city's huge pension debt under his watch.
Read more: https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/texas/article/Houston-mayor-tests-Trump-s-unpopularity-in-14810805.php
What happened after a young Trump voter in Michigan transformed into a vegan AOC fan
PORT HURON, Mich. — Giani DiTrapani was on his way out the door when his mom called out, “You better be voting for Trump!”
She shouldn’t have worried. Giani, then a high school senior about to vote in his first presidential election, had already lined up behind the outsider candidate, even getting into a Twitter war with a fellow student council member who was criticizing Trump.
In this small waterfront city where Giani grew up, going to church and voting Republican felt like a package deal he didn’t even have to think about, like the fries and a coke that come with a hamburger.
“Most of the people in my hometown are conservative,” Giani, now 21, said. “If you’re conservative, you’re Christian, and if you’re Christian, you’re conservative.”
Read more: https://apps.bostonglobe.com/nation/politics/2019/11/voters-2020-election/michigan/port-huron/
Monmouth County Man Sentenced To Two Years In Prison For Evading More Than $2 Million In Taxes
TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for evading more than $2.3 million in personal and corporate income taxes between 2002 and 2011, and in 2015, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Tito Viteri, 41, of Cream Ridge, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson to an information charging him with one count of tax evasion. Judge Wolfson imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Since 2002, Viteri was the owner and operator of numerous commercial trucking companies that performed delivery services. Between 2002 and 2011, and in 2015, Viteri evaded the payment of more than $2 million in personal and business-related taxes by:
• “pyramiding” companies and using nominees as the purported owners of several of the companies in order to shield business assets while incurring employment tax liabilities;
• failing to file timely and accurate quarterly federal tax returns by falsely categorizing employees as independent contractors, for whom employment taxes did not have to be paid;
• receiving unreported kickback income from an employee;
• concealing personal income and assets by using nominees, and depositing substantial amounts of income into nominee bank accounts and failing to report that income on his personal tax returns.
Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/monmouth-county-man-sentenced-two-years-prison-evading-more-2-million-taxes
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty To Fraud In Multi-Million Dollar Nationwide Ponzi Scheme
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Perry Santillo, age 39, of Rochester, New York, pleaded guilty on November 4, 2019, to mail fraud.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Santillo admitted to defrauding investors around the country as part of a Ponzi scheme that included victims in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Santillo admitted as part of his plea that the scheme took in approximately $115 million in fraudulent investments, and resulted in a total loss to investors of $70.7 million.
Perry Santillo was a founder, member, manager, and CEO of First Nationle Solution, LLC. Santillo offered and sold securities in First Nationle, Percipience Global Corporation, United RL Capital Services LLC, and other issuers to investors. Santillo also provided investment advice to those same investors.
In fact, First Nationle, Percipience Global and United RL did not conduct their purported businesses. Rather, Santillo and others working with him operated each business primarily as a Ponzi scheme by issuing securities in the form of promissory notes, soliciting and then misappropriating substantial amounts of investor funds, and using some remaining investor funds to pay off redeeming investors.
Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/rochester-man-pleads-guilty-fraud-multi-million-dollar-nationwide-ponzi-scheme
Owner of North Reading Restaurant Sentenced for Failing to Report $1.9 Million in Business Receipts
BOSTON – The owner of Mike’s Famous Roast Beef & Pizza in North Reading was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for committing tax fraud by failing to report approximately $1.9 million in business receipts.
Emanuel Panousos, a/k/a Mike Panousos, 44, of Peabody, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 21 months in prison, one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a fine of $7,500 and restitution of $387,180. In May 2019, Panousos pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and assisting in filing false corporate tax returns.
From 2013 through 2015, Panousos skimmed business cash receipts totaling about $1.9 million, and failed to report those cash receipts to his tax preparer or on the restaurant’s corporate tax returns. As a result, Panousos avoided paying both corporate and personal taxes totaling approximately $387,180 during those years.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Balthazard of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/owner-north-reading-restaurant-sentenced-failing-report-19-million-business-receipts
Home Health Companies to Pay $2.5 Million to Settle Federal False Claims Act Lawsuit
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that Louisiana-based home health companies Health Care Options, Inc. and Health Care Options of Lafayette, Inc.; Texas-based Home Care Options Houston, Inc.; and Howard D. Austin, II, have agreed to settle a civil fraud complaint filed under the federal False Claims Act by paying $2.5 million to the United States.
The settlement resolves allegations that, between 2011 and 2018, the defendants defrauded the Medicare and Louisiana Medicaid programs by submitting false and fraudulent claims for payment for home health services without required face-to-face encounters between patients and physicians.
“The United States expects companies and individuals serving Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, including people in need of home health care, to fully comply with all requirements of those programs,” said U.S. Attorney Fremin. “This case highlights our commitment to aggressively pursue anyone trying to avoid their obligations to the Government and to health care patients. I want to thank our Assistant U.S. Attorney and our partners at HHS-OIG and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their outstanding efforts in achieving this result.”
U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles has issued an order accepting the parties’ settlement agreement and has entered a consent judgment in favor of the United States. The settlement resolves a lawsuit, United States ex rel. Melanie Berzas v. Health Care Options, Inc., et al., No. 14-199-JWD-RLB, filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States and to share in a portion of the Government’s recovery.
Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdla/pr/home-health-companies-pay-25-million-settle-federal-false-claims-act-lawsuit
Rhode Island Man Sentenced for Million Dollar Embezzlement Scheme
BOSTON – A Rhode Island man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with a scheme to embezzle over $1 million from a Massachusetts company.
Michael H. Tran, 35, of Woonsocket, R.I., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 46 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay forfeiture and restitution each in the amount of $1,284,792. In August 2019, Tran pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud.
Tran and co-conspirator Darren Cormier, who worked as a product manager for a Bellingham manufacturing company, worked together to embezzle millions of dollars from the company. From December 2013 to May 2016, Cormier told the company owners that he was purchasing equipment for the company using his PayPal account, which was linked to the company’s credit cards. Instead of making legitimate equipment purchases, however, Cormier used his PayPal account to pay Tran, who withdrew the money in cash and used it to pay for personal expenses. Tran and Cormier concealed the fraud by adjusting the names settings in Tran’s PayPal account to make it appear on account statements as if the payments were submitted to legitimate vendors. Tran and Cormier also submitted fraudulent invoices and purchase orders to the company in the name of some non-existent vendors, such as “A Plug Tool Supply” and “MHT Industrial.”
Cormier was charged separately for his role in the conspiracy and wire fraud scheme and pleaded guilty in March 2019. He is set to be sentenced on Nov. 26, 2019.
Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/rhode-island-man-sentenced-million-dollar-embezzlement-scheme
Nigerian national sentenced to a decade in prison for role in $1.83 million romance fraud scheme
Nigerian national sentenced to a decade in prison for role in $1.83 million romance fraud scheme involving elderly victimsATLANTA - Olu Victor Alonge has been sentenced for his role in a multi-year wire fraud scheme that targeted users of American dating websites and caused a total loss of $1,835,279. Six other Nigerian nationals have been charged as part of the conspiracy; three have pled guilty, and Alonge is the first to be sentenced.
“The conspirators in these cases, including some who were overseas, used fake personas on online dating websites to trick individuals, including elderly retirees, into giving them large amounts of money,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “The conspirators would spend weeks cultivating online relationships with their victims before defrauding them of hundreds of thousands of dollars, often taken from their retirement savings or inheritances. The judge rightly called the romance fraud scheme ‘pure evil’ before handing down the defendant’s sentence. Combating this type of transnational fraud targeting elderly Americans is a top priority of my office and the Department of Justice; would-be cybercriminals should think twice before engaging in such vile conduct.”
“This sentencing exemplifies IRS Special Agents' intense focus on the rigorous pursuit of crimes against our most vulnerable citizens, the elderly,” said Atlanta Field Office IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Holloman, III. “Individuals who commit fraud and identity theft of this magnitude and with this degree of trickery, dishonesty and deceit, deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Olu Alonge perpetuated an elaborate scheme driven by insatiable greed and a blatant disregard for the tremendous damage inflicted on innocent victims. Be assured that IRS Criminal Investigation, together with our partners at the U.S. Attorney's Office, will hold those who engage in similar behavior fully accountable.”
“I greatly appreciate the hard work of our investigators in pursuing this crime, and that of the U.S. Attorney’s staff for prosecuting this case. Everyone did an excellent job in bringing this serious matter to a satisfactory conclusion,” said Steven A. Sund, Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police.
Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/nigerian-national-sentenced-decade-prison-role-183-million-romance-fraud-scheme
Georgia Tech professor sentenced for defrauding the National Science Foundation
ATLANTA - Maysam Ghovanloo has been sentenced for violating the federal wire fraud statute in furtherance of a scheme to defraud the National Science Foundation. Ghovanloo was a tenured full professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
“Grant funding is limited, and the competition for those dollars is keen,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “People awarded grants to do research and development vow that they will adhere to the rules governing it. Ghovanloo decided to sacrifice his reputation by dodging those rules and lying.”
“The National Science Foundation's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program provides small businesses with funding to conduct research and development work that will lead to the commercialization of innovative new products and services. This sentence serves as a reminder that fraud in the SBIR Program will not be tolerated. The NSF Office of Inspector General remains committed to ensuring the integrity of the SBIR program and will actively pursue oversight of these taxpayer funds. I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our investigative partners for their support in this effort.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Maysam Ghovanloo owned and operated a Georgia corporation called Bionic Sciences, Inc. (BSI). Ghovanloo and BSI received federal grants through Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs sponsored by NSF. To be eligible for SBIR grant funds, Ghovanloo and BSI were required to meet program-eligibility requirements, adhere to award terms and conditions, and provide only truthful information in all documents submitted to NSF. However, Ghovanloo submitted certifications that contained materially false and fraudulent statements and omissions, followed by electronic payment requests to NSF.
Maysam Ghovanloo, 46, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to eight months home confinement, and ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution. As part of his guilty plea and plea agreement, he resigned from his position at Georgia Tech, effective June 21, 2019. He was also was barred from doing business with the federal government for a period of three years. Ghovanloo was convicted on these charges on August 21, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.
Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/georgia-tech-professor-sentenced-defrauding-national-science-foundation
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Gender: MaleHometown: South Texas. most of my life I lived in Austin and Dallas
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