scheme

12 Stories

2 Ukrainian Colonels Accused in Plot to Kill Zelensky

They were allegedly recruited by Russia

(Newser) - Two of Volodymyr Zelensky's own colonels are accused of joining a Russian plot to assassinate him. Multiple assassination plots have surfaced previously, but the BBC notes this one stands apart because of the military officers involved. They were allegedly working with Russia's FSB—successor to the KGB—and...

Man Behind Decadeslong 'Psychic' Scam Learns His Fate

Patrice Runner was behind mailing of 56M letters promising personal fortunes, for a fee

(Newser) - The Canadian man who defrauded victims of $175 million via "a massive psychic mass-mailing fraud scheme" that spanned two decades was on Monday sentenced to 10 years behind bars, the Guardian reports. Patrice Runner, 57, was convicted in June after being extradited to the US to face charges. "...

SIM Swaps Are on the Rise
SIM Swaps Are on the Rise
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Feb 26, 2022 6:00 PM CST

SIM Swaps Are on the Rise

The sophisticated scam cost people $68M last year

(Newser) - Beware the SIM swap. The FBI says the sophisticated scam that involves hackers getting access to first your cell phone and then your financial accounts is on the rise, Fox News reports. It starts with scammers getting someone's personal details, which can be done via phishing emails, phishing calls,...

Man Arrested Over Alleged Birthday Gift Scheme

Takashi Miyagawa is accused of dating 35 women to get birthday gifts out of them

(Newser) - It seems like an awful lot of trouble to go to in order to get $1,000 in gifts. The Telegraph reports a Japanese man has been arrested after allegedly juggling 35 different girlfriends in order to get a year-long stream of birthday presents. Takashi Miyagawa allegedly supplied the women...

NFL Player Charged in COVID Relief Scam

Feds say Josh Bellamy received more than $1.2M in the scheme

(Newser) - Former NFL player Josh Bellamy was arrested and charged Thursday with participating in a scheme to file fraudulent applications for more than $24 million in coronavirus relief funds, authorities said. Bellamy, 31, of St. Petersburg, is charged with wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank...

How a Pepsi Marketing Scheme Went Wrong—Very Wrong

Pepsi's attempt to improve its market share against Coke in the Philippines sparked riots and death

(Newser) - Talk about a promotional stunt gone wrong: Pepsi ran a bottle-cap lottery in the Philippines back in the 1990s that turned into such a nightmare that riots broke out, lawsuits were filed, and five people got killed. Now Bloomberg looks back on "perhaps the deadliest marketing disaster in history....

Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Porn Scheme That Made $3M

Prosecutors alleged Paul Hansmeier, colleague made porn in order to snare downloaders

(Newser) - It apparently started out above-board, at least according to court documents. Paul Hansmeier and John Steele of what Ars Technica calls "legitimate if aggressive copyright law firm" Prenda Law found their niche around 2010: The men repped clients who held the copyrights to porn flicks and went after internet...

Bar Caught Serving Rubbing Alcohol as Scotch

New Jersey catches 29 establishments filling top-shelf bottles with bottom-shelf booze

(Newser) - A New Jersey restaurant is in hot water for trying to pass off a heady mix of caramel food coloring and rubbing alcohol as scotch, state authorities revealed yesterday, while another even cheaper establishment filled its booze bottles with dirty water. Both restaurants were caught in a state-wide sting intended...

Toll Booth Worker Skims $7,500: Cops

Kicker: It was during his probationary period

(Newser) - Toll booth workers can make a decent living, but maybe not this decent. A temporary bridge and tunnel officer at a Staten Island bridge allegedly skimmed $7,500 from tolls paid by drivers, reports the Staten Island Advance . Between January and March, Richard Betancourt, 22, took the $13 toll from...

DC Sniper's Ex: Rampage Was Scheme to Kill Me

Muhammad hoped to pass off murder on madman and regain custody of kids

(Newser) - The ex-wife of convicted Beltway Sniper John Muhammad was the ultimate target of his murderous 2002 DC rampage that killed 10 people. Mildred Muhammad says her ex intended to pass off her murder as the work of a madman and regain custody of their three children. She got wise to...

Cemetery Workers Dug Up Bodies, Resold Graves

Illinois cemetery employees excavated graves, dumped remains for cash

(Newser) - Four employees of a historic Chicago-area cemetery face charges after police uncovered a gruesome scheme to excavate graves, remove the human remains, and resell the plots, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. One manager and three grave diggers at Burr Oak Cemetery are charged with dismembering a human body, which carries of...

Paper Industry Gets Tax Credits for Burning Diesel

(Newser) - A tax provision in the 2005 transportation bill offering credits for the use of alternative fuels has had an unintended, even disastrous, result in the paper industry: “Paper mills are adding diesel fuel to a process that requires none in order to qualify for the tax credit,"...

12 Stories
Most Read on Newser