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Attorney Stephen Girdwood Faces Disbarment Over Allegations of Stealing $500,000 in Client Funds

Attorney Stephen Girdwood Faces Disbarment Over Allegations of Stealing $500,000 in Client Funds

Lebanon attorney Stephen Girdwood is facing disbarment proceedings after New Hampshire’s Attorney Discipline Office accused him of misappropriating nearly $500,000 from client escrow accounts. The funds, primarily from the divorce settlement of Keith and Athena Nicholson, were allegedly diverted into an investment company called Frozen Lake Sports and Entertainment, in which Girdwood was an officer. An investigation by the discipline office found that Girdwood made unauthorized international wire transfers, including $200,000 of the Nicholsons’ funds, to HSBC Bank Hong Kong. He also made subsequent transfers to a Merrill Lynch account owned by Bruce Weissman, president of Frozen Lake. Girdwood confessed to Lebanon police, who referred the case to the FBI. During a recent hearing, a four-member panel ruled that there was 'clear and convincing' evidence supporting multiple misconduct allegations. Girdwood invoked his Fifth Amendment rights and called no witnesses. He was placed on interim suspension from pra...
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Three Individuals Indicted for Alleged $20 Million Financial Aid Theft Leading to College Closure

Three Individuals Indicted for Alleged $20 Million Financial Aid Theft Leading to College Closure

Three individuals connected to Eastern Gateway Community College in eastern Ohio have been indicted for allegedly stealing approximately $20 million in student financial aid. The indictment names former college president and CFO Michael Geoghegan, along with Michael Perik and Nicole Rowe Colclasure, CEO and president respectively of the Student Resource Center, a private contractor managing financial aid and online enrollment for the college. Ohio Auditor Keith Faber stated that the alleged scheme involved falsely claiming scholarships for a free tuition online program, which was actually funded by Pell Grants for needy students and massive tuition write-offs. To sustain this operation, the Student Resource Center is accused of bribing public officials at Eastern Gateway, including top financial aid and admissions officers, and tampering with college records to conceal these arrangements from regulators and auditors. This alleged financial misconduct is believed to have directly led to the closure of Easte...
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Girlfriend of Congressional Candidate Max Miller Indicted on Fraud Charges in Ohio

Girlfriend of Congressional Candidate Max Miller Indicted on Fraud Charges in Ohio

Jaclyn Alatrash, the girlfriend of congressional candidate Max Miller, has been indicted by a grand jury in Ohio on charges of grand theft, telecommunications fraud, and misuse of a credit card. Alatrash, a nurse and professional bodybuilder, is alleged to have used her ex-husband's credit card to purchase over $9,000 worth of items from various retailers, including Costco, Ulta Beauty, and Spirit Halloween. These alleged transactions occurred seven months after her divorce was finalized. She is scheduled to be arraigned in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, on October 23. This indictment comes as Max Miller, a Republican, is seeking re-election for a third term and has been facing scrutiny due to various allegations from his divorce trial, including claims of drug use, misogyny, verbal abuse, and violent behavior. Miller has denied these allegations and has vowed to continue his re-election campaign.
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Deepfakes Evolve to Fool Automated Security Systems, FBI Warns of Vishing Attacks

Deepfakes Evolve to Fool Automated Security Systems, FBI Warns of Vishing Attacks

Deepfakes, which combine deep learning with 'fake,' are now capable of generating or altering images, videos, and audio to imitate real people with high realism, creating entirely new individuals who never existed. This technology swaps faces, synchronizes lips with invented speech, and clones voices, posing a significant threat to cybersecurity. Fraudsters are increasingly using deepfakes to deceive not only humans but also automated security systems, such as identity verification apps. The FBI has issued warnings about targeted vishing attacks, where AI-generated voice deepfakes are used to trick senior officials and executives into sharing sensitive information or transferring funds, highlighting the growing sophistication of these fraudulent activities.
AP NewsAP News
Fugitive businessman taken into US custody in Venezuela bribery case

Fugitive businessman taken into US custody in Venezuela bribery case

A businessman wanted in the U.S. for allegedly bribing top Venezuelan officials has been taken into custody
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Authorities Identify Woman's Remains Found in Autauga County Creek

Authorities Identify Woman's Remains Found in Autauga County Creek

Authorities have identified the remains of a woman found in Mulberry Creek near the Autauga and Dallas County line in March. The Autauga County Sheriff’s Office announced on Friday that the woman was Joyce Marie Ross of Selma. Her body was discovered on March 17 by maintenance workers servicing a railroad bridge. An autopsy conducted by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences estimated her age to be between 35 and 55 years old and found no signs of internal or external trauma. Toxicology tests for narcotics were negative. Investigators contacted the Selma Police Department on June 10 regarding a missing-person case with similar physical characteristics, leading to the identification of Ross through DNA testing by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Her family has been notified, and the investigation into her death is ongoing.
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Deepfake Technology Advances, Posing Increased Risks for Financial Fraud and Political Manipulation

Deepfake Technology Advances, Posing Increased Risks for Financial Fraud and Political Manipulation

Deepfake technology, once a niche concept, has evolved into a sophisticated and globally pervasive force, driven by rapid advancements in AI-powered manipulation. This technology, exemplified by platforms like 'Mrdeepfake,' utilizes Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and other AI techniques to create hyper-realistic, context-aware manipulations of video and audio content. These advancements allow for the seamless blending of audio, facial animation, and environmental context, making synthetic media nearly indistinguishable from reality. Unlike earlier tools that required extensive source material, current deepfake technology can generate convincing outputs from minimal input, such as a single short video clip or voice sample, in under 30 minutes. This ease of access and high realism have led to a significant increase in its misuse, including financial fraud, corporate risk vectors, political manipulation, and personal threats. The FBI has specifically warned about AI-generated voice deepfakes being use...
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Davenport Woman Accused of Stealing Over $28,000 from Deceased Individuals

Davenport Woman Accused of Stealing Over $28,000 from Deceased Individuals

Amanda N. Tincher, a 38-year-old woman from Davenport, Iowa, has been accused of stealing over $28,000 from six deceased individuals and one living person. Bettendorf Police were alerted by an official from IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union in July regarding suspicious transactions made by an employee. According to court documents, Tincher allegedly made multiple withdrawals, created cashier's checks in her name, transferred money to a CashApp account, and made cash withdrawals from the accounts of deceased individuals. She reportedly stole $21,279.51 from one account alone. When confronted, Tincher admitted to the transactions, and further investigation by the credit union uncovered similar activities across six additional accounts, primarily belonging to deceased persons. She is charged with first-degree theft, ongoing criminal conduct, first-degree fraudulent practice, second-degree theft, second-degree fraudulent practice, and multiple counts of third-degree theft and fraudulent practice.
Westchester County Journal NewsWestchester County Journal News
Dobbs Ferry woman allegedly bilked insurance companies out of $100,000

Dobbs Ferry woman allegedly bilked insurance companies out of $100,000

Jackie Crino of Dobbs Ferry has been charged with bilking insurance companies out of $100k in fake medical reimbursements
USA TodayUSA Today
Newborn's death exposes years of incest, abuse in California case

Newborn's death exposes years of incest, abuse in California case

Monterey County officials share new details on the death of Baby Angelita and the rescue of a 14-year-old girl.
Arizona RepublicArizona Republic
Ex-Arizona basketball player Kerr Kriisa pleads guilty to wire fraud

Ex-Arizona basketball player Kerr Kriisa pleads guilty to wire fraud

Kriisa, 25, was arrested in July and charged with defrauding victims of nearly $2.2 million since 2022. He is scheduled to be sentenced in December.
Arizona RepublicArizona Republic
Man once detained in Guthrie investigation faces gun, drug charges

Man once detained in Guthrie investigation faces gun, drug charges

Months after being detained in the Nancy Guthrie abduction case, a Tucson-area man was arrested on separate drug and gun charges.