White Collar Crimes

September 18, 2008

Haverhill, Massachusetts, Police Officers Get Lucky At Prostitution Bust And Turn To Drug War

Last night, all major crimes of the area having apparently been prevented or solved, Haverhill police officers set their sights on their admittedly decreasing prostitution concern. It was said to be a lucky break in their war against drugs.

They ended up arresting a “major cocaine dealer” who had a drug sales ledger containing the names of “prominent” Haverhill residents. The ledger, according to the police, will kick off an investigation that could lead to a series of arrests.

Christos Eleftheriou, 45, of Haverhill, was arrested at 8:11 p.m. after he propositioned a woman police officer for sex during the prostitution sting, said police spokesman Sgt. John Arahovites. He was charged with sexual conduct for a fee and brought to the police station, where police found 16 grams of powdered cocaine in five bags on him with a street value of $16,200, along with $340 in cash, Sgt. Arahovites said.

September 10, 2008

MASSACHUSSETTS COURT STAFF FACE WHITE COLLAR ACCUSATIONS

by Altman & Altman

According to this week’s Massachusetts Lawyer’s Weekly, the Commonwealth is having a tough time with certain …irregularities… regarding Probate Court staff. A few weeks ago, Middlesex County’s Register of Probate was arrested for allegedly stealing cash from government copying machines. This week, in Suffolk County, a state auditor’s report is raising questions of malfeasance in Register of Probate’s Office.

According to the report, $12,885 in “voided” transactions disappeared from cash registers in the office of Richard P. Iannella, the register for the Suffolk Probate & Family Court, between July 2000 and June 2002. In addition to not complying with regulations that secure cash flow, Iannella is said to have failed to fill out a form explaining the shortfall, the report states.

Iannella, a former Boston city councilor who has served as register since 1996, said the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office has investigated the matter. “I’m certainly not at liberty to discuss with you an investigation,” Iannella said, “but we turned the office upside down. We made every effort possible to determine how the monies were stolen, and unfortunately it ended up inconclusive.”

September 5, 2008

Boston Area Duo Said To Defraud Dunkin’

by Altman & Altman

The Brookline Tab has reported that former Brookline resident Carolyn Kravetz has been indicted in federal court for acts of mail fraud and tax fraud. Her co-defendant, Boris Levitin, hailing from Brighton, merely faces charges of mail fraud.

Federal prosecutors claim that a Ms. Kravetz, a communications director for Dunkin’ Brands from May 2004 to October 2005, steered hundreds of thousands of dollars of work from a Canton-based company to a contractor in return for a 50 percent kickback. The two attended Boston University in the 1980’s (the “greed is good” era) where they gained an education as well as each other’s friendship. The two were apparently very close in 2004 when prosecutors claim that they agreed that Ms. Kravetz agreed to steer Dunkin’ Brands contract work to Mr. Levitin’s graphic design and technical publishing firm, Luminophore Inc. In return, prosecutors said, Mr. Levitin agreed to kick back to Ms. Kravetz one-half of his gross revenues from Dunkin’ Brands. After depositing a check from Dunkin’ Brands, Mr. Levitin would send a check equal to half of the amount to Ms. Kravetz, according to the indictment filed last week in federal court in Boston.

From September, 2004, through November, 2005, Ms. Kravetz allegedly deposited checks from Luminophore into her personal account that totaled nearly $200,000. Mr. Levitin allegedly received nearly $400,000 spread among six checks over a 15-month period, including full payments for many projects that he hadn’t even started. According to the indictment, Mr. Levitin completed one project and performed some work on two others (of the 15 invoiced projects) , but never submitted any work to Dunkin’ Brands on the remaining 12 projects.

March 13, 2008

Massachusetts Financial Advisor Arrested for Larceny and Securities Fraud

by Altman & Altman

A Hull, Massachusetts man was arrested on five counts of larceny and securities fraud.

According to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office, Jeffrey Gruber, 44, misrepresented himself as a stockbroker and certified financial planner from October 2005 until March 2006. He gave a “client” advice about stocks, bonds, a real estate loan, and placed money into accounts under the name Gruber Financial Services Inc. The victim gave $187,000 to Gruber and asked him to invest the funds.

A complaint filed by the Secretary of State’s Security Division says that Gruber used the funds himself and did not invest them. He also allegedly failed to comply and honor the victim’s demand that he account for her investments and give her the money back.

In Brockton Superior Court on Wednesday, Gruber pled not guilty to the charges. Bail was set at $500,000.

In Massachusetts, the penalty for larceny over $250 is five years maximum in prison.

Our Boston, Massachusetts white collar crimes attorneys have represented many clients throughout Massachusetts in criminal cases.

White collar crimes can include:

• Mail fraud • Wire fraud • Investment adviser fraud • Medicare/Medicaid fraud • Real estate fraud • Tax fraud • Embezzlement • Pension fraud • Insider trading • Tax fraud • Computer crimes • Identity theft • Bankruptcy fraud
White collar crime fraud cases require the legal experience of a law firm that is experienced in handling such matters.

Former financial advisor arrested on charges of securities fraud and larceny, Boston.bizjournal.com, March 13, 2008

Related Web Resources:

White Collar Crimes, Justia
Massachusetts Securities Division
Continue reading

January 11, 2008

Olympic Gold Medalist Marion Jones to Serve Prison Time for Lying to An Investigator and Check-Fraud

by Altman & Altman

Olympic athlete Marion Jones, 31, will serve six months in prison for lying to an investigator about her steroid use and her involvement in a check-fraud scheme. Jones must also complete 400 hours of community service while serving two years probation.

The world champion athlete opted for a plea agreement last October when she admitted that she lied to an investigator about her use of a performance-enhancing drug before and after the 2000 Olympic Games. She won three gold medals and two bronze medals as a runner and long jumper at the Sydney games and was considered one of the greatest female athletes in the world.

Jones testified in court that, from September 2000 until July 2001, she took what she thought was flaxseed oil while training with her then-trainer Trevor Graham. She says that after she stopped training with him, she realized that had been actually been using the designer steroid THG.

In 2003, during a grand jury investigation of Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO)-a lab involved in the scandal linking professional athletes to steroid use-Jones denied ever using performance-enhancing drugs. She filed a lawsuit against Victor Conte, BALCO’s founder, who has said that he saw Jones inject herself with a performance-enhancing drug.

A 2003 search warrant uncovered doping calendars, ledgers, purchases, and blood-test results linking Jones and Graham to BALCO.

Jones also confessed to lying about how much she knew regarding Tim Montgomery’s involvement in a check-fraud scam. Montgomery is the father of her Jones’s son Monty. Millions of dollars in stolen and forged checks were involved. Prosecutors in New York say they have a $25,000 check that Jones signed, as well as testimonies of other defendants implicating her in the scheme.

Although Jones had hoped to avoid prison time, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas has ordered her to serve the maximum time allowed under her plea agreement. He wants athletes to become aware of the consequences that using performance enhancing drugs can have on their lives and careers.

Jones gave her Olympic medals back. The International Olympic has erased her records from the record books.

Marion Jones sentenced to 6 months for lying about steroids, Boston.com, January 11, 2008
Marion Jones Sentenced to Six Months in Prison, New York Times, January 11, 2008

Related Web Resource:

BALCO Investigation Timeline, USA Today
Marion Jones, US Olympic Team Continue reading