I.D. Theft Stole from Elderly for Disney Trips, Courtside Tickets, More Spending Spree

Newsflash from your Hollywood Attorney:

The ringleaders of an alleged identity theft scam of senior citizens were arrested after they posted photos of their Disney World engagement and purchases on Facebook that was paid for with their ill-gotten gains, police announced.

Amanda Zieminski, 27, and Clyde Forteau, 29, both of New York City, were arrested and indicted for 64 criminal acts including identify theft, falsifying business records, and grand larceny, the Staten Island District Attorney's office said in a statement Wednesday.

Zieminski and Forteau allegedly used the stolen money to pay for courtside seats at a 2012 NBA Finals game, a vacation to the Dominican Republic, and a vacation to Disney World, where they got engaged in front of Cinderella's castle, according to police.

"But make no mistake, Amanda Zieminski is no Cinderella and Clyde Forteau is far from Prince Charming," said Staten Island District Attorney Daniel M. Donovan, Jr.

Zieminksi and Forteau are accused of stealing the Social Security numbers and credit card information of more than 80 elderly patients from a Staten Island medical center where Zieminski once worked, police said.

Forteau, 'C-Money CEO,' used the information to file false tax returns and had the refunds sent to his personal bank accounts. Forteau allegedly had his victims' Social Security payments sent to his own accounts. He posed as a Hurricane Sandy victim who lost his home to explain the diverted money to bank officials, police said.

Police were able to identify Zieminski and Forteau after a year-long investigation, which included a Google search that revealed photos of their purchases and vacations posted on the couple's public Facebook accounts. The purchases and vacations the couple flaunted matched the items charged to the stolen credit card accounts, according to the statement.

Police discovered more than 50 stolen credit cards and 20 fake driver's licenses when they arrested Zieminksi and Forteau, according to the statement.

Amanda  Zieminski, 26, accused of stealing 80 patient files from Staten Island clinic  where she worked as a nurse until December

Police also charged and arrested three other alleged accomplices.

All the defendants pleaded not guilty, according to Douglas Auer, a spokesman for the Staten Island District Attorney's office.

Source.... http://abcnews.go.com/US/couple-engaged-disney-allegedly-stolen-money/story?id=19699030    http://johnib.wordpress.com/tag/zieminski/

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ex-Narcotics Sergeant L.A. Sheriff Charged Grand Theft & Embezzlement Sting

A former L.A. County sheriff's narcotics sergeant has been charged with grand theft and embezzlement by a public official for allegedly stealing about $4,000 during a sting by his own department.

Bonnie Theodore Bryant III, 57, allegedly took the money during a July 25, 2012, sting operation conducted by the criminal internal affairs unit of his own department.

Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said the 28-year department veteran was targeted in the sting. Increasingly, law enforcement agencies across the country test the integrity of their deputies and officers, especially in cases where prior accusations have been made.

Bryant is charged with one felony count each of grand theft of personal property and embezzlement by a public or private officer, said Dep. Dist. Atty. Jason Lustig.  Bryant also faces a misdemeanor count of petty theft.

Bryant also allegedly stole money seized during a narcotics sting on May 15, 2012. The alleged theft, which occurred in the parking lot of a hardware store, was observed by a security guard through an external security video camera.

The guard allegedly observed Bryant place a large amount of money into a canvas bag in the trunk of his vehicle. The guard reported the alleged incident to the sheriff's department on July 5, 2012. The report triggered the sting operation. 

Bryant was a narcotics task force supervisor at the times he allegedly took the money. The veteran sergeant resigned from the sheriff’s department in December 2012, the prosecutor said.

Read More... http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-former-sheriff-narcotics-sergeant-charged-theft-20130701,0,2129946.story?track=rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&dlvrit=649324

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L.A. Comedy Club in Money Troubles from Manager's Embezzlement

The former "SNL" star alleges his club's manager stole more than $100,000 and caused the club to fail and cost him $1.5 million.

Comic Jon Lovitz's eponymous Los Angeles comedy club is in "financial disarray" thanks to a partner who stole money for his own personal use and mismanaged the property, according to a new lawsuit.

According to a complaint filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Frank Kelley partnered with the former Saturday Night Live star in 2009 to open the Jon Lovitz Comedy Club on Universal's CityWalk in Universal City. Lovitz alleges he invested $1.5 million of his own money and entrusted the day-to-day business to Kelley, who is said to have presented himself as an experienced comedy club manager.

But Kelley is alleged to have used the club credit card and checks to make more than $100,000 in personal purchases. He also is alleged to have mismanaged the venue while causing the business to fall apart.

The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club has been a fixture at the outdoor CityWalk mall since it opened in 2009. But Lovitz claims that there have been problems behind the scenes.

"Indeed, although the club has hosted numerous sold-out shows for some of the biggest performers in comedy, Kelley has failed to pay many of these performers the money they were promised, choosing instead to keep this money for himself," according to the lawsuit.

"While Kelley has obviously benefited significantly from such financial scheming, the club, on the other hand, has fallen into financial disarray, and [Lovitz] has lost substantial sums of money that he invested in the club."

Read More... http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/jon-lovitz-lawsuit-claims-partner-432649