Crime, Background Checks, Foul-Play, Fraud And Investigations

An elderly US couple charged with spying for Cuba for almost 30 years has pleaded guilty in the conspiracy, with the husband agreeing to serve a life sentence, the US Justice Department said. Walter Myers, 72, a former State Department official with top-secret security clearance, pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy to commit espionage and two counts of wire fraud, according to the department. Wife Gwendolyn Myers, 71, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to gather and transmit national defense information to Washington's Cold War enemy Havana, and will serve between six and 7.5 years behind bars. The pair also agreed to forfeit 1,735,054 dollars -- the ... Read Full Story

The collapse of a Bend real estate development company has resulted in charges against 13 people in what prosecutors say is the largest Oregon fraud case to emerge from the national real estate boom and bust. A federal grand jury in Eugene returned five separate indictments on Thursday that charged the principals in Desert Sun Development and others with mortgage and loan fraud that cost financial institutions more than $19 million in losses. Developer Tyler Fitzsimons, several employees, two bankers and two mortgage brokers were among those indicted. Arthur Balizan, FBI special agent in charge for Oregon, said the fraud took a heavy economic ... Read Full Story

A Louisiana businessman was charged Friday with engaging in a Ponzi scheme to defraud about 160 investors — mostly elderly people — out of roughly $19.5 million and using some of the money to pay for cars, cruises, sports tickets and a house. A federal grand jury indicted Matthew B. Pizzolato, 26, of Tickfaw, on charges that include securities fraud, money laundering and obstruction of justice. FBI agents arrested Pizzolato in Hammond about an hour after the grand jury handed up its 64-count indictment. Pizzolato had offices in Baton Rouge, Covington, Hammond and Lake Charles from 2005-2008 and advertised investment services under several company ... Read Full Story

The former head of San Francisco software company is being held without bail after a federal grand jury indicted him on embezzlement charges. Federal prosecutors say Ethan Farid Jinian was arrested at San Francisco International Airport Wednesday after returning from a trip to China. According to an indictment returned on Nov. 12, the 49-year-old San Francisco man is alleged to have embezzled more than $1 million from Bricsnet FM America Inc. between November 2006 and September 2008 while he was CEO of the company. The indictment was unsealed Thursday when Jinian made his first court appearance. According to prosecutors, Jinian directed other Bricsnet employees ... Read Full Story

A Kansas City man who left his wallet on the counter of a bank he was robbing has pleaded guilty in federal court. Albert Perkins, 40, admitted Thursday that he stole more than $3,100 from First Federal Bank in Kansas City on May 7. Prosecutors said that after he ordered a teller to give him all the $100 bills, he placed his wallet on the counter and handed her a plastic bag. The teller put money in the bag and handed it back to Perkins, who left without picking up his wallet. Investigators used his driver's license to identify him. An accomplice, 42-year-old Monique ... Read Full Story