FEMA outreach teams will begin canvassing Missouri communities affected by the flooding and severe weather in the 20 counties included in this week’s federal disaster declaration to help impacted Missourians register for federal disaster assistance. The teams, known as Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams (DSATs), are working in counties designated as federal disaster areas to assist […]
Tag: Fraud
Former Arkansas State Senator pleads guilty to bribery
A former Arkansas state senator pleaded guilty in federal court to accepting multiple bribes in connection with a multi-district investigation spanning the Western District of Missouri and Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas. Jeremy Hutchinson, 45, of Little Rock, Arkansas, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of conspiracy to […]
Audio: North Missouri businessman to be sentenced in August for $142 million grain fraud scheme
A northwest Missouri businessman and former school board member faces a potentially lengthy prison sentence, for a 142-MILLION dollar grain fraud scheme. Sixty-one-year-old Randy Constant is a prominent businessman in northwest Missouri and is also a former Chillicothe School Board member. Federal prosecutors in Iowa say Constant pleaded guilty in FEDERAL court in […]
Former Missouri postal carrier sentenced for stealing mail, drug trafficking
A former postal carrier was sentenced in federal court for stealing mail from dozens of residents and for possessing methamphetamine to distribute. Brandy Manning, 40, of Liberty, Missouri, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to six years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Manning to pay $3,993 in restitution. Manning, […]
Parkville, Topeka men indicted for $346 million fraud scheme
Two men have been indicted by a federal grand jury for a conspiracy in which they fraudulently profited from hundreds of millions of dollars in federal government contracts they were not entitled to receive, which were set aside for small businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, and minorities. Patrick Michael Dingle, 48, of Parkville, […]
Audio: Attorney General announces partnership aimed at stopping illegal robocalls in Missouri
The Attorney General has announced a partnership aimed at stopping illegal robocalls in Missouri. Missouri Attorney General Schmitt is teaming up with other state and federal agencies, along with the Federal Trade Commission to put an end to illegal robocalls in what they’ve dubbed “Operation Call it Quits.” Schmitt urges Missourians to report […]
14 southern Missouri residents indicted for meth conspiracy and illegal firearms
Fourteen southern Missouri residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene County, Missouri, and elsewhere. Five of the defendants were also charged with illegally possessing firearms. Cheyenne W. Conn, 43, and Johnathon W. Arnold, also known as Jonathan, 38, both of Everton, Missouri; […]
Audio: Scam targeting users of food stamp program hits Missouri
A possible scam targeting users of Missouri’s food stamp and temporary assistance program has been reported. “The Department of Social Services has issued a warning for users of its EBT card, saying they’ve received reports about fraudulent calls, texts, and email being sent requesting card and PIN information. They are reminding users of […]
One person extradited to Grundy County, another charged with assault
The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office reports the transport of one area man and the arrest of another on Wednesday. Twenty-nine-year-old Donald Brown of Milan was extradited from Morgan County. He is accused of violating his probation on 12 felony counts of passing a bad check. His probation was suspended, and he was scheduled for Division […]
Trenton police arrest Milan couple on counterfeit and drug allegations
A Milan couple faces multiple charges in Grundy County including the passing of alleged $50.00 counterfeit bills at two Trenton businesses last week. Fifty-one-year-old Michael Dean Courtney and 48-year-old Georgeanna Kay Courtney were arrested by Trenton Police on Friday. Each has a $20,000 cash bond pending their appearances Tuesday in Associate Division of Grundy County […]
Trenton man arrested on stealing and identity theft allegations
Trenton police on Saturday arrested a Trenton man following an investigation that involved alleged stealing and identity theft. Thirty-four-year-old Justin Wayne Stephenson is to appear May 14th in Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court. Bond on the felony counts has been set at $15,000 cash. Stephenson is accused of appropriating currency of at least […]
St. Joseph man sentenced for meth, stolen firearm used in two recent shootings
A St. Joseph, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing methamphetamine and a stolen firearm that had been used in two recent shootings. Jeremy G. Helton, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 11 years in federal prison without parole. On Jan. 4, 2019, Helton pleaded guilty to […]
St. Joseph home health care aide sentenced to prison for $207,000 fraud scheme
A St. Joseph, Missouri, in-home health care nursing assistant was sentenced in federal court for stealing bank account information from one of her clients in order to illegally transfer more than $207,000 out of her account. Ashley N. Garr, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to five years in federal prison without […]
Lawsuit dismissed against Putnam County Hospital Board, State Auditor
A judge has dismissed a case against the Missouri State Auditor’s Office and the Putnam County Hospital Board brought by Hospital Partners, Incorporated. Inc. In 2017, Galloway released an audit that found a $90 million billing scheme being perpetrated by the company at the rural hospital. The case was filed in April 2018 by Hospital […]
Former executives at Preferred Family Healthcare indicted for embezzlement and public corruption scheme
Two former executives of a Springfield, Mo.-based charity and an Arkansas state senator have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a multi-million-dollar public corruption scheme that involved embezzlement, bribes and illegal campaign contributions for elected public officials in Missouri and Arkansas, announced U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison of the Western District […]
California man pleads guilty to sex trafficking of six victims
A Sacramento, California, man pleaded guilty in federal court to the sex trafficking of six victims. Ronald Ean Taylor, 45, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to six counts of the sex trafficking of an adult. By pleading guilty, Taylor admitted that he used force, fraud or coercion to cause six victims […]
Follow-up report on Coffey audit shows better controls in place or in progress
State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released a follow-up report to the audit of the City of Coffey, located in northwest Missouri. The audit showed more than $60,000 was missing and that former city clerk Mary L. Browning failed to make deposits, received improper payroll payments, and falsified board minutes and various financial reports. Auditor Galloway turned over […]
IRS warns of new phone scam using Taxpayer Advocate Service numbers
The Internal Revenue Service today warned the public about a new twist on the IRS impersonation phone scam whereby criminals fake calls from the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS), an independent organization within the IRS. Similar to other IRS impersonation scams, thieves make unsolicited phone calls to their intended victims fraudulently claiming to be from the […]
Missouri man sentenced for $4.7 Million cattle investment fraud scheme
A Clinton, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for a $4.7 million investment fraud scheme in which he defrauded 92 investors who believed they were purchasing cattle for resale at a profit. Cameron J. Hager, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner on Tuesday, March 5, 2019, to eight years […]
Tax return preparer fraud makes IRS’ 2019 ‘Dirty Dozen’ list of tax scams
The Internal Revenue Service has included tax return preparer fraud on its “Dirty Dozen” list of common tax scams for 2019 and offered tips to help taxpayers avoid unscrupulous tax preparers. With the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the most sweeping tax reform legislation in more than 30 years now in effect, some taxpayers may […]