Trial under way for man accused of murdering woman, baby
The trial of a man who’s accused of murdering a woman and her baby granddaughter in Montgomery County is getting underway. The suspect has given police very different accounts of what happened on that day back in 2012. “My intention was not to kill or harm anyone. I only tried to kidnap the baby,” he said during a police interview.Police say in October of 2012, Yandamuri, who’s admitted to having a gambling problem, attempted to kidnap 10-month-old Saanvi Venna, his Upper Merion Township neighbors’ baby, for a $50,000 ransom. But in the process investigators say Yandamuri killed the little girl’s grandmother Satyavathi. Yandamuri initially told police he slipped while holding the baby and accidentally slashed the woman’s throat. Prosecutors say Saanvi died of suffocation. In the confession, Yandamuri admitted to putting a handkerchief in her mouth to keep her from crying and wrapping her head in a blanket before putting her in suitcase.
Woman faces court for $200,000 Medicare fraud
A PATHOLOGICAL gambler who falsely claimed almost $200,000 from Medicare to fund her addiction has faced a Bendigo court. Andrea Golic, 31, pleaded guilty in Bendigo County Court on Tuesday to two counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage and one charge of attempting to to dishonestly claim financial advantage. The court heard the Malmsbury woman created copies of a doctors’ surgery invoices and used them to make fraudulent Medicare claims. Crown prosecutor Matt Ryan said between March and November 2012, Golic claimed $199,875 from the government health fund. He said between December 2012 and May 2013 she attempted to lodge further claims of about $16,000, but identical existing claims were identified and an investigation begun. Mr Ryan said Golic also obtained $42,723 from her private health fund using the fraudulent invoices. The court heard the woman also gambled away about $200,000 of her parents’ money, forcing them to re-mortgage the family home.
Jail for Norwich man who stole £328,500 from Norfolk Chamber of Commerce
A 23-year-old assistant accountant who admitted a £328,500 fraud from the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce has been jailed. Alexander Dickerson, of Davidson Road, Norwich, had previously been charged with fraud by abuse of position between 2012 and 2014. Dickerson, who admitted the offence, appeared at Norwich Crown Court today to be sentenced. Recorder Guy Ayers said he accepted the defendant was a man of previous good character who had admitted his offending at the earliest opportunity but could not “ignore the fact it has had a very damaging effect on the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce”. When interviewed by the police, Dickerson full admitted the offence. He claimed he began to take the money to repay an initial loan of £7,000 from a payday lending firm; however, he then took more from the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and gambled it in an attempt to win back what he had stolen so far. Dickerson admitted he continued to fraudulently take money but never once made a single payment back to the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce. Instead he used the money to gamble and fund his general lifestyle, such as going on holiday, eating out and he also bought himself an Audi A3 for around £12,000.
Battlefield man sentenced for $945,000 fraud scheme
Tammy Dickinson, United States attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced Sept. 17 that a Battlefield man was sentenced in federal court for embezzling $945,000 from his employer. Travis E. Honaker, 36, of Battlefield was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays on Sept. 16 to three years and one month in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Honaker to pay $945,200 in restitution. On March 18, Honaker pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. Honaker admitted that he engaged in a scheme to defraud his employer, Prime Inc., from Aug. 22, 2007, to December 2011. Through his schemes, Honaker embezzled at least $945,200 over the five-year period of the investigation. The illegally obtained funds were used for Honaker’s personal living expenses and paid for such items as a 2005 BMW SUV, a 2009 Range Rover SUV, a down payment and subsequent mortgage payments on a residence in Battlefield and his wife’s extensive gambling expenses.
Baton Rouge man sentenced to 5 years in prison
Baton Rouge man who conned people out of more than $800,000 over a four-year period to fund his gambling habit by telling them he was a hot sauce heir with a $20 million trust fund has been sentenced to more than five years in prison. On Thursday, The Advocate reports Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson also ordered 34-year-old Johnathan E. Williams to pay more than $835,000 in restitution and forfeit another $500,000 as illegal proceeds of his fraud scheme. Jackson, who sentenced Williams to 63 months in prison, immediately remanded him into federal custody after finding he had continued to engage in criminal conduct even after his March guilty plea to wire fraud charges.
Walmart Mexico Investigated Over Promotional Cockfight
Walmart’s Mexican operations are being investigating by authorities in the city of Boca del Rio, where customers complained a Walmart store hosted a cockfight to promote a soft drink company. The retailer says it’s the customer gripes are overblown and that, while there were indeed roosters pecking at each other, no actual cockfighting took place. Gambling on cockfights is illegal in Boca del Rio and could result in a fine of up to around $7,200 for the store. The Walmart rep also says there was no gambling at the event. The promotional event took place on Sept. 15, in advance of Mexican Independence Day on the sixteenth, and was to promote a soda company from the area. Local animal rights groups alerted authorities after seeing photos of fighting birds posted online.
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