Rye Brook, New York Best Lawyers in America® recognized Bernard A. Krooks, JD, CPA, LLM, CELA®, AEP® (Distinguished), Amy C. O’Hara, CELA®, Joel Krooks, Esq, and Brian L. Miller, CELA®, for excellence in Elder Law and Trusts & Estates for 2025. Bernard and Amy are partners at the law firm Littman Krooks LLP. A listing…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Louisiana United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Richard Hebert, Jr., age 57, of Harvey, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to making a false statement to a bank in connection with his filing of numerous false and fraudulent applications for…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that PENELOPE PASSERO (“PASSERO”), age 50, of Westwego, Louisiana, pled guilty on August 27, 2024 to Theft of Government Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641.  PASSERO faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment, and/or a fine…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Vermont Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Ella Mae Woods, 76, a former Brattleboro resident who recently has been living in Iowa, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Rutland to twelve months and one day of imprisonment following her May 2024…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey TRENTON N.J. – A New Jersey couple admitted fraudulently obtaining approximately $790,000 in federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) payments, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Diana Valteri, 42, and Edmond Haxhillari, 43, of Sparta, New Jersey, and Cypress, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana NEW ALBANY—Willie D. Watts, 42, of Clarksville, has been sentenced to eighteen months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to theft of federal benefits from the Section 8 Housing Voucher, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, and Social Security programs. According to court…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE $23 billion remains unrecovered Through several audits, Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General made dozens of recommendations for the Agency to prevent improper payments before they occur as well as to detect and correct existing improper payments. However, to date, many of those recommendations remain unimplemented, leading to continued improper…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Alabama MOBILE, AL – A Mobile woman who lied about her living situation was sentenced today five years of probation for unlawfully receiving Social Security benefits for many years, a felony offense. According to court documents, Cheryl Bradley, 64, accompanied her husband to the Social Security office…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Kellis Dion Jackson (63, Pinellas Park), a/k/a Chandler Dante Alexander, guilty of making a false statement to a federal agency, theft of government property, and fraudulent use of a Social…

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Wednesday sentenced a contractor from Jefferson County, Missouri to five years of probation, 90 days of house arrest and 80 hours of community service for his role in the financial exploitation of an elderly St. Louis…