September 22 Morning News
NEWS 12 NEW JERSEY REPORTED TWO ROMANIAN MEN HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AFTER A MONTHS-LONG INVESTIGATION INTO AN ALLEGED SKIMMING OPERATION TARGETING ATMS THROUGHOUT NORTH JERSEY. SADDLE RIVER POLICE IDENTIFIED THE MEN AS EUGENE PADURE AND IULIAN BRINZAN. INVESTIGATORS SAY THOSE INVOLVED IN THE ALLEGED SCHEME WOULD INSTALL ELECTRONIC SKIMMING DEVICES ON ATMS TO CAPTURE CUSTOMERS' DEBIT CARD INFORMATION, LATER REMOVING THE DEVICES. AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THE STOLEN ACCOUNT INFORMATION WAS USED TO CREATE FRAUDULENT PAYMENT CARDS IN VICTIMS' NAMES. POLICE DID NOT IDENTIFY THE ATMS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN TARGETED OR SAY HOW MANY CUSTOMERS MAY HAVE BEEN AFFECTED, SAYING A SKIMMING DEVICE WAS FOUND ON A LOCAL ATM HELPED INVESTIGATORS IDENTIFY AND LOCATE PEOPLE BELIEVED TO BE INVOLVED. POLICE SAID INVESTIGATORS EVENTUALLY TRACKED PADURE AND BRINZAN TO SADDLE RIVER AND ARRESTED THEM. AUTHORITIES LATER EXECUTED SEARCH WARRANTS AND RECOVERED CARD-MAKING EQUIPMENT, ADDITIONAL SKIMMING DEVICES AND OTHER EVIDENCE THAT POLICE SAID WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATION. BRINZAN WAS CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL USE OF A SCANNING DEVICE AND THEFT, AND PADURE WAS CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT THEFT, CRIMINAL USE OF A SCANNING DEVICE AND POSSESSION OF A SCANNING DEVICE OR REENCODER WITH INTENT TO COMMIT AN OFFENSE. POLICE URGED ATM USERS TO INSPECT CARD READERS AND KEYPADS FOR UNUSUAL ATTACHMENTS.
NEWS 12 NEW JERSEY REPORTED AN ESSEX COUNTY FINANCIAL ADVISOR WAS SENTENCED TO SEVEN YEARS IN STATE PRISON FOR STEALING MORE THAN $300,000 FROM AN ELDERLY CLIENT. JOHN BOSTON, 50, OF VERONA, WAS ENTRUSTED BY AN ELDERLY CLIENT TO MANAGE HER FINANCES AFTER RECEIVING AN INHERITANCE.BOSTON WAS CONVICTED IN MAY OF THEFT AND THEFT BY FAILURE TO MAKE REQUIRED DISPOSITION FOLLOWING A SIX-DAY TRIAL IN ESSEX COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT. IN JUNE 2017, WHEN THE VICTIM WAS 90, BOSTON OBTAINED A DURABLE FINANCIAL POWER OF ATTORNEY FROM HER. EVIDENCE FROM THE TRIAL SHOWED BOSTON STOLE MORE THAN $300,000 THROUGH ATM WITHDRAWALS, BANK TRANSFERS, AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS, DEPLETING THE WOMAN’S ACCOUNTS IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS. ACCORDING TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, HE LATER DIVERTED HER SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS FOR HIS OWN USE. ACCORDING TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, BOSTON RESIGNED FROM HIS POSITION IN THE SECURITIES INDUSTRY IN 2019 AND HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED IN NEW JERSEY SINCE.
NORTHJERSEY.COM REPORTED FOUR JUVENILES WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AFTER BREAKING INTO A BERGEN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL AND TAKING A STOLEN VEHICLE FOR A RIDE. FRANKLIN LAKES POLICE RESPONDED TO RAMAPO HIGH SCHOOL SHORTLY AFTER 1:30 A.M SEPT. 21. ACCORDING TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT’S PRESS RELEASE, SCHOOL SECURITY PERSONNEL REPORTED SEVERAL PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH HALLWAYS INCLUDING ONE WHO QUOTE “APPEARED TO BE CARRYING A FIREARM” UNQUOTE. THE RELEASE STATED OFFICERS LOACATED FOUR MINORS RANGING FROM AGES 11 TO 17 INSIDE THE SCHOOL AND TOOK THEM INTO CUSTODY WITHOUT AN INCIDENT. OFFICERS FOUND ONE OF THE CHILDREN WITH A PLASTIC TOY RIFLE THAT RESEMBLED A REAL GUN. ALL FOUR CHILDREN WERE RELEASED INTO THE CUSTODY OF THEIR PARENTS. CHARGES ARE CURRENTLY PENDING AND THE INVESTIGATION IS STILL ONGOING.
NORTHJERSEY.COM REPORTED AN UPDATE ON A PREVIOUS STORY, A MAYWOOD WOMAN HAS NOW BEEN ARRESTED OVER THE HIT-AND-RUN CRASH ON INTERSTATE 80 IN SADDLE BROOK ON SEPT. 20 THAT LEFT A POLICE OFFICER WITH SERIOUS INJURIES. THE NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE ANNOUNCED MONDAY EVENING THAT KATELYN M. GALLARDO, 20, HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT ON A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN INJURY AND ENDANGERING AN INJURED VICTIM.STATE POLICE SAID ON EARLY SUNDAY AT 4:34 A.M., A SADDLE BROOK OFFICER WAS CONDUCTING A TRAFFIC STOP IN THE EASTBOUND DECELERATION LANE OF ROUTE 80 WHEN A VEHICLE STRUCK THE STOPPED CAR AND THE OFFICER, WHO WAS OUTSIDE HIS PATROL CAR. NICHOLAS GENUARIO, 25, OF THE SADDLE BROOK POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS IDENTIFIED IN A POST ON THE DEPARTMENT'S FACEBOOK PAGE AS THE OFFICER STRUCK. GENUARIO WAS HOSPITALIZED WITH SERIOUS INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH. GALLARDO WAS ARRESTED AFTER AN INVESTIGATION BY THE SADDLE BROOK PD AND THE NJSP. DETECTIVES IDENTIFIED THE VEHICLE AS A 2024 WHITE ACCORD AND LOCATED THE VEHICLE AT A RESIDENCE IN MAYWOOD. GALLARDO IS BEING HELD AT THE BERGEN COUNTY JAIL PENDING A COURT HEARING. STATE POLICE SAID THE INVESTIGATION REMAINS ONGOING.