U.S. AND SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES WILL MEET IN QATAR THIS WKND TO DECIDE ON HOW TO RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR HELP FROM THE FREE SYRIAN ARMY *

MEETING WILL INCLUDE GOVT OFFICIALS FROM 11 COUNTRIES IN THE SO-CALLED FRIENDS OF SYRIA GROUP *

TALKS COME A WEEK AFTER THE OBAMA ADMIN AGREED TO SEND ARMS TO SYRIAN REBELS AMID THE COUNTRY'S DEADLY TWO-YEAR CIVIL WAR *

FED RESERVE SAYS IT EXPECTS UNEMPLOYMENT TO FALL FASTER THIS YEAR THAN ITS PREDICTION IN MARCH *

THE FED NOW PREDICTS THE JOBLESS RATE WILL FALL TO 7.2% OR 7.3% BY THE END OF 2013 *

THAT'S DOWN FROM ITS PREDICTION OF 7.6% THREE MONTHS AGO *

THE FED ALSO EXPECTS THOSE RATES TO FALL BETWEEN 6.5% AND 6.8% BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR *

HOUSE VOTES TO CUT FOOD STAMPS BY $2 BIL A YEAR *

THE BILL CUTS ABOUT 3% FROM THE $80 BIL-A-YEAR FOOD STAMP PROGRAM *

THE CHAMBER REJECTED A DEMOCRATIC PLAN TO MAINTAIN CURRENT SPENDING LEVELS ON FOOD STAMPS AND CUT FARM SUBSIDIES INSTEAD *

THE MOTHER OF A 10-YR-OLD PA GIRL WHO FOUGHT FOR A LUNG TRANSPLANT SAYS HER DAUGHTER IS IMPROVING *

JANET MURNAGHAN SAYS HER DAUGHTER SARAH IS NOW ON A VENTILATOR *

SARAH, WHO SUFFERS FROM CYSTIC FIBROSIS, RECEIVED TWO NEW LUNGS AFTER A JUDGE GAVE HER A CHANCE AT THE LIST OF ORGANS FROM ADULT DONORS *

NEW COLORADO WILDFIRE BURNING IN THE FOOTHILLS SW OF DENVER *

THE "LIME GULCH FIRE" HAS FORCED DOZENS OF PEOPLE FROM THEIR HOMES *

THE FLAMES ARE BEING FUELED BY HOT, DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS *

THE FIRE ERUPTED ROUGHLY 50 MILES FROM THE NOW NEARLY-CONTAINED "BLACK FOREST FIRE" *

THAT FIRE IS BEING CALLED THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE IN STATE HISTORY *

THE TALIBAN OFFERING TO HAND OVER AN AMERICAN SOLDIER IN EXCHANGE FOR FIVE GUANTANAMO DETAINEES *

U.S. ARMY SGT BOWE BERGDAHL OF HAILEY, ID, HAS BEEN HELD CAPTIVE SINCE DISAPPEARING IN EASTERN AFGHANISTAN FOUR YRS AGO *

A TALIBAN SPOX SAYS HE BELIEVES BERGDAHL IS IN GOOD CONDITION *

THE OFFER COMES AS THE U.S. TRIES TO SALVAGE PEACE TALKS WITH THE TALIBAN *

THE PROPOSED NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEEN CONDEMNED BY AFGHAN PRES HAMID KARZAI *

TROPICAL STORM BARRY IS ZEROING IN ON MEXICO'S GULF COAST *

IT'S EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL NW OF VERACRUZ EARLY THURS, ACCORDING TO THE NATL HURRICANE CENTER *

THE STORM IS PACKING SUSTAINED 45-MPH WINDS *

FORECASTERS SAY BARRY COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODING AND MUDSLIDES *

THE STORM IS EXPECTED TO LOSE STEAM OVER SOUTHERN MEXICO ON FRI *

GOV CHRIS CHRISTIE REMEMBERS NEW JERSEY NATIVE JAMES GANDOLFINI AS "A FINE ACTOR, A RUTGERS ALUM AND A TRUE JERSEY GUY" *

THE SOPRANOS STAR DIED WEDNESDAY OF A POSSIBLE HEART ATTACK WHILE VACATIONING IN ITALY *

HE WAS 51 YRS OLD *

FMR INVESTIGATORS CALL FOR A NEW PROBE INTO THE CRASH OF TWA FLIGHT 800 *

THEY SAY NEW EVIDENCE POINTS TO THE THEORY THAT A MISSILE MAY HAVE BROUGHT DOWN THE PLANE *

THE NY-TO-PARIS FLIGHT CRASHED MINUTES AFTER TAKING OFF FROM JFK INTL AIRPORT IN 1996, KILLING ALL 230 PASSENGERS *

THE NATL TRANSPORTATION BOARD CONCLUDED THE CRASH WAS CAUSED BY A CENTER FUEL TANK EXPLOSION *

 

Care to comment about this? I am sure we all have a word or two for this one

by Posted in:

Dec 27 2012 - 6:26 PM ET

comments

I have some rather choice words for this woman but I will hold them since it is at this point an arrest, and not a conviction.  Innocent people can be arrested falsely….but if convicted, no mercy from me.

——

United States Attorney David B. Fein

 

District of Connecticut

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

 

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012 **********

 

WWW.JUSTICE.GOV/USAO/CT

 

 

NEW YORK WOMAN ARRESTED FOR LYING TO FEDERAL AGENTS INVESTIGATING NEWTOWN FUNDRAISING FRAUD

 

 

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Nouel Alba, 37, of Bronx, N.Y., was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging her with lying to FBI agents in connection with their investigation into a fraudulent fundraising scheme related to the Newtown school shooting tragedy, announced U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut David B. Fein and Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI Kimberly K. Mertz.

 

The complaint alleges that Alba used her Facebook account, telephone calls and text messages to falsely claim to be a relative of a shooting victim and solicited money from donor-victims who wanted to donate, claiming the money was for the child’s “funeral fund.” At Alba’s instruction, donor-victims sent money to a PayPal account controlled and accessed by Alba.

 

When contacted by FBI Special Agents investigating fundraising and charity scams related to the Newtown tragedy, Alba falsely stated that she did not post information related to Newtown on her Facebook account, solicit donations or recently access her PayPal account. Alba also falsely claimed to have immediately refunded any donations that she received.

 

“This arrest should serve as a warning to anyone who attempts to profit from this tragedy by contriving fraudulent schemes that exploit the many victims, their families and individuals who sincerely want to help,” stated U.S. Attorney Fein. “Investigators continue to monitor the Internet to uncover other fundraising scams arising from this tragedy, and the individuals operating them face federal or state prosecution to the fullest extent permitted by law.”

 

“It is unconscionable to think that the families of the victims in Newtown, and a sympathetic community looking to provide them some sort of financial support and comfort, have become the targets of criminals,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Mertz. “Today’s arrest is a stern message that the FBI will investigate and bring to justice those who perpetrate Internet fund raising scams, especially those scams that exploit the most vulnerable in their time of shared sorrow.”

 

Following her arrest, Alba appeared before U.S. Magistrate Thomas P. Smith in Hartford and was released on a $50,000 bond.

 

If convicted of making false statements to federal agents, Alba faces a maximum prison term of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.

 

 

U.S. Attorney Fein stressed that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

Individuals with knowledge of Newtown-related fundraising schemes are encouraged to contact the FBI in Connecticut at 203-777-6311.

 

U.S. Attorney Fein noted that potential federal charges associated with fraudulent fundraising and charity schemes include wire fraud (20-year maximum prison term), access device fraud (10-year maximum prison term) and interstate transportation of stolen property (10-year maximum prison term).

 

This case is being investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Francis.

 

 

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