Florida
Two Monument women defrauded out of nearly $4 million, suspects arrested in Florida
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – A couple is behind bars is Lee County, Florida this week after officials say they defrauded two women in Monument out of millions of dollars. Philip and Nicole Scolaro are now facing five felony charges.
One of the victims was blind and elderly at the time of the alleged scene. She’s now dead and was not able to find justice while alive.
“It happens way too often. I think a lot of it is again they don’t know that it is a scam,” said Annie Hewitt, the Director of Health and Wellness at Silver Key Senior Services.
The Scolaros told their victims they were the owners of a working gold mine in Africa. Over the course of three years, the pair stole more than $4 million from two women, according to a 17 page grand jury indictment from the State of Colorado.
The Scolaros were arrested in Lee County, Florida at the end of October.
The pair reportedly asked for investors to help extract, secure, and transport gold from their so-called mine, with a promise of a return of their investment. That money in-turn was used for their own personal expenses, buying properties and luxury cars.
According to the indictment, one of the victims, Martha Larson, was an at-risk person during the scheme. She transferred over three properties to the Scolaros totaling more than $2.1 million. The second victim, Leslie Cohen, gave them more than $800,000.
“It’s really sad when that happens because to be able to recover from that, it’s almost impossible,” said Hewitt.
The indictment also details this would not be Philip’s first offense. The court papers detail that he has a lengthy criminal record dating back to 1987 in New Jersey.
Philip is also facing criminal charges in Florida, including grand theft and fraud of less than $20,000.
No word yet on when the couple will be extradited back to Colorado.
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Florida
‘I feel like Bin Laden,’ Florida man arrested by FBI for planning to bomb NYSE to 'reboot' US government
A Florida man has been arrested and charged in connection with a plot to bomb the New York Stock Exchange in an effort to “reboot” the US government, according to the FBI.
Harun Abdul-Malik Yener, 30, from Coral Springs, Florida, was charged with attempting to use an explosive device to damage or destroy a building involved in interstate commerce.
The FBI began investigating Yener in February after receiving a tip that he was storing materials related to bomb-making in a storage unit. Agents searched the area after obtaining a search warrant. They found “bomb-making sketches, numerous watches with timers electronic circuit boards and other electronics that can be utilised to build bombs.
According to the FBI, Yener had also been conducting online searches about bomb-making since 2017.
In March, Yener admitted to authorities during questioning that he had knowledge of making “rockets” and “bombs” and had previously tried to join a “domestic extremist group.” He also revealed that in 2015, he had considered travelling to Iraq to join ISIS but ultimately decided against it because he doubted the group’s ability to meet its objectives.
Yener allegedly told undercover FBI agents that he planned to detonate the bomb during the week before Thanksgiving, targeting the New York Stock Exchange in lower Manhattan. Court documents state that his goal was to “reboot” the US government.
‘I feel like Bin Laden’
“There is one place that would be hella easy… the stock exchange, that would be a great hit. Tons of people would support it. They would see it and think dude, this guy makes sense, they are [profanity] robbing us. So that’s perfect,” he told the agent.
“I feel like Bin Laden,” he told the undercover agent.
Weeks before his arrest, Yener had modified two-way radios to function as remote triggers for explosives. He also planned to wear a disguise while planting the device, according to court filings.
Yener appeared in court on Wednesday afternoon, where it was decided he would remain in custody while awaiting trial.
(With inputs from agencies)
With the early national signing period approaching quickly, the USC Trojans have been working hard on the recruiting process. The Trojans have lost some key recruits but gained some big names. One target to watch for is defensive lineman Joseph Mbatchou, who is set to visit USC on Nov. 30.
Mbatchou is a class of 2025 four-star defensive lineman playing for Grayson (Ga.). On3 ranks Mbatchou as the No. 22 defensive lineman in the nation and the No. 36 player from Georgia. The four-star recruit was once committed to the Florida Gators but re-opened his recruitment in October.
Mbatchou is predicted to commit to the Texas Longhorns, but after another visit with the Florida Gators, Florida has jumped into the top two. The Auburn Tigers have also been a top team in the running for the four-star recruit. One last school to watch out for is the USC Trojans.
Mbatchou is considering visiting the USC Trojans on Nov. 30, when they face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the final regular-season game. Mbatchou announced this visit in October and is still considering it. As he narrowed down his decision, there was a chance he would no longer meet with USC, but the official visit is still set.
On3 ranks the USC Trojans class of 2025 as No. 13 in the nation and No. 4 in the Big Ten. Though they may have lost a couple of big names, they were able to flip five-star quarterback Husan Longstreet after a big push for him.
USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans’ staff must work hard to flip Mbatchou. The visit will be the most important way to convince the four-star recruit, as that is how Florida rose back into the top two. Visiting USC during the final weekend of November could help the Trojans with the game being right before national signing day.
Mbatchou is expected to make his decision during the early signing period. Texas is the top prediction for now, but expect the USC Trojans to make a final push for the four-star defensive lineman.
This week, USC will take on the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, Nov. 23. The game will be broadcast on NBC and kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
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