Nevada

Could new bill help Nevadans targeted by scammers?

Published

1 year ago

February 25, 2025

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Could new bill help Nevadans targeted by scammers?

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nevada lawmakers are looking at ways to help scam victims across the state.

On Thursday, Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar introduced Senate Bill 76 to the Senate Committee on Judiciary.

If passed by state lawmakers, the bill would create a fund to compensate victims of securities fraud.

You can read the bill below.

According to the FBI, securities fraud includes a wide variety of issues like high yield investment fraud, Ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes, advanced fee schemes, foreign currency fraud, broker embezzlement, hedge fund-related fraud, and late day trading.

Here in Nevada, the Nevada Securities Act and the Nevada Commodities Act are both found in state law and are administered by the Secretary of State’s Office, through the Securities Division.

“One of the responsibilities of the Secretary of State is to ensure that we protect the securities and investment environment in Nevada,” Aguilar told me. “That’s an issue that impacts some of our most vulnerable communities, especially our senior communities. You have individuals who have worked a lifetime building up a nest egg to be able to live in retirement comfortably. They meet scrupulous individuals, bad actors, who built their trust and then start to slowly defraud them in the investment area.”

So what does a typical securities fraud scam look like?

“An individual with a very low net worth or low salary is enticed to invest in a new, local startup with a promise of a high rate of interest as a return. Unfortunately, the offer itself was premised on fake statements or misleading information or missing information,” Deputy Secretary of Securities Erin Houston explained. “And when the investment fails, the individual is completely out of luck in terms of recouping their money.

She added that if the bad actor is charged, the money is usually gone and victims have no way of getting restitution, even if the court orders it.

For example, in Fiscal Year 2023, the division investigated securities fraud from investors totaling over $16 million but investors only received $205,000 in restitution. In Fiscal Year 2024, the division looked into fraud claims of nearly $10 million and investors received just over $1 million in restitution.

Senate Bill 76 would fill that gap to provide restitution to more victims.

How much money could scam victims receive?

Scam victims could receive up to $25,000. This would apply to victims who have been awarded restitution as set forth in NRS 9640.

Aguilar said some people would end up losing more money than that in securities fraud schemes but this would at least help them get back on their feet.

“The main reason we are proposing this legislation is that it provides a way for Nevada residents to obtain desperately needed relief after losing what is often a significant chunk of their savings to someone who has defrauded them,” Aguilar said.

Where would the money for the fund come from?

If passed, a fractional amount of revenue that presently goes to the state general fund would be held for victims of securities fraud.

For now, Aguilar said they would cap the total fund amount at $500,000.

“We understand that revenue is important to the state and we want to support the state and want to make sure we are not diverting too much funding away from the state at large.”

Aguilar also told me they’re also looking at opportunities to take third-party funds to add to the fund.

“Sometimes, when there is mass litigation, they look for places to deposit the proceeds of those funds,” Aguilar explained. “Also, if there’s an individual who’s generous like a JP Morgan Chase, that understand what we’re trying to accomplish, they’d make a contribution to the fund.”

What should securities fraud victims do if they’ve been scammed?

According to Aguilar, it has been challenging getting victims the help they need.

“We find that it’s hard for people to come forward when they’ve been victims of investment fraud. This will hopefully encourage people to bring their case to us because the more information we have, the more evidence we have, the faster we can take these bad actors out of the market,” Aguilar said. “Please call us. Please file a complaint so that we can send our investigators out and hold bad actors accountable.”

Those thoughts were echoed by several AARP officials, who testified in support of the bill.

“Some of them feel like they just get a shrug. Well, there’s nothing we can do. This would address that,” said Jessica Padron, Advocacy Director for AARP Nevada. “Our call to action is that the creation of this fund is not just good policy, it’s the right thing to do and fraud victims should not be left to suffer the consequences of crimes committed against them.”

What was the feedback from lawmakers?

“To be honest with you, I was quite impressed at how empathetic they were to individuals who are victims of investment fraud,” Aguilar told me. “They understood the need for this but also to their willingness to discuss how we fund it.”

The bill is now on its way to the budget committee for further consideration.

What red flags should people look out for and how can they file reports with the Secretary of State’s Office?

If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Call the Secretary of State’s Office to verify that individuals are licensed broker dealer or licensed investment advisors.

You can file a complaint with the Secretary of State’s Office here.

The Secretary of State’s Office also provides a free Nevada Investor Guide, which you can read below.

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Nevada

Las Vegas woman arrested for alleged SNAP fraud

Published

11 hours ago

March 14, 2026

Press Room

Las Vegas woman arrested for alleged SNAP fraud

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Governor’s Office has announced the arrest of Mychelle Lay, a Las Vegas woman allegedly involved in the “theft of personal identifying information and trafficking of… SNAP benefits.”

Multiple cases were marked as suspicious by caseworkers with the Nevada Division of Social Services (DSS), and brought to the attention of the Nevada Attorney General’s Office. It was at this time, officials said, that they learned Nevada State Police (NSP) were also tracking these activities.

“One of our caseworkers first identified suspicious activity after noticing multiple benefit applications tied to the same address. Most of the applications were submitted online and were processed in accordance with federal eligibility guidelines. As fraud tactics evolve, DSS continues to evaluate additional technology tools to strengthen fraud detection and protect the integrity of these programs.” — Robert Thompson, Nevada DSS administrator

In June, 2025, NSP officers with the Parole and Probation Division held a home contact on Lay, a probationer. They discovered fraudulent activity evidence at that time.

During their investigation, NSP learned that Lay had set up a fake business in December, 2024, that was approved for SNAP/EBT transactions and began to operate in January, 2025.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars were processed through this scheme between January and September, 2025, according to financial records. The precise number of individual profiles in connection with the “business” is still unknown.

“While it is concerning to see this level of criminal sophistication, I applaud our state agencies for identifying this potential fraud, launching an investigation, and coordinating with law enforcement and the affected federal agencies. We do not tolerate any level of theft of taxpayer dollars and will continue to work with law enforcement as the investigation proceeds.” — Governor Joe Lombardo

In addition to SNAP fraud, NSP’s investigation revealed “a potential fraud connected to Medicaid enrollment.” Officials are working to learn more about this activity.

The Nevada DSS (administrators of SNAP benefits and processors of Medicaid eligibility) shared that they are working closely with law enforcement’s investigation. The Office of the Inspector General and their Social Security Administration department, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General are also assisting in this case.

“Fraud of this nature is egregious and diverts critical resources from those who need them the most, and puts responsible recipients of public benefits, like Medicaid and SNAP, at risk. This case of fraud highlights the important need for further modernization of Nevada’s systems and technologies. Many of these efforts are already underway at the Nevada Health Authority in partnership with the Nevada Department of Human Services.” — Ann Jensen, Nevada Medicaid administrator

According to the report, Lay was booked into the Clark County Jail with the following charges:

1 count of theft over $100,000
1 count of fraudulent acts — public assistance
1 count of multiple fraudulent transactions through an enterprise or occupation
11 counts of obtaining or using the ID of another

During the time NSP conducted their home contact, Lay was being supervised for possession of a controlled substance and for obtaining and using the personal identifying information of another.

This investigation is still ongoing. If you believe you might be a victim of identity theft, contact the Division of Social Services by visiting a local office, email welfare@dds.nv.gov, or call 702-486-1646 (Southern Nevada) or 775-684-7200 (Northern Nevada).

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Nevada

Lisa Vanderpump named Nevada Ballet Theatre Woman of the Year for April 11 gala

Published

23 hours ago

March 14, 2026

Press Room

Lisa Vanderpump named Nevada Ballet Theatre Woman of the Year for April 11 gala

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Las Vegas entertainment fans will have several big dates to circle this spring, from a high-profile gala honoring Lisa Vanderpump to major concerts and award shows on the Strip.

Vanderpump is set to be honored as the next Nevada Ballet Theatre Woman of the Year at the April 11 Black and White Gala at Encore Las Vegas. Vanderpump gained fame through Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Vanderpump Rules. She is also an entrepreneur, with her Vanderpump Hotel taking over the Cromwell on the Strip this year. Vanderpump is active in many charity causes and has a background in the arts. “I was born into the acting thing and dancing was a big part of that education,” Vanderpump said.

MORE: Sebastian Maniscalco teams up with Steve Aoki on comedic song ahead of Wynn shows

The Jonas Brothers are scheduled to play Dolby Live on May 20, 22 and 23. The group most recently headlined the theater in 2023, and the family also runs Nelly’s Southern Kitchen at MGM Grand.

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MGM Grand Garden Arena will also host two award shows on consecutive weekends in May: the Academy of Country Music Awards on May 17 and the American Music Awards on Memorial Day, May 25. It is the first time two major award shows have performed on consecutive weekends at MGM Grand.

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Nevada

Who is running for Nevada governor, 2nd Congressional district, Reno Mayor? See full list

Published

1 day ago

March 13, 2026

Press Room

Who is running for Nevada governor, 2nd Congressional district, Reno Mayor? See full list

Over 1,000 candidates have filed to run for political seats across the Silver State at the federal, state and local level as of midday Friday, according to the Secretary of State.

Friday is the last day of the two-week candidate filing period for non-judicial seats. When the candidate lists are finalized, the races for the 2026 midterms will be set.

The top northern Nevada races of the 2026 cycle are likely to be Joe Lombardo’s gubernatorial reelection bid, the open race for Rep. Mark Amodei’s seat in Congress and the open race for Reno Mayor.

Below is a list of the declared candidates for some of the key races, which will be updated throughout the day as more candidates apply to run. To see the full list of candidates for all judicial and non-judicial seats across Nevada, visit the Secretary of State’s website.

Governor of Nevada

Political observers expect Gov. Lombardo to coast through the Republican primary in his reelection bid with no major candidates running against the incumbent. On the Democratic side, five candidates had filed as of midday Friday, including Nevada attorney general Aaron Ford and Washoe County commissioner Alexis Hill.

Aaron D. Ford (D)
Alexis Hill (D)
Allen Rheinhart (no party)
Barak Zilberberg (R)
Danielle Ford (no party)
Donald J. “Donald Jr.” Beaudry Jr. (R)
Emile Bouari (D)
Emilio R. Rodriguez (no party)
Irina Hansen (R)
John T. Scott (no party)
Jordan Koteras (no party)
Jose M. Zelaya (R)
Joseph Lombardo (R)
Matthew R. Winterhawk (R)
Kameron M. Hawkins (R)
Miqehl Bayfield (D)
Sunshine Arterburn (D)
Max Beck (no party)

2nd Congressional District

Rep. Amodei’s surprise retirement announcement earlier this year touched off a frenzy of speculation and rumors in the political world, but the list of declared candidates is now coming in to focus. As of midday Friday, 24 candidates had applied for the seat, which covers all of northern Nevada:

Andrea Lowe (R)
Bruce Grego (R)
Fred J. Simon, Jr. (R)
Gamaliel Z. “Gamy” Enriquez (D)
George Forbush (R)
James A. Settelmeyer (R)
Jennifer Billat (R)
Jerry Olsen (R)
Jesse J. Watts (R)
Johnny E. Kerns (D)
Josh Hebert (D)
Kathy Durham (D)
Lynn Chapman (Independent American Party)
Mark Jolle (D)
Matthew Fonken (D)
Michael “Mike” Smith (R)
Monica Jaye Stabbert (R)
Morgan Wadsworth (D)
Rick Shepherd (R)
Sherman Tylawsky (R)
Teresa F. Benitez-Thompson (D)
Tom Doyle (R)
Robert, G “Greg” Kidd (D)
Douglas “Doug” Miller (R)
William “Bill” Conrad (R)
Gerold L. Gorman (D)
David Flippo (R)

Reno Mayor

Mayor Hillary Schieve is termed out and cannot run for another 4-year term leading the Biggest Little City. As of Friday morning, 9 candidates had filed for the open seat, including a former lieutenant governor and two current council members. Below is the full list of candidates for the nonpartisan seat:

Corinthia M. Yancey
Devon T. Reese
George “Eddie” Lorton
Greg “Nutt” Nuttle
Jesse O. Razo
John Wayne Zink
Kate Marshall
Kathleen Taylor
Tim Ross

Sparks Mayor

Ed Lawson, who has led the City of Sparks as its mayor since his appointment in 2020, is running for a second full term leading the Rail City. So far, three candidates and Lawson have filed to run for the mayoral seat, including current councilwoman Charlene Bybee. Below is the full list of candidates for the nonpartisan seat:

Charlene Bybee
Ed Lawson (incumbent)
Wendi M. Rawson
Diana L. Mackey

Washoe County Sheriff

As of Friday morning, Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam was the only candidate to apply for the seat. If no one else files before the Friday deadline, Balaam will win re-election automatically.

Washoe County District Attorney

Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks has filed for re-election, but will face an opponent for the first time in his political career.

Sparks City Attorney Wes Duncan is seeking to unseat Hicks. So far, Hicks and Duncan are the only two candidates in the race. If no one else files to run before the deadline, the pair will automatically advance to the general election.

Reno City Attorney

Reno city attorney Karl Hall confirmed to News 4-Fox 11 Thursday that he was not filing for reelection. Hall has been in the seat since his first election victory in 2014.

So far, attorney and professor Zee Bogale is the only candidate who has filed to run for the city attorney’s office. If no one else files for the race, Bogale will win the city attorney seat by default.

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