History of Fraud in Philadelphia

1
27 articles matching "Durant and fraud or Five Squad
and date(1/1/1984 to 1/1/2000)" were found.
Returning 27 articles.

Article 4 of 27, Article ID: 8701080525
Published on 02/06/1987, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
MOST CHARGES DISMISSED AGAINST 2 MASTRONARDOS
TEXT: A federal court judge yesterday dismissed most of the charges against John V. Mastronardo and his father,
Joseph V. Mastronardo Sr., two of seven defendants accused of running a multimillion-dollar gambling and money-
laundering operation based in Philadelphia.
U.S. District Court Judge Anthony J. Scirica left intact 36 of 42 charges against Joseph Mastronardo Jr., 36,
the son-in-law of former Mayor Frank L. Rizzo and the man prosecutors say masterminded the alleged sports-
bookmak i
Your search terms appear 7 times in this article.
Complete Article, 971 words ( $1.95 )

FIVE SQUAD PROSECUTOR HINTS AT A MURDER PLOT
TEXT: A federal prosecutor alleged yesterday that some of the six former members of an elite Philadelphia police
drug unit who have been indicted on racketeering charges plotted last year to kill a witness during the federal
tax-evasion trial of another colleague.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Pucci made the allegation during an arraignment for Ronald Giongo, one of the
six Five Squad members who were indicted July 19 by a federal grand jury on charges of stealing drugs and more
than $40

DEFENSE ATTACKS RYAN'S CONFLICTS IN DRUG-UNIT TRIAL
TEXT: The defense in the federal racketeering trial of six former Philadelphia police officers focused yesterday
on the differences between Leo Ryan's testimony and his earlier statements.
A key government witness and former police officer, Ryan was cross-examined for a third day, questioned about
his turbulent marriage, his one-time addiction to Valium and his relationships with the men who once worked with
him in Five Squad, the now-defunct drug unit.

HUND FINISHES FIVE SQUAD TESTIMONY
TEXT: Former police officer Charles A. Hund 3d underwent his final day of cross- examination yesterday as the
defense in the racketeering trial of six former narcotics officers continued trying to portray him as the
epitome of corruption.
Hund, 39, has given seven days of pointed testimony against six of his former colleagues in Five Squad, a now-
defunct drug unit.

FIVE SQUAD DEFENSE OPENS CASE
DEFENDANT'S CHILDREN CONTRADICT HUND
TEXT: The son and teenage daughter of former Philadelphia narcotics officer Ronald Giongo Sr. took the stand
yesterday in U.S. District Court to help defend their father against charges of corruption.
Ronald Giongo Jr., 24, said he frequently had to lend money to his dad. He said that his father never owned a
new car, and that the family home in the mountains was just a small trailer on a chunk of property, half of
which was swamp.

2
FIVE SQUAD DEFENSE ON ATTACK
SAYS EVIDENCE 'REEKS OF DOUBT'
TEXT: The defense in the federal racketeering trial of six former Philadelphia narcotics officers yesterday
blasted away at the government's case, contending that the evidence boiled down to the unbelievable testimony of
two crooked cops and three dozen drug dealers.
"The evidence is fit for a cesspool and it reeks of doubt," declared defense attorney John Rogers Carroll, who
represents defendant John Wilson, the man who headed Five Squad, a now-defunct drug unit.

CENTER CITY DEFENSE LAWYER FACES 26 FRAUD AND INCOME TAX CHARGES
TEXT: A federal grand jury yesterday accused a Center City lawyer of carrying out two complex schemes to defraud
his mortgage company and his creditors by providing false information and misstating personal assets.
David E. Shapiro, 40, a defense lawyer who lives in Huntingdon Valley and has offices in the Lewis Tower
Building on South 15th Street, was charged with 16 counts of mail and wire fraud and one count of transferring
and concealing property of a bankruptcy estate.

GUILTY PLEA IS ENTERED BY LAWYER
TEXT: A Center City lawyer yesterday pleaded guilty to defrauding his mortgage company and his creditors by
providing false information and misstating personal assets.
David E. Shapiro, a criminal-defense lawyer with offices in the Lewis Tower Building on South 15th Street,
pleaded guilty to all 26 counts of a federal indictment that charged him with fraud and tax violations in
connection with the schemes.

EX-LAWYER GETS PRISON FOR 2 SCAMS
TEXT: A suspended Center City lawyer was sentenced yesterday to two years in federal prison and five years'
probation for carrying out two intricate schemes to defraud his mortgage company and his creditors by providing
false information and misstating personal assets.
David E. Shapiro, 41, who practiced criminal law in the Lewis Tower on South 15th Street, also was ordered by
U.S. District Judge Louis C. Bechtle to perform 1,000 hours of community service.

FORMER GRAY ACCOUNTANT CHARGED WITH MISREPRESENTATION ON LOAN
TEXT: A Center City accountant who formerly worked for U.S. Rep. William H. Gray 3d was charged yesterday by
federal authorities with one count of wire fraud, alleging that he made misrepresentations when he applied for a
bank loan in 1984.
Neil B. Godick, 50, had emerged two years ago as a key figure in an investigation involving Gray. After news
reports about the inquiry, the Justice Department - in a highly unusual move - announced that Gray was not a
target of an investigation.

A SMALL-TIME BONFIRE OF VANITIES BURNS 170
TEXT: Despite the confidence he inspired in his clients, aspiring investment mogul Donald Matthew Greth never
moved with Wall Street's rich and powerful.
He ate no power lunches with the likes of Ivan Boesky or Michael Milken. He had no fancy high-rise office. His
D.M.G. Investment Systems and Common Unity Fund Systems had no glossy brochures or detailed prospectuses.

PYRAMID DEFENDANT GETS 21-MONTH TERM
TEXT: A Montgomery County man who promised investors fantastic financial returns in a crude pyramid scheme that
fell apart after taking in more than $1.5 million was sentenced yesterday to repay the money and spend 21 months
in federal prison.
Donald Matthew Greth, 36, called the punishment "a sentence I deserve," after leaving the courtroom of U.S.
District Judge Charles R. Weiner in Philadelphia.


3
EX-GRAY ACCOUNTANT ADMITS 1984 FRAUD
TEXT: A Center City accountant who once worked for former U.S. Rep. William H. Gray 3d pleaded guilty yesterday
in U.S. District Court to one count of wire fraud, admitting that he made misrepresentations when he applied for
a bank loan in 1984.
Neil B. Godick, 50, had emerged two years ago as a key figure in a federal investigation involving Gray. After
news reports about the inquiry mentioned Gray, the Justice Department announced that the congressman was not a
target of an investigation

FORMER GRAY EMPLOYEE IS GUILTY OF LYING ON LOAN FORM
TEXT: A Center City accountant who once worked for former U.S. Rep. William H. Gray 3d was placed on probation
for five years and fined $25,000 yesterday for lying about collateral when he applied for a bank loan in 1984.
Neil B. Godick, 50, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Herbert J. Hutton, who also ordered him to
perform 100 hours of community service during his probation term.
AFTER BUSINESS DEAL GOES AWRY, A RUSSIAN PARTNER LIVES IN FEAR
THE RISKS OF CAPITALISM CAN MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS IN U.S., SIBERIA.
TEXT: For Philadelphia businessman Neil B. Godick, his foray into Siberian capitalism represents a business deal
gone awry. But for Alexander Brodsky, the Russian who worked with Godick, it's much more.
It is, says Brodsky, a dispute that has left him in desperate straits, facing possible retaliation from Russian
racketeers.

IRS TRIES TO IMPROVE ITS RATE OF COLLECTION
ACCORDING TO EXPERTS, WHERE THERE'S A TAX, THERE'S A WAY TO CHEAT.
TEXT: Today is tax day. Listen to how easy it was for one man to rip off the Internal Revenue Service:
"My company filed a total of 9,000 returns in 1992, for tax year 1991, which netted my customers approximately $8
million in total refunds. Of that total, I would guess that roughly half of the returns contained false
information about dependents, wages or filing status. That year . . . I recognized how easy it was."

DOCTOR AND STAFF ACCUSED OF SCAM
PROSECUTORS SAY JACK A. DANTON AND FIVE OTHERS
DEFRAUDED 13 INSURANCE COMPANIES OF $4 MILLION.
TEXT: By March 18, 1992, it was no longer business as usual in the office of Northeast Philadelphia osteopath
Jack A. Danton.
The FBI had ordered Danton to bring his patients' files for review by a federal grand jury looking into
insurance fraud. Federal prosecutors say Danton responded quickly, if not legally. They say he and a secretary
went through patient files, destroying some documents and hiding others.

INSURANCE FRAUD TRIAL BEGINS
PROSECUTORS SAY HUNTINGDON VALLEY OSTEOPATH JACK
A. DANTON WAS A PARTICIPANT IN A MASSIVE SCAM.
TEXT: A massive insurance fraud case that has brought down several doctors and lawyers in recent years reopened
in federal court yesterday with the trial of a doctor alleged to be a key participant.
Huntingdon Valley osteopath Jack A. Danton is accused of playing a major role in an 11-year scheme to defraud
insurance companies of about $4 million by inflating claims for people injured in accidents.

AREA DOCTOR CONVICTED OF MAIL FRAUD
THE JURY DEADLOCKED ON A RACKETEERING CHARGE AGAINST
OSTEOPATH JACK DANTON. HE COULD BE RETRIED.
TEXT: Huntingdon Valley osteopath Jack Danton was found guilty of mail fraud yesterday for participating in a
scheme that defrauded insurance companies of $4 million. But the jury in federal court deadlocked on more
serious charges of racketeering and interstate transportation of a security.
The verdict was a letdown for federal prosecutors, who had compiled a wealth of evidence against Danton in a
five-year investigation that culminated in his trial in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia.


4
PHYSICIAN IS SENTENCED IN SCAM
JACK A. DANTON OF HUNTINGDON VALLEY RECEIVED FIVE
YEARS AND WAS ORDERED TO PAY MORE THAN $400,000.
TEXT: Huntingdon Valley physician Jack A. Danton blamed his secretary for continuing a $4 million health
insurance scam long after he had withdrawn from any illicit activities.
But a federal judge didn't buy it.

PHILA. EXECUTIVE TIED TO SCHEME
THE SEC SAID HE SIGNED LETTERS THAT OVERSTATED THE
VALUE OF ACCOUNTS MANAGED BY PRINCETON ECONOMICS.
TEXT: A Philadelphia securities executive enabled a Princeton money manager to hide more than half a billion
dollars in losses by its Japanese clients, according to federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
William H. Rogers, who was recently suspended as head of futures trading at Republic New York Securities'
Philadelphia office, signed up to 200 letters that "falsely overstate" the value of accounts managed by
Princeton Economics International, of Princeton, N.J., according
LONGTIME JANNEY CHIEF TO YIELD TO THE CHAIRMAN
TEXT: Norman T. Wilde Jr. has been running Janney Montgomery Scott since Richard Nixon moved into the White
House. Now at age 69, he says it's time to go.
Wilde will step aside Dec. 31 as chief executive of the 800-broker, $12 billion-asset firm - one of the few big
financial companies still based in Center City - in favor of Janney's chairman, Rudolph "Rick" C. Sander.
Sander, an Upper Darby native, attended night school at Villanova and Penn, then rose through the ranks at the
old Philadelphia b
ACCUSED FINANCIER TRIED TO LIQUIDATE COMPANY
U.S. PROSECUTORS GOT A COURT ORDER TO STOP THE MOVE BY
MARTIN ARMSTRONG, ACCUSED OF BILKING JAPANESE INVESTORS.
TEXT: Martin A. Armstrong Jr., the financial guru accused of bilking Japanese investors out of about $1 billion,
may have attempted to thwart U.S. prosecutors by trying to liquidate his New Jersey company in a West Indies
island court.
Princeton Economics International Ltd., the firm run by Armstrong at the heart of the investment turmoil, filed
for bankruptcy last Friday in the Turks and Caicos Islands, where it is incorporated.

31 articles matching "Durant and lawyer and date(1/1/1987 to 1/1/2000)" were found.
Returning 31 articles.

PHYSICIAN IS SENTENCED IN SCAM
JACK A. DANTON OF HUNTINGDON VALLEY RECEIVED FIVE
YEARS AND WAS ORDERED TO PAY MORE THAN $400,000.
TEXT: Huntingdon Valley physician Jack A. Danton blamed his secretary for continuing a $4 million health
insurance scam long after he had withdrawn from any illicit activities.
But a federal judge didn't buy it.

AREA DOCTOR CONVICTED OF MAIL FRAUD
THE JURY DEADLOCKED ON A RACKETEERING CHARGE AGAINST
OSTEOPATH JACK DANTON. HE COULD BE RETRIED.
TEXT: Huntingdon Valley osteopath Jack Danton was found guilty of mail fraud yesterday for participating
in a scheme that defrauded insurance companies of $4 million. But the jury in federal court deadlocked
on more serious charges of racketeering and interstate transportation of a security.
The verdict was a letdown for federal prosecutors, who had compiled a wealth of evidence against Danton
in a five-year investigation that culminated in his trial in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia.

INSURANCE FRAUD TRIAL BEGINS
PROSECUTORS SAY HUNTINGDON VALLEY OSTEOPATH JACK
A. DANTON WAS A PARTICIPANT IN A MASSIVE SCAM.
TEXT: A massive insurance fraud case that has brought down several doctors and lawyers in recent
years reopened in federal court yesterday with the trial of a doctor alleged to be a key
participant.

5
Huntingdon Valley osteopath Jack A. Danton is accused of playing a major role in an 11-year
scheme to defraud insurance companies of about $4 million by inflating claims for people injured
in accidents.

DOCTOR AND STAFF ACCUSED OF SCAM
PROSECUTORS SAY JACK A. DANTON AND FIVE OTHERS
DEFRAUDED 13 INSURANCE COMPANIES OF $4 MILLION.
TEXT: By March 18, 1992, it was no longer business as usual in the office of Northeast
Philadelphia osteopath Jack A. Danton.
The FBI had ordered Danton to bring his patients' files for review by a federal grand jury
looking into insurance fraud. Federal prosecutors say Danton responded quickly, if not legally.
They say he and a secretary went through patient files, destroying some documents and hiding
others.

IRS TRIES TO IMPROVE ITS RATE OF COLLECTION
ACCORDING TO EXPERTS, WHERE THERE'S A TAX, THERE'S A WAY TO CHEAT.
TEXT: Today is tax day. Listen to how easy it was for one man to rip off the Internal Revenue
Service:
"My company filed a total of 9,000 returns in 1992, for tax year 1991, which netted my customers
approximately $8 million in total refunds. Of that total, I would guess that roughly half of the
returns contained false information about dependents, wages or filing status. That year . . . I
recognized how easy it was."

SUBURBAN DRUG RING HELPER IS SENTENCED
ALAN I. ROOMBERG LAUNDERED MONEY FOR DRUG DEALER
FRANK J. FORLANO. HE RECEIVED A 2 1/2-YEAR JAIL TERM.
TEXT: The former accountant for convicted suburban drug trafficker Frank J. Forlano was sentenced
to 2 1/2 years in prison yesterday for his role in
helping Forlano launder cash generated by the lucrative drug ring.
"This is actually a relief that after nearly 4 1/2 years I can begin to finally pay my debt," Alan
I. Roomberg told U.S. District Judge Ronald L. Buckwalter, referring to the time that has elapsed
since Forlano's drug organization began to crumble in August 1988.

EX-GRAY ACCOUNTANT ADMITS 1984 FRAUD
TEXT: A Center City accountant who once worked for former U.S. Rep. William H. Gray 3d pleaded
guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to one count of wire fraud, admitting that he made
misrepresentations when he applied for a bank loan in 1984.
Neil B. Godick, 50, had emerged two years ago as a key figure in a federal investigation
involving Gray. After news reports about the inquiry mentioned Gray, the Justice Department
announced that the congressman was not a target of an investigation

PYRAMID DEFENDANT GETS 21-MONTH TERM
TEXT: A Montgomery County man who promised investors fantastic financial returns in a crude
pyramid scheme that fell apart after taking in more than $1.5 million was sentenced yesterday to
repay the money and spend 21 months in federal prison.
Donald Matthew Greth, 36, called the punishment "a sentence I deserve," after leaving the
courtroom of U.S. District Judge Charles R. Weiner in Philadelphia.

EX-LAWYER GETS PRISON FOR 2 SCAMS
TEXT: A suspended Center City lawyer was sentenced yesterday to two years in federal prison and
five years' probation for carrying out two intricate schemes to defraud his mortgage company and
his creditors by providing false information and misstating personal assets.
David E. Shapiro, 41, who practiced criminal law in the Lewis Tower on South 15th Street, also
was ordered by U.S. District Judge Louis C. Bechtle to perform 1,000 hours of community service.

6

GUILTY PLEA IS ENTERED BY LAWYER
TEXT: A Center City lawyer yesterday pleaded guilty to defrauding his mortgage company and his
creditors by providing false information and misstating personal assets.
David E. Shapiro, a criminal-defense lawyer with offices in the Lewis Tower Building on South
15th Street, pleaded guilty to all 26 counts of a federal indictment that charged him with fraud
and tax violations in connection with the schemes.

SOURCE: FBI ASKED GRAY ABOUT PHILA. ACCOUNTANT
TEXT: FBI agents who met with Rep. William H. Gray 3d in recent weeks questioned him extensively
about a financially troubled Philadelphia accountant who frequently worked for the Democratic
congressman, according to a source close to Gray.
The source said the bulk of specific questions put to Gray by the agents concerned Neil B.
Godick, president of Godick & Co., a Philadelphia accounting firm that filed for bankruptcy in
1987. One of the creditors in those bankruptcy proceedings has accu

CENTER CITY DEFENSE LAWYER FACES 26 FRAUD AND INCOME TAX CHARGES
TEXT: A federal grand jury yesterday accused a Center City lawyer of carrying out two complex
schemes to defraud his mortgage company and his creditors by providing false information and
misstating personal assets.
David E. Shapiro, 40, a defense lawyer who lives in Huntingdon Valley and has offices in the
Lewis Tower Building on South 15th Street, was charged with 16 counts of mail and wire fraud and
one count of transferring and concealing property of a bankruptcy estate.

HUND FINISHES FIVE SQUAD TESTIMONY
TEXT: Former police officer Charles A. Hund 3d underwent his final day of cross- examination
yesterday as the defense in the racketeering trial of six former narcotics officers continued
trying to portray him as the epitome of corruption.
Hund, 39, has given seven days of pointed testimony against six of his former colleagues in Five
Squad, a now-defunct drug unit.

DEFENSE ATTACKS RYAN'S CONFLICTS IN DRUG-UNIT TRIAL
TEXT: The defense in the federal racketeering trial of six former Philadelphia police officers
focused yesterday on the differences between Leo Ryan's testimony and his earlier statements.
A key government witness and former police officer, Ryan was cross-examined for a third day,
questioned about his turbulent marriage, his one-time addiction to Valium and his relationships
with the men who once worked with him in Five Squad, the now-defunct drug unit.

MOST CHARGES DISMISSED AGAINST 2 MASTRONARDOS
TEXT: A federal court judge yesterday dismissed most of the charges against John V. Mastronardo
and his father, Joseph V. Mastronardo Sr., two of seven defendants accused of running a
multimillion-dollar gambling and money- laundering operation based in Philadelphia.
U.S. District Court Judge Anthony J. Scirica left intact 36 of 42 charges against Joseph
Mastronardo Jr., 36, the son-in-law of former Mayor Frank L. Rizzo and the man prosecutors say
masterminded the alleged sports-bookmak i

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