The VLW Blog

The man known as “Bobby Thompson” is a former lawyer with degrees from the University of Virginia and Harvard, federal officials say. U.S. Marshals say “Thompson” is really John D. Cody, an Army veteran and former Arizona lawyer wanted since 1987 on fraud charges. “Thompson” is accused of running an elaborate fake veterans support group [...]

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The Navy veterans charity scammer will be unmasked by authorities this morning. “Bobby Thompson,” as he called himself, raised money in the name of veterans, donated some of it to politicians in Virginia, and won relaxed charity regulations from the General Assembly. Thompson disappeared when his scam was exposed but was arrested in Oregon after [...]

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The elusive “Bobby Thompson,” who allegedly used that fictitious identity to run a fraudulent Navy veterans support group that collected millions in donations, has been captured in Oregon, authorities say. A news release from the U.S. Marshal Service said “Thompson,” whose real name still is unknown, was arrested in Portland, Ore., last evening. As the [...]

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A former attorney who was disbarred after he paid his son’s school tuition directly from his trust account now has pleaded guilty to mail fraud and tax evasion in connection with misuse of his law practice finances. Steven F. Helm of Salem faces up to 23 years in prison on the charges, although prosecutors have [...]

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Leesburg lawyer Christopher J. Agresto has acknowledged in court his role in a scheme to help a man pocket insurance proceeds from his wife’s death, even though the man was deemed a “person of interest” in the death. According to authorities, James Cilenti of Leesburg was barred from receiving $500,000 in life insurance proceeds because [...]

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A group of bondholders who got stiffed when a major German conference center project went bust have won a $96.4-million Alexandria federal jury verdict against a South Korean national who allegedly lied about backing for the bonds. The jury found former McLean businessman Man Ki Kim committed fraud when he promised to provide money for [...]

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Bank of America has reached a deal to end a lawsuit by scores of investors who claimed they lost millions purchasing overvalued Carolina waterfront property. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. The deal essentially ends a federal lawsuit that targeted the bank for its role in financing real estate purchases from the Woodbridge-based [...]

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A former Maryland lawyer implicated in a Washington-area insurance fraud investigation was sentenced Friday to seven months in prison for submitting faked medical records to bolster his own personal injury claim. A. Ryan Lahuti also was ordered to reimburse GEICO for his $17, 435 claim settlement and to pay a $25,000 fine.  He will be [...]

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Saying the motive appeared to be “pure greed,” a federal prosecutor recommends at least a year and a half behind bars for a former Maryland lawyer who admitted padding his own personal injury claim with phony medical records. Ryan Lahuti was accused in connection with the alleged long-established Washington-area practice of recruiting auto accident victims [...]

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An ex-employee of a Virginia Beach law firm allegedly stole $320,000 over 14 months. Diana Farmer-Forston, a former bookkeeper at Bennett and Zydron, has been charged with 16 counts of forgery and money laundering, reports WAVY-TV. She is currently behind bars. According to police, Farmer-Forston deposited the money into her own accounts.

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