Scammer steals more than $100,000 from Erie County by posing as a construction company owed money
| Submitted | April 26, 2022 |
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Communications
From: The Riford Family
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the New York Freedom of Information Law, I hereby request the following records:
1.) Copy of the August 2, 2021 email sent to the Erie County Comptroller's Office resulting in paying $108,014.99 to a "fictitious entity".
According to the press: https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/scammer-steals-more-than-100000-from-erie-county-by-posing-as-a-construction-company-owed-money-account-in-texas/71-36afda59-8152-4113-a2ce-ef47dbce3ccd
"Someone using fake email addresses and inside information was able to fraudulently get more than $100,000 in taxpayer money sent to a bank account in Texas by posing as a local construction company that was owed money by Erie County."
"On Aug. 2, someone emailed the county claiming to be the construction company. The messages asked the county to make the payment to a different bank. Someone -- though it's not clear who -- did not catch that the emails were from fraudulent and misspelled @markecrrone.com email addresses rather than @markcerrone.com, which is the company's actual website."
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Joanne Riford
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following New York Freedom of Information Law request, copied below, and originally submitted on April 27, 2022. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Erie County Comptroller's Office
We are in receipt of this request, from May 3rd, 2022, and will follow up accordingly, as required by law.
--
Jessica Schuster | Associate Deputy Comptroller
Erie County | Comptroller
95 Franklin St., | Buffalo, NY 14202
P:+1(716)858-8648 | F:+1(716)858-6446
Jessica.Schuster@erie.gov<mailto:Jessica.Schuster@erie.gov> | http://www.erie.gov
From: The Riford Family
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the status of my FOIL request, originally submitted on 04/27/2022.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: The Riford Family
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the status of my FOIL request, originally submitted on 04/27/2022.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Erie County Comptroller's Office
The Comptroller's office has forwarded your FOIL request to me to respond to.
I will be in touch by the end of the week. I am not sure if we can release that email because of the criminal investigation.
--
Jeremy Toth | First Assistant County Attorney
Erie County | Department of Law
95 Franklin St., 1634 | Buffalo, NY 14202
P:+1(716)858-2204 | F:+1(716)858-2281
Jeremy.Toth@erie.gov<mailto:Jeremy.Toth@erie.gov> | http://www.erie.gov
This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity they are addressed to. The information contained in this e-mail and any files transmitted with it is information protected by the attorney-client and/or attorney/work product privilege. It is intended only for the use of the individual(s) named above and the privileges are not waived by virtue of this having been sent by electronic transmission. If the person actually receiving this e-mail or any other reader of this e-mail is not the named recipient or the employee or agent responsible to deliver it to the named recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution, forwarding or copying of any part of the message or its attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail and delete it from your system. Unauthorized use of this material is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.
From: Erie County Comptroller's Office
I have forwarded your request to the County Attorney's office as I do not have the internal capabilities to search emails of the individuals who were parties to this issue. That falls under their legal purview. Thank you.
--
Jessica Schuster | Associate Deputy Comptroller
Erie County | Comptroller
95 Franklin St., | Buffalo, NY 14202
P:+1(716)858-8648 | F:+1(716)858-6446
Jessica.Schuster@erie.gov<mailto:Jessica.Schuster@erie.gov> | http://www.erie.gov
From: The Riford Family
Mr. Toth,
I am checking the status of my FOIL request originally submitted on 4/27/2022. I requested the following: 1.) Copy of the August 2, 2021 email sent to the Erie County Comptroller's Office resulting in paying $108,014.99 to a "fictitious entity".
On 5/23/2022 you stated "I will be in touch by the end of the week. I am not sure if we can release that email because of the criminal investigation."
As of 5/31/2022, I have not received a response.
From: Erie County Comptroller's Office
I am trying to find out the status of the criminal investigation.
--
Jeremy Toth | First Assistant County Attorney
Erie County | Department of Law
95 Franklin St., 1634 | Buffalo, NY 14202
P:+1(716)858-2204 | F:+1(716)858-2281
Jeremy.Toth@erie.gov<mailto:Jeremy.Toth@erie.gov> | http://www.erie.gov
This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity they are addressed to. The information contained in this e-mail and any files transmitted with it is information protected by the attorney-client and/or attorney/work product privilege. It is intended only for the use of the individual(s) named above and the privileges are not waived by virtue of this having been sent by electronic transmission. If the person actually receiving this e-mail or any other reader of this e-mail is not the named recipient or the employee or agent responsible to deliver it to the named recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution, forwarding or copying of any part of the message or its attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail and delete it from your system. Unauthorized use of this material is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.
From: Erie County Comptroller's Office
--
Jeremy Toth | First Assistant County Attorney
Erie County | Department of Law
95 Franklin St., 1634 | Buffalo, NY 14202
P:+1(716)858-2204 | F:+1(716)858-2281
Jeremy.Toth@erie.gov<mailto:Jeremy.Toth@erie.gov> | http://www.erie.gov
This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity they are addressed to. The information contained in this e-mail and any files transmitted with it is information protected by the attorney-client and/or attorney/work product privilege. It is intended only for the use of the individual(s) named above and the privileges are not waived by virtue of this having been sent by electronic transmission. If the person actually receiving this e-mail or any other reader of this e-mail is not the named recipient or the employee or agent responsible to deliver it to the named recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution, forwarding or copying of any part of the message or its attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail and delete it from your system. Unauthorized use of this material is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.
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