SOUTH BEND — John M. Bales lifted his crossed hands to his face and began to cry Thursday evening as a federal judge read the same jury verdict on each of 13 fraud counts against the real estate broker and his partner: Not guilty.
The federal fraud trial of Indianapolis real estate broker John M. Bales and a partner began Monday morning in South Bend with a jury-selection process that may not have run as smoothly if it took place in central Indiana.
Michael Russell faces between 57 and 71 months in prison for defrauding an Indianapolis investor of $1.7 million. Two associates, Paul Bateman, a former City-County councilor, and Manuel Gonzalez, have pleaded not guilty and are set for trial Feb. 11.
A sweeping plan to overhaul Indiana's criminal sentencing laws cleared its first hurdle in the Legislature on Wednesday with the support of law-enforcement groups that had scuttled similar efforts the past two years.
The former office manager of a central Indiana manufacturing company will plead guilty to federal charges that she embezzled $2.1 million from the business over a six-year period.
The Marion County prosecutor says homeowner Monserrate Shirley, her boyfriend, Mark Leonard, and his brother, Bobby Leonard, have been charged with multiple counts of felony murder and arson.
The Indiana Supreme Court on Monday let stand a ruling saying blood was drawn properly from an allegedly intoxicated Indianapolis police officer after a 2010 fatal crash. But the officer's attorney said it's uncertain whether the evidence can be introduced at trial.
Marion County Judge Grant Hawkins said the case surrounding David Bisard had generated too much publicity for him to get a fair trial in central Indiana.
An Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles employee and two others have been charged with stealing cars from banks by filing fake mechanic's liens.
Former Indianapolis businessman Tim Durham was sentenced to 50 years in prison for running a Ponzi scheme that led to the collapse of Fair Finance, costing thousands of investors $250 million. Accomplices Jim Cochran and Rick Snow received 25 years and 10 years, respectively.
A 74-year-old former nun who cares for young children to earn a living after being swindled out of her life savings and a woman whose father lost $170,000 in proceeds from the sale of his farm testified against Tim Durham and his two fraud accomplices Friday morning.
Convicted Ponzi schemer Tim Durham and two accomplices will find out Friday whether they will spend the rest of their lives in prison.
The head of the Indiana State Police is telling lawmakers he would legalize and tax marijuana if it were up to him.
Saying their crimes were “as serious as any financial fraud crime ever committed,” federal prosecutors re-emphasized Monday their recommendation that Ponzi schemer Tim Durham and his two accomplices deserve to spend the rest of their lives in prison.
An Indiana businessman has pleaded guilty to ripping off an Iowa company and duping investors in separate fraud schemes totaling $2.3 million.
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office has filed criminal charges against six people it says were part of a metal theft ring that targeted vacant commercial buildings in Indianapolis and Anderson.
State Sen. Brent Steele, R-Bedford, said he’ll introduce legislation in the 2013 legislative session that would make possession of 10 grams or less of marijuana an infraction, rather than a criminal offense.
A former financial planner at the Indianapolis offices of Northwestern Mutual and One America-American United Life was sentenced Tuesday to two years in federal prison and three years of probation after pleading guilty to identity theft.
David Swanson had argued that his lawyers were derelict in not seeking a mistrial stemming from his 2002 conviction on wire fraud, money laundering and tax evasion charges. A federal appeals court on Wednesday affirmed his 12-year sentence.
Lawyer William F. Conour had been held in a Decatur County Jail since July 25 on a contempt of court charge until a judge on Monday ordered his release. Conour is accused of defrauding clients of $2.5 million.
