STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Now comes the payback.<\/p>\n
A Staten Island man who, authorities said, bilked a northern Ohio World War II veteran of $376,000 in an investment scam has pleaded guilty to fraud-related charges.<\/p>\n
Brian K. Decker, 41, duped the victim, who served in the Navy, into giving him the cash between January 2016 and March 2017, said authorities.<\/p>\n
Decker promised the senior citizen returns of between 12% and 20% on purported investments in construction projects, said the Ohio Department of Commerce in a statement.<\/p>\n
However, the defendant pocketed the money instead of investing it, officials said.<\/p>\n
Decker was indicted in August 2018 based on a joint probe by the Commerce Departments Division of Securities and the Wood County sheriffs office, said authorities.<\/p>\n
Decker pleaded guilty Monday in Wood County Court to two counts of unlawful securities practices, and one count each of theft from a protected class and of telecommunications fraud, said officials.<\/p>\n
He also pleaded guilty to failure to appear, for not showing up for his jury trial in July 2019.<\/p>\n
Decker is being held in the Wood County jail pending sentencing scheduled for March 30, authorities said.<\/p>\n
His lawyers name was not immediately available.<\/p>\n
Authorities did not provide Deckers street address.<\/p>\n
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Staten Island man admits to duping Ohio senior in $376K investment scam - SILive.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Now comes the payback. A Staten Island man who, authorities said, bilked a northern Ohio World War II veteran of $376,000 in an investment scam has pleaded guilty to fraud-related charges. Continue reading