A Lengthy Island mom and daughter duo conned practically $1 million from over a dozen totally different bank card firms for greater than a decade, funding a lavish way of life of designer clothes and jet-setting holidays throughout the globe in line with authorities.
Karan Geist, 61, and her daughter Alyssa Geist, 33, pleaded not responsible on Friday to a sequence of costs together with fraud and grand larceny, in line with an indictment obtained by the New York Publish.
Prosecutors at Manhattan Supreme Court docket declare that between 2008 and 2021, Karan falsely disputed $850,000 in costs from at the very least 14 totally different banks and bank card firms.
“This can be a 13-year scheme that concerned hundreds of bank card transactions whereby Karan falsely reported — although she incurred reliable costs — as fraudulent,” stated Assistant District Legal professional Catherine McCaw throughout the listening to.
Prices “Ranged From Luxurious To Mundane,” Prosecutors Allege
Assistant District Legal professional Catherine McCaw informed Justice Laura Ward that the purchases “ranged in nature from the luxurious to the mundane,” and funded journeys to “unique locations together with Paris, Milan, Norway, Costa Rica, Hawaii and plenty of different locations.”
NY mom and daughter ran bank card cost rip-off to fund lavish way of life: indictment: Karan Geist and her daughter Alyssa Geist appeared in Manhattan Supreme Court docket on Friday and pleaded not responsible to the slew of costs towards them, together with grand… https://t.co/hReTgKiGFM pic.twitter.com/SMYHgHKwU3
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“These purchases ranged in nature from the luxurious to the mundane,” in line with District Legal professional Alvin Bragg’s workplace.
“On quite a few events, Karan booked journey each for overseas and home to unique locations together with Paris, Milan, Norway, Costa Rica, Hawaii and plenty of different locations.”
The pair additionally went on procuring sprees at luxurious outfitters Bloomingdale’s and Bergdorf Goodman.
Duo Falsely Reported Prices As Fraudulent, Allegedly
The Publish experiences that Karan, a former paraprofessional at a center faculty on Lengthy Island, obtained credit score on her balances after falsely reporting fraudulent costs to banks and bank card firms, together with $205,000 on her American Categorical playing cards and $155,000 from Chase Financial institution.
“She booked tickets in her personal identify, automotive leases in her member of the family’s identify, lodge stays in her personal identify, and different luxurious purchases like watches and purses whereas she was touring,” McCaw stated.
She reportedly even disputed small costs, comparable to purchases on the Greenback Retailer and veterinary payments for her canines Daisy and Louis.
Karan, who misplaced her job in November 2016 per New York Board of Schooling data, ultimately introduced her daughter into the fraud scheme, who prosecutors declare took half in for about six months.
Police Discover Over 100 Credit score Playing cards, Receipts For “Fraudulent” Transactions Throughout Raid
In 2016, Barclays Financial institution obtained surveillance video of the 2 buying objects at a Chanel retailer after they reported it as a fraudulent cost, in line with the Publish.
In the meantime, prosecutors stated that Alyssa allegedly charged $1,400 to one in all her mom’s bank cards in July 2017, and disputed the cost for a full refund per her mother’s directions.
A month later in August 2017, Alyssa reportedly texted her mom about go about falsely disputing the costs as fraudulent. In line with Alyssa’s Zeta Sigma Phi sorority bio, she has “a procuring habit/semi drawback.”
Final 12 months, authorities raided Karan’s Huntington residence and positioned over 100 bank cards used within the purchases alongside receipts for transactions that she had later reported as fraud.
Throughout Friday’s listening to, the pair had been pressured to surrender their passports as part of their supervised launch.
Neither Mom Nor Daughter Provide Any Remark On $850,000 Fraud Scheme
Neither Karan or Alyssa supplied any remark when requested by the Publish for remark as they left courtroom.
“My solely remark [is] she shouldn’t be responsible. She is totally harmless right here and it’ll come out ultimately,” stated Alyssa’s lawyer James Pascarella.
A lawyer for Karan didn’t instantly return a request for remark.
The mother-daughter duo are due again in courtroom September 14, in line with the Publish.
