QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (WNYT) – The Warren County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday released its report on how $3.3 million in county funds was transferred to a fake account back in December 2025.
No one will be prosecuted for this crime, investigators said, because it is outside of the county’s jurisdiction. Also, the county said much of that money is unlikely to be recovered.
The investigation started on Dec. 23, 2025, when Sheriff Jim LaFarr got a call at about 5 p.m. on Dec. 23, 2025 from Board of Supervisors Chairman Kevin Geraghty reporting likely financial fraud.
Investigators later found a person claiming to represent Peckham Road Corp. got Warren County to set up an automated clearing house payment account and send two automated clearing house (ACH) payments totaling about $3.3 million to a fraudulent account.
Between Nov. 10, 2025 and Dec. 8, 2025, the sheriff’s Office said a…
This remains the most prevalent form of financial crime globally. It targets the direct access points to your money: your cards and your bank accounts.
- Skimming: Criminals use small devices called “skimmers” placed over ATM or point-of-sale card slots to capture the data from your card’s magnetic strip.
- Card-Not-Present (CNP) Fraud: This occurs during online shopping where a physical card isn’t required. Thieves use stolen card numbers, expiry dates, and CVV codes to make unauthorized purchases.
- Account Takeover (ATO): A hacker gains access to your online banking credentials (often through malware or phishing) and changes the contact details or passwords, locking you out while they drain your funds.