Indiana agencies team up to battle unemployment fraud
The Marion County prosecutor's office is teaming with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development to prosecute people suspected of committing unemployment insurance fraud in Indiana.
Legal Issues
Articles
Families sue to recover lost investments
A central Indiana county commissioner, his wife and members of three other families who lost more than $700,000 they invested in businesses state officials say were shell companies are suing two men accused of orchestrating the scheme.
Former Venture employee turns on Bales during testimony
An FBI investigation into Venture Real Estate Services and principals John Bales and Bill Spencer had already begun when Matthew Dyer signed on as the company's controller in December 2009. Bales told him the company had done nothing illegal, Dyer testified Wednesday.
Judge clears two horsemen from defamation suit
A federal judge has released two Indiana horsemen from the ongoing defamation and conspiracy case brought by Ed Martin Jr., a former car dealer and thoroughbred breeder.
Bales defense: Elkhart deal was a ‘scheme to help’
Facing a looming deadline to find suitable office space for the state Department of Child Services, Indianapolis real estate broker John M. Bales and partner Bill Spencer in 2008 dipped into their own pockets to help close a difficult lease deal, their defense attorneys contend.
Sale of family-owned business leads to lawsuit
Deborah Ecksten, a former shareholder of Indianapolis-based Createc Corp., is suing her brother and mother, claiming they earned multimillion-dollar profits at her expense by selling the company without her knowledge.
Fraud trial for broker Bales begins in South Bend
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.
NFL harpoons Pendleton man’s trademark application
Thinking that brothers Jim and John Harbaugh might go head to head in this year’s Super Bowl, Roy Fox last year filed applications to register “Harbowl” and “Harbaugh Bowl” as U.S. trademarks.
Trial date set for local attorney facing fraud charges
William Conour is accused of engaging in a scheme to defraud clients by keeping settlement proceeds for his own use. A new trial date has been set for Sept. 9.
Ex-councilor Bateman agrees to plead guilty to fraud charges
Paul C. Bateman Jr., a former Democrat city-county councilor, agreed to plead guilty Wednesday to 13 counts of money laundering and wire fraud for his part in defrauding an Indianapolis physician of $1.7 million.
Judge dismisses Indiana right-to-work law challenge
U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon in Hammond ruled that none of the union's arguments against the law could succeed in federal court, although a challenge could still be made in state courts.
Leader of fraud scheme pleads guilty to 20 counts
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.
Indiana House panel backs sentencing-laws overhaul
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.
Foul odor spurs Oliver Winery hard-cider lawsuit
The Bloomington-based winery claims in a federal lawsuit that it was forced to recall its hard apple cider due to defective cans provided by Ball Metal Beverage Container Corp.
Developer settles suit with Hudson condo residents
The complaint alleged that Hudson residents in 2011 began noticing cracks in the first-floor walls and ceiling of the downtown condominium, in addition to noticing a slope in the floor.
Gov.-elect Pence to seek losers-pay tort reform
Indiana Gov.-elect Mike Pence will include tort reform in a first-year legislative agenda that is slowly taking shape.
Lilly settles with four sisters in DES cancer case
Four sisters who claimed their breast cancer was caused by a drug their mother took during pregnancy in the 1950s reached a settlement Wednesday with Eli Lilly and Co. in the first of scores of similar claims around the country to go to trial.
Lawmakers plans to renew bill against same-sex marriage
A proposal to write Indiana's same-sex marriage ban into the state constitution may be on hold as Republican leaders ponder its fate this year, but the House and Senate sponsors are charging ahead anyway.
Drug sold by Lilly caused cancer, women claim at Boston trial
In opening statements Tuesday, a lawyer for Indianapolis-based Lilly told the jury there is no evidence the synthetic estrogen known as DES causes breast cancer in the daughters of women who took it.
U.S. banks to pay $8.5B in mortgage settlement
Hundreds of thousands of Americans stand to benefit from the latest mortgage-abuse settlement, but consumer advocates say U.S. banks may be getting the best of the deal.