Aaron Hand, already in jail for 8 1/3 to 25 years for his role in a fraudulent $100 million mortgage scheme, is now facing 25 years to life for allegedly trying to hire a hitman to whack a witness who testified against him. Hand's big problem? Like so many hit men these days, the one Hand tried to hire was actually an undercover investigator from the DA's office wearing a wire. The office had been tipped off that Hand wanted somebody dealt with. more ›

A former Suffolk County lawmaker and the owners of a Soho S&M club were among five people Suffolk County prosecutors accuse of running a $50 million mortgage scam. Suffolk DA Thomas Spota, after detailing how the group allegedly bought homes with fake buyers taking out huge mortgages (with forged documents), pocketed the money and then left the homes empty, said, "The damage these defendants single-handedly caused to the East End is simply appalling." more ›