November 17, 2014 – Lucille Francoeur, 76, of Warwick, Rhode Island, has died as the result of personal injuries sustained in a head on car accident. Francoeur was a passenger in a car driven by Denise Wilkie, 55, of Little Compton, Rhode Island, whose car collided with a vehicle driven by James Martin, 46, of Provincetown, Massachusetts. The accident occurred at approximately 1:15 p.m. on Saturday on Route 6 in Wellfleet, Massachusetts.
Dalton, Massachusetts: Man Injured after Collision with Dump Truck
October 31, 2014 – Derek Murphy of Lanesborough, Massachusetts has sustained serious injuries as the result of a car accident involving a dump truck, driven by Michael Biagini of Cheshire. The accident occurred at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning on Main Street in Dalton.
TelexFree Allegedly Stole Millions from Massachusetts Investors
October 31, 2014 – In April 2014, Massachusetts Secretary of State, William Galvin, filed a complaint against Carlos Wanzeler and James Merrill, alleging that their company, TelexFree, Inc., was operated as a Ponzi scheme. The company operated out of Marlborough and raised almost $1 billion worldwide, which includes over $90 million from Massachusetts residents.
This purported investment fraud primarily targeted Brazilian Americans by selling Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) programs, which provided discount long-distance phone call services. Participants made investments of either $289 or $1,375, which bought them advertisement kits for TelexFree’s VoIP programs. Investors could earn a 200-250% return by placing daily ads online. Members were also paid $100 for recruiting another investor, and up to a 3% commission on their recruits’ sales. This compensation model is similar to a traditional pyramid scheme.
Veteran Killed in Holyoke Motorcycle Crash
October 13, 2014 – Patrick Rud, 32, of Holyoke, Massachusetts, has died as the result of serious personal injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash. The accident occurred on Friday, October 3, 2014, at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Route 5 in Holyoke.
Dedham Woman Dies in Pedestrian Accident
September 24, 2014 – Anne McIntyre, 70, of Dedham, Massachusetts, has died as the result of serious personal injuries sustained after being struck by a vehicle. The accident occurred Tuesday at 7:00 a.m. on High Street in Dedham.
Fitchburg Bank Settles for $3.5 Million to Resolve TelexFree Allegations
September 24, 2014 – Fidelity Bank in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, has agreed to pay $3.5 million dollars to the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s Office to settle claims that it allegedly allowed TelexFree Inc. to open bank accounts, without properly screening the company. TelexFree was an alleged investment fraud, which purported to sell discount, long-distance phone plans. The company was operated by Massachusetts residents James Merrill and Carlos Wanzeler and primarily solicited Brazilian and Dominican immigrants by selling “accounts” for about $1,400 and paying investors $100 per week to assist with marketing the company. TelexFree raised over $900 million from thousands of investors. The company was started in Brazil and had its U.S. headquarters in Marlborough.
Methuen, Massachusetts: Lowell Woman Dies in Tragic Car Accident
September 3, 2014 – Kerri-Ann Roberto, 33, of Lowell, Massachusetts, has died as the result of serious personal injuries sustained as a passenger in a single car accident. The driver, Frank Orocho, 39, also of Lowell, was injured in the crash. The accident happened at approximately 7:50 a.m. on North Lowell Street in Methuen.
Methuen, Massachusetts: Two Elderly Pedestrians Injured After Being Struck by Vehicle
August 27, 2014 – James, 74, and Marilyn Sarcione, 77, both of Methuen, Massachusetts, have sustained serious personal injuries after being hit by a car. The accident happened on Monday morning in the parking lot of Holy Family Hospital in Methuen.
Leominster, Massachusetts: Nine people Injured after Multi-Vehicle Accident
August 13, 2014 – James Barrett, 26, of Leominster, Massachusetts, and eight other people have sustained serious personal injuries as the result of a four vehicle car accident. The accident happened on Sunday, at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Lancaster Street in Leominster.
Randolph, Massachusetts: 18 Injured in MBTA bus Accident
August 13, 2014 – A car driven by Stephen Griswold, 30, of Franklin, Massachusetts collided with a MBTA bus in Randolph, causing eighteen people to sustain serious personal injuries. The accident occurred on Tuesday at approximately 10:40 a.m. on North Main Street.