Long Island officials said on Thursday that a con artist from Massachusetts had been indicted for the theft of almost $140,000 from an ill 9/11 victim and her widowed mother under the guise of an investment broker.
District Attorney Anne Donnelly of Nassau County claims that 43-year-old Richard Yasnis cheated a victim out of 9/11 Victim Compensation funds after the victim had medical problems while working at Ground Zero following the terrorist attacks on September 11.
Allegedly, between May and June of 2023, Yasnis, posing as a licensed broker with Cahill Financial Group, offered her a chance to renovate a house and promised her 20% of the earnings. He then urged her to put the remaining funds into the stock market.
Prosecutors claim that on July 31, 2023, she paid $48,800 after learning she would get compensation for ailments tied to 9/11.
Yasnis informed the woman that he needed $150,000 to finance “FlexPort,” a business he asserted had gone public a few months prior.
The victim allegedly gave Yasnis $5,000 in jewelry to sell and instructed him to invest the proceeds. The victim’s 77-year-old widowed mother reportedly fell for the fraud as well, giving Yasnis $88,000 in cash after spending some of her late husband’s life insurance.
According to the district attorney, the family became suspicious in September 2023 and asked Yasnis to refund the substantial amount along with invoices. According to authorities, the accused con artist declined.
The defendant never worked as a broker for Cahill Financial Group, and there are no publicly traded shares of “FlexPort,” as it is a privately held firm.
On Thursday, Yasnis pleaded not guilty to grand larceny charges. His potential jail term is seven and a half to fifteen years.
The victim’s 9/11 compensation for her labor at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks was partially taken by Yasnis, who reportedly took over $140,000 from the women instead of helping them secure their futures.
