NEW YORK – Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced on June 26 that former physician Peter Corines of Eastchester was arraigned on an 11-count indictment after stealing more than a half-million dollars from a 98-year-old Yonkers woman. He pleaded not guilty.

Dr. Corines is a member of AHEPA Chapter # 405 in New Rochelle and has served as the Vice President of Scholarships for the chapter. Former Treasurer of AHEPA # 405 James Zafiros spoke to The National Herald and noted that “the word is alleged” in reference to the charges.

Corines “is a member of our chapter in good standing and a member of the community in good standing,” Zafiros told TNH, pointing out again that “the word is alleged,” concerning the accusations.

Corines was arraigned before Westchester County Court Judge Larry Schwartz on the following charges:

One count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony
One count of Attempted Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class D felony
Five counts of Attempted Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class E felony
Three counts of Identity Theft in the First Degree, a class D felony
Scheme to defraud in the First Degree, a Class E felony
During a two-week period in November 2017, Corines stole from Bernice Judd Porter by fraudulently claiming to be her power of attorney and pretending to be her on the phone or online with numerous financial institutions where the victim had accounts.

More specifically, the indictment alleges that Corines engaged in a fraudulent scheme by:

obtaining the victim’s Social Security Number
obtaining information about financial institutions, including banks and investment firms, where the victim had accounts
posing as the victim when calling those financial institutions to redeem funds from those accounts
creating online accounts in her name without her knowledge
requesting checks from those online accounts
changing the victim’s address with financial institutions where defendant opened online accounts
writing checks from her checkbook without her knowledge
depositing those checks into his own brokerage account, and his yacht and auto restoration and repair company’s bank account
creating a joint Chase Bank account in his and the victim’s name, without her knowledge
depositing checks into that joint account
withdrawing cash from other bank accounts owned by the victim
By these means, the defendant stole $540,106.60. Corines is also charged with attempting to steal an additional $262,171.49 during this same two-week period.

The defendant remains out on bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 10, 2018.

Assistant District Attorney Emily Rowe-Smith of the Westchester County District Attorney’s Investigations Division Economic Crimes Bureau is prosecuting the case.

In compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.