NEW YORK (Reuters) – A New York bride who faked having terminal cancer to swindle well-wishers into funding her dream wedding and honeymoon to the Caribbean on Wednesday was ordered to repay more than $13,000 to her victims, prosecutors said.

Jessica Vega, 25, pleaded guilty last month to fraud and forgery charges for deceiving people in the Hudson Valley area of New York into thinking she had only a few months to live, New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman said. Moved by her tale, individuals and businesses donated thousands of dollars to pay for her wedding in May 2010 and her honeymoon in Aruba.

Her scheme unraveled after her husband, Michael O’Connell, contacted the Times Herald-Record in Orange County to say his bride had faked her illness. He was not charged, and the couple have since divorced, although the Times Herald-Record reported he was there to pick her up from jail on Wednesday.

“To prey on people’s emotions by pretending to have a terminal illness is unconscionable,” Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman said in a statement. “I am pleased that the community members, who felt so compelled to generously help a neighbor in need, will be given back their hard-earned money.”

Besides repaying $13,368.48 to her victims, Vega was sentenced to time already served in jail, must do 300 hours of community service and serve five years on probation. She spent eight weeks in jail before her release on Wednesday.

Vega agreed to hand over the money to repay the nine known victims ahead of her sentencing on Wednesday in the hope of receiving a more lenient sentence, and the checks are due to be sent out to her victims over the coming week, a spokeswoman for the attorney general said.

An attorney for Vega did not immediately respond to queries.

NEW YORK, May 22 (Reuters) – The New York Racing Association has been temporarily placed under state control following the suspension last month of its president over allegations it had short-changed gamblers, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday.

Cuomo said he was dissolving the NYRA’s board and creating a “reorganization board” to search for new leaders of the association, which runs the three largest tracks in the state.

The NYRA has been under scrutiny for the gambling scandal as well as concerns over the rash of horses injured or killed this year at Aqueduct, one of its major race tracks.

Cuomo’s decision to place the association under state control for the next three years comes ahead of the June 9 Belmont Stakes, which is unusually well-anticipated this year because the horse I’ll Have Another has a shot at becoming the first U.S. Triple Crown winner since 1978.

The horse won the first two legs of thoroughbred racing’s coveted Triple Crown – The Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes – earlier this month.

“As the upcoming Belmont Stakes shows, the racing industry is a vital part of New York State’s culture and economy, attracting millions of dollars in tourism revenue from across the nation and supporting thousands of jobs,” Cuomo said in a statement.

The association runs the Aqueduct Racetrack in New York City, Belmont Park in Long Island and Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs.

NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey (Reuters) – A former Rutgers University student was sentenced on Monday to 30 days in prison for bias crimes after he spied on his roommate’s gay encounter in a case that drew national attention to bullying.

Dharun Ravi, 20, had faced a maximum of 10 years behind bars for his conviction for using a webcam to invade the privacy of his roommate, Tyler Clementi, and another man in their college dorm room.

Clementi, 18, committed suicide in September 2010, days after learning Ravi watched him through the computer-mounted camera and used social media to encourage others to do so. Ravi was not charged with causing Clementi’s death.

Judge Glenn Berman sentenced him to 30 days in prison, followed by three years probation, 300 hours of community service as well as counseling about cyberbullying and alternative lifestyles.

He ordered Ravi to pay $10,000 for a community-based organization that assists victims of bias crimes and to pay $1,900 in penalties.

“I heard this jury say ‘guilty’ 288 times. Twenty-four questions, 12 jurors. That’s the multiplication. I haven’t heard you apologize once,” Berman told Ravi.

“The person who described your conduct best is not here to describe your conduct. Tyler Clementi said your conduct was wildly inappropriate. I redacted that for the jury, but I didn’t redact it for myself,” the judge said.

NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey (Reuters) – A former Rutgers University student was sentenced on Monday to 30 days in prison for bias crimes after he spied on his roommate’s gay encounter in a case that drew national attention to bullying.

Dharun Ravi, 20, had faced a maximum of 10 years behind bars for his conviction for using a webcam to invade the privacy of his roommate, Tyler Clementi, and another man in their college dorm room.

Clementi, 18, committed suicide in September 2010, days after learning Ravi watched him through the computer-mounted camera and used social media to encourage others to do so. Ravi was not charged with causing Clementi’s death.

Judge Glenn Berman sentenced him to 30 days in prison, followed by three years probation, 300 hours of community service as well as counseling about cyberbullying and alternative lifestyles.

He ordered Ravi to pay $10,000 for a community-based organization that assists victims of bias crimes and to pay $1,900 in penalties.

“I heard this jury say ‘guilty’ 288 times. Twenty-four questions, 12 jurors. That’s the multiplication. I haven’t heard you apologize once,” Berman told Ravi.

“The person who described your conduct best is not here to describe your conduct. Tyler Clementi said your conduct was wildly inappropriate. I redacted that for the jury, but I didn’t redact it for myself,” the judge said.

NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey (Reuters) – Dharun Ravi, a former Rutgers University student, faces up to 10 years in prison at his sentencing on Monday for hate crimes after spying on his roommate’s gay tryst, but many gay advocates are calling for no time behind bars.

Tyler Clementi, 18, committed suicide in 2010 after learning that Dharun Ravi used a computer-mounted camera to see him kissing an older man in their dorm room and used social media to encourage others to watch.

While not charged with causing Clementi’s death, Ravi was vilified for gay bullying and has since been convicted of hate crimes for targeting Clementi and invading his privacy because he was gay.

Ravi, 20, faces a maximum of 10 years in prison at his sentencing hearing on Monday in Middlesex County Superior Court in New Jersey. He could also be deported to his native India.

As the trial unfolded, what once seemed to be a clear-cut case of gay bullying gave way to a more complicated story. As a result, some gay advocates are calling on the court to give Ravi probation instead of prison time.

Among them is Aaron Hicklin, editor of Out magazine, who said in an article that Ravi was being made a scapegoat for Clementi’s suicide.

Another, E.J. Graff, who writes about gay and lesbian issues, said in her column in The American Prospect, “I fear that Ravi is an easy scapegoat for a complicated problem.”

NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey (Reuters) – A former Rutgers University student faces up to 10 years in prison at his sentencing on Monday for hate crimes after spying on his roommate’s gay tryst, but many gay advocates are calling for no time behind bars.

Tyler Clementi, 18, committed suicide in 2010 after learning that Dharun Ravi used a computer-mounted camera to see him kissing an older man in their dorm room and used social media to encourage others to watch.

While not charged with causing Clementi’s death, Ravi was vilified for gay bullying and has since been convicted of hate crimes for targeting Clementi and invading his privacy because he was gay.

Ravi, 20, faces a maximum of 10 years in prison at his sentencing hearing on Monday in Middlesex County Superior Court in New Jersey. He could also be deported to his native India.

As the trial unfolded, what once seemed to be a clear-cut case of gay bullying gave way to a more complicated story. As a result, some gay advocates are calling on the court to give Ravi probation instead of prison time.

Among them is Aaron Hicklin, editor of Out magazine, who said in an article that Ravi was being made a scapegoat for Clementi’s suicide.

Another, E.J. Graff, who writes about gay and lesbian issues, said in her column in The American Prospect, “I fear that Ravi is an easy scapegoat for a complicated problem.”

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The former Rutgers University student convicted of hate crimes for spying on his roommate’s gay tryst is drawing support from a surprising group before his sentencing on Monday: gay advocates.

Tyler Clementi, 18, committed suicide in 2010 after learning that Dharun Ravi used a computer-mounted camera to see him kissing his older man in their dorm room and used social media to encourage others to watch.

While not charged with causing Clementi’s death, Ravi was vilified for gay bullying and has since been convicted of hate crimes for targeting Clementi and invading his privacy because he was gay.

Ravi, 20, faces a maximum of 10 years in prison at his sentencing hearing on Monday in Middlesex County Superior Court in New Jersey. He could also be deported to his native India.

But what had once seemed to be a clear-cut case of gay bullying gave way to a more complicated story, revealed during Ravi’s criminal trial earlier this year. The incident triggered mixed feelings among gay commentators. Man y are calling on the court to give Ravi probation instead of prison time.

One gay writer said he was encouraged that harassment against gay men and women was being taken more seriously, but concerned that Ravi may have been used as a scapegoat for Clementi’s suicide.

“Ravi’s conviction was a compelling signal that harassment and bullying of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people carries penalties,” Aaron Heckling, editor of Out magazine, said in an article arguing that Ravi be set free.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The former Rutgers University student convicted of hate crimes for spying on his roommate’s gay tryst is drawing support from a surprising group before his sentencing on Monday: gay advocates.

Tyler Clementi, 18, committed suicide in 2010 after learning that Dharun Ravi used a computer-mounted camera to see him kissing his older man in their dorm room and used social media to encourage others to watch.

While not charged with causing Clementi’s death, Ravi was vilified for gay bullying and has since been convicted of hate crimes for targeting Clementi and invading his privacy because he was gay.

Ravi, 20, faces a maximum of 10 years in prison at his sentencing hearing on Monday in Middlesex County Superior Court in New Jersey. He could also be deported to his native India.

But what had once seemed to be a clear-cut case of gay bullying gave way to a more complicated story, revealed during Ravi’s criminal trial earlier this year. The incident triggered mixed feelings among gay commentators. Man y are calling on the court to give Ravi probation instead of prison time.

One gay writer said he was encouraged that harassment against gay men and women was being taken more seriously, but concerned that Ravi may have been used as a scapegoat for Clementi’s suicide.

“Ravi’s conviction was a compelling signal that harassment and bullying of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people carries penalties,” Aaron Heckling, editor of Out magazine, said in an article arguing that Ravi be set free.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The former Rutgers University student convicted of hate crimes for spying on his roommate’s gay tryst is drawing support from a surprising group before his sentencing on Monday: gay advocates.

Tyler Clementi, 18, committed suicide in 2010 after learning that Dharun Ravi used a computer-mounted camera to see him kissing his older man in their dorm room and used social media to encourage others to watch.

While not charged with causing Clementi’s death, Ravi was vilified for gay bullying and has since been convicted of hate crimes for targeting Clementi and invading his privacy because he was gay.

Ravi, 20, faces a maximum of 10 years in prison at his sentencing hearing on Monday in Middlesex County Superior Court in New Jersey. He could also be deported to his native India.

But what had once seemed to be a clear-cut case of gay bullying gave way to a more complicated story, revealed during Ravi’s criminal trial earlier this year. The incident triggered mixed feelings among gay commentators. Many are calling on the court to give Ravi probation instead of prison time.

One gay writer said he was encouraged that harassment against gay men and women was being taken more seriously, but concerned that Ravi may have been used as a scapegoat for Clementi’s suicide.

“Ravi’s conviction was a compelling signal that harassment and bullying of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people carries penalties,” Aaron Hicklin, editor of Out magazine, said in an article arguing that Ravi be set free.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A video made by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to spoof himself and Newark Mayor Cory Booker – in which Booker repeatedly bests Christie with effortless acts of heroism – went viral on Wednesday.

The Republican governor enlisted the mayor, a Democrat heralded recently for saving a neighbor from her burning home, to make the video shown at a New Jersey Press Association gathering on Tuesday.

The four-minute film also was uploaded to Christie’s YouTube account (here), where it raced to more than 125,000 views by Wednesday afternoon.

The video riffs on Booker’s apparent habit of going far beyond the call of duty by turning up at constituents’ homes to shovel snow after a blizzard or carry out a woman trapped in a burning building.

In one scene, Christie grabs a fire extinguisher and walks up to a police desk, apparently at the statehouse in Trenton.

“You guys got any problems you want me to handle?” the governor asks the trooper. “Like a fire anywhere, people trapped? No? Like a bad automobile accident where you need me to help some folks?”

The trooper says no.