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Category: Banking

  • MIL-OSI: TerraVest Industries Inc. Announces Closing of Upsized Bought Deal Offering of Common Shares and Concurrent Closing of the Over-Allotment Option

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

    TORONTO, May 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TerraVest Industries Inc. (TSX:TVK) (“TerraVest” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced bought deal treasury offering (the “Offering”) and concurrent closing of the exercise in full of the over-allotment option granted to a syndicate of underwriters (the “Underwriters”) with National Bank Financial Markets, Canaccord Genuity, and Desjardins Capital Markets acting as Co-Bookrunners. Pursuant to the Offering, the Company issued an aggregate 2,001,000 common shares (the “Shares”) at a price of $160.30 per share (the “Offer Price”) for gross proceeds of $320,760,300. The gross proceeds include 261,000 Shares issued at the same Offer Price for gross proceeds of $41,838,300 on the exercise in full of the over-allotment option granted to the Underwriters.

    The net proceeds from the Offering will be initially allocated towards repaying existing debt and supporting general corporate activities, until required for future acquisitions or growth opportunities.

    ABOUT TERRAVEST INDUSTRIES INC.:

    TerraVest is a diversified industrial company that manufactures and sells goods and services to a variety of end-markets. The Company is a market-leading manufacturer of home heating products, propane, anhydrous ammonia (“NH3”) and natural gas liquids (“NGL”) transport vehicles and storage vessels, energy processing equipment and fiberglass storage tanks. TerraVest is focused on acquiring and operating market-leading businesses that will benefit from TerraVest’s financial and operational support. For more information on the Company, please visit https://terravestindustries.com/. Additional information relating to the Company, including all public filings, is available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
    Dustin Haw         
    Chief Executive Officer         
    TerraVest Industries Inc.         
    ir@terravestindustries.com

    Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this news release are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds of the Offering, potential for future acquisitions by TerraVest, our strategic direction and evaluation of the business segments and TerraVest as a whole, TerraVest’s plans with respect to its existing portfolio businesses and long-term acquisition strategy and other plans and objectives of or involving TerraVest. Readers can identify many of these statements by looking for words such as “expects” and “will” or similar terms or variations of these words. Although management believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

    By their nature, forward-looking statements require us to make assumptions and, accordingly, forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. There is significant risk that the forward-looking statements will not prove to be accurate. We caution readers of this news release not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements because a number of factors may cause actual future circumstances, results, conditions, actions or events to differ materially from the plans, expectations, estimates or intentions expressed in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements.

    Assumptions and analysis about the performance of TerraVest as a whole and its business segments, the markets in which the business segments compete and the prospects and values of the business segments are considered in setting the business plan for TerraVest, plans and/or ability to pay dividends, outlook for operations, financial position, results and cash flows, other plans and objectives and in making related forward-looking statements. Such assumptions include, without limitation, demand for products and services of the business segments in respect of the Canadian and other markets in which the businesses are active will be stable, and that input costs to business segments do not vary significantly from levels experienced historically. Should any of these factors or assumptions vary, actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Announcement of the final result of Nykredit’s recommended voluntary public tender offer for Spar Nord Bank A/S – Nykredit Realkredit A/S

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS PUBLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION 21(3) OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 636 OF 15 MAY 2020

    NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR TO ANY JURISDICTION WHERE DOING SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION

    Announcement of the final result of Nykredit’s recommended voluntary public tender offer for Spar Nord Bank A/S

    23 May 2025

    Nykredit announces the final result of the recommended voluntary public tender offer for Spar Nord Bank A/S

    In accordance with section 4(1) of the Danish Takeover Order1, Nykredit Realkredit A/S (“Nykredit”) announced on 10 December 2024 that Nykredit intended to submit a voluntary public takeover offer (the “Offer”) to acquire all shares in Spar Nord Bank A/S (“Spar Nord Bank”), with the exception of Spar Nord Bank’s treasury shares, for a cash price of DKK 210 per share, valuing the aggregated issued share capital of Spar Nord Bank at DKK 24.7 billion. As stated in a supplement dated 2 April 2025, the offer price has subsequently been increased to DKK 210.50 per share.

    On 8 January 2025, Nykredit published the offer document regarding the Offer (the “Offer Document”), as approved by the Danish FSA in accordance with section 11 of the Danish Takeover Order. The Offer Document was most recently supplemented in a supplement of 23 April 2025.

    The offer period expired on 20 May 2025 at 23:59 (CEST), and on 21 May 2025 Nykredit announced the preliminary result of the Offer in accordance with section 21(3) of the Danish Takeover Order. The preliminary result of the Offer showed that Nykredit had obtained acceptances which, combined Spar Nord Bank shares held by Nykredit, represent 96.54 per cent of the total share capital and voting rights in Spar Nord Bank, excluding Spar Nord Bank’s holding of treasury shares.

    Final result

    In accordance with section 21(3) of the Danish Takeover Order, Nykredit hereby announces the final result of the Offer.

    The final summation of acceptances shows that Nykredit has obtained acceptances for 72,169,763 shares, equal to 62.87 per cent of the share capital and the associated voting rights in Spar Nord Bank, excluding Spar Nord Bank’s holding of 2,918,044 treasury shares. The acceptances correspond to 61.32 per cent of the total share capital and voting rights in Spar Nord Bank.

    The acceptances received combined with the total of 38,646,475 Spar Nord Bank shares owned by Nykredit represent 96.54 per cent of the total share capital and voting rights in Spar Nord Bank, excluding Spar Nord Bank’s holding of treasury shares. The acceptances received and Nykredit’s holding of Spar Nord Bank shares correspond in total to 94.15 per cent of the total share capital and the total number of voting rights in Spar Nord Bank.

    The relevant regulatory approvals have been obtained, and the final summation of acceptances confirms that the minimum condition for acceptance is also fulfilled. Nykredit therefore considers that all conditions for completion of the Offer have been fulfilled, and Nykredit intends to complete the Offer on the terms and conditions set out in the Offer Document.

    Settlement

    The Offer is expected to be completed on 28 May 2025, on which date the cash consideration will be paid to the designated account of each Spar Nord Bank shareholder who has validly accepted the Offer and who has not validly withdrawn the acceptance of the Offer.

    Compulsory acquisition, delisting and changes to the management and articles of association

    As Nykredit stands to obtain an ownership interest corresponding to more than 90 per cent of the share capital and the associated voting rights in Spar Nord Bank (excluding treasury shares) upon completion of the Offer, it is Nykredit’s intention, as described in section 7.8 of the Offer Document, to initiate and complete a compulsory acquisition of the shares held by the remaining Spar Nord Bank shareholders in pursuance of sections 70-72 of the Danish Companies Act.

    Nykredit furthermore intends to seek to have the Spar Nord Bank shares removed from trading and official listing on Nasdaq Copenhagen A/S as described in section 7.9 of the Offer Document.

    In this connection, Nykredit will request Spar Nord Bank to convene an extraordinary general meeting at which Nykredit, as described in sections 7.4 and 7.5 of the Offer Document, will propose changes to the board of directors of Spar Nord Bank and changes to Spar Nord Bank’s articles of association.

    Detailed information on compulsory acquisition and delisting will be published in separate announcements.

    Additional information

    Contact persons:

    Investor contact:

    Morten Bækmand, Head of Investor Relations, Nykredit (+45 4455 1521)

    Media contact:

    Orhan Gökcen, Head of Press, Nykredit (+45 3121 0639)

    For further information about the Offer, please see: https://www.nykredit.com/en-gb/offer-spar-nord/

    This announcement and the Offer Document (with supplements) are not directed at shareholders of Spar Nord Bank A/S whose participation in the Offer would require the issuance of an offer document, registration or activities other than what is required under Danish law (and, in the case of shareholders in the United States of America, Section 14(e) of, and applicable provisions of Regulation 14E promulgated under, the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). The Offer is not made and will not be made, directly or indirectly, to shareholders resident in any jurisdiction in which the submission of the Offer or acceptance thereof would be in contravention of the laws of such jurisdiction. Any person coming into possession of this announcement, the Offer Document or any other document containing a reference to the Offer is expected and assumed to independently obtain all necessary information about any applicable restrictions and to observe these.

    This announcement does not constitute an offer or an invitation to purchase securities or a solicitation of an offer to purchase securities in accordance with the Offer or otherwise. The Offer will be submitted only in the form of the Offer Document (with supplements) approved by the FSA, which sets out the full terms and conditions of the Offer, including information on how to accept the Offer. The shareholders of Spar Nord Bank are advised to read the Offer Document and any related documents as they contain important information.

    Restricted jurisdictions

    The Offer is not made, and acceptance of the Offer to tender Spar Nord Bank shares is not accepted, neither directly nor indirectly, in or from any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance of the Offer would not be in compliance with the laws of such jurisdiction or would require any registration, approval or any other measures with any regulatory authority not expressly contemplated by the Offer Document (the “Restricted Jurisdictions”). Neither the United States nor the United Kingdom is a Restricted Jurisdiction.

    Restricted Jurisdictions include, but are not limited to: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.

    Persons obtaining documents or information relating to the Offer (including custodians, account holding institutions, nominees, trustees, representatives, fiduciaries or other intermediaries) should not distribute, communicate, transfer or send these in or into a Restricted Jurisdiction or use mail or any other means of communication in or into a Restricted Jurisdiction in connection with the Offer. Persons (including, but not limited to, custodians, custodian banks, nominees, trustees, representatives, fiduciaries or other intermediaries) intending to communicate this announcement, the Offer Document, supplements or any related document to any jurisdiction outside Denmark or the United States should inform themselves about these restrictions before taking any action. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the laws of such jurisdiction, including securities laws. It is the responsibility of all Persons obtaining this announcement, the Offer Document, supplements, an acceptance form and/or other documents relating to the Offer, or into whose possession such documents otherwise come, to inform themselves about and observe all such restrictions.

    Nykredit is not responsible for ensuring that the distribution, dissemination or communication of this announcement, the Offer Document or supplements to shareholders outside Denmark, the United States and the United Kingdom is consistent with applicable law in any jurisdiction other than Denmark, the United States and the United Kingdom.

    Important Information for Shareholders in the United States

    The Offer concerns the shares in Spar Nord Bank, a public limited liability company incorporated and admitted to trading on a regulated market in Denmark, and is subject to the disclosure and procedural requirements of Danish law, including the Danish capital markets act and the Danish takeover order.

    The Offer is being made to shareholders in Spar Nord Bank in the United States in compliance with the applicable US tender offer rules under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the “U.S. Exchange Act”), including Regulation 14E promulgated thereunder, subject to the relief available for a “Tier II” tender offer, and otherwise in accordance with the requirements of Danish law and practice

    Accordingly, US Spar Nord Bank shareholders should be aware that this announcement and any other documents regarding the Offer have been prepared in accordance with, and will be subject to, the disclosure and other procedural requirements, including with respect to withdrawal rights, the Offer timetable, settlement procedures and timing of payments of Danish law and practice, which may differ materially from those applicable under US domestic tender offer law and practice. In addition, the financial information contained in this announcement or the Offer Document has not been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or derived therefrom, and may therefore differ from, or not be comparable with, financial information of US companies.

    In accordance with the laws of, and practice in, Denmark and to the extent permitted by applicable law, including Rule 14e-5 under the U.S. Exchange Act, Nykredit, Nykredit’s affiliates or any nominees or brokers of the foregoing (acting as agents, or in a similar capacity, for Nykredit or any of its affiliates, as applicable) may from time to time, and other than pursuant to the Offer, directly or indirectly, purchase, or arrange to purchase, outside of the United States, shares in Spar Nord Bank or any securities that are convertible into, exchangeable for or exercisable for such shares in Spar Nord Bank before or during the period in which the Offer remains open for acceptance. These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. Any information about such purchases will be announced via Nasdaq Copenhagen and relevant electronic media if, and to the extent, such announcement is required under applicable law. To the extent information about such purchases or arrangements to purchase is made public in Denmark, such information will be disclosed by means of a press release or other means reasonably calculated to inform US shareholders of Spar Nord Bank of such information.

    In addition, subject to the applicable laws of Denmark and US securities laws, including Rule 14e-5 under the U.S. Exchange Act, the financial advisers to Nykredit or their respective affiliates may also engage in ordinary course trading activities in securities of Spar Nord Bank, which may include purchases or arrangements to purchase such securities.

    It may not be possible for US shareholders to effect service of process within the United States upon Spar Nord Bank, Nykredit or any of their respective affiliates, or their respective officers or directors, some or all of which may reside outside the United States, or to enforce against any of them judgments of the United States courts predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or other US law. It may not be possible to bring an action against Nykredit, Spar Nord Bank and/or their respective officers or directors (as applicable) in a non-US court for violations of US laws. Further, it may not be possible to compel Nykredit and Spar Nord Bank or their respective affiliates, as applicable, to subject themselves to the judgment of a US court. In addition, it may be difficult to enforce in Denmark original actions, or actions for the enforcement of judgments of US courts, based on the civil liability provisions of the US federal securities laws.

    The Offer, if completed, may have consequences under US federal income tax and under applicable US state and local, as well as non-US, tax laws. Each shareholder of Spar Nord Bank is urged to consult its independent professional adviser immediately regarding the tax consequences of the Offer.

    NEITHER THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY SECURITIES COMMISSION OR OTHER REGULATORY AUTHORITY IN ANY STATE OF THE U.S. HAS APPROVED OR DECLINED TO APPROVE THE OFFER OR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, PASSED UPON THE FAIRNESS OR MERITS OF THE OFFER OR PROVIDED AN OPINION AS TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR ANY OFFER DOCUMENT. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE IN THE UNITED STATES.

    1 Executive Order no. 636 of 15 May 2020

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Nykredit announces final result of the takeover offer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nykredit has announced the final result of the takeover offer

    NOT FOR DIRECT OR INDIRECT RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR TO ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE CONTRARY TO APPLICABLE LEGISLATION OR RULES OF SUCH JURISDICTION

    With reference to Spar Nord Bank A/S’ (Spar Nord) company announcement no. 13/2025 concerning the preliminary result of the all-cash voluntary takeover offer from Nykredit Realkredit A/S (Nykredit) for all shares (other than treasury shares held by Spar Nord) in Spar Nord (the Offer), Nykredit has today announced the final result of the Offer. Nykredit’s announcement is attached.

    Final result
    The offer period expired on 20 May 2025 at 23:59 (CEST), and the preliminary result was announced on 21 May 2025.

    Nykredit has announced the final result of the Offer and informed Spar Nord that it has received acceptances representing 72,169,763 Spar Nord shares. Together with Nykredit’s holding of Spar Nord shares, this corresponds to 94.15% of the entire share capital and total number of voting rights in Spar Nord. On that basis, Nykredit will upon completion of the Offer hold 96.54% of the share capital and voting rights in Spar Nord, excluding treasury shares held by Spar Nord.

    Relevant public authority approvals have been obtained (cf. company announcement no. 12/2025), and the final summation of acceptances confirms that the minimum condition for acceptance is also fulfilled. Nykredit therefore considers all conditions to completion pursuant to the Offer as satisfied, and Nykredit intends to complete the Offer on the terms as set forth in the offer document.

    Completion and settlement
    The Offer will be completed and settled in accordance with the terms and conditions of the offer document.

    Settlement is expected on 28 May 2025 where the cash consideration will be paid to each shareholder who has validly accepted and not validly withdrawn the acceptance of the Offer.

    Compulsory acquisition and delisting
    Based on the final result, Nykredit will hold more than 90% of the share capital and voting rights in Spar Nord, excluding treasury shares held by Spar Nord, as a result of the Offer. On that basis, Nykredit will, after completion of the Offer, seek to initiate and complete a compulsory acquisition of the Spar Nord shares held by the remaining minority shareholders in Spar Nord.

    In addition, Nykredit will request that Spar Nord seeks to have the Spar Nord shares removed from trading and official listing on Nasdaq Copenhagen A/S.

    Information about the compulsory acquisition and removal from trading and official listing of the Spar Nord shares will be announced separately.

    Questions may be directed to Neel Rosenberg (media) on +45 25 27 04 33 or to CFO Rune Brandt Børglum (investors)on +45 96 34 42 36.

    Yours faithfully

    Spar Nord Bank A/S
    The board of directors

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Six Defendants Indicted in Multi-State Identity Theft Ring

    Source: US FBI

    TUCSON, Ariz. – On February 28, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Armani R. Purandah, 24, Rashawn L. Gray, 27, Tyshaun D. Ripley, 25, Awilda Reyes, 51, Richard M. Bah, 20, of Bronx, NY, and Harley D. Stuscavage, 41, of Phoenix. The defendants were each charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and four counts of Aggravated Identity Theft. 

    The indictment alleges that the co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to defraud individuals and banks across the United States including in Arizona, Colorado, and California. The co-conspirators unlawfully used victims’ personal identifying information and fraudulent identifications to open fake business accounts linked to the victims’ legitimate bank accounts. They transferred the victims’ funds from the victims’ legitimate bank accounts to the fraudulent business bank accounts. Once the victims’ funds were transferred to the business accounts, the co-conspirators withdrew the funds in cash at financial institutions and tribal casinos. The co-conspirators also made other unauthorized transactions from the accounts.  

    Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Aggravated Identity Theft carries a two-year mandatory minimum prison sentence.

    An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
     

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-00927-JCH-MSA
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-027_Purandah, et al.

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    2024-027_Purandah, et al.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison

    Source: US FBI

    TUCSON, Ariz. – James Valentine Siehien, 53, of Tucson, was sentenced on February 27, 2024, by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to 87 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Siehien pleaded guilty to one count of Bank Robbery and two counts of Armed Bank Robbery on March 16, 2023, for a series of bank robberies he committed in Tucson. 

    Siehien admitted that, on October 21, 2021, he robbed approximately $4,000 from Chase Bank. He also admitted that, on October 26, 2021, he robbed approximately $2,740 from PNC Bank, with what was later determined to be a fake explosive device. Siehien further admitted that, on November 5, 2021, while possessing an axe, he robbed approximately $2,200 from First Convenience Bank.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tucson Police Department, as part of the Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Adam D. Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
     

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-21-03071-TUC-RCC
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-029_Siehien

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Cleveland Seeks Public’s Assistance to Identify Individuals in Connection with ATM and U-Haul Heist

    Source: US FBI

    [Cleveland, OH] The FBI Cleveland Division is seeking the public’s assistance to identify three unknown subjects associated with the theft of the PNC ATM located at 7101 Broadway Avenue, Cleveland, and the theft of a 15’ U-Haul truck, (identified with a “Boats and Pennsylvania” mural on its side) in connection with the incident on June 9, 2024, between 2:48 a.m. until approximately 4:00 a.m.

    The three unknown subjects are described as:

    UNKNOWN SUBJECT 1:

    • Driver of the U-Haul
    • White male
    • Heavy build
    • Approximately 5’8” tall
    • Jeans, short-sleeved black shirt, and white head covering.

    UNKNOWN SUBJECT 2:

    • Male
    • Heavy build
    • Approximately 5’10″ tall
    • Wearing a Cleveland Guardians baseball cap, face covering, and sweatshirt (face covered).

    UNKNOWN SUBJECT 3:

    • White Male
    • Dark hair and facial hair
    • Thin build
    • Approximately 5’10” tall
    • Black t-shirt with Martian emblem, red sweatpants (face exposed).

    At approximately 2:48 a.m., unknown subjects 2 & 3 approached the ATM with an ax and pulled the ATM from the bank using a chain attached to the U-Haul. The unknown subjects abandoned the ATM pulled from the PNC Bank in the drive-thru lane shortly thereafter.

    The unknown subjects returned at 3:54 a.m. where they successfully hooked and dragged the ATM away from the bank. The ATM was dragged behind the U-Haul (South) on East 71st Street to (West) on Fleet Ave., to (North) on East 65th Street to (West) on Heisley Avenue to an abandoned lot. The ATM was recovered from the woods at the Mound Elementary School with an undetermined amount of money missing.

    Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI confidentially at 1-877-FBI-OHIO. PNC bank is offering a reward of $5000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and/or conviction the unknown subjects.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: January Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments Announced

    Source: US FBI

    United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the January Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments.

    The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

    Bradley Andrew Friend. Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Production of Child Pornography; Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Friend, 40, of Oologah, is charged with enticing and persuading a minor child to engage in sexual activity. He is further charged with producing, possessing, receiving, and distributing materials that depict the sexual abuse of children. The Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey P. Todd is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-013

    Gary Syd Goldberg. Possession of Child Pornography. Goldberg, 76, of Mannford, is charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the Mannford Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Richard is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-253

    Shawn Ray Murnan. Bank Fraud (Counts 1 through 4); False Statements (Counts 5 through 8); Unlawful Monetary Transactions (Counts 9 through 14). Murnan, 56, of Windemere, Florida, is charged with fraudulently submitting 14 applications on behalf of his various businesses seeking more than $2.7 million in CARES Act Funds. Of those applications, Murnan received more than $1.6 million in PPP and EIDL loans. After receiving CARES Act funds, Murnan requested loan forgiveness. More than $1.3 million was forgiven. Two of the PPP loans were funded by a bank located within the NDOK. Each application submitted by Murnan contained false representations and inaccurate accounting regarding employees’ wages, including that he owned no other businesses. The FRB-CFPB Office of the Inspector General, the SBA Office of the Inspector General, and TIGTA are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David D. Whipple and Cheryl Baber are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-014

    Xavion Eugene Paggett. Attempted Bank Robbery; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Paggett, 24, of Broken Arrow, is charged with using a firearm to rob a bank in Nov. 2024. He is further charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema M. Onias is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-012

    Anthony Clay Russell. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (superseding). Russell, 32, of Tulsa and a member of the Osage Nation, is charged with maliciously killing Tasha Shepard on Oct. 22, 2024. He is further charged with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and intentionally assaulting a second victim with a dangerous weapon. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam D. McConney and John Brasher are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-365

    Marcos Javier Suazo-Otero; Marcos Javier Suazo-Mancilla. Drug Conspiracy (Count 1); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Counts 2 and 3); Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (Count 4); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Counts 5 and 6); Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien (Count 7); Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 8); Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of Firearms (Count 9) (superseding). Suazo-Otero, 46, and Suazo-Mancilla, 23, both Mexican nationals, are charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 2024 through Nov. 2024. They are further charged with maintaining a residence for drug distribution. Suazo-Otero knowingly possessed methamphetamine with intent to distribute and is additionally charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Aug. 2018. Lastly, Suazo-Mancilla knowingly possessed cocaine with intent to distribute, possessed firearms while drug trafficking, and knowingly did so while being an alien illegally in the United States. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-397

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to 109 Months

    Source: US FBI

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Vivian A. Earle, 42, of Phoenix, was sentenced yesterday to 109 months in prison by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow. Earle was convicted on five counts of Bank Robbery by a jury on June 30, 2023.

    Between April and August of 2019, while in Phoenix, Earle robbed five banks, including Wells Fargo, Chase, and Bank of America, taking over $34,000. After the last robbery, a bank customer followed Earle’s vehicle from the parking lot and called 911. Phoenix Police responded and followed Earle until they apprehended him.  

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Phoenix Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Gayle Helart and Anthony Church, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
     

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-19-01121-PHX-GMS
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2023-207_Earle

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Serial Bank Robber Arrested After String of Robberies

    Source: US FBI

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Justin Eric Lindsay, 28, was arrested Saturday morning by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a string of bank robberies committed between August 12, 2023, and January 6, 2024. Lindsay was charged by federal criminal complaint with committing five bank robberies and one attempted bank robbery.

    The complaint alleges that, since August 2023, Lindsay has robbed five banks, including branches of Chase and U.S. Bank. According to the complaint, Lindsay would enter a bank and hand a teller a demand note for money. At four of the robberies, Lindsay claimed he had a gun, although no firearm was ever shown. On Saturday, Lindsay was arrested shortly after robbing a U.S. Bank branch in Mesa.  

    A complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The United States will have up to 30 days from arrest to seek an indictment of Lindsay.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Mesa and Tempe police departments. Assistant United States Attorney Ben Goldberg, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
     

    CASE NUMBER:           24-09042MJ
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-004_Lindsay

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Charlotte Men Are Sentenced to Prison for Bank Robbery and Third Defendant Has Pleaded Guilty

    Source: US FBI

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two Charlotte men were sentenced to prison today on bank robbery charges, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Sherrod Davidson, Jr., 33, was sentenced to 139 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Rashad Jackson, 44, was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. A third individual, Dominique Duggins, 33, has pleaded guilty for his role in the robbery and is awaiting sentencing.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

    According to court documents and court proceedings, on September 9, 2020, two Garda World Cash Services employees were servicing a Bank of America ATM machine in Charlotte. Davidson, Jackson, and Duggins were sitting in a parked vehicle on a hill overlooking the ATM. Duggins and Davidson exited the vehicle while Jackson stayed behind as the getaway driver. Surveillance video recovered during the investigation shows Duggins approach the first employee who was standing at the ATM machine servicing it. Duggins put a gun to the employee’s back and forced him to the ground, while Davidson approached the Garda van where the other employee was refilling the ATM cassettes with cash. Davidson pointed a gun at the second employee and grabbed multiple bags of cash. Duggins and Davidson returned to the getaway vehicle and fled the scene. Over the course of the investigation, Duggins was identified as one of the three suspects. Duggins had worked from June to July 2020 at Garda World Cash Services before he was fired. Investigators later identified Davidson and Jackson as the other two accomplices.

    On April 29, 2022, Duggins pleaded guilty to bank robbery. On June 28, 2024, Davidson pleaded guilty to bank robbery and aiding and abetting, and Jackson pleaded guilty to possession and brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence.

    Davidson and Jackson are in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. A sentencing date for Duggins has not been set.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and CMPD for their investigation of the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Boykin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armored Truck Company Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing Cash Meant for ATMs

    Source: US FBI

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – An employee of an armored truck company that delivered cash to bank branches and ATMs pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to embezzling money as a bank agent.

    Justin Eskridge, 37, of Reynoldsburg, admitted he took more than $220,000 from PNC ATMs. Eskridge was employed as an armed service technician for Loomis LLC and delivered cash for and to federally insured financial institutions. Loomis contracted with PNC Bank to transport money to various ATMs and bank branches. 

    Eskridge was employed with Loomis beginning in July 2021 and transported bags of money by armored vehicle to various PNC branches and ATMs. The thefts began around Dec. 14, 2022, and continued through Jan. 9, 2023.

    PNC bank tellers reported shortages totaling approximately $226,000 cash when they balanced the residual amounts on certain ATMs. An investigation by Loomis identified Eskridge as the technician servicing that route.

    Eskridge eventually admitted to Loomis that he had taken the money and led Loomis to recover approximately $144,000 cash hidden in his car. As part of his plea, he will pay the remaining balance to Loomis.

    Theft or embezzlement by a bank employee or agent is a federal crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Damoun Delaviz is representing the United States in this case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Francisco Tow Company Operator Charged with Insurance Fraud and Money Laundering

    Source: US FBI

    Jose Badillo and a Co-Defendant Are Accused of Submitting a Fraudulent Auto Insurance Claim and Pocketing the Proceeds

    SAN FRANCISCO – Jose Vicente Badillo and Jessica Elizabeth Najarro appeared in federal court today to face mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering charges related to a scheme to defraud an auto insurance company, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey; FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp; and IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley of the Oakland Field Office. The case has been assigned to the Hon. Rita F. Lin, United States District Judge.

    According to an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on July 9, 2024, Badillo, 28, and Najarro, 30, both of San Francisco, conspired to defraud an insurance company by submitting a fraudulent insurance claim on a wrecked car that Badillo purchased in June 2019. The indictment alleges that, when Badillo bought the car, it was undrivable, with severe front-end damage and a non-functioning engine. Nevertheless, the indictment says, Najarro obtained an insurance policy on, and later took title to, the car before falsely reporting to the insurance company in July 2019 that she had been in a single-car accident in it in San Francisco. The indictment further alleges that Najarro spoke with, and made materially false statements and misrepresentations to, an insurance representative in another state, after which the insurance company processed and approved her claim and sent her an insurance reimbursement check for $34,037.48. The indictment alleges that the full amount of the insurance reimbursement check was deposited a few days later into a Wells Fargo Bank account controlled by Badillo.

    The indictment also alleges that, at the time of the offenses in 2019, Badillo owned and/or controlled at least two companies engaged in the business of towing vehicles: Jose’s Towing, LLC, and Auto Towing, LLC, both of which operated out of San Francisco.

    Both defendants are charged with one count each of (i) conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; (ii) mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341 and 2; (iii) wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2; and (iv) money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1957 and 2.

    Badillo and Najarro were arrested in San Francisco on August 8, 2024, and released on a $50,000 bond at their initial appearances later that day. Both defendants are next scheduled to appear in court on August 12, 2024, at 10:30 a.m., before the Hon. Lisa J. Cisneros for arraignment and identification of counsel.

    An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Badillo and Najarro each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, plus restitution, if appropriate, on each of Counts 1 through 3, which charge mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit the same, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, 1349, and 2. They face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the amount of criminally derived property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater, plus restitution, if appropriate, on Count 4, which charges money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1957 and 2. The court also may order an additional term of supervised release to begin after any prison term as part of the sentence for either or both defendants. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle F. Waldinger and Galen A. Phillips are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James and Carolyn Jusay Caparas. The prosecution is the result of a lengthy investigation by the FBI and IRS CI.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Jose Man Sentenced to Nearly Three Years for Defrauding Investors of $4.7 Million

    Source: US FBI

    Joon Woo Kim Started An Investment Fund Focused On Publicly Traded Electric Vehicle Companies But Secretly Diverted Investors’ Funds To His Failing Private Business And Lost Millions

    SAN FRANCISCO – Joon Woo Kim was sentenced today to 33-months in prison for two fraud schemes – the first, a scheme to mislead investors to contribute millions to an electric vehicle investment fund he formed in San Francisco, and the second, a scheme to obtain multi-million dollar business loans by lying to a bank – announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp.  The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge James Donato.

    On March 4, 2024, Kim, 58, of San Jose, Calif., pleaded guilty to two fraud charges against him, one count of committing wire fraud and the other for making false statements to a bank to obtain a loan.  The first fraud scheme occurred from June 2015 through March 2022 and involved creating and running an investment fund that Kim named the M5 Doctors Fund.  Kim admitted in his plea agreement that he ran the M5 Doctors Fund, along with a separate management entity M5 Management, with the intent to deceive investors.  Kim represented to investors that he would invest the funds of the M5 Doctors Fund in securities of electric vehicle companies, including Tesla, and would always invest only in publicly traded securities.  Instead, Kim transferred nearly all the millions invested by investors in the M5 Doctors Fund into a failing private company called CKR Enterprise, Inc. (CKR).  CKR was a wholesale food distribution company operated by Kim and his wife and owned by them, among others.

    Kim defrauded investors out of $4,690,000 due to his transfer of the M5 Doctors Fund assets to CKR.  While this was occurring, Kim continued to mislead investors by sending quarterly reports to them suggesting their money was invested in public securities such as Tesla.

    Kim engaged in a second fraud scheme in which he defrauded Hanmi Bank by applying for two loans for CKR, a $1,300,000 line of credit and a $3,200,000 business loan.  Kim admitted the bank loan application contained materially false and fraudulent representations.  Based on those representations, Kim obtained the proceeds of these loans.

    In a memorandum filed for the sentencing hearing, the government argued that Kim gained the trust of his investors due to his impressive profile, which included multiple Ivy League degrees and extensive investment experience.  Many M5 Doctors Fund investors were non-profit institutions that could invest only in public securities and would not have invested with Kim if they knew the truth, that is, that Kim transferred their money to a private company owned by Kim and his wife.  The government pointed out that while Kim drained this fund, he continued to deceive his investors into believing the fund still had money that it no longer had.

    A federal grand jury charged Kim on June 27, 2023, with multiple counts of wire fraud, bank fraud, and making a false statement to a bank.  In his plea agreement, Kim pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and one count of making a false statement to a bank, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1014.

    In addition to the 33-month term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge James Donato sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervision following his release from prison and ordered Kim to pay more than $4.7 million in restitution to his victims.  Kim was ordered as one condition of his supervised release to make at least three 30-minute presentations to university MBA classes to inform students about the consequences of engaging in fraudulent business practices and behaviors.

    Kim was ordered to surrender into custody on September 3, 2024.

    Chris Highsmith is the Assistant U.S. Attorney prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Tina Rosenbaum and Aarian Beti and Victim Specialist Alicia Guevara.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: The EBA issues Opinion on a measure to address macroprudential risk following a notification by the Norwegian Ministry of Finance

    Source: European Banking Authority

    The European Banking Authority (EBA) today published an Opinion following a notification by the Norwegian Ministry of Finance of its intention to change the calibration of a measure originally introduced on 31 December 2020 and already extended until 30 June 2025. The measure aims to ensure that capital requirements of Norwegian institutions using internal ratings-based (IRB) approaches are appropriate for the systemic risks stemming from their residential real estate exposures. Based on the information provided, the EBA does not object to the measure.

    The measure is an exposure-weighted average risk weight floor applying to retail exposures secured by immovable property located in Norway. The institutions in scope of the measure are all institutions established in Norway that use the Internal Ratings Based (IRB) approach for the calculation of capital requirements for the relevant exposures. The notified period of application is between 1 July 2025 until 31 December 2026.

    In this Opinion, addressed to the Standing Committee of the EFTA States, the EFTA Surveillance Authority and the Norwegian Ministry of Finance, the EBA takes note of the financial stability risks stemming from high household debt and the build-up of financial imbalances in Norway. Against this background, the EBA invites the Ministry of Finance to closely monitor any overlaps of the proposed measure with microprudential requirements and other macroprudential measures already in force. In particular, the EBA points to unintended overlaps as the output floor requirements are phased-in and invites the Ministry to monitor closely and review the need for the proposed measure.

    Legal basis and background

    On 11 April 2025, the EBA received a notification from the Norwegian Ministry of Finance of its intention to apply Articles 458(2) and 458(9) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms (Capital Requirements Regulation, CRR) as incorporated into Annex IX of the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) by the EEA Joint Committee Decision No 79/2019. In accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 458(4) of the CRR as incorporated into Annex IX of the Agreement on the EEA, within one month of receiving the notification, the EBA shall provide its opinion to the Standing Committee of the EFTA States, the EFTA Surveillance Authority and the EFTA State concerned. 

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: The BANK of Greenland has issued DKK 40 million in Tier 2 capital

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The BANK of Greenland has issued DKK 40 million in Tier 2 capital

    The BANK of Greenland has today agreed to issue DKK 40 million in Tier 2 capital as part of the ongoing process to optimize the capital structure.

    The capital is issued with ISIN no. DK0030551403 and with effect from 28 May 2025. The Tier 2 capital has a maturity of ten years with a possibility to call after five years and any time thereafter subject to approval by the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (Finanstilsynet). The bonds have a floating rate agreed at a six-month CIBOR rate plus 300 basis points.

    Nykredit Bank A/S is the sole lead manager of the issue.

    Best regards
    The BANK of Greenland

    Martin Kviesgaard
    Managing Director

    Contact: +299 34 78 02 / mail: mbk@banken.gl

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Somerset County Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Defrauding New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Fund of Millions of Dollars and Committing Tax Evasion

    Source: US FBI

    TRENTON, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 87 months in prison for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, five acts of healthcare fraud, and four counts of tax evasion, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

    C.R. Kraus, 58, of Manville, New Jersey was convicted in April 2024 of all 10 counts of an indictment following a trial before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court. In January 2023, Kraus’s conspirators, Harry Pizutelli and Maritza Flores, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and tax evasion relating to defrauding the New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Fund (TBI Fund) of millions of dollars for their own personal benefit. Both are awaiting sentencing.

    “This defendant stole millions of dollars earmarked for victims of traumatic brain injuries. Stealing resources intended to help New Jersey residents who are already coping with serious challenges is especially egregious. This office will never relent in holding such criminals accountable. Today, this defendant learned the price of his criminal acts.”

    U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger

    “C.R. Kraus was intent on defrauding the Traumatic Brain Injury Fund by making false claims that he treated patients who suffer from such maladies,” FBI – Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado said. “This not only took away valuable resources from other deserving patients but enabled Kraus and his co-conspirators to benefit substantial monetary gain, to the tune of more than $4 million. The FBI investigative team worked to put a stop to their fraudulent behavior, and bring to justice criminals who use the healthcare system as a personal piggy bank.”

    “Motivated entirely by greed, C.R. Kraus and his co-conspirators stole millions of dollars from a government program meant to aid individuals with life-altering injuries,” Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, said. “Today’s sentence reinforces IRS-CI’s dedication to investigating financial crimes and ensuring bad actors are held accountable for their misconduct.”

    According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

    The TBI Fund is a publicly funded program run by the New Jersey Division of Disability Services, a component of the New Jersey Department of Human Services. The TBI Fund’s purpose is to provide New Jersey residents who have suffered a traumatic brain injury with services and support in order to maximize their quality of life when funding from insurance, personal resources, or other programs is unavailable to meet their needs. Services funded by the TBI Fund include physical, occupational, and speech therapy; service coordination; assistive technology; cognitive therapy; neuropsychological services; pharmaceuticals; wheelchair ramp installation and other home modifications; and general home management and maintenance.

    After a prospective patient applies for services, TBI Fund personnel review the application and, if approved, the patient is authorized to secure designated services from a third-party vendor. Once a patient receives services approved by the TBI Fund, the vendor or service provider submits an invoice to the TBI Fund for payment. When an invoice is received, TBI Fund personnel review the invoice to ensure that the patient had been approved to receive the services. If the invoice is approved, an internal payment voucher is generated, authorized by TBI Fund personnel, and then submitted to the New Jersey Department of the Treasury for payment, which issues a check directly to the vendor.

    Pizutelli was the manager of the TBI Fund and was responsible for its day-to-day operation. He supervised, managed, and oversaw the process by which third-party vendors were paid for services rendered to eligible TBI Fund beneficiaries. From 2009 through June 2019, Pizutelli, Kraus, and Flores conspired to defraud the TBI Fund by misappropriating more than $4 million in fraudulent vendor payments for purported services that were never actually provided. Pizutelli orchestrated the distribution of fraudulent vendor payments to Flores and Kraus by generating and processing false invoices and internal payment vouchers. Pizutelli generated these invoices and vouchers to give the appearance that Flores and Kraus had provided approved services to eligible patients when, in fact, they had not provided any services. Pizutelli then approved and transmitted the internal payment vouchers so that his conspirators received vendor payments.

    Pizutelli orchestrated these fraudulent payments to maintain and further romantic and/or sexual relationships with Flores, including more than $940,000 in fraudulent distributions to Flores and more than $3.245 million in fraudulent distributions to Kraus. To obscure their fraudulent conduct, Flores and Kraus also evaded the payment of substantial amount of income taxes by making material misstatements and omissions on their federal income tax returns and significantly underreporting the income they had derived from the fraudulent scheme.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Quraishi sentenced Kraus to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $4.19 million.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Red Bank Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Delgado, and special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict. He also thanked the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, Division of Law, and the New Jersey Department of Human Services, for its assistance.

    The government is represented by Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge in Trenton, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Suggs of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Trenton Branch Office.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Honors Columbus Community Leader Nicole Banks with National Award

    Source: US FBI

    On Friday, April 19, 2024, FBI Director Christopher Wray presented Nicole Banks, the president and founder of Starfish Assignment, with the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA) for her service to the community. Starfish Assignment is an impactful Columbus-based non-profit organization that works to establish a foundation of trust and respect between law enforcement and the community to benefit all involved.

    The FBI established the DCLA in 1990 to publicly acknowledge the achievements of those working to make a difference in their communities through the promotion of education and the prevention of crime and violence. Each year, one person or organization from each of the FBI’s 56 field offices is chosen to receive this prestigious award.

    “Our success as both a law enforcement and an intelligence agency hinges on our ability to foster and maintain genuine partnerships with people in all communities,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “People like this year’s Leadership Award recipients not only identify what others need, but they are willing to roll up their sleeves and provide services. They are building bridges and relationships while putting in the work to have hard conversations and find a common purpose. They do it out of kindness and compassion with a sincere belief that justice – in its many forms – requires all of us to do the right thing in the right way.”

    Nicole Banks created Starfish Assignment in 2018 to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community. Through programs and events, Starfish works to foster open communication, build understanding, and increase collaboration to create an environment where everyone feels protected and valued. Along with organizing several Summer Safety Block Parties and other events in Columbus, Starfish also has a Books and Badges program that promotes literacy and allows law enforcement officers to create connections with students in their neighborhoods. The work of Starfish Assignment extends beyond Central Ohio and includes assisting law enforcement agencies throughout the country.

    “Receiving this award from Director Wray is not only an honor for Starfish Assignment, but it also affirms our dedication to fostering strong, positive relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve,” stated DCLA recipient Nicole Banks. “Our collaboration with the FBI has enabled us to implement programs that build trust and create meaningful change. This recognition fuels our commitment to continue our work of bridging gaps, helping others through law enforcement officers, and strengthening bonds across communities. We are deeply grateful for the FBI’s acknowledgment of our efforts and look forward to furthering our mission together.”

    “It is an honor to recognize Nicole Banks for her hard work and dedication to the community,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “Nicole’s work with Starfish Assignment has allowed the FBI and our law enforcement partners to build trust and significant relationships in the communities we serve. These relationships help us to fulfill our mission of protecting the American people while creating safer and more secure neighborhoods.”

    Director Wray hosted the DCLA winners in a special ceremony at FBI Headquarters today, emphasizing the importance of community partnerships in keeping our shared communities safe. These partnerships—as exemplified by the breadth of the work by the DCLA recipients—have led to a host of crime prevention programs that protect the most vulnerable in our communities, educate families and businesses about cyber threats, and work to reduce violent crime in our neighborhoods. Learn more about the Director’s Community Leadership Award program, the FBI’s outreach efforts, and the Cincinnati Field Office online.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Global Cryptocurrency Exchange BitMEX Fined $100 Million for Violating Bank Secrecy Act

    Source: US FBI

    Company Willfully Flouted U.S. Anti-Money Laundering Laws to Boost Revenue

    Matthew Podolsky, Attorney for the United States, Acting under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, announced that HDR GLOBAL TRADING LTD., a/k/a “BITMEX”, was sentenced today to a fine of $100 million for violating the Bank Secrecy Act by willfully failing to establish, implement, and maintain an adequate anti-money laundering (“AML”) and know-your-customer (“KYC”) program.

    Attorney for the United States Matthew Podolsky said:  “Anti-money laundering and know-your-customer rules protect Americans from fraud, combat money laundering, and prevent the financing of terrorist activity.  It is critical that all financial institutions, including cryptocurrency exchanges, comply with these rules to protect our country’s economy and national security.  Today’s sentence sends a clear message that companies that willfully violate these rules and refuse to implement AML/KYC programs will face consequences.”   

    According to the allegations in the Information and other filings and statements made in court:

    Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, and Samuel Reed founded BITMEX in or about 2014, and Gregory Dwyer became BITMEX’s first employee in 2015 and later its Head of Business Development.  BITMEX, which has long serviced and solicited business from U.S. traders and operated through U.S. offices, was required to register with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and to establish and maintain an adequate AML program.  AML programs ensure that financial institutions, such as BITMEX, are not exploited for illicit purposes and serve to protect the integrity of the U.S. financial system and national security more broadly.

    BITMEX and its executives knew that because BITMEX served U.S. customers, it was required to implement an AML program that included a KYC component but chose to flaunt those requirements, requiring only that customers provide an email address to use BITMEX’s services.  Indeed, senior executives each knew that customers residing in the U.S. continued to access BITMEX’s trading platform through at least in or about 2018, and that BITMEX policies nominally in place to prevent such trading were toothless or easily overridden to serve BITMEX’s bottom line goal of obtaining revenue through the U.S. market without regard to U.S. criminal laws.  Corporate executives took affirmative steps purportedly designed to exempt BITMEX from the application of U.S. laws like AML and KYC requirements, despite knowing of BITMEX’s obligation to implement such programs by operating in the U.S.  As part of BITMEX’s willful evasion of U.S. AML laws, the company lied to a bank about the purpose and nature of a subsidiary to allow BITMEX to pump millions of dollars through the U.S. financial system.

    Hayes, Delo, and Reed, BITMEX’s three founders and top executives, and Dwyer, another top executive, all previously entered guilty pleas for violating the Bank Secrecy Act and were sentenced in 2022.  The corporation entered a guilty plea on July 10, 2024, and was sentenced today.

    *                *                *

    In addition to the fine, BITMEX was sentenced to two years’ probation.       

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Money Laundering Investigation Squad.

    The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance & Money Laundering Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Greenwood and Thane Rehn are in charge of the prosecution. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Toledo Resident Agency Seeking Bank Robbery Suspect

    Source: US FBI

    On April 2, 2024, at approximately 12:00 p.m., the PNC Bank located at 735 South Main St. Bowling Green, Ohio, 43402, was robbed by an unknown subject. The unknown subject left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money.

    Subject Description:

    • Orange gloves
    • Yellow reflective vest
    • Yellow hooded sweatshirt
    • Dark colored ski mask
    • Dark black glasses

    FBI Toledo Resident Agency and the Bowling Green Police Department are working the crime collaboratively. Information can be submitted to either the FBI at 419-243-6122 or the Bowling Green Police Department at (419) 352-1131. Your identity can remain anonymous. PNC Bank is offering a $5,000.00 reward for any information leading to the identification and arrest of the unknown suspect.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Bank Robbery Lands Oklahoma City Man in Federal Prison for More Than a Decade

    Source: US FBI

    OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, AKIN ZHON WOFFORD, 29, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 135 months in federal prison for armed bank robbery and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    On February 7, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Wofford, charging him with armed bank robbery and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On August 21, 2024, a federal jury convicted Wofford on both counts.

    According to evidence presented at trial, on November 7, 2022, Wofford entered a branch of City National Bank and Trust in Oklahoma City. After he waited several minutes in the lobby, Wofford pulled out a firearm, jumped over the teller counter, pointed it at a bank employee, and demanded money. Wofford then opened the teller drawer and grabbed handfuls of cash before he exited the bank. An investigation into the vehicle used during the bank robbery ultimately led authorities to Wofford. He was arrested on November 18, 2022.

    At the sentencing hearing on January 9, 2025, U.S. District Judge David L. Russell sentenced Wofford to serve 135 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the circumstances of the offense, including the risk of danger caused by the robbery, and Wofford’s history of violence.

    This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Gridley and Stanley J. West prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Film Archive to present “Legends of HK Film Comedies, 1980s and 1990s” exhibition (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Film Archive to present “Legends of HK Film Comedies, 1980s and 1990s” exhibition  
         Hong Kong comedy films thrived in the 1980s and 1990s, and many of the popular works produced at the time are now regarded as classics. Through different angles in three thematic zones, the exhibition outlines the local comedy film scene in these two decades.
      
         In the exhibition zone “Roomfuls of Laughter”, nearly 100 exhilarating excerpts from classic Hong Kong film comedies will be screened under four themes, namely “Classic Combos”, “The Art of Exaggeration”, “Laughing with the Times” and “The Nonsensical Art of Mo Lei Tau”. Comedies include “Wheels on Meals” (1984), “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World” (1987), “All for the Winner” (1990), and “Forbidden City Cop” (1996), which are selected to depict and deconstruct the design and tactics of the jokes in comedy films.
     
         The other zone in the exhibition, “Oral History: Our Comedy Hour”, will screen two thematic videos of interviews with filmmakers including Wong Jing, Clifton Ko, Tenky Tin, Alfred Cheung and Mak Kai-kwong, along with actors including Teresa Mo and Sandra Ng. The two videos are titled “The Birth of Comedy” and “Behind the Jokes: The Making of a Comedian”. The former unveils the development and creative process of Hong Kong comedy films from aspects such as creative inspiration, story concept and casting, while the latter explores how actors characterise their roles, interact with other actors and provide reflections on their film careers, illustrating the professionalism of Hong Kong comedy film stars.
     
         Decorated as a karaoke lounge, which was popular in the 1980s and 1990s, the exhibition zone “Happy Karaoke Sing-A-Long” features more than 20 theme songs or interludes in film excerpts, including “Ex-love is Like a Dream” from “92 The Legendary la Rose Noire” (1992), “A Love Affair” from “Let’s Make Laugh” (1983) and “We Meet Again Stranger” from “All’s Well End’s Well” (1992). Visitors can enjoy the songs in the videos and revisit the enduring pop culture comedy moments. 
     
         The exhibition features installations for visitors to take pictures for their joyful moments, including a “poster waterfall” comprising numerous posters of classic comedy films, such as “All the Wrong Clues (…For the Right Solution)” (1981), “Aces Go Places” (1982) and “Sixty Million Dollar Man” (1995). There is also a Comedy Wall of Fame displaying actors and filmmakers’ insights into comedy films, as well as a feature wall which integrates multiple classic comedy scenes and iconic landmarks of Hong Kong, such as the Bank of China Tower, the Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
     
         Two seminars will be held during the exhibition period. The first seminar will be held at the HKFA Cinema on June 22 (Sunday), featuring director Clifton Ko and actress Teresa Mo, and hosted by veteran film critic Thomas Shin. Details of the second seminar will be announced on the HKFA website (www.filmarchive.gov.hk 
         Admission is free. For details of the exhibition, please visit     www.filmarchive.gov.hk/en/web/hkfa/2025/comedy-e/pe-event-2025-comedy-e.html 
         This year, the LCSD presents the third Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival, themed “More Than Joy”. For more information, please visit     www.pcf.gov.hkIssued at HKT 15:00

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Virginia Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud Conspiracy

    Source: US FBI

    Indictment Charges Nigerian Citizens Living in the New York City Area with Orchestrating Multi-Million Dollar Bank Fraud Conspiracy Using Stolen Identities from Across the U.S.

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Sherry Ozmore, age 56, of Richmond, Virginia, pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud in connection with her role as a “runner” for a nationwide conspiracy to impersonate customers of financial institutions to fraudulently obtain cash, checks, loans, and credit.  United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

    Ozmore was indicted in October 2024 as part of a superseding indictment charging the alleged ringleader of the conspiracy, Oluwaseun Adekoya, 39, a Nigerian citizen living in New Jersey, as well as David Daniyan, 60, a Nigerian citizen who according to prosecutors has lived in the United States under stolen identities for decades, with orchestrating a conspiracy to steal the identities of people who resided all over the country and impersonate those people at banks and credit unions to fraudulently obtain cash, checks, loans, and credit. According to documents previously filed in court, the conspirators also allegedly opened bank accounts in the names of identity theft victims, which were then used to deposit and access the funds from checks they had fraudulently obtained from banks and credit unions by impersonating other individuals.  The conspirators’ conduct allegedly involved nearly $3 million in intended losses, over $1.7 million of which was successful.

    Ozmore admitted that she was recruited to join the conspiracy as a runner in or around January 2023 and fraudulently obtained over $195,000 over a five-month period that year from banks and credit unions by impersonating identity-theft victims whose personal identifying information was supplied to her by supervisors.  Ozmore was paid a small portion of the money she fraudulently obtained.

    The following defendants are charged as follows in the superseding indictment: 

    • Adekoya is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and nine counts of aggravated identity theft;
    • Daniyan is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and four counts aggravated identity theft;
    • Kani Bassie, 36, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft;
    • Davon Hunter, 27, of Richmond, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft;
    • Jermon Brooks, 20, of Richmond, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft;
    • Christian Quivers, 20, of Richmond, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft; and
    • Crystal Kurschner, 44, of Brooklyn, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

    The prosecution is the result of an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI-Albany, which began after the May 2022 arrest of Daniyan, Gaysha Kennedy, 46, of Brooklyn, and Victor Barriera, 64, of the Bronx, by the Cohoes Police Department after the trio had allegedly traveled to the Capital Region to commit bank fraud. 

    Adekoya, Daniyan, Kennedy, and Barriera were originally indicted, along with coconspirators Jerjuan Joyner, 50, of Brooklyn, Akeem Balogun, 56, of Brooklyn, Danielle Cappetti, 46, of the Bronx, and Lesley Lucchese, 53, of Brooklyn.

    At sentencing on May 6, 2025, Ozmore faces a maximum term of 30 years’ incarceration, an order of restitution in the amount of $195,500, and a term of supervised release of up to 5 years.

    Kennedy, Barriera, Joyner, Balogun, Cappetti, and Lucchese have pled guilty to bank fraud conspiracy and are pending sentencing.

    The charges in the superseding indictment are merely accusations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    FBI Albany is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in New York, Newark, Richmond and Resident Agencies in Westchester, New York; Brooklyn/Queens, New York; Garrett Mountain, New Jersey; and Fort Walton Beach, Florida.  Additional assistance was provided by other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement & Removal Operations (New York Field Office & Albany sub-office); U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (Buffalo Field Office & St. Albans Resident Office); U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General; New York law enforcement agencies including the New York State Police; Cohoes PD; Colonie PD; Elmira PD; Corning PD; Plattsburgh PD; Florida law enforcement agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Pennsylvania State Police; Alabama law enforcement agencies including the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Gasden PD, and Rainbow City PD; Georgia law enforcement agencies including the Georgia State Patrol, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow PD; Kansas law enforcement agencies including Lawrence PD and Overland Park PD; New Hampshire law enforcement agencies including Rochester PD, Manchester PD, and Amherst PD; the Delaware State Police; Maryland law enforcement agencies including the Maryland State Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office; Wisconsin law enforcement agencies including Onalaska PD and Eau Claire PD; and Indiana law enforcement agencies including the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Result of the Daily Variable Rate Repo (VRR) auction held on May 23, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    Tenor 3-day
    Notified Amount (in ₹ crore) 25,000
    Total amount of bids received (in ₹ crore) 4,371
    Amount allotted (in ₹ crore) 4,371
    Cut off Rate (%) 6.01
    Weighted Average Rate (%) 6.01
    Partial Allotment Percentage of bids received at cut off rate (%) NA

    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2025-2026/393

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New York Man Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Crimes Related to Nearly Half Million Dollars Stolen From Local Business Through Computer Malware

    Source: US FBI

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A New York man pleaded guilty in federal court here today to crimes related to laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Columbus strength training equipment manufacturer. 

    Aleksandr Bogomolny, 53, of Brooklyn, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit and committing money laundering. 

    According to court documents, in May 2021, the FBI received a complaint to its Internet Crime Complaint Center from Rogue Fitness, which is headquartered in Columbus. The company had identified 78 outgoing transfers from a PayPal account between March 29 and April 29, 2021, totaling nearly half a million dollars.

    The FBI discovered a banking Trojan that had infected the computer of a customer service employee just prior to the transfers. The specific Trojan found on the employee laptop is known by the FBI to steal banking credentials and usually targets corporate victims.

    The stolen money was transferred to 22 different card numbers, including to Bogomolny’s Bank of America card.

    Further investigation of Bogomolny’s bank account revealed that between December 2019 and July 2021, he laundered more than $247,000 in criminal proceeds through his account.

    While executing a search warrant at the defendant’s Brooklyn residence, agents found documents that included more than 341,000 unique identifiers like names, addresses, dates of birth and Social Security numbers. The search also discovered images of driver’s licenses, U.S. passports and full lists of full credit card numbers.

    Bogomolny also used the online gambling site FanDuel to conspire to launder money. He and others would steal a victim’s identity and use it to create a FanDuel account. Then criminal proceeds were deposited into the account and later withdrawn. In total, Bogomolny and others used this scheme to deposit nearly $572,000 and withdraw more than $485,000 of the criminal proceeds.

    Finally, Bogomolny’s plea documents detail that, in 2023, the defendant met with undercover FBI agents and agreed to launder $20,000 for a six percent fee. The funds were represented as proceeds of illegal drug activities.

    Between November 2023 and March 2024, Bogomolny sent $18,800 of the original $20,000 back to the undercover FBI agents through multiple ACH transactions.

    Bogomolny later agreed to accept another $50,000 from the undercover agents. He met up with the agents in April 2024 and accepted the money, at which point he was arrested.

    Money laundering and conspiring to launder money are federal crimes punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Seeking Information From Key Bank Robbery

    Source: US FBI

    The FBI Toledo Resident Agency and the Toledo Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance identifying a male subject in connection to a bank robbery that occurred at approximately 1:54 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 9 at Key Bank, 5037 Suder Avenue, Toledo.

    Subject Description

    • White male
    • 50-60 years old
    • Standing over 6’ tall
    • Wearing a dark jacket, grey sweatshirt, blue jeans with grey/white tennis shoes

    The subject entered the bank, approached the victim teller, and produced a demand note. He then fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of money and entered an older model Buick vehicle, heading in the direction of South Suder toward Kroger Grocery Store.

    The FBI encourages anyone with information to contact the Toledo Resident Agency at (419) 243-6122 or the Toledo Police Department at (419) 936-3800. Your identity can remain anonymous when submitting tips to the FBI.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to Federal Prison

    Source: US FBI

    PORTLAND, Ore.—A Washington State man who admitted to committing at least ten bank robberies, including five while armed, was sentenced today to more than 23 years in federal prison.

    Clifford Court Uptegrove, 61, of Yakima, Washington, was sentenced to 280 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

    According to court documents, on December 17, 2021, approximately 14 months after being granted a compassionate release from federal prison, Uptegrove entered an Umpqua Bank branch in Hermiston, Oregon, brandished a firearm, and demanded large denomination bills from one of the bank’s tellers. After Uptegrove collected more than $13,000 in cash, he fled the bank and attempted to steal an occupied truck in nearby parking lot.

    Shortly after, a Hermiston police officer spotted Uptegrove and attempted a traffic stop. Uptegrove led the officer on a brief pursuit before stopping and being placed under arrest without further incident.

    On January 19, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Uptegrove with armed bank robbery, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Later, on April 11, 2024, Uptegrove pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and Hermiston Police Department and was prosecuted by Cassady Adams and Gregory Nyhus, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Diego Man Charged with Using Explosives to Burglarize ATMs

    Source: US FBI

    NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 23, 2024

    SAN DIEGO – Son Nguyen of San Diego was arrested early today and charged in federal court with two counts of damaging property in connection with using explosives on two ATMs.

    Nguyen, who unsuccessfully attempted to steal money from the machines, was tracked through surveillance video, vehicle registration and facial features, the complaint said. He was taken into custody by the FBI at his Mira Mesa residence and is scheduled to make his first appearance in federal court Monday.

    According to the complaint, at approximately 3:24 a.m. on June 8, 2024, Nguyen drove up to an ATM outside of California Coast Credit Union on Governor Drive in San Diego. Nguyen got out of his car and brought a five-gallon blue plastic container with a white spout to the area in front of the ATM. He then appeared to insert a black polyvinyl chloride plastic (“PVC”) hose into the ATM. A short time later, a small explosion occurred inside the ATM. Despite efforts to pull money out of the machine, Nguyen left empty handed.

    San Diego Police officers responded to an alarm at the credit union and observed a white PVC pipe connected to a black PVC pipe with two batteries taped to it. They also observed pieces of what looked like a blue balloon around the ATM.  Approximately 20 feet from the ATM was another plastic pipe. 

    According to the complaint, a few weeks later, at approximately 2:10 a.m. on June 28, 2024, Nguyen drove up to another ATM in Rancho Bernardo outside of a First Citizen’s Bank branch in San Diego. He then repeated the same steps. After electrical components caught fire and smoke started coming out of the ATM, Nguyen returned and attempted to extract cash from the machine but was unsuccessful.

    Investigators used surveillance camera video to track the defendant and his vehicle. While serving a court-authorized search warrant at Nguyen’s home, investigators found gas, black powder, potassium nitrate sulfur, explosive pre-cursor chemicals, a paper that explains how to make black powder and a firearm in Nguyen’s residence, among other equipment and clothing items consistent with those used during the attempts.

    “Fortunately, neither of these incidents resulted in injury or successful theft of cash,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “With the discovery of chemicals and equipment in the search today, future attempts were also thwarted.”

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Sherwood and Shital Thakkar.

    DEFENDANT                                               Case Number                         24-mj-03215

    Son Thanh Nguyen                                         Age: 44                                   San Diego, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Use of an Explosive to Damage Property – 18 U.S.C., Section 844(i)

    Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    Federal Bureau of Investigation

    San Diego Police Department

    San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad

    City of San Diego’s Hazmat Team

    A complaint itself is not evidence that the defendant committed the crimes charged. The defendant is presumed innocent until the Government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Denver Man Convicted on Five Counts Related to Denver Bank Robberies

    Source: US FBI

    DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Flozell Beasley, 72, of Denver, was convicted by a federal jury on four counts of bank robbery and one count of robbery affecting interstate commerce.

    According to the facts established at trial, Beasley robbed two banks, two credit unions, and a taco shop in Denver, between May and July 2023.  In each robbery, the defendant dressed like a construction worker and threatened employees with a high-quality replica gun before taking their money and fleeing. On July 11, 2023, the defendant robbed the Vectra Bank at 1001 E 17th Street and left with a GPS tracker inside the money stolen from the bank. He then boarded a nearby RTD bus and was arrested twelve minutes later sitting on the bus with the tracker, stolen money, replica gun, construction vest, and construction helmet in a bag at his feet.

    “Our office remains focused on stopping brazen, serial bank robbers who victimize bank employees,” said United States Attorney Matt Kirsch. “

    “This individual is a previously convicted felon who was released from prison and returned to robbing banks — and a restaurant when his chosen bank was closed,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “This is the kind of defendant that gets the attention of the FBI Denver Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force, and with help from partners like the Denver Police Department and the Regional Transportation District, we tracked him down and ended his criminal activity in the community. “

    United States District Court Judge Regina M. Rodriguez presided over the trial.

    The FBI Denver Field Office handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Dunn and Garreth Winstead handled the prosecution.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    Case Number: 23-cr-342-RMR

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Personal Assistant Charged in Scheme to Defraud Her Elderly Employers of Nearly $10 Million

    Source: US FBI

    Defendant Allegedly Posed as Her Employers to Steal Funds from Their Bank Accounts and Spent over $1.8 Million to Purchase Luxury Merchandise

    Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Catalina Corona was arraigned on an indictment charging her with wire fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.  While employed as a personal assistant to an elderly married couple (the Victims), Corona forged the Victims’ signatures on checks from various bank accounts and stole approximately $10 million from them.  The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Leslie R. Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.

    “The defendant’s greed knew no bounds, as she brazenly stole millions from elderly victims, using deceit to systematically steal the victims’ money and violate the trust they placed in her,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “My Office is committed to protecting the elderly from fraudulent schemes and ending elder abuse.”

    “For years, the defendant took advantage of an elderly couple who trusted her to protect them and their interests,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Backschies. “As alleged in the indictment, she repeatedly defrauded these victims out of millions of dollars to enrich herself. Combatting the financial exploitation of elderly Americans remains a priority for the FBI, and we will continue to work hard to identify and disrupt anyone who attempts to target America’s seniors.”

    As alleged in court filings, between approximately 2017 and 2024, while working for the Victims, Corona repeatedly deposited hundreds of checks written out to cash—made payable to herself—from the Victims’ bank accounts without their knowledge or consent.  Many of these transactions took place in Queens and on Long Island within the Eastern District of New York.

    Corona also posed as one of the Victims when calling the Victims’ bank to request information related to their accounts.  In April 2024, one of the Victims received a call from the bank inquiring about checks written out to cash.  The Victim explained that she never wrote checks out to cash and ultimately discovered that Corona had been forging checks and withdrawing money from the Victims’ bank account.  The investigation further uncovered that Corona was not only stealing funds by fraudulently cashing checks, but was also transferring funds directly from the Victims’ accounts into her own personal accounts.

    In total, Corona stole nearly $10 million, which she used to pay her credit card bills and to purchase luxury items from Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Gucci and other high-end brands.  Specifically, Corona spent over $1 million on Louis Vuitton items alone, including luggage, purses valued at over $10,000, and apparel.  Additionally, in just one day, Corona used over $25,000 in stolen funds for airline travel.   

    The charges in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted of the charges in the indictment, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum of two years’ imprisonment on the aggravated identity theft charge, and a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States  Attorney Rebecca M. Urquiola is in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney Michael Castiglione who is handling forfeiture matters.

    The Defendant:

    CATALINA CORONA
    Age: 61
    Corona, Queens

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-78 (NGG)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney for Alaska Announces Sentence in $26 Million Investment Fraud Scheme, Discusses Financial Crime Priority

    Source: US FBI

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for defrauding at least 177 victims of more than $26 million through an investment fraud scheme.

    According to court documents, Garrett Elder, 30, convinced victims to transfer funds to him for investment in stocks and foreign currencies on their behalf through deceptive and false representations of his trading methods between 2016 and October 2022. Some of the defendants’ victims were family members and friends.

    The defendant executed the scheme primarily through his two entities, Tycoon Trading LLC and the Daily Bread Fund LLC.  Elder solicited investments based on misstatements and omissions about his trading methods and returns. He then provided falsified account reports showing positive returns.

    In total, the investigation revealed that Elder falsely told his investors that they had made over $11 million dollars in non-existent profits when, in fact, the defendant had been consistently losing money for years.  The investigation identified that the defendant lost around $20 million trading, and used the remainder to fund a lavish lifestyle, finance commissions and payments to business associates, purchase assets and gifts, and pay other personal expenses.

    In addition to time in prison, the defendant is required to pay $26 million in restitution to approximately 177 victims and serve three years of supervised release as part of his sentence.

    “Mr. Elder’s case is one of the worst fraud cases our office has handled with respect to the number of victims and amount of money he stole. This case shows that white collar crime can impact anyone and cause immense damage to people, families and communities, and that no person or company is above the law,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Prosecuting criminals who choose to commit calculated financial crimes will remain a priority for our office, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to seek justice for victims of these crimes.”

    “In what’s regarded as the largest investment fraud scheme perpetrated in Alaska, Mr. Elder’s greed and deception is an affront to the honest, hard-working victims he bilked out of millions of dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “With dedicated special agents, forensic accountants, and analysts who work tirelessly to unravel complex fraud schemes, the FBI is dedicated to investigating financial crimes to hold criminals accountable and to protect the financial security of all Alaskans.”

    Elder is the most recent fraud case the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alaska has successfully prosecuted in their prioritization of holding financial and white-collar criminals accountable. The office has dozens of open cases covering a range of financial crimes, including health care fraud, bankruptcy fraud, money laundering, fraud on federal agencies, and federal program fraud surrounding misuse of COVID-19 recovery funds.

    These cases are a joint effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement and are often a product of thousands of hours’ worth of investigation and expertise due to the complexity of financial crimes.

    The FBI Anchorage Field Office investigated the Elder case with assistance from the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED), Division of Banking and Securities.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Heyman and Seth Beausang prosecuted the Elder case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –