NewzIntel.com

Category: Crime

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Helps Return Missing Musket to Museum of the American Revolution

    Source: US FBI

    Now, investigators had to determine what these items were and where they had been stolen from.  

    Some of these answers came from Scott Corbett, AUSA Newton said. “He had a very good memory and could tell us where Michael had stolen some of the firearms,” she noted. 

    The investigative team also traveled to Cody, Wyoming, to attend a national museum curator’s meeting to see if any experts could help identify these mystery items. 

    “It turns out Michael stole these items from museums from Massachusetts to as far south as Mississippi,” Newton said. “A lot of them were stolen from Pennsylvania. We believe he was responsible for two of the thefts at Valley Forge. He was also responsible for a theft at the U.S. Army War College Museum in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. So, we were able to identify some of these firearms.” 

    Based on the evidence at hand, AUSA Newton explained, “We couldn’t charge him with the thefts, but what we could charge him with was possession of stolen property that had been transported interstate because he’s in Delaware.”  

    Michael Corbett was indicted and pleaded guilty. As part of his plea, he agreed to help recover some of the items that the investigators were initially looking for when they searched his Delaware residence.  

    “Leads in the Corbett case took the FBI Art Crime Team as far west as San Francisco,” Archer added. 

    Coincidentally, during the investigation, a concerned collector called Dr. Stephenson because he believed he might’ve accidentally purchased a stolen rifle. 

    The collector initially purchased the gun from a man named Thomas Gavin, believing it to be a copy of a famous rifle built by Moravian gunsmith John Christian Oerter. But the more he researched, the more he suspected he had the genuine article. The collector turned the rifle over to the authorities. 

    Thomas Gavin turned out to be “a significant museum thief” in his own right, having robbed items from the Valley Forge Park, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, and additional museums in the greater Philadelphia area. “But he too cooperated and told us what he had stolen,” AUSA Newton said. 

    “We had to then stop, solve that case in order to figure out who stole what from where, in order to then pick the Corbett case back up and bring it home,” Archer recalled of the Gavin section of the overall investigation. “So, it was staggeringly complex across space and time and material.” 

    But just like in Corbett’s case, investigators are still searching for items that Gavin stole, including a rifle that was once owned by naturalist John James Audubon. 

    Even though the investigators’ work is ongoing, the impact of the partnership and the recovery of the artifacts cannot be overstated. 

    “With the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution coming up,” said James Taub, an associate curator at the museum, “the teamwork and partnership between local police and the FBI have given us in Philadelphia and the historical community at large a really strong opportunity to reach people in ways that we haven’t before, through objects that people of my generation haven’t seen and that previous generations might not have seen since before the 200th anniversary of the American Revolution.” 

    Dr. Stephenson echoed that sentiment, noting that “for us, as educator- and preservation-oriented institutions, these objects are irreplaceable.” 

    Stephenson says the museum’s work isn’t done. “It may be that the person who stole an object say 50 years ago may have passed away long ago. In many cases, families may have things that they don’t realize where they came from, how they came into that collection, or things that were sold and passed around.”  

    For this reason, he said, the museum is reexamining how it describes the missing objects, to highlight any valuable details that might spark someone’s memory. The museum is also spreading the word about the stolen items to antique enthusiasts and collectors. 

    “The fact is, the vast majority of people want to do the right thing,” he said. 

    But the FBI stands ready to investigate anyone who knowingly holds onto looted artifacts. 

    “Ultimately,” said Special Agent Archer, “people who know that they are in possession of these stolen items and do the wrong thing, we certainly are prepared to investigate.” 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Marks 100 Years of Fingerprints and Criminal History Records

    Source: US FBI

    Director Wray joined past and present CJIS leaders, lawmakers, FBI staff, and dozens of retired fingerprint examiners at the July 10 event, which celebrated 100 years since the Bureau established its Identification Division on July 1, 1924. The new division consolidated 810,000 fingerprint files from the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, and the National Bureau of Criminal Identification, which had been the keeper of crime data for the International Association of Chiefs of Police since 1896.

    Wray described the history of fingerprint technology in investigations spanning a century.

    “I’m proud that we’ve maintained that focus on growing our capabilities, because there’s simply no other way to remain as effective as a law enforcement and intelligence agency when the threats are as dynamic and evolving as they are today,” Wray said. He also highlighted the introduction of new biometric modalities—like facial recognition, palm prints, and iris scans—as innovations that will help the FBI and its partners better carry out their missions into the future. NGI’s National Iris Service, for example, allows users like police and prison staff to enroll iris images without physical contact, linking a subject’s irises to their respective fingerprint records. “You want to talk about the textbook illustration of innovation,” Wray said. 

    To help mark the occasion, artifacts spanning the fingerprint repository’s century-long history were on display for visitors. Items included vintage fingerprint cards, magnifiers, and the colored pencils that fingerprint examiners have used for generations. And a gallery of images illustrated the progression of fingerprint technology—from taking impressions with ink rollers and paper cards to the digital mobile devices that many agencies use today.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Meet the Cyber Action Team

    Source: US FBI

    Across the globe, malicious cyber activity threatens public safety and national and economic security. Criminals target organizations such as schools, hospitals, power and utility companies, and other critical infrastructure entities that serve communities.

    As the lead federal agency for investigating cyberattacks and intrusions, the FBI developed a specialty group—the Cyber Action Team, or CAT—that can deploy across the globe within hours to respond to major cyber threats and attacks against these critical services.

    Composed of about 65 members, CAT is an investigative rapid response fly team that leverages special agents, computer scientists, intelligence analysts, and information technology specialists from across FBI field offices and Headquarters.

    “We respond onsite to victims who may include national government entities, private companies, or even sometimes foreign partner networks that have been compromised by an adversary,” said Scott Ledford, head of the Cyber Action Team and the Advanced Digital Forensics Team. “Our job is to help conduct the investigation—we collect digital evidence and locate, identify, and reverse engineer malware. We also help the victim understand when they were compromised and how, writing a timeline and a narrative of that intrusion with the ultimate goal of identifying who is responsible, attributing that attack.”

    CAT was established in 2005 in response to an increase in the number and complexity of computer intrusion investigations in FBI field offices. At the time, not all field offices had personnel with the cyber expertise necessary to properly respond to and investigate sophisticated computer intrusions.

    “There was this transition that was taking place between what investigations the FBI was responsible for and the types of crimes that we were starting to see,” explained Ledford. “Cyber was such a growing threat at the time, and so it became necessary that some field offices would reach out and say, ‘Hey, do you know of any cyber experts who can help me work through an investigation?”

    As the team formalized its processes and expanded, in 2016, the Presidential Policy Directive 41, “United States Cyber Incident Coordination” was signed, setting forth principles for the federal government’s response to cyber incidents involving government or private sector entities. The FBI was appointed the lead federal agency for cyber threat response activities.

    “From an investigative standpoint, the FBI is unique. We’re one of the few agencies in the U.S. government that has both law enforcement and counterintelligence authorities,” said Ledford. “And those authorities, and the American people’s trust in us, help us to deliver a unique blend of national security and criminal investigative skills, expertise, and resources to implement that blended response and help facilitate an investigation, regardless of whether it leads us overseas or to a courtroom here in the U.S.”

    The bulk of CAT’s cases usually involve the FBI identifying an organization with a particular intrusion that’s either so complex or large-scale that the local field office requests additional assistance.

    In one case, CAT deployed to a health care company that a separate intrusion investigation had identified as compromised. CAT’s response helped lead to the identification of several compromised systems and accounts on their network. While working alongside the company, CAT disrupted the threat—and prevented further exploitation across their network.

    CAT also receives requests from FBI legal attachés, the State Department, the National Security Council, and the White House to assist other countries when they face cyberattacks.

    “It could be a country that doesn’t have the resources or the expertise that the U.S. government has, and they’ve reached out and asked for help,” said Ledford. “There can be a NATO or a non-NATO ally country that says, ‘We’ve been hit hard by this adversary, and we don’t have the localized personnel, we don’t have the resources, we don’t have the expertise to respond to this. Can you help us with it?”

    In another case, CAT deployed overseas to provide incident response support to a NATO ally that had been targeted by a destructive cyberattack. CAT responded and worked together with U.S. partners to determine the initial intrusion vector, identify other networks that were impacted, collect and analyze digital evidence, and ultimately attribute the intrusion to a foreign government. The NATO ally severed diplomatic ties with the foreign government, closed the foreign government’s in-country embassy, and evicted them from the country.

    “We have some talented people, and they work hard every single day,” said Ledford. “It’s an honor to sit alongside them.”

    Key Tactic: Strong Communication Skills

    In addition to excellent technical skills, CAT members are closely vetted for strong communication skills. Ledford explained that part of the CAT applicant selection process entails a multi-day live technical exercise that’s designed and curated by CAT:

    “We design a network environment. We may mimic an industry, for example, an electric utility. And then we compromise that environment, and we litter it with artifacts, digital evidence, and malware. Then we task applicants to investigate this cyber incident and present their findings.

    At the end of the five days, applicants present their findings, and we identify who has the technical capability and expertise to find digital evidence of a crime hidden within this mountain of data that we’ve thrown at them.

    If the applicant passes that phase of that selection exercise, we invite them to participate in a panel presentation. Our CAT members will play the roles of the victims we’re trying to help and their own resource teams, for example, a company CEO, a U.S. attorney, a third-party legal counsel, or IT administrator.

    You’re essentially giving us the narrative of the cyber intrusion. You’re telling us a story about what happened. While some of the panel questions will be very technical in nature, some will be more basic questions—the applicant will need to be able to explain to a CEO, for example, who might not have technical expertise, what the problem was and how to fix it. We’re looking to see whether you can take something that’s exceptionally technically complex and explain it in such a way that everyone in the room understands it.

    We’re also looking for interpersonal ability. For example, in the case of a company CEO, at that moment during a cyberattack, they may be going through one of the most stressful times of their company’s existence—there may be data leaked that can make or break that company’s future and their profits, as well as their ability to employ people and their ability to deliver services to their customers. You need the communications skills to interact with them during a difficult time and gain trust.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 2023 Cryptocurrency Fraud Report Released

    Source: US FBI

    Losses related to cryptocurrency fraud totaled over $5.6 billion in 2023, a 45% increase in losses since 2022, according to a report from FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) published on September 9, 2024. The number of complaints from the public regarding cryptocurrency fraud continues to steadily increase, reaching 69,000 in 2023.

    Cryptocurrency is a type of digital currency that you can use to buy goods or services or to invest. Examples of cryptocurrencies include bitcoin, ether, or tether.

    As the use of cryptocurrency in the global financial system continues to grow, criminals are increasingly using cryptocurrency due to its decentralized nature, the speed of irreversible transactions, and the ability to transfer value around the world. Using cryptocurrency also makes it harder for victims to recover stolen funds. Once an individual sends a payment, the recipient owns the cryptocurrency. Recipients often quickly transfer that digital currency into an account overseas for cashout purposes.

    Criminals can exploit cryptocurrencies in many types of criminal schemes. In 2023, most cryptocurrency complaints involved investment scams. These losses totaled $3.9 billion and accounted for almost 71% of all losses related to cryptocurrency in 2023. Other examples of scams associated with cryptocurrency include tech support, confidence and romance, and government impersonation scams.   

    Cryptocurrency investment fraud is the most common type of cryptocurrency scam. In this type of fraud, criminals use various means of manipulation to convince victims to deposit increasing amounts of money into financial “investments” using cryptocurrency. In truth, these investments are fake; criminal actors who are usually located overseas control—and ultimately steal—all victim money. As a result, victims typically lose everything they invested.

    Losses from cryptocurrency-related investment fraud schemes reported to the IC3 rose from $2.57 billion in 2022 to $3.96 billion in 2023‚a 53% increase. Many individuals have accumulated massive debt to cover losses from these fraudulent investments.

    Individuals aged 30-39 and 40-49 filed the most complaints related to cryptocurrency investment fraud (approximately 5,200 reports in each age group). But complainants over the age of 60 reported the highest losses (over $1.24 billion).

    Learn more about the process behind cryptocurrency investment fraud. 

    The FBI, along with the Department of Justice, law enforcement, regulatory agencies, and financial institution partners, is dedicated to identifying the perpetrators of these schemes and bringing them to justice.

    The FBI’s IC3 is the central intake hub for individuals in the U.S. or abroad to report fraud and cybercrime. The IC3 analyzes complaints and aggregates them to identify trends and help develop strategies to combat these schemes and protect scam victims from loss. IC3 also shares the complaints it receives with FBI field offices, other law enforcement agencies, and regulatory entities for further investigation or action, as appropriate.

    In February 2022, the FBI formed the Virtual Assets Unit (VAU), a specialized team dedicated to investigating cryptocurrency-related crimes. The VAU centralizes the FBI’s cryptocurrency expertise into one nerve center, providing technological equipment, blockchain analysis, virtual asset seizure training, and other sophisticated training for FBI personnel. 

    If you believe you or someone you know may be a victim of cryptocurrency fraud, immediately submit a report to the IC3 via ic3.gov or contact your local FBI field office and provide as much transaction information as possible. We encourage you to submit a complaint through ic3.gov, even if a financial loss did not occur.

    When submitting a report to ic3.gov, include as much as you can of the following information: 

    • Financial transaction details, including: 
      • Cryptocurrency wallet addresses 
      • The amounts and types of cryptocurrencies involved 
      • Date and time of the transactions, and transaction IDs (hash)
    • Information about how you met the scammer(s)
    • What platforms you used to communicate with the scammer(s)
    • Any website address(es) involved in the scheme
    • Any phone numbers or other identifiers you might have about the scammer(s)

    You can refer to IC3’s public service announcement, “FBI Guidance for Cryptocurrency Scam Victims,” for more information about what to report.

    Individuals aged 60 or older can also contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline (833-372-8311) to assist with filing an IC3 complaint. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Okmulgee Resident Sentenced to Over 20 Years for Voluntary Manslaughter

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brett Wayne Pigeon, age 45, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 126 months in prison for one count of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, and 120 months in prison for one count of Using, Carrying, Brandishing and Discharging a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence.  The terms will be served consecutively.

    The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okmulgee Police Department, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department.

    On January 6, 2025, Pigeon pleaded guilty to the charges.  According to investigators, on November 27, 2023, law enforcement responding to reports of shots fired discovered the victim deceased from apparent gunshots to the back, head, and hip.  Pigeon was identified as a suspect, and later admitted shooting the victim with a 12-gauge shotgun.    The crimes occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    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.

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Pigeon will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick M. Flanigan and Rachel Geizura represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Adair County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Crime

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jimmy Darrell Porter Jr., age 40, of Westville, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, punishable by a minimum of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.00.

    The Indictment alleged that on August 4, 2024, Porter knowingly used, carried, brandished, and discharged a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

    The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Westville Police Department.

    The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.

    A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Porter will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ecuadorian National Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Production of Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on April 23, 2025, Alvaro Andres Valarezo Sandoval, age 35, an Ecuadorian National residing in Miami, Florida, was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 30 years’ imprisonment on two counts of production of child pornography.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Sandoval sexually exploited six Central Pennsylvania minors by deceiving and threatening them into creating and sending him explicit photos and videos between 2013 and 2019.  As part of the scheme, Valarezo Sandoval would often build a rapport with the minor victims by showing affection and then entice and encourage them to send images or videos of themselves that were sexually provocative and/or sexually explicit. If a minor attempted to cease the relationship, Valarezo Sandoval would extort them by threatening to post their explicit images online unless they complied with his demands to continue providing him with sexually explicit content.

    There were at least six victims in central Pennsylvania and at least 30 others worldwide. One victim gave an impassioned statement to the court explaining the devastating impact this crime had on her and her family.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Farmington Resident Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Minor as Part of DOJ/FBI Operation Restore Justice

    Source: US FBI

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Farmington, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The two-count Indictment named Nathan Fike, 40, as the sole defendant.

    According to the Indictment presented to the Court, on or about October 4, 2023, Fike distributed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. The government further alleges that, on or about February 9, 2024, Fike knowingly possessed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. The Indictment occurred in connection with Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated, nationwide enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators that, as announced today by the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders over a five-day period. The coordinated effort was executed by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorneys’ Offices around the country (read the Operation Restore Justice news release here).

    The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney DeMarr W. Moulton is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Police Commissioner and Former Director of the Virgin Islands Office of Management and Budget Charged in Bribery Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    An indictment was unsealed today charging Ray Martinez, the former police commissioner of the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD), and Jenifer O’Neal, the former director of the Virgin Islands Office of Management and Budget, with participating in a bribery and money laundering conspiracy. Both defendants made their initial court appearances today in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

    According to court documents, Martinez, 56, and O’Neal, 53, both of St. Thomas, accepted bribes from a then-government contractor, David Whitaker. The indictment alleges that the scheme began in at least November 2022 and continued until June 2024, with O’Neal joining the scheme no later than January 2024. The defendants also allegedly conspired to launder proceeds from the bribery scheme through a monetary transaction to pay rent on O’Neal’s coffee shop. In exchange for the bribes paid by the government contractor, Martinez and O’Neal, among other official acts, allegedly agreed to approve fraudulently inflated invoices and assist with obtaining payment for those invoices by the Virgin Islands to Whitaker. Martinez also agreed to assist Whitaker in obtaining a $1.48 million contract to provide services to the VIPD in October 2023. Additionally, after the investigation was originally made public, Martinez allegedly obstructed the investigation by encouraging Whitaker to destroy evidence associated with Martinez’s criminal activity and produced falsified documents in response to a subpoena.

    Martinez and O’Neal are each charged with five counts of honest services wire fraud, which each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; one count of federal program bribery, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; and one count of money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Martinez is also charged with two counts of obstruction of justice, which each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Delia Smith for the District of the Virgin Islands; and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI San Juan Field Office, St. Thomas Resident Agency is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Alexandre Dempsey and Steve Loew of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Conley for the District of the Virgin Islands are prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New York Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Role in Kidnapping

    Source: US FBI

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Queens, New York man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in a Paterson, New Jersey, kidnapping, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Reginald Law, 39, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to an indictment charging him with kidnapping and Hobbs Act robbery. 

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    On October 8, 2020, Law and his conspirator, Maurice Cottman, entered a retail store in Paterson, where they accosted the victim, who was working in the store. Law and Cottman physically removed the victim from the store, then transported him in the back of a U-Haul truck from Paterson to New York.  Law admitted that during the kidnapping, he and Cottman called the victim’s family and demanded ransom for his return.  Law and Cottman also forced the victim to give them his debit card and pin number, which they used to withdraw money from his bank accounts.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Padin sentenced Law to five years of supervised release.

    Cottman previously pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to an Information charging him with one count of kidnapping. On March 29, 2022, Judge Chesler sentenced Cottman to 15 years in prison with five years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence.  He also thanked the FBI New York Field Office and the Paterson Police Department for their assistance.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the Economic Crimes Unit.

                                                               ###

    Defense counsel: Christopher L. Patella Esq., Bayonne, New Jersey

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Disbarred Attorney Sentenced to 30 Months for Defrauding Victims in Ponzi-Like Wire Fraud Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, disbarred attorney was sentenced to 30 months in prison for a wire fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Lawrence Coven, 61, of Hillsborough, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court to an Information charging him with one count of wire fraud. Judge Kirsch imposed the sentence.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    Coven operated and controlled Sunrise Enterprises LLC, which purported to provide financial services to investors. In reality, Coven induced victim investors into sending him funds by falsely representing that he would invest their money through Sunrise in exchange for large profits by providing short-term loans to borrowers who could not obtain standard loans. He falsely guaranteed investors returns of between 10 to 15 percent on their investments and told investors that their investments were risk-free. But instead of investing the money as he promised, Coven diverted investor funds for personal expenses, including utilities, entertainment, real estate, credit card bills, and cash withdrawals. And when investors began asking questions, Coven provided them with false assurances that their money was safe and used money from existing investors to make payments to other investors in a Ponzi-like fashion.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Kirsch sentenced Coven to three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to this sentence.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fatime Meka Cano and Olta Bejleri of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

                                                                           ###

    Defense counsel: Jeffrey Chiesa, Esq. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Arizona Man Receives 22-Year Prison Sentence for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of Child

    Source: US FBI

    ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the prolonged sexual abuse of a minor over nearly a decade in the Navajo Nation.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court documents, between May 16, 2009, and May 15, 2012, Cedric Martinez, 31, engaged in unlawful sexual contact with a minor victim, who was under the age of 12, at a residence in Upper Fruitland, New Mexico, within the Navajo Nation.

    Upon his release from prison, Martinez will be subject to fifteen years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Brittany DuChaussee and Meg Tomlinson are prosecuting the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Canadian Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Destruction of Energy Facilities in North and South Dakota

    Source: US FBI

    Cameron Monte Smith, 50, a Canadian citizen, was sentenced today to 150 months in prison per count, to be served consecutively, for two counts of destroying an energy facility — one incident in the District of North Dakota and another in the District of South Dakota.Smith was also ordered to pay $2.1 million in restitution.

    According to court documents, on Sept. 11, 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to the two offenses where he admitted to damaging the Wheelock Substation, located near Ray, North Dakota, in an amount exceeding $100,000, in May 2023. The Wheelock substation is operated by Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative and Basin Electric Power Cooperative.

    Smith also admitted to damaging a transformer and pumpstation of the Keystone Pipeline located near Carpenter, South Dakota, in an amount exceeding $100,000, in July 2022. Smith damaged the Wheelock substation and the Keystone Pipeline equipment by firing multiple rounds from a high-power rifle into the equipment resulting in disruption of electric services to the North Dakota customers and resulting in disruption of the Keystone Pipeline in South Dakota.

    Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl for the District of North Dakota; U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota; and Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division made the announcement.

    The FBI investigated the case with valuable assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Williams County (North Dakota) Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Clark County (South Dakota) Sheriff’s Department, and the Beadle County (South Dakota) Sheriff’s Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys David D. Hagler and Jonathan J. O’Konek for the District of South Dakota, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Jehangiri for the District of North Dakota, and Trial Attorneys Jacob Warren and Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eight Individuals Plead Guilty to Wide-Ranging Scheme to Monopolize Transmigrante Forwarding Industry, Fix Prices, Extort Competitors, and Launder Money

    Source: US FBI

    The U.S. Department of Justice today announced that eight defendants have pleaded guilty for their conduct in a long-running and violent conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante forwarding agency industry in the Los Indios, Texas, border region near Harlingen and Brownsville, Texas. The three remaining defendants to the superseding indictment remain at large as fugitives. Transmigrantes are individuals who transport used vehicles and other goods from the United States through Mexico for resale in Central America. Transmigrante forwarding agencies are U.S.-based businesses that provide services to transmigrante clients, including helping those clients complete the customs paperwork required to export vehicles into Mexico.

    “The Criminal Division is committed to holding violent criminal organizations accountable in whatever markets in which they operate,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Transnational criminal organizations that use violence to dominate industries will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “These guilty pleas bring to justice individuals who used violence and extortion to fix prices and monopolize the market for essential services that Americans rely on to earn a living,” said Director of Criminal Enforcement Emma Burnham of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division will continue to use every tool at its disposal to protect the public by prosecuting violent criminals – including those who aim to corrupt America’s free markets.”

    “Price fixing harms both the public and the business community,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “Schemes like this artificially drive up prices, forcing consumers to pay more than they ordinarily would. At its core, such market collusion is nothing more than theft from consumers.”

    “These defendants tried to rule through fear, using threats, violence and intimidation to eliminate competition,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Their guilty pleas send a clear message that price fixing and market allocation are serious crimes, and we will hold those accountable who put profits over the law and fair commerce.”

    “Today’s pleas reflect the relentlessness of the federal government’s pursuit of transnational criminal organizations that exploit international trade and the U.S. economy,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. “This violent scheme was fueled by greed that undermined the safety and economic security of the border region; HSI has prioritized significant resources to protect the U.S. and our legitimate trade.”

    According to documents filed in the U.S. District Court in Houston, defendants Carlos Martinez also known as “Cuate,” Pedro Antonio Calvillo Hernandez, Roberto Garcia Villareal, Sandra Guerra Medina, and Mireya Miranda pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to fix prices and allocate the market for transmigrante forwarding agency services in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, and one count of conspiracy to monopolize the same market in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act. The conspirators fixed the prices for transmigrante forwarding agency services and created a centralized entity known as the “Pool” to collect and divide revenues among the conspirators, limit competition from other agencies, and increase prices for their services. Market participants who were not part of the conspiracy had to join and pay into the Pool. Pool members enforced the rules of the Pool by monitoring whether forwarding agencies were charging the agreed-upon prices, including by posting prices publicly on social media, and monitoring whether agencies were paying into the Pool as required.

    Martinez, Calvillo, Villareal, and Carlos Yzaguirre pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion. Martinez also pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by extortion. The defendants conspired to force forwarding agencies to pay money to the Pool and to pay other extortion fees, including a “piso” for every transaction processed in the industry as well as a “fine” for operating in the market outside of Pool rules. The conspirators perpetrated acts of intimidation, coercion, and violence in furtherance of the antitrust and extortion conspiracies. Defendant Martinez was responsible for at least $9.5 million in extortion payments.

    Martinez and Jose de Jesus Tapia Fernandez also pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy, through which they laundered extortion proceeds. Cash obtained from the extortion conspiracy was deposited into bank accounts controlled by Martinez and his family, and those deposits were made to conceal and disguise the nature, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds. Juan Hector Ramirez Avila pleaded guilty to one count of structuring a financial transaction to evade reporting requirements.

    Martinez agreed to forfeit four real properties and $375,000 in seized U.S. currency, to pay a fine, and to pay full restitution to extortion victims. Guerra, Miranda, Calvillo, and Villareal have also agreed to pay fines as part of their plea agreements.

    Rigoberto Brown and Miguel Hipolito Caballero Aupart, and Diego Ceballos-Soto were also charged in the superseding indictment and remain fugitives. Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.

    Conspiracies to allocate the market, fix prices, or monopolize in violation of the Sherman Act carry a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum $1 million fine for an individual. Conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion in violation of the Hobbs Act carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum $250,000 fine. Money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum $500,000 fine. Structuring a financial transaction to evade reporting requirements carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, HSI, and the FBI are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Brittany E. McClure, Anne Veldhuis, and Michael G. Lepage of the Antitrust Division, Trial Attorney Christina Taylor of VCRS, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander L. Alum for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: National Missing Children’s Day 2024

    Source: US FBI

    Every year on National Missing Children’s Day, May 25, we reaffirm our commitment to investigating these cases and finding children who have been reported kidnapped or missing, and we continue to encourage parents, caregivers, and others to make child safety a priority.

    Please take a look at the faces of the children at the bottom of this page—these are just some of the many children who have gone missing, leaving behind family and friends waiting for any news of their loved ones. If you have any information about these children that could help lead to their recovery, please consider contacting the FBI, local law enforcement, or submitting a tip online.

    Children continue to face dangerous threats from online predators, human traffickers, kidnappers, and other criminals who mean harm. 

    The FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) teams are composed of experienced personnel with a proven track record in crimes against children investigations, especially cases where a child has been abducted by someone other than a family member. Team members provide on-the-ground investigative, technical, and resource assistance to state and local law enforcement. The teams work closely with representatives from the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime coordinators, and child exploitation task force members.

    The FBI’s Child Victim Services program within the Victim Services Division provides support to child victims, the families of child victims, and witnesses of federal crimes. The team is focused on ensuring that any interactions with child victims or witnesses are tailored to the child’s stage of development and minimize any additional trauma to the child. In addition, they connect children and families to other resources to support their health and well-being through difficult times.

    National Missing Children’s Day is also a reminder about preparedness should the unthinkable ever happen to your child. You can download the FBI’s Child ID app, which allows you to quickly share key information with authorities if your child is missing. The free app also includes tips on keeping children safe and guidance on what to do during the first crucial hours after a child goes missing. (The FBI does not collect or store the information or photos you enter into the app. The data resides on your mobile device unless you choose to send it to authorities in an emergency.)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Cyber Lead Urges Potential LockBit Victims to Contact Internet Crime Complaint Center

    Source: US FBI

    FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran on June 5 highlighted the Bureau’s “ongoing disruption” of the LockBit ransomware group and its affiliates, and urged potential victims to contact the Bureau’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). 

    The Bureau now has more than 7,000 LockBit decryption keys in its possession, Vorndran said in a keynote at the 2024 Boston Conference on Cyber Security. We can use these keys to help victims get their data back, he noted. Potential victims can contact IC3 by visiting our LockBit Victim Reporting Form at lockbitvictims.ic3.gov. 

    “We are reaching out to known LockBit victims and encouraging anyone who suspects they were a victim to visit our Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov,” he said.

    The LockBit ransomware variant has been utilized in over 2,400 cyberattacks around the world—more than 1,800 of which impacted victims in the U.S.—he said. These attacks have targeted various sectors and racked up “billions of dollars in damages,” Vorndran said.

    FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran delivers a keynote address at the 2024 Boston Conference on Cyber Security on June 5, 2024.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Theodore Roosevelt’s Historic Pocket Watch Recovered

    Source: US FBI

    When a Florida auctioneer was asked to auction off a pocket watch from the late 1800s, his research led him to believe that he may be holding a piece of U.S. presidential history.

    The auctioneer realized that the watch may have belonged to Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States. He contacted two historic sites closely associated with Roosevelt—Sagamore Hill National Historic Site and Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site—who confirmed the authenticity of the watch.

    Roosevelt’s watch had been in possession of Sagamore Hill National Historic Site since he died in 1919. They loaned the watch to the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site in 1971 for a six-year term to be shown in an exhibition. The loan was extended, but, unfortunately, the watch was reported stolen from the site in Buffalo, New York, on July 21,1987, and wouldn’t be identified again until 2023 at the Florida auction house.

    Since Sagamore Hill National Historic Site and the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site fall under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service (NPS), they reached out to NPS to recover the stolen artifact. NPS, the lead investigative agency, contacted the FBI Art Crime team for additional assistance. Both the NPS and FBI confirmed that this was the watch stolen almost 40 years earlier.

    “This watch was a fairly pedestrian Waltham 17 jewel watch with an inexpensive coin silver case. It’s a ‘Riverside’ grade and model ‘1888’ with a hunter-style case, meaning it has a lid on either side which fold and encase the dial and the movement,” said Special Agent Robert Giczy, a member of the FBI Art Crime Team who investigated the provenance of the watch in this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: BAU Launches ‘Prevent Mass Violence’ Campaign

    Source: US FBI

    “Our goal is to get bystanders, who are the most important part of the prevention cycle, to be able to consistently identify concerning behaviors that are backed by research and experience,” said Taylor Cilke, a crime analyst in the unit of BAU that studies threats. BAU resides in the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group and is part of the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, which was established in 1984 to develop strategies to combat serial and violent crimes.

    “In order to prevent a threat, we have to identify it, and we have to assess it, and then we have to take steps to manage it,” Cilke said. “The hardest part is that identification piece. And that’s where the public and potential bystanders can really help us empower our communities and force-multiply our work. But if we never identify the threat, we can’t assess and manage it.”

    To that end, BAU this week launched a Prevent Mass Violence campaign that includes a new webpage and brochures containing tips and strategies to help potential bystanders understand what types of behaviors may be concerning and ways to respond.

    “The most important thing is to tell someone,” the webpage says. That may not necessarily mean law enforcement; it could be a school administrator, employee assistance peer, a boss, or someone else you trust.

    “We’ve seen time and again that there are noticeable, observable behaviors,” said Brad Hentschel, a supervisory special agent in BAU, pointing to nearly three decades of academic research, along with BAU’s findings from studying mass violence events. “Mass shooters don’t just snap. Recognizing and reporting the warning signs of someone thinking about and preparing for violence can be lifesaving.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: The Search for Ashley Summers

    Source: US FBI

    Police initially reported Ashley as a runaway, likely due to recent tensions with her family and because she frequently spent time at other relatives’ homes.

    But her family didn’t believe she had disappeared on her own accord.

    The FBI joined the investigation in 2008 when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) alerted the FBI Cleveland Field Office about Ashley’s case.

    At the time, there was another missing girl from the west side of Cleveland—Gina DeJesus, one of three women who were held hostage by Ariel Castro. Ashley and Gina were similar in age and from the same part of Cleveland. Initially, there was speculation that Ashley may have also been one of Castro’s victims. However, no evidence supported this, and Ashley’s case became an independent investigation.

    Throughout the investigation, law enforcement has interviewed family members, neighbors, and anyone who could have potentially offered information leading to Ashley’s whereabouts. Gene—Ashley’s boyfriend at the time—and his family cooperated with authorities, and there has been no evidence to suggest that foul play was involved on Gene’s part.

    “I can’t think of a single agent on our squad or analyst that hasn’t touched this investigation,” said McCaskill. “And this is including a lot of victim specialist support, analyst support, and support from agents and analysts on other squads, as well as the FBI Evidence Response Team and Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) team.”

    From the start of the investigation, FBI Victim Specialist Jennifer Piero has been the primary contact for Ashley’s family. In her role, Piero offers support and shares case updates. “Any time we have received tips and conducted searches or canvasses, we have notified Ashley’s family,” explained Piero. “If we have anticipated something in the investigation that would make the news, we’ve contacted Ashley’s family in advance to ensure they learned about it first.” 

    In 2018, a series of inquiries—as a result of the investigation into Ashley’s disappearance—led to the discovery that Ashley’s great uncle, Kevin Donathan, was actively abusing young children. Donathan was indicted on multiple counts, including rape, attempted rape, and five counts of gross sexual imposition. He pleaded guilty, and in 2020, he was sentenced to 35 years in prison, where he still resides.

    Ashley is described as 5’5″ tall and around 130 pounds when she was last seen. She has brown hair and blue eyes and has a tattoo on her upper-right arm with the name “Gene” in black ink over a red heart. She would now be 31 years old. 

    “Ashley is deeply missed and loved,” said Jennifer Summers, Ashley’s mother. “Her mysterious disappearance has left our family in pieces. We cling to the hope of her safe return. We appeal to anyone with information to come forward and contact the Cleveland FBI.”

    As far as leads go, McCaskill emphasized that “anything is on the table. We will go wherever the evidence leads us. We’re going to knock down every door, and we’re going to try and identify every different potential lead and follow it to its logical conclusion because I’m not going to rule anything out at this point in time. I’m just as willing to believe one theory over another based on the evidence and to follow that wherever it takes us.”

    “This is still very much an active investigation,” McCaskill continued. “We still hope to bring resolution to Ashley’s family. And I believe that the only way we’re going to be able to do that at this point is through tips—and the only way to generate those tips is by getting Ashley’s story out to the public. I am certain there are individuals out there who we haven’t spoken to yet. If someone believes they saw Ashley or knows where she may be, we welcome all tips.”

    If you have any information about Ashley Summers, please contact FBI Cleveland at (216) 522-1400.

    You can also contact your local FBI office or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Any tips may remain anonymous. 

    Crime Stoppers is offering reward money. You can submit tips to Crime Stoppers by calling (216) 25-CRIME.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division Honors Fallen Law Enforcement Officers and FBI Agents

    Source: US FBI

    CLARKSBURG, WV—The FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division honored fallen law enforcement officers and FBI agents at the annual Memorial Ceremony in Honor of Fallen West Virginia Law Enforcement Officers on Tuesday, May 20.

    During the solemn ceremony, the FBI and local law enforcement agencies paid tribute to all West Virginia law enforcement officers and FBI agents who have given their lives in the line of duty. While there were no deaths in the line of duty for West Virginia officers in 2024, across the nation, 64 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed on the job. An additional 85,730 officers were assaulted in 2024—a rate of 13.5 assaults per 100 officers. That marked the highest officer assault rate in the past 10 years. So far this year, 18 law enforcement officers have been feloniously killed. These numbers reflect the reality of the dangers law enforcement officers face every time they put on their badge.

    “Despite no West Virginia law enforcement officers being killed in the line of duty in 2024, it was important for the CJIS Division to continue the tradition,” said CJIS Division Assistant Director Timothy A. Ferguson. “This ceremony is an opportunity to honor the fallen officers and their families. We also want to tell law enforcement: we have your back. The CJIS Division supports you and your mission, and we are going to share the critical criminal justice information you need to help you make it home safely.”

    FBI Police placed an American flag and a wreath near a memorial bearing names of the fallen. Local police officers and FBI agents read the names of 243 West Virginia law enforcement officers and 90 FBI agents during the roll call ceremony.

    The annual ceremony has been held on the FBI’s CJIS Division campus since 1995.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Taskforce Raven charge two youths over stealing incidents

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Taskforce Raven charge two youths over stealing incidents

    Friday, 23 May 2025 – 1:13 pm.

    Two youths have been separately charged in relation to 28 stealing offences after they were arrested by members of Taskforce Raven.
    Members of the taskforce were on foot patrol the Launceston CBD yesterday when they arrested a 13 year old girl allegedly caught stealing from a business.
    She was later charged with multiple offences including 21 stealing offences, 31 relevant contraventions, 5 counts of possess liquor under 18yrs, resist police and possess restricted substance.
    Members of the taskforce then arrested a 17 year old girl and charged her with 7 stealing offences, 6 relevant contravention breaches, and 2 counts of possess liquor under 18.
    Detective Acting Inspector Jason Jones said as a result of the foot patrols, taskforce members had cleared 28 offence reports – all related to shoplifting – in one night.
    “Taskforce Raven is continuing to proactively target crime reduction, recidivist offenders, and youth crime across the Northern District,” he said.
    “While the taskforce is just one of a range of strategies, we continue to see strong results being delivered by our members.”
    Anyone with information can contact the taskforce on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Police investigating Mayfield house fire

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Police investigating Mayfield house fire

    Friday, 23 May 2025 – 1:52 pm.

    Police are investigating a suspicious house fire at Mayfield overnight.
    Emergency services were called to a residence in Hume Street just before 1am after reports of a fire.
    Tasmania Fire Service contained the fire before an investigation determined it was deliberately lit.
    Nobody was inside the house at the time and police are asking anyone with information to come forward.
    Information can be provided by contacting Northern CIB on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Man faces drug trafficking, stealing charges

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Man faces drug trafficking, stealing charges

    Friday, 23 May 2025 – 1:59 pm.

    A 36-year-old Tasmanian man has been charged with drug trafficking and stealing offences following an almost month-long police operation in the state’s south.
    Police co-ordinating Operation Finger allege the man was responsible for a total of 68.6 grams of methamphetamine found in separate searches at two properties, with the combined quantity of drugs seized equivalent to about 680 individual street deals.
    Also seized during the searches was ammunition and a significant quantity of allegedly stolen tools. The tools have been identified by previous reports to police and have since been returned to owners.
    In the first search, of a property at Brighton on April 30, police will allege 35.6 grams of methamphetamine and a quantity of ammunition and power tools were found. The man was not present at the property at the time.
    Further investigations into the man’s activities prompted police to launch a targeted operation to locate him.
    On Wednesday this week, officers from Bridgewater CIB, with support from Glenorchy CIB and specialist resources, conducted a search of a property at Claremont.
    Police will allege the man tried to avoid them by leaving the house and jumping multiple fences of neighbouring properties to escape, before he was located nearby.
    It is alleged the man was responsible for a total of 33 grams of methamphetamine found in his possession and at a Claremont address.
    Police have charged the man with a series of drug and theft-related offences, including trafficking in a controlled substance, possess controlled plant or its products, possess a controlled drug, unlawful possession of property, stealing and two counts of burglary.
    The man is also facing two counts of computer-related fraud.
    Investigations have also resulted in charges against two other people, including an 18-year-old man who is facing charges of burglary, attempted stealing, unlawful possession of property and possess a controlled drug.
    A third man is facing a drugs charge for allegedly being in possession of about 530 grams of cannabis.
    During the course of Operation Finger, support was also provided by Crime Stoppers.
    If you wish to report a crime, call police on 131 444 or dial triple zero (000) in an emergency.You can also provide information anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: President and CEO of Las Vegas-Based Company Pleads Guilty for Role in Investment Fraud Scheme Where He Stole Millions in Victim Investor Funds

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – A Nevada man pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of wire fraud stemming from his role in a years-long fraud scheme, during which he stole more than $6.1 million in victim investor funds.

    According to court documents, Mykalai Kontilai, formerly Michael Contile, 55, of Las Vegas, facilitated an investment fraud scheme involving his company, Collector’s Coffee Inc., doing business as Collector’s Café (Collector’s Coffee), a company incorporated in California and headquartered in Las Vegas. From 2012 to 2018, Kontilai made or caused to be made numerous materially false and misleading representations to induce victims to invest in Collector’s Coffee — a company he claimed was on the verge of launching an online auction house for third-party owned collectibles, such as Hollywood and sport memorabilia. As a result of Kontilai’s numerous false and misleading statements, including that investor funds would be used for legitimate business purposes, that Kontilai had personally invested millions of his own money in the company, and that he did not take a salary, Kontilai successfully raised approximately $23 million from Collector’s Coffee investors. However, rather than using the proceeds as represented, Kontilai stole approximately $6.1 million for his own personal use, including for the purchase of luxury goods, apartments, and vehicles.

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) began investigating Kontilai for misappropriating investor funds in or around 2017. Kontilai obstructed the investigation by forging documents that he caused to be transmitted to the SEC and lied under oath to the SEC. Kontilai was charged in connection with this conduct both in the present case on June 3, 2020, and in a separate case in the District of Colorado on March 10, 2020. While under investigation but prior to charging, Kontilai fled to Russia and was ultimately arrested on an Interpol Red Notice in Germany in 2023. He was extradited back to the United States to face the pending charges in May. As part of the plea agreement in this case, the government will move to dismiss the Colorado case at sentencing.

    Kontilai pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 4 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada; Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans of the FBI Las Vegas Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement.

    The FBI and IRS-CI are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the extradition from Germany of Kontilai.

    Trial Attorneys Brandon Burkart and Sara Hallmark of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section (FRD) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Oliva for the District of Nevada prosecuted this case. Former FRD Trial Attorney Emily Scruggs provided valuable assistance. 

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: President and CEO of Las Vegas-Based Company Sentenced for Role in Investment Fraud Scheme Where He Stole Millions in Victim Investor Funds

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS — A Nevada man was sentenced yesterday to 51 months in prison and was ordered to pay $6.1 million in restitution stemming from his role in a years-long fraud scheme.

    According to court documents, Mykalai Kontilai, formerly Michael Contile, 55, of Las Vegas, facilitated an investment fraud scheme involving his company, Collector’s Coffee Inc., doing business as Collector’s Café (Collector’s Coffee), a company incorporated in California and headquartered in Las Vegas. From 2012 to 2018, Kontilai made or caused to be made numerous materially false and misleading representations to induce victims to invest in Collector’s Coffee — a company he claimed was on the verge of launching an online auction house for third-party owned collectibles, such as Hollywood and sport memorabilia. As a result of Kontilai’s numerous false and misleading statements, including that investor funds would be used for legitimate business purposes, that Kontilai had personally invested millions of his own money in the company, and that he did not take a salary, Kontilai successfully raised approximately $23 million from Collector’s Coffee investors. However, rather than using the proceeds as represented, Kontilai stole approximately $6.1 million for his own personal use, including for the purchase of luxury goods, apartments, and vehicles.

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) began investigating Kontilai for misappropriating investor funds in or around 2017. Kontilai obstructed the investigation by forging documents that he caused to be transmitted to the SEC and lied under oath to the SEC. Kontilai was charged in connection with this conduct both in the present case on June 3, 2020, and in a separate case in the District of Colorado on March 10, 2020. While under investigation but prior to charging, Kontilai fled to Russia and was ultimately arrested on an Interpol Red Notice in Germany in 2023. He was extradited back to the United States to face the pending charges in May.

    On Nov. 21, Kontilai pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. As part of the plea agreement in this case, the government has moved to dismiss the Colorado case.

    Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada; Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans of the FBI Las Vegas Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)’s Phoenix Field Office made the announcement.

    FBI and IRS-CI investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the extradition from Germany of Kontilai.

    Trial Attorneys Brandon Burkart and Sara Hallmark of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Oliva for the District of Nevada prosecuted this case. Former Fraud Section Trial Attorney Emily Scruggs provided valuable assistance.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Rapids Theatre Owner Pleads Guilty to Defrauding COVID Relief Programs Out of More Than $1.8 Million

    Source: US FBI

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that John L. Hutchins, 71, of Lewiston, NY, pleaded guilty before Judge Meredith A. Vacca to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Bonanno and Douglas A. C. Penrose, who are handling the case, stated that between March 2020, and March 2024, Hutchins conspired with co-defendant Roberto Soliman and others to file fraudulent loan applications under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG). The loans available for these programs were designed to provide emergency financial assistance pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES Act). Hutchins and Soliman applied for loans under the following companies, which were owned by Hutchins:

    •           Rapids Theatre Niagara Falls, USA, Inc.

    •           1711 Main, LLC

    •           Bear Creek Entertainment, LLC

    •           Hutch Enterprises, LLC

    •           The Hutchins Agency, LLC

    •           CWE Entertainment, Corp. (owned by defendant Soliman)

    Between March and August 2020, Hutchins and Soliman received five Economic Injury Disaster Loans totaling $779,500.00. In addition, they received SVOG loans totaling $989,905.05, a PPP loan from Bank on Buffalo totaling $74,838, and a PPP loan from Northwest Bank totaling $41,140. In support of each of the loans, Hutchins and Soliman submitted false revenue and expense figures for the businesses on the loan applications.

    Charges remain pending against Roberto Soliman.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Harry Chavis, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Rose Brophy, Director of Field Operations, and the New York State Office of Professional Discipline. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts Two Defendants Who Were Charged with 23 Other Ohioans in Narcotics Distribution Ring

    Source: US FBI

    One defendant also convicted of sex-trafficking victims through use of drug withdrawals, violence

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted two local men for their roles in a narcotics distribution ring involving bulk amounts of fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine & other narcotics. As part of this case, the government has seized more than $1.7 million, 50 firearms, and nine vehicles, including a motorcycle. One of the defendants convicted at trial also sex-trafficked at least three adult victims.

    The jury found David Price, 56, of Columbus, guilty on all counts, and Tavaryyuan Johnson, 25, of Columbus, guilty on drug trafficking counts.

    The verdict was announced on Feb. 5 following a trial that began on January 13, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.

    A multi-agency law enforcement task force initially announced the case in July 2022 after a federal grand jury initially indicted 11 defendants for distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine in central Ohio within 1,000 feet of a Columbus elementary school.

    A superseding indictment returned in October 2022 charged additional co-conspirators with distributing those same drugs in addition to methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, Xanax and Oxycodone.

    Price, who is also known as “DP,” was charged in a third superseding indictment in December 2024 with 11 drug, firearm and sex trafficking crimes. He faces a minimum of 25 years and up to life in prison.

    Johnson is also known as “Gucci” and “TJ,” and was also charged in a third superseding indictment in December 2024. He was convicted of four drug offenses, including using a family residence in Columbus as his stash house for bulk amounts of narcotics. Johnson faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.

    According to court documents and trial testimony, the two men were part of a conspiracy to distribute and possess to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, five kilograms or more of cocaine, 280 grams or more of “crack” cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin, as well as marijuana, oxycodone and alprazolam. The drug trafficking organization operated from January 2008 until it was dismantled by law enforcement in 2022.

    Drug offenses took place at residences on Burgess and Harris avenues, which are within 1,000 feet of Burroughs Elementary School.

    In July 2021, Price distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine that resulted in the overdose death of an adult female.  The testimony at trial indicated he purposefully killed her to get rid of her as she was talking to the police about his drug business.

    The government also proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that Price conspired to commit sex trafficking. From 2016 until 2022, Price and other members of the conspiracy would force and/or coerce adult female drug addicts into performing commercial sex acts by providing, withholding, or threatening to withhold controlled substances and lodging. Law enforcement’s investigation showed that various women engaged in a “rinse and repeat” cycle where they would be allowed to stay at a drug residence associated with Price, receive a front of drugs so they were not in active drug withdrawal, go to Sullivant Avenue, have sex for money, pay the debt from the front drugs, and then be allowed to remain at the house.

    Price was also found guilty of three counts of sex trafficking related to his violence and coercion towards three adult females.  The testimony at trial indicated that he would lock the females inside his residence for days or weeks at a time and refuse to let them leave, forcing them to engage in sex acts.  One victim was locked in a dog cage, shot and stabbed by Price. Another was restrained.  A third was beaten and choked and left with a black eye. Price would refuse to provide them drugs unless or until they engaged in the sex acts, forcing them into withdrawal if they did not comply.

    U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker commended the investigation coordinated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission task force, which includes Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Angie M. Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Other agencies that have assisted the task force with the investigation include the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, HIDTA Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Pickerington Police Department, New Albany Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Prichard and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Formerly Employed by Ohio Company Convicted of Damaging Source Code and Deleting Data

    Source: US FBI

    CLEVELAND — A federal jury in Cleveland convicted a Texas man today for writing and deploying malicious code on his former employer’s network.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Davis Lu, 55, of Houston, was employed as a software developer for the victim company headquartered in Beachwood, Ohio, from November 2007 to October 2019.

    Following a 2018 corporate realignment that reduced his responsibilities and system access, Lu began sabotaging his employer’s systems. By Aug. 4, 2019, he introduced malicious code that caused system crashes and prevented user logins. Specifically, he created “infinite loops” (in this case, code designed to exhaust Java threads by repeatedly creating new threads without proper termination and resulting in server crashes or hangs), deleted coworker profile files, and implemented a “kill switch” that would lock out all users if his credentials in the company’s active directory were disabled. The “kill switch” code — which Lu named “IsDLEnabledinAD”, abbreviating “Is Davis Lu enabled in Active Directory” — was automatically activated upon his termination on Sept. 9, 2019, and impacted thousands of company users globally. Lu named other code “Hakai,” a Japanese word meaning “destruction,” and “HunShui,” a Chinese word meaning “sleep” or “lethargy.”

    Additionally, on the day he was directed to turn in his company laptop, Lu deleted encrypted data. His internet search history revealed he had researched methods to escalate privileges, hide processes, and rapidly delete files, indicating an intent to obstruct efforts of his co-workers to resolve the system disruptions. Lu’s employer suffered hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses as a result of Lu’s actions.

    “Mr. Lu was calculating in his intent to inflict damage to a company that provides products and services to businesses and organizations that span a variety of industries and fields,” said Acting United States Attorney Carol M. Skutnik of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio. “Together with our colleagues from the Criminal Division and the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will prosecute those who intend to disrupt business operations, especially, if it has the potential to inflict greater harm on national and international levels. We will hold perpetrators accountable and pursue justice against vindictive employees who break federal laws.”

    “Sadly, Davis Lu used his education, experience, and skill to purposely harm and hinder not only his employer and their ability to safely conduct business, but also stifle thousands of users worldwide,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “The FBI and its cadre of exceptionally qualified agents and analysts will continue to identify, find, and investigate individuals who seek to carry out deliberate and destructive actions against businesses or organizations for retaliatory or malicious purposes.”

    The jury convicted Lu of causing intentional damage to protected computers, for which he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Cleveland Division investigated the case.

    Senior Counsel Candina S. Heath of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Riedl and Brian S. Deckert for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Woman Loses Life Savings in Cryptocurrency Investment Scam

    Source: US FBI

    CLEVELAND – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio (USAO) has filed a civil complaint in forfeiture against 8,207,578 Tether (USDT) cryptocurrency, valued at more than $8.2 million. USDT is a virtual currency which are digital tokens of value circulated over the internet. Its transactions are publicly recorded on what is known as a blockchain.

    According to court documents, the FBI has identified 33 victims of an investment fraud scheme across the country, including a victim from Northeast Ohio residing in the city of Mentor. In total, victims lost approximately $4.9 million. Five more accounts have also been found to be affected and the FBI is attempting to identify the respective owners. The victims associated with the additional accounts have lost approximately $1,071,086.

    Investigators found that scammers initially contacted the victims through seemingly misdirected, or “wrong number,” text messages. The fraudster then gained the victim’s trust and affection using various manipulative tactics. Once trust was established with the victim, the fraudster would share how much success they, or someone they knew, had with investing in cryptocurrency. This personal testimonial lessened any uncertainties the victims may have had about virtual currencies and eventually had the intended effect to persuade the victim to proceed with the investment.

    The fraudster would then guide the victim, step-by-step, on how to open a legitimate cryptocurrency account, most often with a U.S. based virtual currency exchange such as Crypto.com or Coinbase. The scammer would walk the victim through the entire process of transferring money from their bank to the newly created cryptocurrency account. Next, the victim received instructions on how to transfer the purchased cryptocurrency assets to an online “investment platform,” which would turn out to be a fake site created by the fraudsters to look like a legitimate company. Information on the platforms promised lucrative returns which encouraged victims to invest further. However, once the victim transferred their funds to the “investment platform” they unknowingly handed over complete control and ownership of their funds to the scammer. 

    The complaint also outlines that the perpetrators of such investment fraud schemes often allow victims to withdraw a portion of their “profits” early on in the scheme to build trust and reinforce their belief that the “investment platform” was legitimate. But as the scheme progressed, victims were unable to withdraw their funds and given excuses as to why they could not access their funds. For example, the fraudsters referred to a fake “tax” requirement, stating that taxes must be paid on the proceeds generated from the investment platform. Knowing that the scam would run its course soon, the fraudsters used last-ditch efforts to lie to victims that they had to pay a tax. Ultimately, victims were locked out of their account on the investment platform and lost their funds.

    A woman in Lake County, Ohio became the target of such a scam when she responded to a text on her phone from an unknown number in November 2023. She began sharing information via text with the person and the two bonded over topics such as hobbies and religion. Over a period of time, the victim followed instructions from her new “friend” and opened an account at Crypto.com and then transferred funds into the account. When the victim wanted to withdraw funds, her “friend,” relented and said additional payments were needed and she complied. When the victim no longer had any funds left after making additional payments, her “friend” began to threaten her that he would send his friends to “take care of” her friends and family. Having lost her entire life savings of approximately $663,352, including funds from her Roth IRA, the victim filed a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center to report the losses in June 2024. The FBI Cleveland Division subsequently initiated an investigation.

    Investigators conducted a blockchain analysis and determined that a portion of the funds stolen from victims were converted to USDT cryptocurrency and placed into three cryptocurrency addresses. Law enforcement officers executed a federal seizure warrant to recover 8,207,578 USDT tokens, in November 2024. Tether Limited then transferred these funds to a law-enforcement-controlled virtual currency wallet.

    By the Complaint in Forfeiture filed on Feb. 27, 2025, the United States seeks to forfeit the entire 8,207,578 USDT cryptocurrency. In the complaint, the United States alleges that the cryptocurrency accounts also contained additional funds above the victims’ traceable losses and, as proceeds of fraud, are also subject to forfeiture. Additionally, the complaint alleges that such other funds were involved in money laundering violations.     

    The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only, and the United States must prove these allegations by a preponderance of the evidence at trial.

    If successful in this forfeiture action, the United States would seek to return the stolen funds to the victims.

    The FBI Cleveland Division is actively investigating cryptocurrency fraud schemes perpetrated on victims throughout the United States, including in the Northern District of Ohio. The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant United States Attorney James L. Morford. The USAO would like to acknowledge Tether for its assistance in this matter.

    If you observe something that you believe might be fraudulent conduct involving an older adult, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov to report it.

    View Complaint:

    /usao-ndoh/media/1391461/dl?inline 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: McAlester Resident Sentenced for Felony Assault

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nathaniel Dewayne Meashintubby, age 42, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for one count of Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, and Dating Partner by Strangling, Suffocating, or Attempting to Strangle or Suffocate.

    The charge arose from an investigation by the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    On November 18, 2024, Meashintubby pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on March 10, 2024, Meashintubby assaulted the victim by suffocation, resulting in serious bodily injury.  The crime occurred in LeFlore County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Meashintubby will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.

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