NewzIntel.com

    • Checkout Page
    • Contact Us
    • Default Redirect Page
    • Frontpage
    • Home-2
    • Home-3
    • Lost Password
    • Member Login
    • Member LogOut
    • Member TOS Page
    • My Account
    • NewzIntel Alert Control-Panel
    • NewzIntel Latest Reports
    • Post Views Counter
    • Privacy Policy
    • Public Individual Page
    • Register
    • Subscription Plan
    • Thank You Page

Category: Crime

  • MIL-OSI USA: Defendants Charged Following Armed Coup Attack in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Source: US State of California

    Three defendants transferred from the DRC to the U.S. and one other arrested in Utah after Armed Coup Attack to overthrow the DRC government

    Note: View the criminal complaint.

    A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the District of Utah charging Marcel Malanga, 22, Tyler Thompson, 22, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, 37, and Joseph Peter Moesser, 67, all U.S. citizens, with conspiring to provide material support and resources, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country, among other offenses.

    Malanga, Thompson, and Polun are expected to make their initial appearances at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York. Moesser is expected to make his initial appearance on April 10 at the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City. After their initial appearances in New York, it is expected that Malanga, Thompson, and Polun will appear in Salt Lake City, Utah, for further legal proceedings.

    As alleged in the complaint, the defendants conspired to unlawfully carry out a coup d’état in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The coconspirators conducted an armed military operation (Armed Coup Attack) specifically targeting DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Vital Kamerhe (Kamerhe), attacking both the Palais de la Nation (the official residence and principal workplace of the president) and Kamerhe’s private residence in Kinshasa, DRC. Men wearing camouflage fatigues and armed with weapons attacked and entered the Palais de la Nation. Armed men also attacked Kamerhe’s residence, which was riddled with bullet holes after the attack. At least six people died during the attack, including two police officers protecting Kamerhe’s residence, and at least one innocent civilian. The goal of these rebel forces was to overthrow the DRC government, establish a new government known as the New Zaire, and install Christian Malanga, now deceased, as the president of the New Zaire.

    Christian Malanga acted as a leader and organizer of these rebel forces. It was the goal of these rebel forces to topple the DRC government and to murder President Félix Tshisekedi, Kamerhe, and others, with the goal of installing Christian as the new president of the DRC. Marcel Malanga also held himself out as a leader of the rebel forces and identified himself as the “Chief of Staff of the Zaire army.” Polun was Christian Malanga’s chief of staff. Moesser was the explosives maker, explosives technician, and explosives supplier. Thompson was a soldier and drone specialist/operator.

    Also as alleged in the complaint, Christian Malanga, Marcel Malanga, Thompson, Polun, and Moesser conspired to provide material support and resources including services, training, expert advice or assistance, communication equipment, weapons, explosives, and personnel to the rebel army which was formed to overthrow the DRC government. Further, the defendants conspired to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction during the Armed Coup Attack. The coconspirators planned to use bombs that could be deployed to their targets by drone(s). Targets included people, private residences, and public buildings. They also intended to attach a flamethrower device to a drone and use it as an incendiary device to light people on fire.

    The defendants planned, scouted out targets, and identified victims for the Armed Coup Attack, with the purpose and intent to murder other persons, including high-level DRC government officials. They recruited others to join in the Armed Coup Attack as personnel for the rebel army and, in some cases, recruited personnel in exchange for money. The defendants also acquired and attempted to acquire explosive and incendiary devices with the purpose and intent to use such devices to target individuals, private property, and DRC government buildings. Coconspirators communicated with and procured destructive devices, to include carrier devices such as drones, explosives, incendiary devices, and delivery mechanisms, from businesses, private parties, and at least one individual associated with a foreign military to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack.

    Additionally, they procured from businesses and private parties, military equipment to include firearms, ammunition, uniforms, communication equipment, and communication jamming equipment. The coconspirators planned to transport weapons, explosives, and resources from the United States to the DRC to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack, and they then transported weapons and resources to the DRC. Further, the defendants engaged in firearms and weapons training in the United States and in Africa to provide services and support during the conspiracy and Armed Coup Attack.

    If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison for each count of conspiring to provide material support and resources; and up to life in prison for each count of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country. Additionally, if convicted, Malanga and Thompson each face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison for each count of taking a firearm out of the United States to engage in a felony. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Sue J. Bai, head of the U.S. Department of Justice National Security Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah, and Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office made the announcement.

    The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, with assistance by the FBI New York Field Office and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Nairobi, Kenya, which oversees the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan R. Whittaker, Chief, National Security and Cybercrimes Section, and Jonathan Stowers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, and Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs has also provided substantial assistance to the prosecution team.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defendants Charged Following Armed Coup Attack in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    Three defendants transferred from the DRC to the U.S. and one other arrested in Utah after Armed Coup Attack to overthrow the DRC government

    Note: View the criminal complaint.

    A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the District of Utah charging Marcel Malanga, 22, Tyler Thompson, 22, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, 37, and Joseph Peter Moesser, 67, all U.S. citizens, with conspiring to provide material support and resources, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country, among other offenses.

    Malanga, Thompson, and Polun are expected to make their initial appearances at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York. Moesser is expected to make his initial appearance on April 10 at the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City. After their initial appearances in New York, it is expected that Malanga, Thompson, and Polun will appear in Salt Lake City, Utah, for further legal proceedings.

    As alleged in the complaint, the defendants conspired to unlawfully carry out a coup d’état in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The coconspirators conducted an armed military operation (Armed Coup Attack) specifically targeting DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Vital Kamerhe (Kamerhe), attacking both the Palais de la Nation (the official residence and principal workplace of the president) and Kamerhe’s private residence in Kinshasa, DRC. Men wearing camouflage fatigues and armed with weapons attacked and entered the Palais de la Nation. Armed men also attacked Kamerhe’s residence, which was riddled with bullet holes after the attack. At least six people died during the attack, including two police officers protecting Kamerhe’s residence, and at least one innocent civilian. The goal of these rebel forces was to overthrow the DRC government, establish a new government known as the New Zaire, and install Christian Malanga, now deceased, as the president of the New Zaire.

    Christian Malanga acted as a leader and organizer of these rebel forces. It was the goal of these rebel forces to topple the DRC government and to murder President Félix Tshisekedi, Kamerhe, and others, with the goal of installing Christian as the new president of the DRC. Marcel Malanga also held himself out as a leader of the rebel forces and identified himself as the “Chief of Staff of the Zaire army.” Polun was Christian Malanga’s chief of staff. Moesser was the explosives maker, explosives technician, and explosives supplier. Thompson was a soldier and drone specialist/operator.

    Also as alleged in the complaint, Christian Malanga, Marcel Malanga, Thompson, Polun, and Moesser conspired to provide material support and resources including services, training, expert advice or assistance, communication equipment, weapons, explosives, and personnel to the rebel army which was formed to overthrow the DRC government. Further, the defendants conspired to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction during the Armed Coup Attack. The coconspirators planned to use bombs that could be deployed to their targets by drone(s). Targets included people, private residences, and public buildings. They also intended to attach a flamethrower device to a drone and use it as an incendiary device to light people on fire.

    The defendants planned, scouted out targets, and identified victims for the Armed Coup Attack, with the purpose and intent to murder other persons, including high-level DRC government officials. They recruited others to join in the Armed Coup Attack as personnel for the rebel army and, in some cases, recruited personnel in exchange for money. The defendants also acquired and attempted to acquire explosive and incendiary devices with the purpose and intent to use such devices to target individuals, private property, and DRC government buildings. Coconspirators communicated with and procured destructive devices, to include carrier devices such as drones, explosives, incendiary devices, and delivery mechanisms, from businesses, private parties, and at least one individual associated with a foreign military to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack.

    Additionally, they procured from businesses and private parties, military equipment to include firearms, ammunition, uniforms, communication equipment, and communication jamming equipment. The coconspirators planned to transport weapons, explosives, and resources from the United States to the DRC to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack, and they then transported weapons and resources to the DRC. Further, the defendants engaged in firearms and weapons training in the United States and in Africa to provide services and support during the conspiracy and Armed Coup Attack.

    If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison for each count of conspiring to provide material support and resources; and up to life in prison for each count of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country. Additionally, if convicted, Malanga and Thompson each face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison for each count of taking a firearm out of the United States to engage in a felony. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Sue J. Bai, head of the U.S. Department of Justice National Security Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah, and Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office made the announcement.

    The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, with assistance by the FBI New York Field Office and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Nairobi, Kenya, which oversees the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan R. Whittaker, Chief, National Security and Cybercrimes Section, and Jonathan Stowers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, and Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs has also provided substantial assistance to the prosecution team.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: ILLEGAL ALIEN SENTENCED TO 46 MONTHS’ FEDERAL PRISON FOR REENTRY OFFENSE

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Rafael Sanchez-De La Rosa, 51, a Mexican citizen, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for Illegal Reentry by Removed Alien.  The sentence was announced by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    “Enforcing immigration laws is a priority of the Department of Justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Spaven.  “This sentence reflects the seriousness of committing crimes while being in our country illegally.  The Northern District of Florida and our law enforcement partners are committed to keeping our communities safe.”

    “This case highlights the serious public safety risks posed by individuals who repeatedly violate our laws, both criminal and immigration,” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Office (ICE-ERO) Miami Acting Field Office Director Juan Agudelo. “Despite being removed from the United States on multiple occasions, Mr. Sanchez-De La Rosa unlawfully re-entered the country and continued to endanger lives through repeated DUI offenses. ICE remains committed to working with local law enforcement partners to identify and remove those who present a threat to our communities.”

    On May 5, 2024, at around 1:30 a.m., Sanchez-De La Rosa was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department (PPD) and charged with his third driving under the influence (DUI) within ten years, amongst other offenses.  Sanchez-De La Rosa had been speeding nearly twenty miles over the speed limit.  PPD located two open containers in the center console of his vehicle, and Sanchez-De La Rosa admitted to consuming at least eight beers.  Federal officers with ICE subsequently determined Sanchez-De La Rosa was present in the United States illegally.  Sanchez-De La Rosa had been previously removed from the United States to Mexico in 2017 and again in 2018.  Sanchez-De La Rosa has now been convicted of DUI in Escambia County three times, in 2014, 2015, and 2024, two of which cases were felony convictions.  During his first DUI offense, Sanchez-De La Rosa seriously injured his passenger, requiring hospitalization.

    Sanchez-De La Rosa has an ICE detainer lodged against him and will begin deportation proceedings after he serves his federal prison term.  Sanchez-De La Rosa’s imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release, meaning if he returns to the United States during such timeframe, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration related to violating his supervision.

    This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) Pensacola.  Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Callahan prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington man indicted on 11 counts of sex trafficking children, production of child sexual abuse material, and forced labor, following ICE, law enforcement partner investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    RICHLAND, Wash. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Murphy and acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that on April 2, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned an indictment charging Jonathan Michael Atkinson, age 34, with 11 criminal counts including Sex Trafficking Children, Production and Attempted Production of Child Pornography, Online Enticement of a Minor, and Forced Labor, following an ICE HSI, law enforcement partner investigation.

    The criminal charges against Atkinson carry a maximum sentence of up to a lifetime in prison.

    “Human trafficking is a heinous crime that preys on the most vulnerable members of our communities and the most effective way we can dismantle these criminal networks is through strong partnerships,” said Matthew Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Seattle. “HSI is proud to work alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to protect victims, bring traffickers to justice, and put an end to this exploitation.”

    Atkinson was arrested on April 8 by the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, consisting of HSI, Richland Police Department, Kennewick Police Department, and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. Additional assistance was provided by Pasco Police Department, ATF and DEA. Atkinson will be arraigned in federal court on April 10.

    “The U.S. Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Washington will continue to aggressively prosecute all versions of human trafficking,” stated Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker. “We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners to seek justice for the most vulnerable among us.”

    If members of the public have any information regarding this case, please contact the Pasco Police Department.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Holland and Stephanie A. Van Marter.

    Early intervention is critical. If you suspect a child may be a victim of online CSEA, call the Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the NCMEC CyberTiplineTM. If you believe a child has been abducted or is in immediate danger, contact local law enforcement and the NCMEC Tipline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).

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

    Know2Protect (K2P) is a national public awareness campaign from the Department of Homeland Security. K2P’s aim is to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults, and policymakers to prevent, combat, and report online child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information, please visit our YouTube playlists at Know2Protect Campaign PSA Playlist and Know2Protect Digital Safety Series Playlist on the DHS main channel. Additional resources are available at know2protect.gov and @Know2Protect on Instagram, Facebook and X).

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man convicted for fatal stabbing of mother at Notting Hill Carnival

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man who was caught on camera stabbing a mother in front of her three-year old daughter at last year’s Notting Hill Carnival has been found guilty of murder.

    Cher Maximen, who was 32, was with friends and her daughter just off the Carnival parade route on Sunday, 25 August 2024 when she was caught up in a fight involving multiple men. She was stabbed and died in hospital six days later.

    On Wednesday, 9 April at the Old Bailey, Shakeil Thibou, 20 (29.05.04), of Masbro’ Road, Hammersmith and Fulham, was convicted of Cher’s murder, attempted GBH with intent and possession of an offensive weapon.

    Detective Chief Inspector Alex Gammampila, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “My heart goes out to Cher’s family and friends. She was a loving mother who went to Notting Hill Carnival to enjoy what should have been a carefree day in the company of friends and her young daughter. Her life was ended in the most senseless way.

    “In stark contrast, Shakeil Thibou went to Carnival not to be part of the celebration, but to engage in violence. Why else would he have arrived armed with a large knife and seeking confrontation?

    “His reckless and dangerous actions took Cher’s life and narrowly avoided killing a second man too.

    “The investigation team has worked diligently and tirelessly to build a case against him. Their work has made sure Cher’s family and friends have been able to get justice.

    “They had to go through the pain of witnessing her final moments throughout the trial. I commend their bravery and the dignified way they have handled this tragedy. I hope that today’s result brings some small amount of closure for them.”

    Vyleen Maximen, Cher’s grandmother, said: “Cher, my first born grandchild, my friend. I held you in my arms when you were born. 32 years of loving, of laughing, playing, crying and holidaying with you. I will no longer have that pleasure ever again. Not seeing you get married or have more children.

    “Life will never be the same. Ever. We just have to live life, the best that we can and I will raise your daughter Cher, until my last breath. I will never hear your key opening my front door and shouting ‘Hello Nanny’.”

    TJ Jacobs, relative of Cher and Godmother to Cher’s daughter, said: “We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the jury for helping ensure justice is served for our beloved Cher Maximen – affectionately known to us as Princess Cher, Ri Ri, Churbs, Churburt, Cher Bear and Bear.

    “What happened to us has completely turned our lives upside down. Losing Cher has filled our hearts with immeasurable sadness.

    “Cher was pure magic – radiant, loving, passionate, and kind. She brought creativity, style and flawless flair to everything she did. She was a dedicated mother, a devoted granddaughter, niece, sister, and friend. This senseless act of violence has cut short a life that had so much more to offer the world and was only just beginning to blossom. Like many young adults, life hadn’t always been easy for Cher, but she was just discovering who she was and who she could become.

    “Even when life felt unfair, Cher remained kind, caring, and a fierce protector of those she loved – qualities that were evident even in her final moments. Her smile lit up every corner of every room, and her laugh echoed through hallways. Her journey was an example of resilience against the odds, showing that no matter the challenges, young people can emerge with strength, determination, and the will to strive for better.

    “We will never recover from this loss, but we are determined to ensure that Cher’s daughter – now being raised by her beloved great-grandmother (Cher’s much-loved grandmother), along with her village of aunties, uncles, and Godparents – receives the love, support, and care she needs as we navigate life without her. Cher’s four-year-old daughter was her everything – her reason, her drive, and now her legacy. Cher’s unwavering devotion to her role as a mother was evident to all who knew her.

    “Our family is devastated, but we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the emergency responders, medical professionals, and law enforcement officers involved in this case.

    “Knife crime continues to devastate communities across the UK. The government must urgently address the root causes – the systemic failures in education, children’s services, youth services, mental health services impacting the many disengaged and disenfranchised young people. Offering them the tools to overcome challenges rather than fall victim to them. This is not just about reducing crime; it’s about saving lives, restoring hope, and building safer, stronger communities.”

    The court heard that Cher had spent the afternoon with her daughter and her friends among a crowd in Golborne Road which was just off the parade route.

    Just before 18:00hrs, a fight broke out in the crowd. CCTV and police officers’ body worn video footage shown during the trial shows Shakeil attempting to stab a man in the abdomen. Cher was caught up in the melee and knocked to the floor, grabbing onto Shakeil’s coat as she tried to get back to her feet.

    In an effort to defend herself and her daughter, Cher kicked out and was stabbed in the groin as she did so, falling to the ground.

    Officers rushed to her aid and provided emergency medical treatment until the arrival of paramedics. She was transported to hospital in a critical condition but despite the efforts of medical teams she died on Saturday, 31 August.

    Video footage showed that moments before Cher was stabbed, Shakeil’s brothers – Sheldon Thibou and Shaeim Thibou, along with an unidentified male, fought with one man. Sheldon can be seen wielding an illegal stun gun. An officer who intervened to try to break up the fight was assaulted by both brothers.

    The three brothers and an associate fled the scene, but CCTV footage recovered during the investigation showed that Shakeil, when leaving carnival was captured on CCTV changing his outer clothing with an associate and calmly making his way out of the area.

    An investigation started immediately after the incident, with officers running images captured on bodyworn video cameras through facial recognition software, revealing a match for Sheldon and Shaeim Thibou. Further research identified Shakeil.

    A significant manhunt was launched which saw officers search a number of addresses across west London.

    Shakeil was found lying on the floor under a sleeping bag when officers found him in the early hours of Tuesday, 27 August. During a search of the address they found a distinctive bag he’d been seen wearing on footage captured at Carnival.

    His jacket had been discarded at the scene after it came off in the struggle. It was sent for forensic testing and DNA found on it was a 1 in a billion match for Shakeil – further proof that he had committed the stabbing.

    Detectives would also spend weeks trawling through hundreds of additional hours of CCTV and body worn video footage, as well as messages on mobile phones recovered at the time of the brothers’ arrest.

    This helped to further establish a watertight case that Shakeil and his brothers were at Carnival at the time of Cher’s murder.

    Sheldon Thibou, 25 (23.01.00), of Star Road, Hammersmith and Fulham and Shaeim Thibou, 22 (20.02.03), of Charleville Road, Hammersmith and Fulham stood trial alongside their brother.

    Sheldon was found guilty of violent disorder. He had also previously pleaded guilty to the possession of an illegal stun gun.

    Sheldon and Shaeim were both found guilty of assaulting an emergency worker. 

    Shakeil and Shaeim will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday, 16 May.

    Sheldon will be sentenced in due course at a court that is yet to be confirmed.

    TJ Jacobs and Vyleen Maximen added:

    “We would also like to say a special thank you to:

    “Police officers Alex Gammampila, Charlotte Carter, Andy Miller, Kevin Newton, Dan Hobbs and Dave Davies.

    “Emma Currie and Peter Hutton from the Crown Prosecution Service.

    “Prosecuting Counsel Edward Brown KC and Phillip McGhee.

    “Sharon Macaulay, Ravandeep Khela and Wendy Rixon from Taylor Rose Solicitors.

    “Barrister Oliver Wooding from St John’s Chambers.

    “Gulizar Candemir from the Children’s Team at Freeman Solicitors.

    “Barrister Alison Brooks from Staple Inn Chambers.

    “These individuals have supported us tirelessly throughout this unimaginable experience. Their efforts and dedication have been a source of comfort during this dark and painful time.”

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Funding Suicide Prevention for Uniformed Personnel

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the award of 18 grants to expand resiliency and suicide prevention efforts among military veterans and uniformed personnel, including law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical service personnel, correction officers and emergency dispatchers. Administered through the New York Office of Mental Health’s Suicide Prevention Center of New York, the CARES UP initiative will provide $60,000 over two years to four law enforcement agencies; three fire departments; three EMS services; three emergency communications organizations; two corrections agencies and three organizations serving veterans.

    “New York’s first responders and uniformed personnel routinely go above and beyond the call of duty, and often at great personal expense,” Governor Hochul said. “This funding will ensure these organizations and agencies are better equipped to cultivate resilience and mental wellness among their ranks to help properly address stress and trauma they encounter in the line of duty.”

    In addition, the Office of Mental Health (OMH) also provided awards of $40,000 over two years to 11 organizations previously funded through CARES UP to sustain their mental health and wellness initiatives. These sustainability awards were made possible after Governor Hochul successfully increased funding for the program in the FY25 Enacted Budget to $3 million annually.

    The CARES UP program provides organizations with $30,000 annually to increase suicide prevention efforts and wellness programming in their agencies. First responder agencies work closely with the Suicide Prevention Center to receive training from national subject matter experts on topics such as resiliency, mental health and wellness, suicide prevention and peer support and implement agency-specific actions to address their unique needs.

    The initiative also provides these grants to support veterans’ organizations via Onward Ops. Recipient organizations use the funding to promote social welfare of service members transitioning back to their communities after their tour of duty ends.

    New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “It is important to recognize the stress and cumulative trauma first responders and veterans experience as they do their jobs and the toll that this can take on their mental health. CARES UP works with their organizations to mitigate this stress, build resilience and support mental wellbeing. By building and expanding this program, Governor Hochul is demonstrating her commitment to the mental wellness of our veterans, first responders and their families.”

    Studies have shown the cumulative stress and trauma are common in uniformed personnel professions and have placed these individuals at greater risk of suicide. To better understand the mental health-related challenges facing individuals working in public safety fields, the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services partnered with SUNY New Paltz’s Institute for Disaster Mental Health to complete a first responder needs assessment survey of more than 6,000 individuals in law enforcement, emergency medical services, fire services, emergency communications and emergency management from every region.

    The assessment showed more than half of the participants experience high levels of stress, burnout, anxiety and depression related to their jobs, and that they may not seek help due to their fear of facing stigma. Thoughts of suicide were reported by 16 percent of respondents — a level four times higher than the general population of the state.

    Likewise, New York veterans die by suicide at a rate nearly two times higher than civilians — a rate that has remained relatively unchanged since 2012. Veterans under the age of 55 consistently experience the highest rates of suicide in New York.

    New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, “Our first responders encounter unimaginable situations at work on a daily basis that most of us will never face, and then they go home and try to manage the normal activities of everyday life. It is vital that we work to ensure they have the resources they need to take care of themselves at work and at home. While the results of the First Responder Mental Health Needs Assessment may not be surprising, we now have specific details about the toll this work can take on people’s mental health and can work together on developing the kind of help that can make a positive difference in their lives.”

    New York State Department of Veterans’ Services Commissioner Viviana DeCohensaid, “Our courageous Service Members and Veterans are our best, brightest and bravest. Yet they often carry invisible burdens long after the uniform comes off. This critical support acknowledges those challenges and delivers real tools for healing and mental wellness. We are grateful to Governor Hochul for her steadfast leadership and unwavering commitment to the wellbeing of our Veterans and Service Members. This vital funding — and the essential services it enables — will ultimately save lives.”

    New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Our law enforcement officers and first responders demonstrate remarkable strength and bravery every day, but we know that their professions are filled with stress and trauma, often helping people during their worst moments. It is vital that these professionals can access the help that they need, such as confidential services and support that address their unique experiences. At DCJS, we prioritize officer wellness in our basic training requirements for law enforcement, as well as our professional development offerings. I commend Governor Hochul’s steadfast leadership and commitment to our officers and first responders and am pleased to work with the Office of Mental Health, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and other agencies on this important issue.”

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “DEC’s Environmental Conservation Police Officers and Forest Rangers, put their lives on the line to protect New Yorkers and our critical natural resources. There’s no such thing as a routine call, they encounter unexpected and, at times, tragic circumstances in their work. We know that can take a toll on the mental well-being of our first responders that effects them at work and at home. Governor Hochul, DEC and our partners know that we need to take care of our first responders, as they care for us. We are committed to provided mental wellness tools and resources to meaningfully support our first responders and their families.”

    State Senator Samra G. Brouk said, “As Chair of the Senate Committee on Mental Health, I have observed how peer support can dramatically improve mental health outcomes for individuals in crisis. The CARES UP program utilizes the power of peer support and suicide prevention efforts to address the unique needs of our first responders and veterans. I applaud Governor Hochul for her continued investment in expanding mental health services for individuals who serve our communities.”

    Assemblymember Steve Stern said, “As the Chairman of the New York State Assembly Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I applaud Governor Hochul’s announcement that our local heroes, who serve all of us, will have access to the services they need and deserve. Far too many of our soldiers, veterans, first responders and law enforcement professionals have struggled with mental health challenges and take their own lives. That is absolutely unacceptable, and these grants to improve resiliency, wellness, support and suicide prevention will be an important part of saving lives.”

    Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon said, “Our veterans and uniformed personnel face a growing mental health crisis, and we must meet this moment with support and sustained investment. These grants will help address the unique mental health needs of those who have served and sacrificed by expanding access to suicide prevention and wellness programs. Thank you to Governor Hochul for supporting the organizations on the front lines of this crisis as New York State strives to strengthen our mental health services.”

    This year’s CARES UP recipients include:

    Capital Region:

    • Albany County Corrections*
    • Albany City Police Department*
    • Albany County Sheriff’s Office
    • Clifton Park & Half Moon Emergency Corps*
    • Colonie EMS*
    • Veterans and Community Housing Coalition
    • Watervliet Fire Department*

    Central New York:

    • Eastern Paramedics Inc.
    • Onondaga County Department of Communication Services

    Mid-Hudson:

    • Clarkstown Police Department*
    • Village of Mamaroneck Police Department*
    • New Windsor Police Department
    • Pleasant Valley Fire District
    • Port Chester Police Department*
    • Orange County Emergency Services Emergency Communications
    • Orange County Emergency Services – Police Services Division
    • Orange County Emergency Services – Fire Services Division
    • City of Rye Fire Department

    Long Island:

    • Nassau County Sheriff’s Department
    • Sayville American Legion Post 651
    • Suffolk County Police Department
    • Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department*

    Mohawk Valley:

    • Utica Center for Development Inc.

    North Country:

    • St. Lawrence County Correctional Facility

    Southern Tier:

    • Village of Liberty Police Department
    • Sullivan County Division of Public Safety

    Western New York:

    • Allegany County Sheriff’s Department*
    • City of Olean Fire Department*
    • Town of West Seneca Police Department

    * Denotes organizations receiving sustainability funding.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nigerian National Indicted for Role in Romance Scam and Money Laundering Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant allegedly tricked a Massachusetts resident into wiring more than $2.5 million abroad

    BOSTON – A Nigerian national has been charged for his alleged role in allegedly stealing more than $2.5 million from six romance scam victims and transferring their money to cryptocurrency accounts that he controlled.  

    Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, 34, of Abuja, Nigeria, was arrested on April 7, 2025 after arriving on a flight from the United Kingdom to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. In January 2024, a federal grand jury in Boston indicted Nwadavid on charges of mail fraud and money laundering. Nwadavid appeared in federal court in Fort Worth, Texas on April 8, 2025 and was detained pending further proceedings. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

    According to the charging documents, “romance scams” recruit victims through advertisements for online relationships on dating or social media websites. Individuals perpetuating romance scams create fictitious profiles and then use them to gain victims’ trust through a purported romantic relationship. Perpetrators then direct their victims to send money or to conduct financial transactions involving other victims’ money under false pretenses, such as an urgent need for money to secure a multi-million dollar inheritance or to pay for an unexpected hospitalization.  

    Between in or about 2016 and September 2019, Nwadavid allegedly participated in romance scams that tricked victims into sending money abroad. In an effort to conceal his role as the recipient of the victims’ funds, Nwadavid allegedly used a victim from Massachusetts (Victim 1) to receive funds from five other victims around the United States. Nwadavid then allegedly tricked Victim 1 in to passing her own and the other victims’ money to him through cryptocurrency transactions, and allegedly accessed accounts in Victim 1’s name from overseas, to transfer the victims’ funds to accounts he controlled at LocalBitcoins, an online cryptocurrency platform.  

    The mail fraud charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the loss to the victim, restitution and forfeiture. The money laundering charges provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the laundering transactions, restitution and forfeiture. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Offense

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Defendant accelerated moped at law enforcement before being arrested in possession of a loaded firearm

    BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.

    Kyvon Ross, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition before U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris who scheduled sentencing for July 16, 2025.

    According to the charging documents, on Oct. 3, 2024, Ross was approached by law enforcement after driving a moped at a high speed and without a rear license plate. Ross accelerated directly at one of the officers before losing control of the moped and falling to the ground. Ross violently resisted arrest and was found in possession of a loaded Glock handgun with an obliterated serial number.  

    Ross is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2021 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    The charge of possessing ammunition after being convicted of a felony provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of a $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The Boston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Jayapal’s Opening Statement at Subcommittee Hearing on the Consequences of Trump’s Chaotic and Lawless Immigration Enforcement

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

    WASHINGTON — Today, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, delivered opening remarks at the subcommittee hearing on Donald Trump’s reckless and lawless immigration enforcement, which is undermining local law enforcement and threatening public safety.

    Below are Ranking Member Jayapal’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the subcommittee hearing.

    WATCH Ranking Member Jayapal’s opening statement.

    Ranking Member Pramila Jayapal

    Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement

    Hearing on “Sanctuary Jurisdictions: Magnet for Migrants,

    Cover for Criminals”

    April 9, 2025

    Ever since President Trump came into office, my colleagues have been happy to sit back and let him run roughshod over our laws. President Trump, Tom Homan, and Stephen Miller led you to believe that this was about criminal immigrants who threaten public safety, despite the fact that research clearly shows that immigrants commit fewer crimes than Americans. They led you to believe that they were FOR the immigrants who did things legally, those folks had nothing to worry about. They even led you to believe that somehow getting rid of immigrants would be good for American jobs, for bringing down costs for the American public, and that this was all about caring about YOU versus them.

    Well, as people’s 401K accounts plummet with Trump’s crazy and chaotic economic policies and as costs of everything Americans need to buy keep going up instead of down, the effects of Trump’s unconstitutional and unlawful actions against ALL immigrants are causing fear and havoc in communities across the country.

    Let me be clear: Trump has targeted immigrants who are here lawfully—suspending refugee admissions—a program once hailed by both parties and the faith community everywhere as the cornerstone of humanitarian assistance. They are revoking the very programs that created legal pathways for immigrants to enter that effectively brought down numbers at the border.

    In revoking student visas and green cards of legal permanent residents, many of whom are married to U.S. citizens, they are going after every single immigrant, fabricating stories about these immigrants being “criminals,” even deporting them to other countries in violation of judicial orders.

    All of this leads us to ask once again, as the 4th circuit said earlier this week in the case of a Maryland father who was “mistakenly” deported to a Salvadorean prison by the Trump administration, “If due process is of no moment, what is stopping the Government from removing and refusing to return a lawful permanent resident or even a natural born citizen?”

    This obsession to weaponize every part of the U.S. government against immigrants is hurting Americans. It’s taking away critical resources for crime prevention, counterterrorism, drug interdiction, and other law enforcement at the Department of Justice and Homeland Security Investigations and terrorizing all immigrants and their US citizen family members, including those with no criminal background and with legal status.

    Now, they want to coerce state and local law enforcement to help them round up immigrants by threatening to cut off their transportation and law enforcement funds if they do not comply—even though multiple courts have held that this is illegal and numerous research studies and law enforcement officials have confirmed that keeping the longstanding distinction between federal immigration and local law enforcement actually helps keep communities safer.

    In 2019, my home state of Washington passed the Keep Washington Working Act with bipartisan support. It is a commonsense law to ensure that local policy remains focused on public safety rather than enforcing federal immigration law.

    We know that when local police act as immigration agents, immigrant communities and their families are less likely to come forward to report a crime when they are a witness or even a victim. It destroys the trust police rely on to preserve public safety in communities. Courts have ruled multiple times that states have the right to enact laws like the Keep Washington Working Act.

    And despite what you might hear today the law does allow information sharing with the federal government when necessary for an ongoing criminal investigation, or pursuant to a court order or judicial warrant.

    As the Trump administration continues to bully and intimidate the country to bend the knee, we won’t be intimidated. I fully support Attorney General Nick Brown’s efforts to ensure that everyone in our state follows our laws.

    The Major Cities Chiefs Association has repeatedly reaffirmed that, across the country, if law enforcement officers are viewed by members of the immigrant community as colluding or working with immigration law enforcement officers, this would “result in increased crime against immigrants in the broader community, create a class of silent victims and eliminate the potential for assistance from immigrants in solving crimes or preventing future terroristic acts.”

    The Major Cities Chiefs Association also explained that cooperation with the immigrant community is a crucial part of solving crime and preventing further criminal activity within the entire community, including ensuring protections for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Instead of trashing the rights of every American and destroying communities and our economy, this subcommittee should be holding hearings on why Mahmoud Khalil remains detained, simply for expressing pro-Palestinian views that Trump doesn’t like. Or why Alfredo Juarez, a longtime labor leader, has been detained in my state apparently simply for organizing farmworkers for fair wages. Or why a local roofing company just had a raid where 37 immigrants who are longtime residents and building affordable housing for our communities were picked up and jailed. Or why the Administration refuses to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the US to reunite with his US citizen wife and three children, even after admitting to mistakenly deporting him to a Salvadorean gulag.

    Let’s have a hearing on the disappearing and kidnapping of people across this country, instead of hurting public safety by undermining policies of local jurisdictions.

    Issues: Immigration

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Florida Businessman Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    A Florida man was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for evading more than $5.5 million in taxes, interest, and penalties that he owed the IRS.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, David Albert Fletcher, of Deltona, owned and operated furniture liquidations businesses, including Century Liquidators. For tax years 2004 through 2013, Fletcher did not timely file his federal income tax returns or pay the taxes he owed. After an audit, the IRS assessed a total of $1.7 million in taxes, interest, and penalties against him.

    To evade collection of these taxes, Fletcher concealed his income and assets from the IRS. For example, Fletcher used nominees to hide his purchases of luxury vehicles, including Rolls Royces. Fletcher also filed false income tax returns that understated his income by several million dollars, and when an IRS special agent interviewed him, Fletcher falsely represented the amount of income he earned.

    In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger for the Middle District of Florida ordered Fletcher to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $7,112,689 in restitution to the United States.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Zachary A. Cobb and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis Man Admits Fraudulently Obtaining Mortgages Worth More Than $1.2 Million

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri on Tuesday admitted fraudulently obtaining home mortgages totaling more than $1.2 million.

    Edward James Mitchell Jr., also known as Musa Muhammad, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of bank fraud. He admitted participating in four fraudulent home mortgages from October 2021 through November 2023 totaling $1,225,550. Three of the homes are in St. Louis and one is in Florissant. Mitchell’s company, Home Team Solutions LLC, originally purchased the homes. Mitchell pretended to be one of his relatives to purchase two of the homes from his own company, submitting fraudulent mortgage loan applications and false employment and financial information and using his relative’s Social Security number and birthdate, Mitchell’s plea agreement says. He bought another home himself and sold another to his paramour, again submitting false or fraudulent documentation. 

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office believes lending institutions lost $490,946 when Fannie Mae purchased the four home loans. Mitchell’s position is that only two of the loans incurred losses, with a loss amount of $226,950.

    Mitchell, 37, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8. Each bank fraud charge carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both prison and a fine.

    In October 2023, Mitchell legally changed his name to Musa Muhammad.

    The FBI and the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: North Andover Man Sentenced for Multistate Fentanyl and Cocaine Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A former North Andover man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his participation in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy involving fentanyl, cocaine and other controlled substances that spanned across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine and Puerto Rico.

    Elvis DeJesus, 34, formerly of North Andover, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to 15 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. In June 2024, DeJesus pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of cocaine and other controlled substances. In December 2021, DeJesus was charged along with 20 other individuals.

    In May 2020, an investigation began into a network of Lawrence-based drug traffickers. From December 2020 through December 2021, intercepted communications between targets of the investigation and their associates revealed that the defendants distributed fentanyl and cocaine in and around the Lawrence area. Some of the cocaine was obtained from suppliers in Puerto Rico and shipped to Massachusetts in the U.S. mail.

    Together with other co-defendants, DeJesus operated a wholesale fentanyl and cocaine distribution businesses until approximately August 2021, when he was arrested on state firearms charges. In February 2021, $75,930 was seized from co-defendant Luis Martinez after Martinez had collected drug proceeds from DeJesus outside of DeJesus’s residence. In April 2021, a package sent from Puerto Rico to DeJesus’s residence that contained 978 grams of cocaine was also seized. In March 2021, 200 grams of cocaine supplied by DeJesus from co-defendant Othoniel Lara Gonzalez was also seized.  

    After DeJesus’s arrest on the state firearms charges, he was detained in state custody. DeJesus continued to operate his drug distribution business from jail. In November 2021, over 500 grams of fentanyl and over 100 grams of cocaine that co-defendant William Rivadeneira was transporting on DeJesus’s behalf was seized. Prior to the seizure, DeJesus was intercepted chastising Rivadeneira for not having taken adequate precautions while preparing the fentanyl for distribution, telling him, “[Y]ou can get an overdose.”

    In November 2021, DeJesus and his co-conspirators paid co-defendant Gregorit Sanchez, a former Corrections Officer at Middleton House of Corrections where DeJesus was then detained, to smuggle a package containing fentanyl, cocaine, Suboxone and other contraband into the jail. The package was seized from Sanchez when he attempted to enter the jail.

    In February 2025, Luis Martinez was sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. In January 2023, Othoniel Lara Gonzalez was sentenced to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. William Rivadeneira pleaded guilty in March 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 22, 2025. In June 2024, Gregorit Sanchez was sentenced to five years’ probation with the first year to be served on home detention.

    This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Office made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Lawrence Police Department; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Essex County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Ferguson and J. Mackenzie Duane prosecuted the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Businessman Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A Florida man was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for evading more than $5.5 million in taxes, interest, and penalties that he owed the IRS.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, David Albert Fletcher, of Deltona, owned and operated furniture liquidations businesses, including Century Liquidators. For tax years 2004 through 2013, Fletcher did not timely file his federal income tax returns or pay the taxes he owed. After an audit, the IRS assessed a total of $1.7 million in taxes, interest, and penalties against him.

    To evade collection of these taxes, Fletcher concealed his income and assets from the IRS. For example, Fletcher used nominees to hide his purchases of luxury vehicles, including Rolls Royces. Fletcher also filed false income tax returns that understated his income by several million dollars, and when an IRS special agent interviewed him, Fletcher falsely represented the amount of income he earned.

    In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger for the Middle District of Florida ordered Fletcher to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $7,112,689 in restitution to the United States.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Zachary A. Cobb and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Virginia Man Indicted for Obstructing the IRS and Failing to File Tax Returns

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, returned an indictment yesterday charging a Virginia man with obstructing the IRS and willfully failing to file tax returns.

    According to the indictment, Omini Tete Riman, of Woodbridge, was an information technology specialist. He allegedly filed false 2013 and 2014 tax returns, reporting that he earned nearly $2 million in income and had almost $1 million withheld in taxes. Based on those false statements, Riman allegedly claimed nearly $400,000 in refunds, which the IRS paid.

    The indictment states that starting in 2016, after notifying Riman about his outstanding tax liabilities, the IRS attempted to recover the funds from him. However, Riman allegedly took numerous steps to frustrate the IRS’s collection efforts. For example, it is alleged he transferred his property to a trust, opened bank accounts in the trust’s name and directed that his wages be deposited into the trust’s bank account. It is further alleged that he also submitted false documents to the IRS, including false documents which purported to show that an IRS employee owed him money and that Riman had canceled the debt, which, if accurate, would have caused the IRS employee’s own tax liability to increase.  

    In addition, the indictment alleges that for tax years 2018 through 2023, Riman knew he was legally required to file tax returns but willfully did not do so timely. In fact, after being notified that he was the target of a grand jury investigation in 2025, Riman allegedly filed tax returns for 2017 through 2020 which falsely reported that he had earned no income during those years. 

    If convicted, Riman faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of obstructing the IRS and a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each count of failing to file a tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of the Inspector General are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Isaiah Boyd III and Daniel Lipkowitz of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey for the Eastern District of Virginia 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 OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Delco Man Who Committed Six Armed Robberies of Area Hotels Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Naim-Shahid Jumah Austin, 28, of Yeadon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cynthia M. Rufe on Monday to 144 months in prison and five years of supervised release for a spate of armed robberies targeting local hotels in late 2022.

    In January 2023, Austin was charged by indictment with six counts of robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), and firearms offenses. In December of last year, the defendant pleaded guilty to all the robberies, and to using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

    As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, between September 2022 and December 2022, Austin targeted the hotels in the early morning hours, when one employee was usually working alone at the front desk. He terrorized his victims at gunpoint, demanding that they hand over cash from the registers.

    Austin was armed with a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol and drove his mother’s car to all six robberies, which occurred at hotels in Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties:

    • September 16, 2022, 3:23 a.m. – Courtyard by Marriott, Tredyffrin Township, Pa.
    • September 18, 2022, 4:02 a.m. – Holiday Inn & Suites, Drexel Hill, Pa. (also robbed hotel guest)
    • October 10, 2022, 2:05 a.m. – Fairfield Inn & Suites, Broomall, Pa. (fled empty-handed)
    • November 21, 2022, 3:35 a.m. – Home2 Suites by Hilton, Glen Mills, Pa.
    • December 2, 2022, 4:04 a.m. – Marriott Philadelphia West, West Conshohocken, Pa.
    • December 12, 2022, 4:41 a.m. – Holiday Inn Express & Suites, West Chester, Pa.

    West Goshen Township Police located and arrested Austin minutes after the December 12, 2022, hotel robbery.

    “Naim Austin was on a one-man crime spree, committing six armed robberies in less than three months,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He threatened the hotel employees he victimized at gunpoint, to terrify them into compliance. This sentence keeps him off the street and holds him accountable for what he’s done. My office and our partners are committed to making our communities safer by bringing violent offenders like this to justice.”

    “Brazen violent criminals like Austin terrorize our communities,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, FBI Philadelphia’s Special Agent in Charge. “This sentencing is a testament to the coordinated efforts between all of law enforcement. The FBI and our partners will never stop working to crush violent crime and ensure our citizens have a safe place to work and live in.”

    This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency and the Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the Tredyffrin Township Police Department, Upper Darby Township Police Department, Marple Township Police Department, Newtown Township Police Department, West Conshohocken Police Department, Birmingham Township Police Department, West Goshen Township Police Department, and Chester County Detectives. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Sandra Urban.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: New York Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Money Laundering Connected to Stolen Federal Funds

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    Xing Zheng, 35, of Queens, New York, has been sentenced to 28 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to launder approximately $2.98 million of fraud proceeds.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: FCI Allenwood Inmate Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Possessing a Weapon

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony Evans, age 28, a federal inmate at the Federal Correction Institution Allenwood (FCI Allenwood), Allenwood, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for possession of a weapon.   

    According to the Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on July 15, 2024, while an inmate at FCI Allenwood, Evans possessed an inmate manufactured weapon commonly referred to as a “shank.”  The manufactured weapon, which was a piece of metal sharpened to a point with a cloth handle measuring six inches in length, was discovered by a correctional officer during a search of Evans.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson prosecuted the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Valadao’s Legislation to Combat Romance Scams Passes Out of House Committee on Energy and Commerce

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G. Valadao (California)

    WASHINGTON – Today, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce advanced H.R. 2481, the Romance Scam Prevention Act, out of a full committee markup. The Romance Scam Prevention Act is a bipartisan bill introduced by Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) and Reps. Brittany Petterson (CO-07), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), and Craig Goldman (TX-12). This legislation would require dating apps and services to issue fraud ban notifications to users who have interacted with a person removed from the app for fraudulent activity.

    Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) introduced the companion bill in the Senate, which passed out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on March 12, 2025.

    “Millions of Americans use online dating services to make connections, making them the perfect platform for romance scammers to target their victims,” said Congressman Valadao. “Alerting users that they have been in contact with someone who has been banned for fraud is a basic security feature that will save Americans billions, and I’m proud to lead this effort alongside my Congressional colleagues. I want to thank Chairman Brett Guthrie and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for their attention to this critical issue.”

    Background:

    Over 60 million Americans used an online dating service in 2023, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported that romance scams resulted in victims losing over $1.1 billion. Criminals use false names and stories to lure individuals into conversation before manipulating them to give up sensitive information. When an online dating service provider becomes aware of a user committing fraudulent activity, like illegally obtaining money, the online dating service provider immediately deactivates the fraudulent user’s account. However, individuals who meet online often take their conversations to other communication platforms, so even when a fraudulent account is removed, an individual might not know they are still communicating with someone who was banned from the platform.

    If you or someone you know has seen a suspicious profile on an online dating service, please file a report with the FTC on their website.

    Read a one-pager on the bill here.

    Read the full bill here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nigerian National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fraud Scheme

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    MIAMI – A Nigerian national has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for orchestrating a fraud scheme which involved the impersonation of property owners and the fraudulent negotiation of vacant lot properties. The sentencing comes after the defendant pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and mail fraud in January.

    Between April 2022 and April 2023, Uwa Nosakhare, 26, and others attempted to sell vacant lot properties in Palm Beach County, Fla., without the owners’ authorization. The fraudsters used the property owners’ and other victims’ personal identifiable information (PII), without their knowledge, to create fake driver licenses, notary credentials, bank account statements and several other property sale documents. After the fraudulent property sale was completed, the buyers were provided with wire instructions to transfer the sale proceeds to bank accounts controlled by those involved in the scheme.  

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) and Chief Michele Miuccio of the Boca Raton Police Department announced the sentence.

    FBI Miami, HSI Miami, PBSO and the Boca Raton Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Chapman prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Stone is handling asset forfeiture.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-80084.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in Large-Scale COVID-19 Pandemic Loan Scheme

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    A Pennsylvania man who organized a large scheme to defraud the federal government out of COVID-19 pandemic loan moneys in 2021 was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison.  Alhaji Kundu Aly, age 35, from Chester, Pennsylvania, formerly of Liberia, received the prison term after a June 14, 2024, guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.

    In a plea agreement, and at the sentencing hearing, Aly admitted that, in 2021, he and others recruited and assisted various individuals in the Northern District of Iowa and elsewhere to apply for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans for which they did not actually qualify, in exchange for a fee.  False, fraudulent, and fictitious documents and statements were submitted to various lending institutions in support of the PPP loans for the PPP applicants.  After the PPP applicants received the fraudulent PPP loans, it was part of the scheme to demand a portion of the PPP moneys from the PPP applicants and, if necessary, Aly traveled to demand payment in person.  Aly traveled to Iowa and demanded payment in person from a PPP applicant.  Aly admitted at his sentencing hearing that he was responsible for approximately $3.5 million in loss based on more than 170 fraudulent PPP loans as a result of the scheme to defraud.

    Aly was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Aly was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $3,478,781 in restitution the Small Business Administration and two PPP lenders.  Aly must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.         

    Aly was released on a bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on April 28, 2025, at 10 a.m., in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration assisted the investigation.

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 23-CR-9.

    Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Virginia Man Indicted for Obstructing the IRS and Failing to File Tax Returns

    Source: United States Attorneys General 8

    A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, returned an indictment yesterday charging a Virginia man with obstructing the IRS and willfully failing to file tax returns.

    According to the indictment, Omini Tete Riman, of Woodbridge, was an information technology specialist. He allegedly filed false 2013 and 2014 tax returns, reporting that he earned nearly $2 million in income and had almost $1 million withheld in taxes. Based on those false statements, Riman allegedly claimed nearly $400,000 in refunds, which the IRS paid.

    The indictment states that starting in 2016, after notifying Riman about his outstanding tax liabilities, the IRS attempted to recover the funds from him. However, Riman allegedly took numerous steps to frustrate the IRS’s collection efforts. For example, it is alleged he transferred his property to a trust, opened bank accounts in the trust’s name and directed that his wages be deposited into the trust’s bank account. It is further alleged that he also submitted false documents to the IRS, including false documents which purported to show that an IRS employee owed him money and that Riman had canceled the debt, which, if accurate, would have caused the IRS employee’s own tax liability to increase.  

    In addition, the indictment alleges that for tax years 2018 through 2023, Riman knew he was legally required to file tax returns but willfully did not do so timely. In fact, after being notified that he was the target of a grand jury investigation in 2025, Riman allegedly filed tax returns for 2017 through 2020 which falsely reported that he had earned no income during those years. 

    If convicted, Riman faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of obstructing the IRS and a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each count of failing to file a tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of the Inspector General are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Isaiah Boyd III and Daniel Lipkowitz of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey for the Eastern District of Virginia 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 –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kristin Rehler, Special Agent in Charge of the Jacksonville Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Announces Retirement

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    Kristin Rehler, special agent in charge of the Jacksonville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has announced her retirement, with a departure date of April 17, 2025. She retires after more than 29 years of honorable and dedicated service to the FBI.

    Reflecting on her career, Ms. Rehler stated, “Leading FBI Jacksonville has been the honor of a lifetime. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside some of the most dedicated professionals in law enforcement—both within the FBI and among our incredible local, state, and federal partners. Our shared mission to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution is made stronger through these vital partnerships. I’m endlessly proud of the work we’ve accomplished together and deeply grateful for the men and women, past and present, whose selfless service make our communities and our country safer.”

    Ms. Rehler began her FBI career in 1996 as a special agent in the Houston Field Office, where she investigated myriad criminal violations, including violent crime, narcotics, and financial crimes. In 2008, she was promoted to supervisor of Houston’s Civil Rights Squad, overseeing the Human Trafficking Task Force.

    In 2012, she was assigned to FBI Headquarters as an assistant inspector/team leader in the Inspection Division, conducting field office inspections, agent-involved shooting investigations, and national program reviews.

    She returned to Houston in 2013 as a supervisor and later served as acting assistant special agent in charge (ASAC) of both the Criminal Branch and the newly formed Technical and Administrative Branch.

    In 2015, Ms. Rehler was promoted to ASAC in the Tampa Field Office, leading the Criminal Branch and overseeing the Evidence Response Team and Operation Panama Express. In 2021, she was appointed ASAC over Tampa’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Branch, managing human intelligence, surveillance, and administrative programs.

    Later that year, she returned to the Inspection Division, where she served as an Inspector prior to being appointed by the Director to lead the Jacksonville Division in April 2024.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Swain County Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Cold Case Murder in Indian Country

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Ernest D. Pheasant, Sr., 47, an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), was sentenced to life in prison today for the 2013 murder of Marie Walkingstick Pheasant, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    “For over a decade, Marie’s family has endured the pain of losing their loved one without justice. Today, that changed,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Ernest Pheasant will pay for his heinous crime by spending the rest of his life behind bars. While nothing can undo the family’s loss, I hope this sentence brings them a measure of justice. My Office remains committed to pursuing cases involving missing or murdered indigenous persons no matter how much time has passed.”

    “While nothing can undo the pain caused by this tragic crime, we hope that this sentence helps to provide closure to the family and friends of Marie Walkingstick Pheasant,” said Marcelino Toersbijns, Chief of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU). “This case is emblematic of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Crisis impacting tribal communities across the country and highlights the importance of the MMU’s mission of analyzing and solving missing, murdered and human trafficking cases involving American Indians and Alaska Natives.”

    According to filed documents and information presented in court, on December 29, 2013, the body of Marie Walkingstick Pheasant was discovered inside a burned-out vehicle parked near Big Cove Road within the Qualla Boundary in the Western District of North Carolina. Investigators determined that the vehicle had been intentionally set on fire. An autopsy revealed that Marie died from stab wounds to the neck and abdomen. DNA retrieved from a baseball cap found near the vehicle was linked to the defendant, who was Marie’s estranged husband.

    On April 7, 2022, following a review of unsolved homicides in the region, the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Missing and Murdered Unit opened a full interagency investigation into the case. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that Pheasant killed Marie at their home, then transferred her body to the car, drove it to Big Cove Road, and set it on fire. On August 16, 2024, Pheasant pleaded guilty to first degree murder for killing Marie willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation.

    The MMU began as the Cold Case task force, part of Operation Lady Justice, a multi-agency effort established by President Trump’s administration in 2019 to enhance the operation of the criminal justice system and address the staggering number of missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Natives in tribal communities.

    Today’s sentence is the result of the joint investigation conducted by the MMU, the FBI in North Carolina, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the Cherokee Indian Police Department, and the EBCI Office of the Tribal Prosecutor.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

    Operation Not Forgotten

    On Tuesday, the Justice Department announced a surge in FBI resources across the country to address unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country, including crimes relating to missing and murdered indigenous persons. As part of Operation Not Forgotten, 60 FBI personnel will be sent to Field Offices to support investigations of Indian Country violent crimes. The FBI will be assisted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit and will use the latest forensic evidence processing tools to solve cases and hold perpetrators accountable. U.S. Attorney’s Offices will aggressively prosecute case referrals.

    “Crime rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities are unacceptably high. By surging FBI resources and collaborating closely with US Attorneys and Tribal law enforcement to prosecute cases, the Department of Justice will help deliver the accountability that these communities deserve,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.

    “The FBI will manhunt violent criminals on all lands – and Operation Not Forgotten ensures a surge in resources to locate violent offenders on tribal lands and find those who have gone missing,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.

    “Violent crime continues to disproportionately impact communities in Indian Country,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Dedicating additional resources to reduce violent criminal activity in Tribal communities and solve cases of missing or murdered indigenous persons sends a clear message: No victim will be forgotten, and no crime will go unpunished.”

    Scott Davis, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Interior, exercising the delegated authority of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, said, “We appreciate the partnership of the Department of Justice and the FBI in addressing these crimes. This announcement reinforces our commitment to Indian Country and our dedication to collaborating with federal, state, and tribal agencies to ensure justice for American Indian and Alaska Native victims while holding offenders accountable.”

    Indian Country faces persistent levels of crime and victimization.  At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, FBI’s Indian Country program had approximately 4,300 open investigations, including over 900 death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations.

    Operation Not Forgotten renews efforts begun during President Trump’s first term under E.O. 13898, Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives.  This is the third deployment under Operation Not Forgotten, which has provided investigative support to over 500 cases in the past two years. Combined, these operations resulted in the recovery of 10 child victims, 52 arrests, and 25 indictments or judicial complaints.

    Operation Not Forgotten also expands upon the resources deployed in recent years to address cases of missing and murdered indigenous people.  The effort will be supported by the Department’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which places attorneys and coordinators in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered indigenous people.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Hungary’s exit from the International Criminal Court is a sign of the times

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michal Ovadek, Lecturer in European Institutions, Politics and Policy, UCL

    After deciding to flout an international arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu, Hungary has become the first European country to announce plans to leave the International Criminal Court (ICC). This comes after president Viktor Orbán hosted Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite the ICC issuing an arrest warrant for him in relation to war crimes in Gaza.

    As a member of the ICC, Hungary is supposed to turn in anyone subject to such a warrant if they enter its territory. Instead, Orbán rolled out the red carpet.

    Following the visit, a senior government official confirmed Hungary’s intention to leave the court. It will be some time before we know if it will see through on the threat because it takes at least a year to leave once a formal written notification has been sent but the signal itself is a landmark moment.

    Hungary’s open repudiation of an important part of international law is further evidence of the tectonic shifts taking place in international relations.

    Throughout most of the 1990s and early 2000s, much of western foreign policy was focused on creating institutional mechanisms aimed at preserving the liberal international consensus that emerged at the end of the cold war. The creation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the ICC were two of the most concrete manifestations of this ethos.

    Both represent attempts to bring legal and judicial formality to international politics. Unlike its two ad-hoc antecedents – the international criminal tribunals for Yugoslavia and Rwanda – the ICC is a permanent court of justice. It is tasked with overseeing the criminal trials of people accused of involvement in serious crimes, such as genocide.

    Even at the height of its popularity, the idea that international relations should be subject to more rules and enforcement by courts had its fair share of sceptics and detractors, especially among countries whose interests and power could be most severely curtailed by an effective international justice system.

    The US, Russia and Israel had originally signed but did not ratify the Rome statute underpinning the ICC – and subsequently withdrew their signatures – while China and India never even signed the treaty.

    European countries generally (and EU member states specifically) were always among the most supportive of the ICC. The continent has experience with perhaps the most important experiment in international criminal justice, the Nuremberg trials of Nazi crimes. This legacy has continued to feed European support for holding those responsible for aggression and atrocities to account by means of criminal justice.

    Countries like Hungary, emerging from behind the iron curtain in the 1990s, were no exception. There was no ideological or practical reason to oppose the creation of the ICC.

    If anything, countries hoping to join the EU saw it as beneficial to endorse the court. Other than Belarus and Azerbaijan, every European country has ratified the Rome statute, and none has left – until now.

    The rise of kleptocratic authoritarianism in Hungary means its exit from the ICC should not be particularly surprising. Inside the EU, Hungary has consistently acted as a Trojan horse for the interests of authoritarian governments, most notably Russia, China and Serbia.

    Its break with the values and principles that are supposed to be at the heart of the EU project goes substantially beyond support for international institutions and justice.

    Consensus crumbles

    But the broader international environment has also become less favourable to legalisation and judicialisation. Countries that previously feigned commitment to international law have become outright pariahs. The most obvious example is of course Russia, which is waging a war of aggression against Ukraine – a crime under the Rome statute.

    More importantly, though, the US is increasingly turning its back on international rules. It is dismantling many of the international institutions it worked hard to establish.

    Although Donald Trump might be wreaking the most havoc, the US already effectively pulled the plug on the WTO’s judicial appeals system under Barack Obama. Last year Joe Biden’s administration came close to imposing sanctions on the ICC for issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli officials, including Netanyahu.

    Taken together, these developments leave the EU and a handful of other countries increasingly isolated in backing the ICC and other elements of the so-called “rules-based international order”. And while Hungary’s exit deals yet another blow, it’s not clear how deeply committed other EU member states are either.

    Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz promised he would find a way to make it possible for Netanyahu to visit his country despite the outstanding ICC arrest warrant.

    Hungary’s open defiance of its obligation to arrest Netanyahu has placed it in company of countries that wear their noncompliance with international law as a badge of honour. The experience of one of them is particularly educational.

    When Omar Al-Bashir, the then president of Sudan, wanted for crimes against humanity, visited South Africa in June 2015, he was allowed to attend a summit and subsequently leave the country despite court orders to arrest him. Fast forward a decade and South Africa is spearheading the international legal campaign against Israel’s atrocities in Palestine.

    Netanyahu would almost certainly be arrested in South Africa today, as well as in a host of other African and Muslim countries which had vehemently protested the arrest warrant against Al-Bashir in the past. Effective international rules and enforcement require consistent and credible support from a broad coalition of states – the ICC is increasingly short on both.

    Michal Ovadek does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Hungary’s exit from the International Criminal Court is a sign of the times – https://theconversation.com/hungarys-exit-from-the-international-criminal-court-is-a-sign-of-the-times-254129

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The final stage of the All-Russian Student Olympiad in the field of training “Construction” is taking place at SPbGASU

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Grand opening of the final stage of the All-Russian student Olympiad “Construction” in the training program 08.03.01 “Construction”

    The final stage of the All-Russian Student Olympiad in the training direction 08.03.01 “Construction” is taking place at SPbGASU. The event is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The grand opening took place in the Academic Council Hall on April 9.

    On behalf of the university management, the dean of the construction faculty Andrey Nikulin wished the participants success. Andrey Nikolaevich shared information about the construction training areas and departments that graduate students at the university, and spoke about close cooperation with construction companies.

    Deputy Dean of the Construction Faculty Anna Novozhilova informed about how the final stage of the Olympiad will be held. All participants must complete one version of the task. The answers should be entered on forms issued by the credentials committee. The use of educational and scientific literature (except for regulatory and reference) as well as mobile communications in the process of completing the task is not allowed. There will be calculators in the classrooms. The duration of the tasks does not exceed four astronomical hours.

    “Everyone is on equal terms, and it depends only on you how well you solve everything. May the strongest and smartest win!” Anna Viktorovna advised the participants.

    Head of the Department of Construction Organization Roman Motylev urged students not to stop there, to continue their education in master’s and postgraduate studies. Roman Vladimirovich also spoke about the department he heads, which is world famous thanks to Professor Viktor Afanasyev (1923-2002), the founder of the St. Petersburg (Leningrad) school of continuous construction.

    The final stage involves 61 students and 20 accompanying teachers from 17 universities. We asked the students about their expectations and what impressed them about our university.

    Maxim Zarubin (Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University): “The laboratories were the most memorable. I’m looking forward to interesting tasks!”

    Nikolay Kushnerev (Southwestern State University): “The library was the most memorable, where scientific works from the twentieth, nineteenth and even older centuries are presented. I even managed to touch them – yes, through gloves, but it was very interesting. I’m expecting first or a prize place!”

    The program of the final stage of the Olympiad includes excursions to the Educational base of SPbGASU “Krasnoe Selo”, to the construction site of the residential complex “Defans”. The results will be summed up and the winners will be awarded on April 11.

    The final round of the All-Russian Student Olympiad “Construction” in the field of training 08.03.01 “Construction” is held on the basis of the decision of the Board of the International Public Organization for the Promotion of Construction Education (DIA) and the Presidium of the Federal Educational and Methodological Association (FUMO) in the Higher Education System in the Enlarged Group of Specialties and Fields of Training (UGSN) 08.00.00 Construction Engineering and Technology dated June 6, 2024 No. 92 (112), as well as Order No. 72 dated March 3, 2025 of SPbGASU on holding the final round of the Olympiad. Event partners: National Association of Designers and Surveyors (NOPRIZ), LSR Group, TekhExpert, Lider Group, Vostok Service, Setl Group.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 10, 2025

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

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island man who was previously incarcerated for robbing seven banks was sentenced today to nine years in federal prison for robbing four banks within a three-day span, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Vaughn Watrous, 48, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to 108 months of incarceration to be followed by one year of federal supervised release. Additionally, he is ordered to pay restitution to victim banks totaling $4,775.

    Watrous pleaded guilty on April 24, 2024, to bank robbery. At the time of his guilty plea, Watrous admitted to robbing three banks in Providence and Cranston on January 19, 20, and 21, 2021; and attempting to rob a fourth bank in North Providence on January 21, 2021.

    According to court records, Watrous was previously convicted of multiple bank robberies in 1997, 2003, and 2013. In 1997 Watrous was convicted in the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City, Utah, on a charge of bank robbery and sentenced to 51 months in federal prison. In 2003 he was convicted in the U.S. District Court in Providence on two counts of bank robbery and sentenced to 76 months of incarceration.  In October 2015 he was convicted in U.S. District Court in Providence on four counts of bank robbery and sentenced in February 2016 to a term of incarceration of 92 months.

    The most recent case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julianne Klein and John P. McAdams.

    The matter was investigated by the FBI, with the assistance of the Providence, Cranston, and North Providence Police Departments.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: North Carolina Man Sentenced to Serve Seven Years in Federal Prison After Police Find Methamphetamine and Cocaine Worth More Than $350,000 Disguised as Christmas Presents in Vehicle

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    OKLAHOMA CITY – JOHN CALVIN MOORE, 58, of North Carolina, has been sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    According to public record, on December 22, 2023, Moore was pulled over by an officer with the Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) for speeding while driving eastbound on I-40. During the stop, the officer noticed what appeared to be several gift-wrapped Christmas presents in the trunk of the vehicle. Moore told the officer he was traveling to North Carolina from California. During the stop, OCPD learned Moore’s vehicle was a rental, and was due to be returned to Ontario, California, on December 23, 2023, the day following the stop. OCPD called in a K-9 unit, which alerted to the presence of drugs in the vehicle. OCPD officers then searched the vehicle and found more than 42 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 38 pounds of cocaine inside heat-sealed bags, hidden within the Christmas presents in the trunk. Law enforcement estimates the street value of the drugs to be more than $350,000.

    Moore was charged by Superseding Information on August 30, 2024, with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pled guilty to the Superseding Information on September 26, 2024, and admitted he possessed meth, which he intended to distribute, and that he possessed a firearm despite his previous felony conviction. Public record reflects that Moore has a previous felony conviction in New Jersey for possessing weapons for an unlawful purpose.

    At the sentencing hearing on March 28, 2025, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Moore to serve 84 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the seriousness of the crime—that Moore acted as a courier to transport controlled substances across the country—and Moore’s criminal history.

    This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Criminal Interdiction Team of Central Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma City Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew E. Davis prosecuted the case.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fulton Man Charged with Production, Distribution, and Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Fulton, Mo., man was charged in a three-count indictment issued by a federal grand jury charging him with production, distribution, and possession of child pornography.

    Jacob Stockglausner, 38, was charged in a three-count indictment on April 8, 2025.  The indictment alleges that Stockglausner used a minor child under the age of twelve to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction. The indictment also alleges that Stockglausner distributed a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct using the social media platform Kik.  Stockglausner is also charged with possession of child pornography involving a minor who was prepubescent or less than twelve years of age.

    The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    Under federal statutes, if convicted, Stockglausner faces federal prison sentences of up to thirty years on the production of child pornography count and twenty years on the distribution and possession counts to be served without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa A. Pierce and Ashley Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County Sheriff’s Cyber Crime Task Force with assistance from the FBI and Callaway County Sheriff’s Department.

    Project Safe Childhood

    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 . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Georgia Man Sentenced to Over Four Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    BILLINGS – An Atlanta, Georgia man who defrauded banks in multiple states was sentenced today to 57 months in prison to be followed by 5 years supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.  The defendant was also ordered to pay $161,401.17 in restitution.

    Stanford Wilvin Lightfoot, 33, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

    U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that for approximately 5 months in 2023, Stanford Lightfoot was a member of a large fraud ring that had been defrauding banks in Montana, Maine and Missouri.  In each location, Lightfoot and other coconspirators would travel to the state from the base of operations in Atlanta, Georgia.  Once there, they would recruit local homeless individuals who possessed valid ID cards.  They would then take these homeless individuals to local banks and provide them with fraudulent checks from real accounts.  These checks all possessed forged signatures of real people and were, therefore, means of identification.  The homeless individuals would then attempt to cash the checks and, if successful, would provide the money to Lightfoot and his coconspirators.  If the homeless individuals were caught by police, they would be abandoned to take the blame.  In Montana, Lightfoot hit multiple banks in Belgrade, Bozeman, and Livingston utilizing local homeless individuals to forge checks in excess of $20,000.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the FBI, Livingston Police Department, Belgrade Police Department, and Bozeman Police Department.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 10, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New accommodation completed for soldiers in Bicester

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    New accommodation completed for soldiers in Bicester

    A major investment programme to improve living conditions across the army estate has delivered new accommodation for soldiers at St George’s Barracks, Bicester.

    The new Single Living Accommodation block at St George’s Barracks. Crown copyright.

    The new Single Living Accommodation (SLA) block, constructed using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), provides 72 ensuite single bed spaces, kitchen and diner facilities, utility rooms and furnished communal space for Junior Rank soldiers. The project was funded under the army’s SLA programme and delivered by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), contracting to off-site construction specialists Reds10 and engineering consultants Arcadis. 

    The modular, sustainable SLA features solar energy harvesting, air source heat pumps and a SMART building management system, which processes data from an array of sensors and equipment to monitor energy consumption and to ensure the building runs as efficiently as possible.

    At the formal opening of the Junior Ranks block on 24 March, Brigadier Peter Quaite OBE, Head of Infrastructure Plans, Army Basing and Infrastructure said:

    As a key part of our long-term investment programme, we are embracing modern methods of construction to enable us to build faster, while providing a better standard of living space for our people and improving the sustainability of our estate. This new, energy-efficient building has been designed using soldier feedback to ensure it meets their specific needs and showcases the impressive standard of accommodation we are committed to delivering.

    Lt Col Gerard Hennigan, Bicester Garrison Commander, said:

    It is excellent to see the result of significant investment at St George’s Barracks to deliver better accommodation for our soldiers and provide modern living facilities that meet their needs. The quality of the bedrooms, common areas and kitchen areas are impressive, and we look forward to moving soldiers into their new home in the coming weeks.

    Warren Webster, DIO MPP Army Programme Director said: 

    We are delighted to have completed the latest in a series of new SLA blocks for our armed forces across the country. This new block will provide the army with fantastic homes for junior ranks at St George’s Barracks while utilising sustainability features built into the design from the outset, making the building efficient to run and comfortable to live in.

    Phil Cook, Defence Director, Reds10, said:

    We are proud to support the army’s commitment to improving service personnel accommodation with modern, high-quality, and sustainable living spaces. Through industrialised production, we have delivered a building that not only meets the needs of personnel today but also ensures long-term efficiency and environmental benefits. This project exemplifies how innovation and collaboration can enhance the living conditions of our service personnel, and we look forward to continuing our work in delivering exceptional accommodation that will transform the lived experience.

    Overall, the Army SLA Programme is investing £1.4 billion over ten years to enhance living conditions for service personnel. More than 1,000 new bed spaces are currently in construction across the estate, with six blocks due to complete this year.

    Share this page

    The following links open in a new tab

    • Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)
    • Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 10, 2025
←Previous Page
1 … 236 237 238 239 240 … 474
Next Page→
NewzIntel.com

NewzIntel.com

MIL Open Source Intelligence

  • Blog
  • About
  • FAQs
  • Authors
  • Events
  • Shop
  • Patterns
  • Themes

Twenty Twenty-Five

Designed with WordPress