Loon Lake RCMP located and seized cocaine and methamphetamine following a traffic stop south of Loon Lake, SK.
On February 18, 2025 at approximately 2:30 p.m., officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle travelling on Highway #26, approximately 20 kilometres south of Loon Lake.
During the traffic stop, officers observed signs of drug trafficking. The driver and three occupants of the vehicle – one adult female and three adult males – were arrested.
While searching the vehicle, officers located and seized approximately 184 grams of cocaine, 34 grams of methamphetamine, a baton, approximately $1,300 in cash and other evidence of drug trafficking.
As a result of investigation, Robert Plourde, a 29-year-old male from Onion Lake, SK, is charged with:
one count, possession for the purpose of trafficking – methamphetamine, Section 5(2), Controlled Drugs and Substances Act;
one count, possession for the purpose of trafficking – cocaine, Section 5(2), Controlled Drugs and Substances Act;
one count, possession of weapon for dangerous purpose, Section 88(1), Criminal Code; and
one count, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, Section 354(1)(a), Criminal Code.
The three other individuals arrested were released without charges.
Robert Plourde made his first appearance in provincial court in Loon Lake on February 20, 2025.
Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe appointed a new Associate Circuit Judge for the 16th Judicial Circuit and filled the Public Administrator vacancy in Caldwell County.
John G. Gromowsky, of Kansas City, was appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for Jackson County in the 16th Judicial Circuit. Mr. Gromowsky is a seasoned attorney with extensive experience in both prosecution and defense. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army, where he served in several leadership roles, including a platoon leader and executive officer. Following his military service, he earned his Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. Gromowsky began his legal career as a law clerk in Jackson County before serving in multiple roles in the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, including as a Drug Task Force Prosecutor, Community Prosecutor, and Violent Crimes Unit attorney. In private practice, he spent over 16 years as a defense lawyer, handling trial work and appeals, including cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Active in his community, Mr. Gromowsky has served on public safety committees, coached youth sports, and held leadership positions within a local bar association. Mr. Gromowsky will fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Judge Lauren D. Barrett to the circuit court of the 16th Judicial Circuit.
Crystal McBrayer, of Kingston, was appointed as the Caldwell County Public Administrator. Ms. McBrayer is a longtime resident of Caldwell County and has experience in team leadership and community service. She is a graduate of Penny High School and currently works as a Sales Associate and team lead for Walmart. As Public Administrator, McBrayer will serve as the court-appointed guardian and conservator for individuals deemed incapacitated or disabled by the 43rd Judicial Circuit. She will also act as a personal representative for decedent estates and oversee the management of assets when no other responsible party is available.
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Tower woman has been sentenced to 28 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay nearly $430,000 in restitution to more than two dozen former payroll clients and the IRS, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, Jeana Lautigar, a.k.a. Jeana Lautigar-McGowan, 58, owned and operated an accounting and payroll service headquartered in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, where she managed payroll for various small businesses. To facilitate the payroll service, Lautigar-McGowan was granted access to client bank accounts. On multiple occasions between 2016 and 2020, Lautigar-McGowan embezzled funds from her clients’ bank accounts and used the money to cover personal expenses, or to pay back money she had previously embezzled from other clients. To accomplish her scheme, Lautigar-McGowan would electronically transfer funds from a client account into an account she controlled – in an amount appearing to be consistent with clients’ payroll – and spend the money for unapproved purposes. In total, she embezzled $344,813 from her clients over a period of five years.
According to court documents and her guilty plea, on February 6, 2020, Lautigar-McGowan tried to cover her scheme by transferring money from an account she controlled and that had been funded with embezzled money into the account of another payroll client. Lautigar-McGowan also filed false income tax returns in which she failed to report the embezzled income, resulting in a $84,746 tax loss to the United States.
On September 27, 2024, Lautigar-McGowan pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property and one count of filing a false income tax return. She was sentenced last week by Judge Donovan W. Frank.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Lewis and Esther Soria prosecuted the case.
Wadena RCMP is asking the public’s assistance in locating 83-year-old Jimmie Moore of Foam Lake, Saskatchewan. He was last seen at a residence in the community at approximately 4:30 p.m. on February 21, 2025, and has since been reported missing.
Police continue their efforts to locate Jimmie to confirm his well-being and are now asking the public to report information regarding his whereabouts.
Jimmie is described as:
Height: 5’10”
Weight: Unknown; slim build
Eye colour: Blue
Hair colour and style: Short grey/white hair; no facial hair
At the time he was last seen, he was reportedly wearing a blue winter jacket, blue jeans and a blue call cap.
It’s believed that Jimmie may be travelling to Ontario, but this cannot be confirmed. He drives a red 2020 Hyundai Tucson (SUV), Saskatchewan license plate 226 NKY.
If you’ve seen Jimmie Moore or know where he is, contact Wadena RCMP at 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.
Officers are looking to locate a man in connection with an ongoing murder investigation in Hackney.
Jason Romeo, 20 was fatally stabbed outside an address in Bodney Street, E5 at 17:59hrs on Tuesday, 18 February.
An investigation remains ongoing and three men have been charged in connection with Jason’s murder.
Raynolph Asante, 22 (13.03.2002) of Pembury Road, Hackney, Travis Mitchell, 21 (23.07.2002) of Bodney Road, Hackney and Rhamyah Bailey-Edwards, 21 (21.08.2003) of Williams Avenue, Walthamstow have been charged with murder and appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 24 February.
On Sunday, 23 February, an 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody.
Detectives have named and released an image of 25-year-old Renaldo Roberts, who they would like to speak with in connection with this investigation.
He has connections across Hackney and Dagenham.
Detective Superintendent Kelly Allen of Specialist Crime North said “This investigation has moved quickly with officers arresting four men within five days.
“We are now in the position to release Renaldo Robert’s details, who we would like to speak with to assist with our enquiries.
“If you have any information on his whereabouts, please do not approach him and call 999 referencing CAD 5635/18FEB.”
Following Jason Romeo’s death, officers in Hackney have been utilising additional stop and search powers this week.
A section 60 order was authorised for the area during the weekend, giving officers the power to stop and search a person without reasonable suspicion.
Detective Superintendent Vicky Tunstall of Central East Command Unit said:
“We understand that the increased police presence in Hackney this week will be concerning for residents.
“Our officers will remain in the area carrying out increased patrols. I’d encourage residents to discuss any concerns they may have with officers on patrol.
“Reducing knife crime is a key focus and we will continue to work closely with partners for a safe borough.
“I’d encourage anyone with information about those who could cause harm within our community, to contact us directly or through Crimestoppers.”
Anyone with any information about the whereabouts of Renaldo Roberts is asked to contact the police on 999 as soon as possible, quoting 5635/18Feb.
Happy Valley-Goose Bay RCMP is investigating an armed robbery that occurred in the evening of February 21, 2025, at McNally’s Billiards on Burnwood Drive.
Just before midnight on Friday, two people wearing facial coverings entered McNally’s Bar; one carrying a shotgun. Patrons in the bar were directed to look away while the suspects took money from the cash register and alcohol from the bar. The culprits then left the building. Nobody was injured during the robbery.
Both suspects were wearing dark clothing. See attached surveillance images.
The investigation is continuing.
Anyone having information about this crime or the identity of the suspects is asked to contact Happy Valley-Goose Bay RCMP at 709-896-3383 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.
Jesus Ricardo Patron Sanchez, aka “H-3,” Allegedly Led Ruthless Transnational Criminal Organization Responsible for Distributing Thousands of Kilograms of Narcotics and Multiple Murders
Jesus Ricardo Patron Sanchez, also known as “H-3,” “Diabolic,” “Vela,” “James Bond” and “Xmen,” was arraigned on February 22, 2025 at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on an indictment charging him with leading a continuing criminal enterprise, participating in a large-scale narcotics distribution conspiracy and using one or more firearms in connection with narcotic offenses. Sanchez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested in Mexico in February 2019 on a provisional arrest warrant issued based upon charges in the Eastern District of New York and subsequently extradited from Mexico to the United States on February 21, 2025. The arraignment was held before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo. Sanchez was ordered detained pending trial.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Matthew Allen, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Los Angeles Field Division which oversees the Las Vegas District Office (DEA), announced the extradition and arraignment.
“As alleged in the indictment and court filings, Sanchez was one of the principal leaders of the H-2 Drug Trafficking Organization, a brutally violent transnational criminal organization that flooded American streets with dangerous drugs and protected its operations through murder and corruption,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “This Office is committed to working with its federal and international partners to bring leaders of cartels and transnational criminal organizations to justice in the United States and to hold them accountable for the death and destruction they have unleashed here and abroad.”
Mr. Durham extended his appreciation to the DEA’s offices in Las Vegas and Mexico City, Mexico, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Department of State, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Government of Mexico. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Sanchez.
“Our country is facing an unprecedented drug crisis. Violent drug trafficking organizations, like H-2, fueled by unrelenting and callous greed have been saturating our communities with poison, death, and chronic devastation,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Allen. “The DEA continues its unwavering determination to mitigate this evil and eradicate their terror and corruption from our streets.”
According to the indictment and court filings, Sanchez was a leader of the H-2 Drug Trafficking Organization (the H-2 DTO), a violent Mexican drug trafficking organization based in Nayarit and Sinaloa, Mexico. Sanchez’s alias “H-3” is a reference to his status as a successor to Hector Beltran-Leyva, the original “H” and one of the principal leaders of the Beltran Leyva Cartel that was previously part of the Sinaloa Cartel. The H-2 DTO was previously led by the defendant’s brother, Juan Francisco Patron Sanchez, also known as “H-2.” Based on public reporting, after Juan Francisco Patron Sanchez was killed in 2017, the defendant assumed principal leadership over the H-2 DTO. The H-2 DTO had numerous distribution cells in the United States, including in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Ohio, Minnesota, North Carolina and New York. The DEA estimates that between January 2013 and February 2017, the H-2 DTO distributed, on a monthly basis, hundreds of kilograms of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, and thousands of kilograms of marijuana into the United States and earned millions of dollars in illegal proceeds in return. In furtherance of its drug trafficking operation, the H-2 DTO used firearms and physical violence and is associated with numerous homicides.
Between June 2013 and December 2016, the defendant was one of the principal leaders of the H-2 DTO and directed the distribution of large quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana from Mexico into various parts of the United States, including the Eastern District of New York. The defendant also coordinated the money laundering activities of other members of the H-2 DTO to ensure the proceeds of their drug trafficking were transferred back to Mexico. In addition, he conspired with other leaders and members of the H-2 DTO to kill members of rival drug trafficking organizations and other individuals perceived as threats to the H-2 DTO.
The extradition of Sanchez is the result of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the DEA. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the continuing criminal enterprise count, the defendant faces a mandatory life sentence; the defendant faces up to a life sentence on the other counts of the indictment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Wang and Raffaela S. Belizaire are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JESUS RICARDO PATRON SANCHEZ (also known as “H-3,” “Diabolic,” “Vela,” “James Bond” and “Xmen”) Age: 39 Mexico
Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging six individuals involved in an alleged gun trafficking operation. An additional individual was separately charged by complaint in the same conspiracy. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit specific firearms recovered in the operation.
Name
(Age, City of Residence)
Charge
Maximum Penalties
Victor Manuel LaFontaine Ruiz
(31, Poinciana)
Gun trafficking conspiracy
Unlicensed gun dealing, aiding and abetting
Possession of machinegun
15 years
5 years
10 years
Jose Emanuel Maldonado Rodriguez
(32, Kissimmee)
Gun trafficking conspiracy
Unlicensed gun dealing, aiding and abetting
Possession of machinegun
15 years
5 years
10 years
Freddie Geovani Cruz Batiz
(36, Kissimmee)
Gun trafficking conspiracy
Unlicensed gun dealing, aiding and abetting
15 years
5 years
Jomar Manuel Lopez Montanez
(30, Kissimmee)
Gun trafficking conspiracy
Unlicensed gun dealing, aiding and abetting
Felon in possession
15 years
5 years
15 years
Derrick Yamil Rivera Robles
(29, Kissimmee)
Gun trafficking conspiracy
Unlicensed gun dealing, aiding and abetting
Possession of machinegun
15 years
5 years
10 years
Leonardo David Joseph Guerra
(23, Orlando)
Gun trafficking conspiracy
Unlicensed gun dealing, aiding and abetting
Alien in possession
15 years
5 years
15 years
Jincheng Shi
(27, St. Cloud)
Unlicensed gun dealing, aiding and abetting
Alien in possession
5 years
15 years
According to court documents, from at least as early as September 2023 onward, Lafontaine and Maldonado operated a gun trafficking ring involving hundreds of firearms, machineguns, machinegun conversion devices, and high-capacity magazines needed for fully automatic weapons. This operation did not involve any federally licensed firearms dealers. Instead, Lafontaine and Maldonado obtained firearms parts, including from Jincheng Shi, a Chinese national. Lafontaine and Maldonado allegedly assembled, manufactured, and modified semi-automatic and automatic firearms using a “ghost gunner” machine and specialized “endmill” drilling devices at a workspace on Maldonado’s property in Kissimmee:
From there, Lafontaine and Maldonado, along with assistance from Batiz, sold firearms, including fully automatic weapons and machine gun conversion devices (“chips” or “buttons”) that are used to convert semi-automatic weapons into machineguns. They sold those items to illegal aliens and convicted felons such as Lopez Montanez, Rivera Robles, and Joseph Guerra, who were often brokering such transactions on behalf of other unknown customers.
On September 17, 2023, for example, Lafontaine showed a fully automatic firearm to a customer that was later sold during this operation and, on October 9, 2023, Lafontaine quoted Rivera Robles (a convicted felon) a price of $150 for a machinegun conversion device known as a “chip,” that Rivera Robles purchased in March 2024.
On February 7, 2025, Lafontaine sold Lopez Montanez (a convicted felon) two firearms falsely branded to appear as though they were legitimate firearms manufactured with engraved fake sequential serial numbers. When Lopez Montanez was stopped, he fled from law enforcement and attempted to hide the weapons that were eventually recovered.
The next day, Lafontaine delivered five similar firearms to Maldonado.
On February 20, 2025, law enforcement executed five search warrants at various locations associated with this conspiracy. The items are still be inventoried. Preliminarily, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) have recovered at least five AR-style pistols with sequential and identical serial numbers at Maldonado’s residence (depicted below), along with at least three machinegun conversion devices, machinery used to assemble, modify, and manufacture the firearms and machine guns sold through this operation.
At Lafontaine’s residence, agents recovered a completed rifle, gun parts, gun manufacturing and modification equipment, and drug distribution paraphernalia with a blender and a powder that field-tested positive for fentanyl, packaged for sale. At Batiz’s residence, agents recovered a handgun and an AR pistol, four machinegun conversion devices, along with drug paraphernalia and powders packaged for distribution that are still being tested. Eight handguns, three rifles, and eight AR-style receivers were recovered from Shi’s residence and storage lockers.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Orlando Police Department, Winter Garden Police Department, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Apopka Police Department, Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and Florida Highway Patrol. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Kansas City, Mo., police officer who ran an anti-crime charity has been convicted in federal court of a scheme in which he spent more than $200,000 in donations for his own personal expenses.
Aaron Wayne McKie, 47, was found guilty on Thursday, Feb. 20, of nine counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. McKie worked as a police officer for the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department for 24 years, assigned as a police officer to the Crime Free Multi-Housing section from 2002 through 2023.
McKie served from 2009 to 2023 as president of Mid-America Crime Free, Inc. (MACF), a non-profit organization that claimed to provide training to persons in the rental housing industry and promote anti-crime programs. He was an officer of the charity for three years prior, from 2006 to 2009.
Evidence produced during the trial indicated that McKie devised a scheme to defraud MACF and its donors that began in July 2009 and lasted until October 2023. Individuals and businesses contributed $387,620 to MACF, not including in-kind donations. McKie spent at least $200,060 for his own personal purposes.
The biggest source of MACF funds was an annual golf tournament, “Fairways 4 Fuzz Golf Tournament.” Individuals and businesses donated both money and in-kind donations, such as food and beverages, to MACF via the golf tournament. At least 121 donors have been identified.
From 2009 to 2023, the flyers soliciting donations and players for the tournament claimed the funds raised would enable MACF to provide free seminars to owners of rental properties and train police officers. In reality, those claims were false. The Kansas City Police Department paid the salaries and expenses of Crime Free Multi-Housing unit officers who may have provided training to landlords; McKie used the majority of MACF funds for personal spending; and the IRS had revoked the organization’s tax-exempt status in 2010.
Under federal statutes, McKie is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole on each of the 10 counts on which he was convicted. 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.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for nine hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips, ending a trial that began Monday, Feb. 10.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Hanson. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
On Feb. 18, representatives from Russia and the United States met in Saudi Arabia to determine if peace in Ukraine is possible. Ukrainian representatives were not invited.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on social media that the meeting was a step in developing an “enduring peace” between Russia and Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed in a media interview that the meeting was “very positive” and confirmed the true meaning of the talks was to start normalising relations between Russia and the U.S.
Although U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed “the Russians want to see the war end,” Russian officials remain committed to their war aims. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov announced before the meetings that Russia would not return Ukrainian territory. After, he stated that should a peace deal be brokered, any peacekeeping forces could not come from NATO nations. The latter statement stunted growing European efforts to develop a security guarantee for Ukraine should a ceasefire be reached.
Keith Kellogg, U.S. envoy for Kyiv and Moscow, said after his Feb. 20 meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the U.S. is aligned with the nation — and that any end to the war with Russia should ensure there is no “next war”. Yet White House officials do not seem to have Ukraine’s best interest in mind in negotiating a potential resolution to the war.
For instance, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Feb. 12 that the U.S. government doesn’t believe NATO membership for Ukraine “is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement.” He added that Ukraine would need to accept territorial concessions to Russia.
Trump has also increasingly parroted Russian narratives — such as claiming that Ukraine started the war. He has also delegitimized Zelenskyy by claiming he is a “dictator” who refuses to hold elections — despite the nation’s constitution stating elections cannot legally be held under martial law.
Trump also continues to demand 50 per cent of Ukraine’s natural resources to repay the United States for previous military and financial support. This has led to a deterioration in Ukrainian-U.S. relations at a time where Russian-U.S. relations appear to be improving.
Any attempt at negotiating a lasting peace between the two nations must include accountability for Russian crimes.
The realities of Russia’s invasion
American overtures for peace have often referred to “stopping the millions of deaths” in Russia’s war in Ukraine. While on the surface this goal is admirable, it oversimplifies the realities of what the last three years of war have done to Ukraine. Namely, Russian forces have committed extensive war crimes and atrocity in Ukraine.
Russian forces barrage Ukraine with drone strikes and terror bombing — including targeting civilians. Even as negotiations were happening in Saudi Arabia, Russian drones struck Odesa, injuring four civilians. This was the latest in a long line of such attacks. International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants are out for Russian military leaders on just this issue.
The Ukrainian government has confirmed over 19,500 Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russian forces. But in July 2023, Russian officials claimed they had over 700,000 Ukrainian children in Russian territory.
Investigative reporting confirms the Russian government is assimilating these children — forcing them to stop speaking Ukrainian and raising them with a Russian identity. These actions have also led to ICC arrest warrants for Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s Children’s Rights Commissioner who oversees the program. Russia’s actions violate the UN Genocide Convention.
Widespread sexual assault by Russian forces has been documented against Ukrainian men and women. Torture chambers have also been found in liberated cities. Russian forces committed mass murder in multiple Ukrainian cities — underscored by the discovery of mass graves in Bucha, Izium and Lyman.
Mariupol, once a city of over 400,000 has been reduced to a population of 120,000 as of 2023. This showcases the devastation caused by Russian forces. Russia has also started seizing buildings to give to Russian settlers to further Russify the city.
The realities under Russian occupation are only partially known. The Russian government has demanded Ukrainians living under occupation forfeit their Ukrainian identification documents and obtain Russian passports. In schools, Russia has fully implemented its nationalistic curriculum, which includes “anti-Ukrainian propaganda” aimed at assimilating Ukrainian children.
Ukraine continues to fight against Russian occupation. While it’s honourable to want to stop the deaths caused by fighting, the Russian regime’s actions in Ukrainian territory must be remembered too.
This is why justice is just as important as resolution. While it’s unlikely Russian officials will find themselves before the ICC, there must be some form of accountability for Russian crimes against Ukraine if peace is negotiated. While present frontlines may dictate where Ukraine may be forced to cede territory or freeze conflict, the realities of Russian aggression cannot be ignored.
Here, history offers a guide for what shouldn’t be done this time when brokering a peace deal.
During the Second World War, Soviet forces committed extensive war crimes and atrocities. Yet the Soviet Union never faced a reckoning for those acts. Russian officials remember this. As a result, Putin feels empowered to commit similar atrocities in Ukraine — believing Russia, just as the Soviet Union, won’t face any consequences.
For any possibility of lasting peace, accountability and justice for Russian war crimes must be at the forefront of negotiations. Otherwise, Russia will have learned it can act with impunity — threatening the likelihood of enduring peace for Ukraine.
Oleksa Drachewych 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.
The European Banking Authority (EBA) today published a Report assessing the availability and accessibility of data related to environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks as well as the feasibility of introducing a standardised methodology for identifying and qualifying credit exposures to such risks. The Report finds that while there have been significant improvements over the recent years on availability and accessibility of data, the ESG data landscape remains incomplete at this stage. Key policy initiatives such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the supporting European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), as well as further transparency in the methodologies of ESG scores and External Credit Assessment Institutions’ (ECAI) credit risk ratings, are expected to further improve this landscape and mitigate challenges.
Credit institutions are increasingly assessing ESG risks, although progress differs across exposure classes. Data availability, quality and granularity remain among the most significant challenges in developing more advanced approaches.
Methodologies are most mature in the assessment of transition risk in corporate portfolios, where the EBA has observed certain elements of standardisation, such as the use of sectoral classification, greenhouse gas emissions and transition plans of counterparties as the key sources of information.
Similarly, the EBA has observed some degree of standardisation in methodologies for mortgage exposures, which are typically based on the geographical location and energy efficiency of the immovable property collateral.
The methodologies are less mature for other exposure classes where the process of developing relevant methodologies to identify and assess ESG risks is still ongoing. The practices regarding the assessment of environmental risk other than climate, social and governance risks are still at an early stage and mostly qualitative.
While there are emerging practices regarding the assessment of ESG risks, the progress to date on the assessment of how these risks affect the level of credit risk is limited. At this stage, only few institutions apply specific methods for measuring credit risk related to ESG factors, focusing mostly on climate risk. While governance aspects have traditionally been part of the assessment of credit risk, both by institutions and by ECAIs, there is little standardisation and the approaches are mainly qualitative, often based on expert judgement.
Based on the market practices and the current data landscape, the EBA concludes that the feasibility of designing a standardised methodology differs greatly depending on the type of exposures and risks considered. While there have been developments in the identification and assessment of ESG risks, there is still insufficient understanding and evidence of their effective impact on credit risk parameters. Should regulatory efforts towards standardisation be pursued, a sequenced approach would most likely be necessary.
Legal basis
The EBA is mandated under letters (a) and (b) of Article 501c(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, i.e. the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR), to assess:
a) the availability and accessibility of reliable and consistent ESG data for credit risk exposure classes;
b) the feasibility of introducing a standardised methodology to identify and qualify these exposures, based on a common set of principles to ESG risk classification, and using the information available from sustainability disclosure frameworks, the guidance and conclusions coming from supervisory stress-testing or scenario analysis of climate-related financial risks, and the relevant ESG score of the credit risk rating by a nominated ECAI.
RCMP NL’s Major Crime Unit (MCU) West is currently investigating an incident that occurred on Friday, February 21, 2025, in Port au Port that left a man with serious injuries.
At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Bay St. George RCMP responded to the report of an injured snowmobiler on Gravel’s Pond in Port au Port. Two snowmobilers were traveling across the pond together. One snowmobile came to a stop on the pond and the operator fell off the machine. The other snowmobiler checked on the operator and found that he had sustained serious injuries. The man was transported to the hospital for urgent medical attention. He remains in hospital at this time.
At this point in the investigation, the injuries sustained to the snowmobile operator do not appear to be consistent with the fall. The cause of the injury sustained remains under investigation by RCMP MCU.
Police ask the public to check for all available surveillance footage, including dash cam footage, in the area of Gravel’s Pond and the Main Road in Port au Port between the hours of 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, February 21.
Anyone having any information about this incident is asked to contact RCMP MCU West by contacting Bay St. George detachment at 709-643-2118.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
HOUSTON – A 22-year-old New York native has been sentenced for production of child pornography, coercion and enticement of minors and cyberstalking, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Tyler N. Grundstrom pleaded guilty Oct. 8, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen has now sentenced Grundstrom to a total of 288 months in federal prison. When he is eventually released, he will be on supervised release for the rest of his life, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Grundstrom will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
“The significant sentence in this case is a reminder of how seriously the Department of Justice takes the online victimization of minors,” said Ganjei. “Gone are the days where the predator lives next door or down the street; now a would-be exploiter can be thousands of miles away. Grundstrom, and similar online predators, are the reason why parents need to know who is talking to their child online.”
“This case is a chilling reminder there are twisted criminals, like Tyler Grundstrom, who use the internet’s anonymity to manipulate children’s innocence for their own sick ends,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “I want to remind every child and parent to remain vigilant, especially on social media, because predators regularly use these platforms to find their victims. Today’s sentencing shows the FBI will relentlessly hunt down those who harm children, no matter where they live, and ensure they face the full force of the law for their vile crimes.”
Grundstrom used popular online communication platforms to identify and target young girls for extortion and exploitation. Grundstrom would manipulate, threaten and coerce the victims into producing explicit and offensive content. The investigation revealed more than one victim in at least two states had been targeted, and the abuse occurred from 2021 and continued through 2022.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the future.
FBI Houston and FBI Atlanta’s Athens Resident Agency conducted the investigation.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
Tens of thousands of investors deposited bitcoin expecting an investment strategy – Instead, new investor bitcoin used to pay off other investors in a Ponzi scheme
SEATTLE – A citizen of Brazil appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle today, after being extradited from Switzerland to face a 13-count indictment for wire fraud and conspiracy regarding his bitcoin investment scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Douver T. Braga, 48, lived in Florida between approximately 2016 and 2021 during the bulk of the alleged fraud. The indictment alleges Braga operated a bitcoin investment scheme that was really a Ponzi scheme, as well as an illegal multilevel marketing scheme.
The grand jury returned the indictment in October 2022. It was unsealed last week following Braga’s arrest in Switzerland. Today Braga pleaded “Not Guilty,” and trial was scheduled in front of U.S. District Judge Tana Lin on April 28, 2025.
“Mr. Braga allegedly ran a fraud scheme that harkens back more than a century, but he updated his ‘Ponzi’ scheme with the hot new thing: bitcoin,” said U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. “The victim investors have waited years to see justice. I commend our federal partners at the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation for their diligent work on this case.”
According to the indictment, Braga conspired with others to create a cryptocurrency trading platform called Trade Coin Club (TCC) with an office in Belize. As early as 2016, Braga worked with others to promote TCC, claiming that investors would make money because the TCC had a sophisticated software program that allowed investors to profit on the fluctuating price of bitcoin. Braga also promised that investors could make money by referring other investors to the platform. In reality, there was no investment platform and no sophisticated software. Those who invested early were paid off by later investors as in a Ponzi scheme.
Braga traveled the world promoting TCC: In Thailand in March 2017, in Nigeria and Macau in May 2017. TCC was promoted on social media and in videos. At various events Braga claimed TCC had as many as 126,000 members in 231 different countries.
Through his false promises of sophisticated investments and high returns, Braga induced tens of thousands of people to entrust over 82,000 bitcoin, valued at over $290 million at the time of investment, and to deposit it with TCC. Braga continued the false representations, creating an “online portal” where investors could track the supposed activity of their investment accounts. The site was a fiction as there was no trading activity.
Braga withdrew and misappropriated investor funds. Between December 2016 and July 2019, at least $50 million in bitcoin was transferred to accounts Braga controlled.
However, by late 2017 and early 2018, investors had trouble accessing their funds. In January 2018, TCC announced to investors that it was ceasing to operate in the United States and was cancelling their accounts. Many investors were located in the Western District of Washington.
Braga allegedly profited handsomely, while failing to report the earnings to the IRS. In 2017, he received bitcoin worth $30.5 million, but only reported income of $152, 298. In 2018, he reported $73,473 in income but got $13.1 million in bitcoin and in 2019, reported $72,870 in income while he received $10 million in bitcoin.
“The type of scheme Mr. Braga is charged with operating is not new, he just used the allure of a flashy new technology to obscure the well-worn scam.” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “While the victims in this case waited and wondered about the fate of their investments, he siphoned off millions of dollars for his personal use. This case demonstrates the determination of the FBI and our partners in IRS Criminal Investigation to hold fraudsters accountable, no matter where in the world they may be.”
“The charges against Mr. Braga and his co-conspirators reflect a well-designed scheme to solicit investment in a fake cryptocurrency trading platform from victims around the globe,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of IRS-Criminal Investigation (CI), Los Angeles Field Office. “Furthermore, Mr. Braga is alleged to have knowingly ignored and circumvented laws regulating multi-level marketing programs in the U.S.- laws that exist to protect investors from becoming victims in pyramid schemes. Despite the complexity of this scheme, IRS Criminal Investigation and our partners at the FBI successfully uncovered the evidence necessary to bring forth these charges.”
Braga is charged with 12 counts of wire fraud reflecting 12 wires investors sent to TCC for deposits in their “accounts.” Braga is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
The charges are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the IRS-CI and the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mike Dion and Phillip Kopczynski. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance with securing the extradition.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Kremlin-linked elites face exclusion from UK
Elites with known links to the Kremlin may be subject to exclusion from the UK in show of steadfast support for Ukraine on 3 year anniversary of invasion.
Elites linked to the Russian state can be excluded from entering the UK under new measures announced by the Home Secretary today.
Under the new measures, the government will expand the criteria for exclusion to cover Kremlin-linked elites. This will ensure that, while Russia remains an acute national security threat, elites linked to the Russian state can be prevented from entering the UK.
Those who could be barred from the UK include anyone who:
provides significant support to the Russian state
owes their significant status or wealth to the Russian state
enjoy access to the highest levels of the Russian state
Kremlin-linked elites can pose a real and present danger to our way of life. They denounce our values in public while enjoying the benefits of the UK in private – benefits which they look to deprive Ukraine of through their support of Russia’s war. They can act as tools for the Russian state, enabling the continuation and expansion of Russia’s aggression.
The move will bolster both UK national interest and national security, one of the key priorities underpinning the government’s Plan for Change, by blocking the physical access of those who undermine UK national security. These new measures will complement the UK’s existing sanctions regime against Russian elites who are supporting Putin’s war effort, which will remain in place as long as Russia threatens Ukraine’s sovereignty.
The move follows continued action from the UK to respond to Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine including through imposing extensive sanctions on elites linked to the Russian state, strengthening law enforcement capabilities through the National Crime Agency’s (NCA’s) Combatting Kleptocracy Cell and closing the legislative loopholes open to money laundering by criminal actors.
These measures also follow ramped up efforts to tackle Russian illicit finance through the NCA’s Operation Destabilise, successfully disrupting 2 Russian money laundering networks which provided services to Russian oligarchs and helped fund Russian state espionage operations. The NCA-led action led to 84 arrests and over £20 million in illicit funds seized. This work continues and since the disruption, a further £1 million of cash has been seized and a further 6 arrests made.
This change builds on the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership signed in January, which commits both countries to work together to tackle the malign influence of elites linked to the Russian state.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said:
Border security is national security, and we will use all the tools at our disposal to protect our country against the threat from Russia.
The measures announced today slam the door shut to the oligarchs who have enriched themselves at the expense of the Russian people whilst bankrolling this illegal and unjustifiable war.
My message to Putin’s friends in Moscow is simple: you are not welcome in the UK.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the UK’s total military, economic and humanitarian support for Ukraine amounts to £12.8 billion. We remain committed to the provision of £3 billion of military support a year to put Ukraine in the strongest position possible.
Earlier this month, the Defence Secretary led the 50-nation strong Ukraine Defence Contact Group for the first time and announced a further £150 million firepower package for Ukraine, including drones, tanks and air defence systems.
Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said:
As we mark the third anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion, Putin is still waging a war he thought he would win in three days, because of fierce resistance from the Ukrainians. Our support for them is unshakeable.
I am proud of the UK’s leadership and unity on Ukraine. Keeping the Ukrainians in their fight and as strong as possible at any negotiating table is critical not only for them, but for the security of the UK. These new measures send a powerful message that we will do what it takes to turn the tables on Putin’s aggression.
Four men have been sentenced to a total of 67 years in prison following a Met Police investigation into the death of 22-year-old Lavaun Witter in Croydon.
On 5 February 2021, officers were called to Wisbeach Road at around 20:08hrs, after a member of the public found Lavaun collapsed and seriously injured.
He sadly died at the scene after sustaining a stab wound to the leg.
An investigation was launched by the Met’s Specialist Crime South Unit. Enquiries revealed that prior to his death, Lavaun’s flat had been broken into by four men. The men, who were armed with long knives and swords, demanded drugs and slashed through an internal door.
Lavaun and a 16-year-old boy were stabbed before running from the scene but Lavaun collapsed a short distance away.
CCTV enquiries quickly identified the suspects as Tyreece Riggon, Julian Russell, Tyreece Wolfries-Parkin and Alex Pasley.
On 18 February 2021, officers raided an address linked to Riggon and he and Russell were arrested. A subsequent search of an address linked to Russell recovered a Louis Vuitton bag belonging to Lavaun.
Wolfries-Parkin and Pasley were also arrested in the following weeks.
All were charged with Lavaun’s murder as well as attempted murder and attempted grievous bodily harm of the 16-year-old.
Detective Chief Inspector Mike Nolan, Senior Investigating Officer in the case said:
“These men were prepared to use extreme levels of violence and take Lavaun’s life to gain possession of drugs they believed were inside the property.
“Lavaun was defenceless against the four men who were each armed with large knives, including a Samurai sword.
“Levaun’s death devastated his family and his community. I commend the bravery and strength they have shown throughout this lengthy investigation.”
A trial at the Old Bailey began on 17 July 2023 and Julian Russell (18.09.1998) of Sanfield Road, CR7 and Tyreece Wolfries- Parkins, (06.10.2002) were found guilty of murder. Alex Pasley (01.10.1995) of Paxton Grove, Coulsdon was found guilty of manslaughter.
A re-trial began on 4 November 2024 and on Thursday, 12 December, Tyreece Riggon, 24 (29.09.2000) of Armistice Gardens, SE25 was found guilty of attempted GBH. Pasley was also found guilty of attempted GBH in relation to the attack on the 16-year-old boy.
The group appeared at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, 19 February for sentencing.
Julian Russell was sentenced to life in prison, to serve a minimum of 24 years in prison minus the four years spent on remand.
Tyreece Wolfries- Parkins was sentenced to life imprisonment to serve a minimum term of 20 years minus the time spent on remand.
Alex Pasley was sentenced to 17 years in prison and Tyreece Riggon was sentenced to six years, both minus four years spent on remand.
Three men have been charged with murder as part of an investigation into the death of 20-year-old Jason Romeo in Hackney this week.
Jason sustained stab wounds outside an address in Bodney Road, E5 at 17:59hrs on Tuesday, 18 February.
A murder investigation was launched within the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Command and three men have since been charged.
Raynolph Asante, 22 (13.03.2002) of Pembury Road, Hackney, Travis Mitchell, 21 (23.07.2002) of Bodney Road, Hackney and Rhamyah Bailey-Edwards, 21 (21.08.2003) of Williams Avenue, Walthamstow have been charged with murder.
The three men will appear at Thames Magistrates on Monday, 24 February.
The investigation into Jason’s death remains ongoing and on Saturday, 23 February, officers arrested an 18-year-old man on suspicion of murder. He remains in custody.
This news follows: Wrap Unveils Managed Safety and Response (MSR) Connected Ecosystem in Virginia
TEMPE, Ariz., Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wrap Technologies (NASDAQ: WRAP) (“Wrap” or, the “Company”) today announced it has completed the acquisition of W1 Global, LLC (“W1”) a preeminent professional services and consulting firm led by an executive team of former high-ranking law enforcement and U.S. Intelligence Community professionals, with deep competencies in complex international criminal investigation, regulatory matters and compliance issues.
The acquisition of W1 is expected to increase Wraps access to the skill and experience of this distinguished group, as well as expand the international reach of its MSR Connected Ecosystem. It is also expected to support a tech-enabled enhancement of the suite of professional and consulting services that W1 has provided to its clients all over the world.
Wrap’s acquisition has now assembled a deep team of senior leaders from both the public sector and national security agencies:
Professional Services will be led by Bill McMurry, a career law enforcement and intelligence professional. Mr. McMurry is a retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent who served in the FBI’s New York Office for twenty-four years. Mr. McMurry worked closely with the US DOJ, DEA, ATF, HSI, OFAC, DOD and the USIC to develop a national strategy to implement a whole of government response to combat the threat posed by Transnational Organized Crime.
Managed Safety and Response will be led by Jim DeStefano, former Assistant Special Agent in Charge of a Special Operations Branch responsible for the New York field division’s preparation for, response to, and recovery from all crisis and special events – including training and tactics in response to emotionally disturbed persons. John Penza, adds experience from state and federal corrections, local law enforcement, and as the former New York Division’s Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Violent Crimes and Drug Trafficking Branch.
Investigative, Regulatory and Compliance professional services will be supported by Ric Bachour, a former local and state police officer, U.S. Marine, and Purple Heart recipient. His international experience includes leadership roles in the DEA Sensitive Undercover Operations Unit, Special Operations, and DEA’s Foreign and Domestic Field Offices.
Additional Talent Pipeline and International Go-To-Market
Wrap anticipates accessing a deep talent pool as individuals transition from long government tenures, marking the first of many strategic talent acquisitions to meet growing market demands.
The W1 Global transaction is expected to position Wrap for international expansion by leveraging W1’s global network and expertise in investigative services. This in-country support network, consisting of former government personnel, provides valuable entry points for global distribution while aligning with U.S. resources and support systems.
End-to-End Ecosystem
The W1 Global transaction creates an end-to-end ecosystem with two key business lines: leveraging top talent to deliver comprehensive Managed Safety and Response (MSR) solutions and expanding tech-enabled professional services to enhance client support. Both companies’ clients demonstrate a strong appetite for each other’s services—Wrap’s international clients show significant interest in investigative services, while W1 Global’s clients are keen on Wrap’s BolaWrap, drones, and expanding cyber solutions within the MSR portfolio. This strategic combination effectively meets the market demand for integrated safety and technology-driven professional services, driving growth and enhancing client support.
Scot Cohen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Wrap, commented, “The acquisition of W1 Global is a transformational step in establishing Wrap as a leader in Managed Safety and Response services. It is expected to drive immediate revenue growth, be accretive, and create synergies with our existing business, including the revamped BolaWrap program, while supporting our expanding global channel system.”
Bill McMurry, Chief Executive Officer of W1 Global, commented, “W1 and Wrap can now deliver comprehensive MSR solutions with expert consulting, integration, and customization. By combining cutting-edge technology like the BolaWrap with professional services, we hope to ensure seamless implementation and continuous support. Our deep industry expertise is expected to allow us to optimize safety solutions for public safety agencies, effectively addressing complex challenges.”
About Wrap Technologies, Inc.
Wrap Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: WRAP) is a leading global provider of advanced public safety solutions, integrating ultramodern technology, cutting-edge tools, and comprehensive services to address the complex, modern day challenges facing public safety organizations around the world. Guided by a no-harm principle, Wrap is dedicated to developing groundbreaking solutions that empower public safety agencies to safeguard the communities they serve in a manner that fosters stronger relationships, driving safer outcomes, empowering public safety and communities to move forward together.
Wrap’s BolaWrap® solution encompasses an innovative and patented hand-held remote restraint device, strategically engineered with Wrap’s no-harm guiding principle to proactively deter escalation by deploying a Kevlar® tether that safely restrains individuals from a distance. Combined with BolaWrap® training, certified by the esteemed International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST), Wrap enables officers from over 1000 agencies across the U.S. and 60 countries around the world, with the expertise to effectively use BolaWrap® as an early intervention measure, mitigating potential risks and injuries, averting tragic outcomes, with the goal to save lives with each wrap.
Wrap Reality™, the Company’s advanced virtual reality training system, is a fully immersive training simulator and comprehensive public safety training platform that equips first responders with the discipline and practice to prevent escalation, de-escalate conflicts, and apply appropriate tactical use-of-force measures to better perform in the field. By offering a growing range of real-life scenarios, Wrap Reality™ addresses the dynamic nature of modern law enforcement situations for positive public safety outcomes, building safer communities one decision at a time.
Wrap’s Intrensic solution is a comprehensive, secure and efficient body worn camera and evidence collection and management solution designed with innovative technology to quickly capture, safely handle, securely store, and seamlessly track evidence, all while maintaining full transparency throughout the process. With meticulous consolidation and professional management of evidence, confidence in law enforcement and the justice system soars, fostering trust and reliability in court outcomes. Intrensic’s efficient system streamlines the entire process seamlessly, empowering all public safety providers to focus on what matters, expediting justice with integrity.
Wrap, the Wrap logo, BolaWrap®, Wrap Reality™ and Wrap Training Academy are trademarks of Wrap Technologies, Inc., some of which are registered in the U.S. and abroad. All other trade names used herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective holders.
Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements – Safe Harbor Statement This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “should”, “believe”, “target”, “project”, “goals”, “estimate”, “potential”, “predict”, “may”, “will”, “could”, “intend”, and variations of these terms or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Moreover, forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company’s control. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to: the expected benefits of the acquisition of W1, the Company’s ability to maintain compliance with the Nasdaq Capital Market’s listing standards; the Company’s ability to successfully implement training programs for the use of its products; the Company’s ability to manufacture and produce products for its customers; the Company’s ability to develop sales for its products; the market acceptance of existing and future products; the availability of funding to continue to finance operations; the complexity, expense and time associated with sales to law enforcement and government entities; the lengthy evaluation and sales cycle for the Company’s product solutions; product defects; litigation risks from alleged product-related injuries; risks of government regulations; the business impact of health crises or outbreaks of disease, such as epidemics or pandemics; the impact resulting from geopolitical conflicts and any resulting sanctions; the ability to obtain export licenses for counties outside of the United States; the ability to obtain patents and defend intellectual property against competitors; the impact of competitive products and solutions; and the Company’s ability to maintain and enhance its brand, as well as other risk factors mentioned in the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K, subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and were based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations.
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced today that the Northern District of Florida collected $10,739,347.57 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $6,129,268.26 was collected in criminal actions and $4,610,079.31 was collected in civil actions.
“Our office’s civil and criminal divisions, in coordination with our federal, state, and local law partners, have continued to work tirelessly to collect funds owed the America people in both criminal and civil matters,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Spaven. “These efforts recover funds owed in civil and criminal debts and are used to punish criminals, make victims whole, and return funds to the federal treasury.”
For example, in November, 2023, Chad Wade pleaded guilty to wire fraud, money laundering, and bankruptcy fraud, for acts of COVID-related fraud. He was sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment, ordered to pay restitution to the United States Small Business Administration in the amount of about $1.58 million, and ordered to pay a fine of $100,000.00. In FY 2024, the Northern District of Florida collected the full amount of the restitution. In addition to the criminal judgment, the Northern District of Florida obtained a civil judgment under the False Claims Act for over $4 million, of which over $2.2 million has been collected. The total amount collected from Wade is over $3.8 million.
In November, 2022, Kathleen Jasper pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets. She was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay restitution to the Florida Department of Education in the amount of $135,026.00. In FY 2024, the Northern District of Florida recovered the full amount of the restitution, including over $20,000 through the Treasury Offset Program.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Northern District of Florida, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $10,417,393in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
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 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.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Rebecca Hanson, Assistant Professor of Latin American Studies, Sociology and Criminology, University of Florida
Members of government-backed militias take part in a march in Caracas, Venezuela, on Jan. 7, 2025.AP Photo/Matias Delacroix
The body of former Venezuelan army officer Ronald Ojeda was found on Feb. 19, 2024, in a suitcase buried under 5 feet of concrete. Ojeda, accused by Venezuela of plotting against the government, had gone missing nine days earlier, when men dressed as police broke into his apartment in the Chilean capital of Santiago and dragged him away.
Following a yearlong investigation, authorities in Chile have now pointed the finger at the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, claiming members carried out the assassination at the behest of that country’s president, Nicolás Maduro.
It comes as the relationship between Maduro’s government and criminal gangs is under increased scrutiny, both among regional governments in Latin America and in the United States.
President Donald Trump has even suggested that Maduro successfully reduced crime by exporting gang members to the U.S. “Crime is down in Venezuela by 67% because they’re taking their gangs and their criminals and depositing them very nicely into the United States,” he told supporters in April 2024.
The fall in homicide rates has coincided with Maduro successfully consolidating his authoritarian rule in Venezuela. And explanations of the drop in crime tend to imply that it is the result of the government co-opting and controlling gangs. Some observers have even referred to Venezuela as a “narcostate,” suggesting that drug trafficking in the country is an organized venture between top officials and criminal groups.
Falling homicide rates should not mask the fact that Venezuela is still plagued by violence. Since the mid-2000s it has been ranked as one of the most violent countries in the world.
Former President Hugo Chávez was never able to get a handle on crime, particularly violent crime, which increased exponentially under his government. The trend continued during Maduro’s first years in office after Chávez’s death in 2013.
However, all available evidence suggests that Venezuela’s homicide rate has declined since reaching a peak in 2016 – by around 42%.
But there’s no evidence this is because the government is “offshoring” criminals.
Maduro’s own explanation for this decline portrays the government as handily controlling criminals by means of incredibly lethalpolice raids carried out between 2015 and 2019. In short, Maduro claims that the police have effectively “wiped out” criminal groups.
Competing police forces …
But rather than “wiping out” criminal organizations, the Maduro government has instead maintained volatile relationships with many armed groups, including gangs, nonstate paramilitary groups and even the country’s own police forces.
These relationships have produced significant conflict and dysfunction within state institutions. This is clear when looking at institutions presumed to be synonymous with state control, such as the police.
Chávez’s and Maduro’s governments put more police and soldiers in the streets. They created security institutions, such as the Policía Nacional Bolivariana, or Bolivarian National Police.
However, rapid growth of the security apparatus, amid competing approaches, has generated more conflict than coordination.
Police officers and police reformers I interviewed referred to state security policies and the changes they produced as akin to Frankenstein’s monster – an aberration rapidly outpacing the creator’s ability to control it.
What they mean is the government had created new security institutions so quickly that it is unable to supervise and control them. As one former police officer and Chavista politician told me: “Our challenge now is how to manage the monster we created.”
State policies have also generated significant distrust between the police and the government, and among different police forces.
This distrust has even resulted in police forces coming to blows with each other in the streets on multiple occasions. On Feb. 19, 2020, a section of the Prados del Este highway in Caracas was shut down as officers from Venezuela’s National Police and the country’s investigative police brandished weapons, shoving, punching and wrestling each other to the ground.
… cooperating gangs
It is, as such, highly unlikely that falling homicide rates are the result of policing. Indeed, I interviewed over 200 police officers while conducting research for my book, and most believed that the government’s policing initiatives contributed to crime and violence rather than reducing it.
A more plausible explanation for falling homicide figures is that Maduro’s policies have resulted in more consolidated relationships between criminal groups themselves.
The government agreed to tolerate illicit activities within certain areas and prohibit police from entering gang territory. In exchange, gangs agreed to reduce killings and other highly visible crimes such as kidnapping. As my book and previous research with Verónica Zubillaga, Francisco Sánchezand Leonard Gómez shows, these pacts allowed gangs to consolidate control over territory and illicit markets.
Gangs also negotiated agreements among themselves in case the government pacts fell through. For example, they agreed to divide territory and markets to avoid future conflict and share resources such as weapons and ammunition. This produced less conflict between gangs and less disruption in illicit markets, resulting in fewer homicides.
When pacts have ruptured in the past, the spectacularly violent confrontations that ensued between gangs and the police have shown gangs’ capacity to resist government intervention. Still, the overall effect of pacts and gang consolidation has been a reduction in homicides.
As one neighbor living in gang territory put it: “Before, gangs confronted each other; they killed each other. Now they don’t. Now they are growing.”
‘Mother of all infuriations’
Relationships between the government and various nonstate armed groups, including gangs, have generated enormous discontent within police forces.
As one police officer explained in an interview, these pacts represented the “mother of all infuriations.” For many officers, the goverment’s pacts with other armed groups is tantamount to its sponsorship of criminal activities.
And this discontent has produced sporadic violent confrontations. Even when government-gang pacts are in place, the government has been unable to keep police forces from entering gang territory and engaging in deadly shootouts.
Certainly from the outside, it may look like Maduro’s government has co-opted gangs for political purposes. And with the U.S. government adding Tren de Aragua to its list of global terrorist groups, that could put Venezuela in danger of being labeled a “state sponsor of terrorism.”
However, the Ojeda case in Chile should not be taken as evidence that stable and strong ties exist between Maduro’s government and criminal groups – at least not yet.
Instead, authoritarian survival in Venezuela for now seems to depend on volatile relationships between multiple and competing armed groups that collaborate temporarily with the government when their diverse interests overlap.
Rebecca Hanson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The EU reacted swiftly and decisively, condemning Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression, imposing wide-ranging sanctions, and offering Ukraine its unwavering support. The EU remains committed to supporting Ukraine until it achieves a just and lasting peace.
Strong and comprehensive EU response
The EU has provided almost €135 billion in support to Ukraine, including economic, military, financial, and humanitarian aid. It continues to work with international partners to ensure sustained support and hold Russia accountable.
Hard-hitting sanctions have significantly weakened Russia’s economy and war capabilities. The EU is also working to ensure those responsible for war crimes face justice through the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine in The Hague.
Peace, reconstruction, and Ukraine’s European future
On the third anniversary of the invasion, President von der Leyen and the College of Commissioners are visiting Kyiv. The President is meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and together, they are co-chairing a College-to-Government meeting to discuss Ukraine’s future as a free and sovereign nation.
The EU continues to work with Ukraine on its EU accession process. Ukraine’s progress towards EU membership reflects the will of its people for democratic reforms and a European future.
After the war, Ukraine will require extensive reconstruction. The EU has been actively contributing to the country’s resilience and recovery, but further support will be needed to rebuild a free and prosperous country, anchored in European values and well-integrated into the European and global economy.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
A conference abstract presented at the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) Conference looks at emulsifier restriction in people with Crohn’s disease.
Dr Dominic Farsi, Postdoctoral Researcher in Nutrition Science, INRAE (l’Institut national de recherche pour l’agriculture, l’alimentation et l’environnement), France, said:
Does the press release accurately reflect the science?
“Yes.
Is there enough data and information available to be able to assess the quality of the science?
“Yes I believe there is enough information. In addition, ECCO is one of the prominent organisations in gastroenterology and this abstract will have been reviewed by the conference committee (though that is different from journal peer review) and also the fact that it is being presented at the meeting would suggest that it is of a high standard as it has been accepted and chosen for the meeting.
How does this work fit with the existing evidence? + What are the implications in the real world? Is there any overspeculation?
“A lot of the evidence to date surrounding emulsifiers and Crohn’s comes from rodent models, which while informative, will always have limitations, as, it is rodents, not humans. This evidence does suggest that food additive emulsifiers may negatively impact the gastrointestinal environment, including the gut microbiota. The evidence in humans is very limited and so this study could be viewed as foundational to help understand the potential impact of food additive emulsifiers in Crohn’s. This study is a first of its kind and to date, we have not had significant data such as this, the results are positive and exciting, and as more research is performed in this topic, it will help further develop our understanding. If future research confirms that making a dietary change such as removing emulsifiers from the diet can help people manage Crohn’s, then that would be viewed as very positive – but we need more evidence first.”
Prof Kim Barrett, Vice Dean for Research and Distinguished Professor of Physiology and Membrane Biology, UC Davis School of Medicine, said:
“This preliminary presentation reports that removing emulsifiers from the diet may be helpful in patients with Crohn’s disease. It’s difficult to be fully confident in the conclusions since details of the study are not yet available, and more subjects dropped out of the control group vs. the treatment arm. Nevertheless, the findings available are consistent with predictions from previous animal studies, and could offer a simple and inexpensive way to reduce symptoms in patients with limited treatment options.”
Prof Gary Frost, Chair in Nutrition and Dietetics, Imperial College London, said:
“I think that the study is well designed, it is clear how they have decreased exposure to emulsifiers to all in the trial then reintroduced them in a portfolio of food in the control group giving the low emulsifier diet (LED) group foods that had a low emulsifier content.
“The intention to treat results look clear as reported in the abstract but the protocol results suggests that about 60% of the control group did not finish the study there for the results are not so clear. There needs to be more understanding about the reasons for the stark difference in not completing the trial. (The results are expressed in two ways. The intention to treat results include all the volunteers in the study even if they dropped out. Although the authors do not say how they used the data usually the last recorded measure is taken as the final results. This means if someone dropped out at 4 weeks the results at 4 weeks will be taken as the last results and analysed with others that have completed at 8 weeks. It is this analysis that shows a significant difference. The per protocol analysis only analyses people who completed the trial. The problem they have is only 49 of the 75 controls completed the study. There is no explanation for this level of patients not completing.)”
Prof Alexandra Johnstone, Theme Lead for Nutrition, Obesity and Disease, Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, said:
“There is currently a lot of interest in the role for ultra processed foods and health, and this study embraces this trend, to examine the role of emulsifiers, which are food additives, within a specific UK patient group. Regulatory bodies ensure that food additives are rigorously tested for safety and additives continue to undergo long‐term monitoring for their effects on chronic health conditions. Food additives that pass these safety tests are given an ‘E’ number which must be listed on packaging. Whilst consumption of some food additives (e.g. artificial sweeteners) can be limited through food choice, it is much more difficult to avoid ingestion of emulsifiers (also known as surfactants or detergents) because they are commonly added to a wide variety of foods within the modern Western diets. Some emulsifiers are man-made or synthetic (e.g. polysorbates) and some occur naturally (e.g. lecithin). In this study, the emulsifiers that were provided, were carrageenan, carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80 (control). For example, carboxymethylcellulose is a non‐digestible polysaccharide polymer, hence its common use as a thickening agent and stabilizer in food emulsions.
“Emerging evidence1,2,3 suggests that permitted dietary emulsifiers may impact on gut health through impairing intestinal barrier function, thus increasing antigen exposure, and/or by modulating the microbiota, thus potentially increasing the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) – Crohn’s disease is a form of IBD.
“The study to be presented at European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) Conference in Berlin provides hope for patients with Crohn’s disease to manage symptoms. The press release accurately reflects the brief data shared in the abstract, and I would welcome seeing the full dataset as a paper, once peer reviewed. The limitations of the study are that this is a relatively small group of patients (N=154) and conducted over a short time-frame (8 weeks). Patients with active flare in their disease were recruited, which was measured as inflammatory response, and the study abstract results indicate that the low emulsifier diet reduced inflammatory symptoms and promoted remission. It was good to read the quote from the patient in the press release about the positive impact this had on quality of life. Going forward, a peer-reviewed publication will likely reveal a more comprehensive analysis and discussion from the study team, including exploring the putative mechanism(s) of action. For example, recognising the small subject numbers and limitations of the results that would need to be explored in a larger cohort of patients. The study does offers hope for patients for future research on management of symptoms through dietary changes.”
1 Partridge D, Lloyd KA, Rhodes JM, Walker AW, Johnstone AM, Campbell BJ. Food additives: Assessing the impact of exposure to permitted emulsifiers on bowel and metabolic health – introducing the FADiets study. Nutr Bull. 2019 Dec;44(4):329-349. doi: 10.1111/nbu.12408.
2 Naimi, S., Viennois, E., Gewirtz, A.T. et al. Direct impact of commonly used dietary emulsifiers on human gut microbiota. Microbiome 9, 66 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-020-00996-6
3 Chassaing B, Koren O, Goodrich JK, Poole AC, Srinivasan S, Ley RE, Gewirtz AT. Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome. Nature. 2015 Mar 5;519(7541):92-6. doi: 10.1038/nature14232. Epub 2015 Feb 25. Erratum in: Nature. 2016 Aug 11;536(7615):238. doi: 10.1038/nature18000.
Dr Elizabeth Lund, Independent Nutrition Consultant, previously Research Leader at Quadram Institute of Biological Sciences, Norwich, said:
“This study looking at the potential benefit of diets low in emulsifiers shows a potential benefit for patients with mild to moderate Crohn’s disease. It is only an abstract for a meeting and thus lacks detail and has not yet been peer reviewed. This is important for journalists to recognise. The nearly 20% drop out rate, that is the difference between those recruited and those completing the study, is on the high side but not atypical. I would want to better understand why these people dropped out. Nevertheless, the data looks very promising and – emphasising this data is yet to be peer reviewed – would suggest that this diet is well worth a try for Crohn’s patients, probably helping many if not all who suffer from this condition. It is unlikely this is the only trigger for Crohn’s; inflammatory conditions tend to be very individual.”
Dr Baptiste Leurent, Associate Professor in Medical Statistics, UCL, said:
“This research is only published as a short summary, and it is difficult to assess its quality. The results could be interesting, but their validity can only be assessed (and communicated to the public) once the full study will be published.
“I am particularly concerned by the data presented in Table 1, which suggest that the differences found could be related to assumptions made regarding missing data.
“The abstract does not state clearly how many participants had Crohn’s disease activity index (CDAI) data at 8 weeks, but the numbers reported suggest there may have been participants with missing CDAI response, particularly in the control group. And that all of them may have been counted as “no CDAI response” in the primary (intention-to-treat) analysis.
“Given there was much more missing data in the control group, this would explain (at least some of) the lower CDAI response seen in the intervention group. When looking at the `per-protocol’ analysis (participants with actual CDAI data) none of the results were statistically different between the two groups.
“Much other information is missing from the abstract to assess the study validity. For example, it is not clear if the participants were aware of the emulsifier content of the food they were receiving, how similar were the two types of food received (apart from the emulsifier content), and to which extent participants ate the food they received. Note that what is being evaluated here is receiving regular emulsifier-free food, compared to receiving regular high emulsifier content food. It is not what is defined as LED (“low emulsifier diet”) in the abstract, which consisted of dietary advice and other material (both groups received this). No protocol or analysis plan were published – it would be important to know if the outcomes reported here are all the outcomes that were originally planned to be looked at or if there were others.
“Further information is needed before these results can be communicated to the public, and I would be very concerned if any diet recommendation is made based on this abstract.”
Rachel Richardson, Methods Support Unit Manager, Evidence Production and Methods Directorate, Cochrane, said:
“It is difficult to properly assess this study as all we have is an abstract. This means that the full report of the study is not available for scrutiny. It would be helpful to have more detail in order to assess the validity and generalisability of these results.
“A few examples: the number of people who dropped out was high – only 73% completed the study, even though it only lasted for 8 weeks and the drop-out rate was higher in the control group than in the intervention group. High rates of dropout can lead to bias in a study’s results, so it would be helpful to know more about why people dropped out.
“Another example is the fact that the authors adjusted the results for a variety of possible confounding factors, including BMI. However this was a randomised trial which means that confounders should be evenly distributed between groups and no adjustments are necessary. It would be useful to know why authors needed to do this.
“A final striking point is that we do not know from the abstract whether the results were precise enough to demonstrate meaningful improvement across all possible scenarios. The confidence intervals, or margins of error, were quite wide for a number of the effect estimates. Whilst improvement could be significant, there is also the possibility that the effect could be small, which may mean no clinical difference.”
Prof Kevin McConway, Emeritus Professor of Applied Statistics, Open University, said:
“These findings are interesting. However, they are based on a conference abstract. The full research report will not (yet) have been through the full peer review process, that it will need to go through before it can be published in a scientific journal. Peer reviewers might (or might not) pick up important problems in the complete trial report. Also, we don’t have by any means complete information, only a press release and a rather brief abstract (summary) of the findings. So, while on the face of it the results look encouraging, it’s just not possible to evaluate the quality of the research properly on the basis of the information available.
“Overall, statistically, the results don’t seem to me to be nearly as clear-cut as the press release implies. I’ll explain why I think this below. It all rather depends on the reasons for the different rates of completing the full trial for the trial in the two groups (those who were on the diet without emulsifiers, and the control group who had emulsifiers). The small amount of information we have doesn’t allow me to make a judgement on that. Maybe the trial does show everything that the press release says it shows, but it remains possible that it doesn’t, not entirely anyway. We need to know more.
“One issue is as follows. As is usual in reports of randomised clinical trials, the researchers present two different sets of comparisons between the ‘intervention’ group (who had a diet without emulsifiers) and the ‘control’ group (who were given some emulsifiers). One is the so-called ‘intention to treat’ comparison, which compared the results for everyone for whom results are available, regardless of whether they stayed on the diet that they were allocated to for the duration of the trial. The other is the so-called ‘per-protocol’ analysis, that compares the results of only those patients who continued on the diet they were allocated to, for the full duration of the trial. Usually the results of the intention to treat analysis are considered to be more revealing. However, it’s important to consider the per-protocol results as well, particularly if a lot of people didn’t remain on the allocated treatment for the full period. In this trial, about four out of five (81%) of those allocated to the emulsifier-free diet were on that diet throughout, and so contributed to the per-protocol analysis. But a considerably smaller proportion, only about two out of three (65%), of those allocated to the control diet remained on it throughout. The information we have doesn’t give an explanation for the differences in completion rates, and it might well matter. Maybe people on the control diet were more likely to drop out because they felt it wasn’t helping them, or maybe they were eating more emulsifiers than usual and felt this was disagreeing with their digestion or health, or maybe something else – we don’t know.
“The results repeated in the press release are based on the intention to treat analysis. But the results from the per-protocol analysis are less clear-cut, and indeed, apart from the finding about the proportion who said their symptoms improved, the other three outcomes given in the table in the Abstract don’t have large enough differences between the no-emulsifier and the control group to allow a conclusion that differences are definitely due to anything other than random chance. (This doesn’t mean that they are due to no more than chance, just that it’s still feasible that they could be no more than chance.)
“Another issue is that the trial is not comparing what patients with Crohn’s disease do on a diet without emulsifiers, compared to what they would otherwise have eaten. The control group of patients ate a diet containing emulsifiers, together with some snacks provided by the researchers, that also contained emulsifiers. The patients in the intervention (no emulsifiers) group also were given snacks and some food provided by the researchers, but without emulsifiers. I am no dietician, but I do know some people with Crohn’s disease, and they all avoid various types of food. So the comparison in the trial seems to be between people definitely eating a special diet with no emulsifiers, with another group who are eating a different special diet that does contain emulsifiers. This makes sense, to ensure, as far as practicable, that all the patients in each of the two groups are eating more or less the same things as the others in their group, but it does imply that the researchers are not comparing people on a special diet free of emulsifiers, with those eating what they would typically eat anyway. You’d have to ask a dietician rather than a statistician to be sure of how important this is in the context of real-world diets.”
Abstract title: ‘Emulsifier restriction is an effective therapy for active Crohn’s disease: the ADDapt trial – a multi-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, re-supplementation trial in 154 patients’ by A. Bancil et al was presented at the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) Conference in Berlin. The embargo lifted at 17:20 UK time on Friday 21 February 2025.
There is no paper.
Declared interests
Dr Dominic Farsi: “During part of this study, I was within the department and involved in other diet trials, however not this one (the ADDapt trial). I have since left this role and I am now a Postdoctoral Researcher at INRAE in France. I have no other conflicts of interest.”
Prof Kim Barrett: “I have no conflicts of interest.”
Prof Gary Frost: “None.”
Prof Alexandra Johnstone: “AJ holds funding from UKRI which involves UK retail partners, the Scottish Government. She currently holds voluntary committee position with Nutrition Society, Association for Nutrition and British Nutrition Foundation.”
Dr Elizabeth Lund: “No conflicts of interest to declare.”
Dr Baptiste Leurent: “No conflict of interest.”
Rachel Richardson: “I have no interests to declare.”
Prof Kevin McConway: “Previously a Trustee of the SMC and a member of its Advisory Committee.”
Environmental Impact Assessment Review (EIA Review) is a refereed, interdisciplinary journal serving a global audience of practitioners, policy-makers, regulators, academics and others with an interest in the field of impact assessment (IA) and management. Impact assessment is defined by the International Association for Impact Assessment (www.iaia.org) as the process of identifying the future consequences of a current or proposed action.
The focus of EIA Review is on innovative theory and practice that encompasses any of the above mentioned impacts and activities. In other words, EIA Review covers the following topics (the list is not exhaustive):
Development of IA theory and concepts;
IA legislation, procedure and practice;
IA Governance;
IA Methods, for example, forecasting, indicators, systems-based approaches, ecosystem services assessment, cost benefit analysis, algorithms, network-based approaches, among others;
Life Cycle Assessment, Carbon Footprinting, Energy Analysis, Emergy Analysis, and Integrated Product Policy;
‘A genuine commitment by President Trump to securing lasting peace in Ukraine must be delivered not in words but in actions’ – Agnès Callamard
Marking the three-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and amid the start of US-Russia peace talks, Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said:
“At a time when the US President is seeking to re-write the history of the last decade, and particularly of the last three years, the 3rd anniversary of the Russian aggression is a stark reminder of how much the people of Ukraine have endured and lost; of the devastation that Russia has waged against Ukraine.
“Any negotiations over the future of the people of Ukraine must prioritise justice for all crimes under international law committed since Russia’s military intervention in 2014, accountability for those responsible, and reparations for victims of Russia’s aggression. Past suffering, including deadly Russian airstrikes on civilians and the forcible transfer of children to Russia, must not be forgotten or left unaddressed. Those most impacted by Russia’s war of aggression must have their voices heard and their needs met, and any negotiated outcome that does not account for this will fail in the long-term.
“A genuine commitment by President Trump to securing lasting peace in Ukraine must be delivered not in words but in actions – including supporting all possible avenues for real justice and accountability for those suspected of war crimes and all crimes under international law.”
Violations of international human rights and humanitarian law
Amnesty has documented widespread violations of international human rights and humanitarian law in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on 24 February 2022, including acts that amount to war crimes and likely crimes against humanity. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine constitutes aggression, which is a crime under international law. Its strategy and tactics, including continued use of indiscriminate weapons and deliberate targeting of civilians, have caused widespread human suffering and seriously impacted Ukraine’s most vulnerable people, including children and older people.
Since March 2023, the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants against Russian President Vladimir Putin and several senior Russian officials. The Trump administration’s focus on a negotiated settlement has renewed attention on the war, but its executive order imposing sanctions against the International Criminal Court earlier this month undermines the rights of victims and survivors of international crimes in Ukraine and beyond.
Ahead of the three-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and amid the start of U.S.-Russia peace talks, Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said:
“At a time when the US President is seeking to re-write the history of the last decade, and particularly of the last three years, the 3rd anniversary of the Russian aggression is a stark reminder of how much the people of Ukraine have endured and lost; of the devastation that Russia has waged against Ukraine.”
“Any negotiations over the future of the people of Ukraine must prioritize justice for all crimes under international law committed since Russia’s military intervention in 2014, accountability for those responsible, and reparations for victims of Russia’s aggression. Past suffering, including deadly Russian airstrikes on civilians and the forcible transfer of children to Russia, must not be forgotten or left unaddressed. Those most impacted by Russia’s war of aggression must have their voices heard and their needs met, and any negotiated outcome that does not account for this will fail in the long-term.
“On the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, we demand justice, accountability, and reparation – as well as meaningful participation in the peace process – for the Ukrainian civilians abducted by Russian security services, prisoners of war tortured and unlawfully convicted, children threatened for studying Ukrainian online, teachers in Russian-occupied Ukraine subjected to forced labour in schools reopened under a Russian curriculum, and Crimean Tatars and other minorities who face brutal suppression as Russia seeks to alter the demographics of occupied territories. Without ending these ongoing violations immediately and strong guarantees for justice, a rushed ‘peace deal’ will only prolong their suffering and ensure impunity for the perpetrators of heinous rights violations.
“U.S. Secretary of State Rubio said last week that President Trump wants to end the war in a way that is sustainable and enduring. A genuine commitment by President Trump to securing lasting peace in Ukraine must be delivered not in words but in actions – including supporting all possible avenues for real justice and accountability for those suspected of war crimes and all crimes under international law.”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Tai Sang Bank Limited relating to a suspicious website, which has been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks’ websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the website concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.
A man from Bolton who targeted victims across the North West has been sentenced to 4 years in prison at Bradford Crown Court today, after defrauding vulnerable customers out of a total of £250,000.
Suhaib Sirajudin, 39, of Fifth Avenue, Bolton, operated as an ‘emergency plumber’ and pleaded guilty to 2 counts of fraudulent trading on Wednesday 9 October 2024. The court heard how he took advantage of homeowners’ urgent need for a plumber by charging grossly inflated emergency callout and repair fees, frequently targeting victims who were older, vulnerable or lived alone. As well as seriously overcharging for initial works he often deliberately damaged victims’ properties in order to charge more for repairs.
Between June 2021 and December 2022, trading as Plumbing Emergency 24/7 Limited and Expert Plumbing Limited 24/7, Mr Sirajudin advertised his services online and responded to emergency callouts from householders seeking urgent help with leaks. Mr Sirajudin would then exploit his victims, pressurising them into paying ‘extortionate’ sums for works that he completed to such a poor standard that the problem was either unresolved, or got worse.
One older victim watched her kitchen ceiling fall in after Mr Sirajudin said a hole needed to be made in it to repair a bathroom leak. In total she and her husband, who was bedbound, paid almost £10,000 which was almost all their savings. Another victim paid over £3,000 for the repair of a toilet leak that should have cost around £300. An expert said even that minor repair was not done properly.
Another elderly couple were quoted £39,000 to repair their gas fire and boiler, which Mr Sirajudin was not qualified to do. They said Sirajudin made them feel belittled and as though they could not question the bill. They eventually paid £21,000.
Many victims describe how Mr Sirajudin became aggressive when challenged, shouting and refusing to leave or threatening to take away new parts if payment was not made immediately. When victims or their relatives later contacted the companies to complain, their refund requests were often refused and they were cut off on the phone.
As well as the financial losses, the emotional, mental and physical toll taken on victims has been significant, with a loss of confidence, depression and problems sleeping being among the lasting impacts of Mr Sirajudin’s crimes.
As well as the custodial sentence, Mr Sirajudin is also subject to a £250,000 confiscation order for victim compensation and £30,000 in prosecution costs. He will be disqualified from being a company director for 8 years.
Cllr Jenny Kent, Executive Member with portfolio for Trading Standards at City of York Council, said:
Mr Sirajudin intimidated and exploited people at a time when they needed emergency plumbing help, often late at night, in their own homes.
“Many victims were elderly or vulnerable and were charged extortionate amounts for often minor repairs which were badly done; in some cases made considerably worse. I hope they gain some small comfort from the sentencing today, and I’m very grateful for the persistence and dedication of our investigating teams here in York and North Yorkshire who worked hard to bring this case to trial.”
Lord Michael Bichard, Chair, National Trading Standards, said:
With householders in desperate need of a plumber, often in the middle of the night, Mr Sirajudin was already in a position of power by the time he arrived at a caller’s home.
“If he saw that a customer was older, vulnerable or lived alone he took the opportunity to exploit them, leaving many feeling frightened in their own homes as well as thousands of pounds out of pocket.
“I hope today’s sentencing provides some comfort for those involved and serves as a stark reminder that this type of callous intimidation and deceit will be investigated, and perpetrators brought to justice.
“If you or someone you know has fallen victim to a fraud like this you should report it to the Citizens Advice consumer service helpline by calling 0808 223 1133.”
Joint statement by the President of the European Parliament, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission
Three years ago Russia started its full-scale and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. Russia’s brutal war deliberately targets civilian and critical infrastructure. The Ukrainian people have shown bravery in defending their country and the core principles of international law. We pay tribute to all those who have sacrificed their lives and have lost loved ones for Ukraine’s independence and freedom.
Russia and its leadership bear sole responsibility for this war and the atrocities committed against the Ukrainian population. We continue to call for accountability for all war crimes and crimes against humanity committed. We welcome the recent steps made towards the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
The European Union and its partners have acted swiftly and in unity to support Ukraine. The European Union has provided to Ukraine economic, humanitarian, financial and military assistance that totals to EUR 135 billion, with EUR 48.7 billion of military assistance. The European Union will continue to provide Ukraine with regular and predictable financial support, including reconstruction of the country after the war.
Russia and its people are paying a price for their leader’s actions. Together with partners, we have imposed unprecedented sanctions against Russia and those complicit in the war and remain ready to increase the pressure on Russia to limit its ability to wage war. We are already using windfall profits from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s defence industry and energy recovery. Today, we have adopted a sixteenth sanctions package to further increase collective pressure on Russia to end its war of aggression.
In parallel, we have taken unprecedented actions at the EU level to ramp up European defence industry production, and we will continue to increase our capacity. This will allow us to step up our military support and cooperation with Ukraine while simultaneously strengthening our defence readiness and European sovereignty.
Ukraine is part of our European family. Ukrainians have expressed their wish for a future within the European Union. We have acknowledged that by granting Ukraine the status of candidate country and launched accession negotiations. Ukraine has made significant progress in accession related reforms under the most challenging circumstances. We are already integrating Ukraine into the EU’s internal market. The future of Ukraine and its citizens lies within the European Union.
In a challenging international and geopolitical environment, we stress the importance of maintaining transatlantic and global solidarity with Ukraine. We highlight the need to ensure the international community’s continued focus on supporting Ukraine in achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace based on the Ukrainian peace formula.
We stand firm with Ukraine, reaffirming that peace, security, and justice will prevail.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Vehicle theft equipment to be banned under new government law
Possession or distribution of electronic devices used to commit vehicle theft will be banned, carrying a maximum sentence of 5 years.
Sophisticated electronic devices used by criminals in 40% of vehicle thefts in England and Wales will be banned under new laws, as part of the government’s mission to make the nation’s streets safer.
Having your vehicle stolen is a costly and distressing experience for victims. It disrupts livelihoods, stopping people from working and from seeing their families.
As the government works to prevent crimes from impacting working people’s lives, police officers and the courts will be given new powers to target criminals who steal vehicles using electronic devices, including ‘signal jammers’, along with the organised groups who manufacture and supply these devices.
Previously, prosecution for handling these devices was only possible if it could be proved by police that they had been used to commit a specific crime.
Under these new laws, anyone who is found in possession of one, or to have imported, made, adapted or distributed them, could receive a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment and an unlimited fine. The burden of proof will instead fall on the owner to prove they were using the device for a legitimate purpose, to avoid being prosecuted.
This new measure acts on a key milestone in our Plan for Change to protect our neighbourhoods and is part of the government’s flagship Crime and Policing Bill, which will be introduced to Parliament on Tuesday.
Minister for Policing, Crime and Fire Prevention, Dame Diana Johnson, said:
These thefts have a devastating effect on victims, who need their vehicles to go about their everyday lives. We are aware of the real concerns people feel with the use of these electronic devices being so prolific.
This is why we are introducing new laws focused on tackling this issue at source, which is what our Safer Streets mission and Plan for Change are all about. These new laws will prevent these devices from getting into the hands of thieves and organised crime groups.
We will also continue to work closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, which includes supporting their National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership, which brings together the police and manufacturers to clamp down on vehicle crime.
The most common way theft from a vehicle – or the theft of the vehicle itself – occurs is with the use of these electronic devices, with keyless repeaters and signal amplifiers being used to scramble the signal from remote locking devices.
According to the 2022 to 2023 Crime Survey for England and Wales, an offender manipulated a signal from a remote locking device in 40% of thefts of vehicles. There were also 732,000 incidents of vehicle-related theft in the year ending September 2024.
The Metropolitan Police Service estimates that, in London, signal jammers are used in approximately 60% of vehicle theft.
A significant proportion of vehicle theft is driven by organised crime groups, as there is a demand for stolen vehicles, which means this is a highly attractive and lucrative area for criminals to gain profit. Organised criminals are constantly trying to find ways to overcome security measures on vehicles, even in the latest models, by exploiting vulnerabilities in vehicles and new technologies.
In support of the new measures, RAC head of policy Simon Williams said:
With government statistics showing an average of 370 vehicles being stolen every day, outlawing the possession and distribution of signal jammers cannot come soon enough and we welcome the government’s action on this.
Having your car stolen is not only a violation, it causes massive amounts of stress and inconvenience as well as higher insurance costs for the individual concerned and drivers generally.
AA president, Edmund King, said:
This is a positive step, and these tougher sentences should make would-be thieves think again before stealing cars. As fast as vehicle technology has evolved, thieves have always tried to keep pace and beat the security systems.
Relay theft and signal jamming is all too frequent and these measures will give police forces more opportunities to tackle car crime.
ACC Jenny Sims, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime said:
We welcome the announcement of new offences to criminalise the possession, manufacture, sale and supply of signal jammers which have provided an easily accessible tool for criminals to use in the theft of vehicles for far too long.
These devices have no legitimate purpose, apart from assisting in criminal activity, and reducing their availability will support policing and industry in preventing vehicle theft which is damaging to both individuals and businesses.
Członkowie zespołu JIT pracują nad wspólną strategią organów prokuratorskich, w której priorytetowo traktuje się postępowania przygotowawcze w sprawie zbrodni agresji, przestępstw związanych ze stosowaniem tortur, złego traktowania i filtracji w odniesieniu do nielegalnych miejsc zatrzymań, a także zbrodni ludobójstwa.
Od marca 2022 r. Agencja zorganizowała 26 spotkań koordynacyjnych z udziałem członków zespołu JIT i innych organów krajowych prowadzących postępowania przygotowawcze w sprawie najpoważniejszych zbrodni wagi międzynarodowej, które według doniesień popełniono w Ukrainie. Umożliwiło to zaangażowanym krajom wymianę danych dotyczących krajowych postępowań przygotowawczych, omówienie strategii i priorytetów oraz koordynację czynności w ramach postępowań przygotowawczych.
Eurojust zobowiązuje się do dalszego wspierania tej ważnej pracy zespołu JIT, w związku z czym przeznaczył około pół miliona euro na finansowanie jego działalności.
ICPA: postępy w pracach nad solidnym pakietem dowodowym dotyczącym zbrodni agresji
W ciągu ostatnich sześciu miesięcy ICPA poczyniło znaczne postępy w opracowywaniu solidnego pakietu dowodowego. Pakiet ten opiera się na wspólnej, uzgodnionej przez uczestników ICPA strategii organów prokuratorskich w ramach postępowań przygotowawczych dotyczącej zbrodni agresji.
Pakiet dowodowy ma zostać przekazany do przyszłego biura prokuratora ewentualnego specjalnego trybunału lub innych jurysdykcji.
ICPA zapewniało i nadal zapewnia gromadzenie i wstępną analizę potencjalnych dowodów, które mogą dotyczyć osób na najwyższych szczeblach kierownictwa wojskowego i politycznego. Prace w ramach postępowań przygotowawczych nie są ograniczone zakresem oficjalnych stanowisk, które mogą zajmować dane osoby.
W miarę trwania agresji w Ukrainie pojawia się coraz więcej dowodów, które ICPA aktywnie bada.
ICPA otrzymało dodatkowe finansowanie, a w styczniu 2025 r. jego działalność przedłużono o sześć miesięcy. W tym celu Eurojust i Służba Komisji Europejskiej ds. Instrumentów Polityki Zagranicznej podpisały zmianę do umowy o przyznanie wkładu.
CICED: ponad 3700 materiałów dowodowych
CICED to unikalna, dostosowana do potrzeb sądowa baza danych utworzona przez Eurojust w celu ochrony, analizowania i przechowywania dowodów najpoważniejszych zbrodni wagi międzynarodowej. CICED umożliwia Agencji wspieranie krajowych organów wymiaru sprawiedliwości w identyfikacji dowodów znajdujących się w innym kraju, które mogą mieć znaczenie dla ich własnych postępowań przygotowawczych. Do tej pory 16 państw przedłożyło do CICED ponad 3700 materiałów dowodowych.
W styczniu 2025 r. nowe narzędzie tłumaczeniowe umożliwiło przetłumaczenie złożonych przez organy krajowe materiałów dowodowych z 19 języków na język angielski. Był to przełom, który znacznie przyspieszył prace analityczne Agencji. W rezultacie funkcja wyszukiwania w bazie danych zapewnia bardziej precyzyjne wyniki, a na wnioski o udzielenie informacji składane przez organy krajowe można odpowiadać szybciej.
Eurojust dokłada wszelkich starań, aby odpowiedzieć na wnioski organów krajowych o wsparcie prowadzonych przez nie postępowań przygotowawczych w sprawie najpoważniejszych zbrodni wagi międzynarodowej. Agencja wykazuje się również proaktywnością w identyfikowaniu materiałów, które uznaje za przydatne w prowadzonych krajowych postępowaniach przygotowawczych.
Kontekst:
Od wybuchu wojny Eurojust odgrywa wiodącą rolę w dążeniu do zapewnienia odpowiedzialności za rosyjskie zbrodnie. Zaledwie trzy tygodnie po pełnoskalowej inwazji dokonanej przez Rosję w 2022 r. Eurojust wsparł utworzenie zespołu JIT, który obecnie składa się z Ukrainy i sześciu państw członkowskich UE, z udziałem MTK i Europolu, a także obejmuje protokół ustaleń ze Stanami Zjednoczonymi.
W rozdrobnionym i złożonym kontekście operacyjnym, podczas gdy wojna cały czas trwa, a dowody są rozproszone w krajach o różnych systemach prawnych, udział w zespole JIT umożliwia partnerom bezpośrednią wymianę informacji w czasie rzeczywistym. Pomaga też członkom zespołu JIT usprawnić swoje postępowania przygotowawcze, ponieważ zaangażowane organy krajowe mogą teraz skupić się na aktywnej pracy nad własnymi sprawami.
Eurojust zapewnia zespołowi JIT specjalistyczną wiedzę prawną i analityczną, a także wsparcie logistyczne i finansowe.
Od marca 2022 r. Eurojust aktywnie uczestniczy w pracach unijnej grupy zadaniowej „Freeze and Seize” utworzonej przez Komisję Europejską, aby zapewnić skuteczne wdrożenie sankcji UE wobec wymienionych w wykazie oligarchów rosyjskich i białoruskich w całej Unii Europejskiej. Eurojust zapewnia grupie zadaniowej wsparcie operacyjne, koordynując egzekwowanie przez państwa członkowskie sankcji unijnych za pośrednictwem prawa karnego.
Wraz z ukraińską Prokuraturą Generalną Eurojust współprzewodniczy zespołowi roboczemu ds. krajowych postępowań przygotowawczych w ramach Dialogue Group on Accountability for Ukraine (Grupy Dialogu na rzecz Odpowiedzialności wobec Ukrainy). Zadaniem tego zespołu jest zidentyfikowanie kluczowych wyzwań w sprawach dotyczących najpoważniejszych zbrodni wagi międzynarodowej i wspólne zaproponowanie rozwiązań na poziomie politycznym, na przykład w zakresie wykorzystania zebranych ze źródeł jawnych dowodów w postępowaniach przygotowawczych w sprawie zbrodni wagi międzynarodowej w kontekście Ukrainy i w ściganiu tych zbrodni.
Więcej informacji:
Więcej informacji na temat różnych działań podjętych przez Eurojust od wybuchu wojny w Ukrainie można znaleźć na naszej specjalnej stronie internetowej.