NewzIntel.com

Category: Crime

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police target anti-social road users ignoring rules

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Waitematā Police targeted boy racers and illegally modified vehicles during the past two weeks, as part of an operation focusing on disrupting anti-social road user behaviour.

    The operation, which took place on the Fridays and Saturdays between 19 and 28 June, succeeded with a string of results including more than 154 infringement notices issued, 10 vehicles impounded and 13 arrests.

    Waitematā District Road Policing Coordinator, Senior Sergeant Damian Albert, says the focus of the operation was not only on illegal and dangerous driving, but driver compliance around licensing and vehicle safety.

    “Altered seatbelts, suspension, exhausts, airbag modifications, window tints, lighting, tyres, and window stickers were just some of the vehicle faults we detected.”

    As well as targeting safety and compliance, officers carried out hundreds of traffic stops, resulting in arrests for drink driving, possession of drugs, breaching bail conditions and various other offences.

    Summons were also issued for driving while disqualified, sustained loss of traction and the serving of demerit suspension notices.

    A team of officers took part in the operation, sending a clear message to boy racers that anti-social and dangerous behaviour on roads won’t be tolerated.

    Senior Sergeant Albert says during the operation officers stopped a motorcycle seen travelling at speed on Lincoln Road.

    “The rider was signalled to stop, and enquiries revealed the rider owed more than $3000 in unpaid fines.”

    The motorcycle was seized by the Ministry of Justice who partnered with Police, and driving infringement notices were issued. 

    “We have a low level of tolerance towards all anti-social road user activity that causes extreme danger to road users and annoyance for our communities,” Senior Sergeant Albert says.

    “Police will continue the great work done during this operation by enforcing any illegal activities on our roads and ensuring all modified vehicles are compliant with legislation.”

    Preliminary results:

    • 154 infringement notices issued
    • 13 people arrested
    • 10 vehicles impounded
    • 45 green stickers
    • 7 pink stickers
    • 4 blue stickers
    • 299 vehicles stopped 

    Anyone that sees anti-social road user behaviour or suspicious activity around vehicles should call Police on 111 if it’s happening now, or you can file a report online at 105.police.govt.nz, or contact us via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-nz.org

    ENDS.

    Amanda Wieneke/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Possession of Machine Gun While on Probation for Two Armed Robberies Nets Felon 57 Months in Prison

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

                WASHINGTON – Derkwon Johnson, 26, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 57 months in prison in connection with being a felon in possession of a loaded Glock 23 equipped with a machine gun conversion device, while he was on probation for two armed robberies, an assault, and other crimes.  The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

                Johnson pleaded guilty on Jan. 29, 2025, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Loren L. AliKhan ordered Johnson to serve three years of supervised release.

                According to court papers, in December 2023, MPD investigators were alerted to Johnson’s posts on Instagram depicting large clear plastic bags of a green leafy substance, a firearm, and ammunition. On Jan. 4, 2024, Officers with the Sixth District Crime Suppression Team executed a residential search warrant on Johnson’s home on the 3600 block of Minnesota Ave. SE.

                Officers entered Johnson’s apartment shortly after 6 a.m. to find six occupants – Johnson, Johnson’ half-sister, and her four small children – in a bed in a second bedroom. In the first bedroom, which was not occupied as police entered, officers recovered a .40 caliber Glock 23 pistol from the top of a piece of bedside furniture. The pistol, loaded with 28 rounds of ammunition, was equipped with a machine gun conversion device.

                Police also recovered a loaded ammunition magazine, a firearm laser attachment, addition ammunition, a bag containing 335 grams of a green leafy substance, a pill bottle containing 40 white pills stamped RP/10 325 (oxycodone), a scale, and $4,704 in cash.

                Investigators searched Johnson’s Instagram account and discovered multiple chats, videos, and messages advertising or arranging for the sale of pills and marijuana between Oct. 4, 2023, and Jan. 4, 2024.

                At the time of the January 4 arrest, Johnson was on probation for 2018 convictions in D.C. Superior Court for conspiracy to commit robbery, two counts of armed robbery, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, possession with intent to distribute (PCP), and assault with a dangerous weapon.

                This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI Washington Field Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Martin.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Indicted for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

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

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man and woman who sold drugs to an undercover agent have been indicted by a federal grand jury. The man was also indicted on firearm charges.

    Marcellus W. Anderson, 31, and Tyra K. M. McGee, 37, were charged today in a 14-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.  Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Anderson and McGee on June 12, 2025.

    The federal indictment charges Anderson and McGee with participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue between December 1, 2023, and June 11, 2025.  They are also charged together in one count of distributing fentanyl and one count of distributing a fentanyl analogue.

    Additionally, Anderson is charged with three counts of distribution of cocaine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, five counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    According to an affidavit filed in support of the original complaint, Anderson sold cocaine to an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on three occasions, methamphetamine on one occasion, fentanyl on six occasions, and a fentanyl analogue on one occasion.  McGee participated in one of the fentanyl transactions and the fentanyl analogue transaction.  Additionally, Anderson had a Glock, Model 27, .40 caliber pistol in his lap during one of the transactions, which he commented was for protection.  Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.  Anderson has a prior felony conviction for receiving stolen firearms.

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

    This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department; and the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force.

    Operation Take Back America

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

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: New special tribunal for Ukraine will pave the way for holding Russian leaders to account for the invasion

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andrew Forde, Assistant Professor – European Human Rights Law, Dublin City University

    A special tribunal has been established by the international human rights organisation the Council of Europe (CoE) and the Ukrainian government to try crimes of aggression against Ukraine which could be used to hold Vladimir Putin and others to account for the February 2022 invasion and war crimes committed since.

    The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, signed an agreement with CoE secretary general, Alain Berset, on June 25, setting up the special tribunal. Subject to it securing the necessary political backing and budget the tribunal will be established within the framework of the CoE (which is not part of the European Union.

    Work on the first phase of the court could progress in 2026. In his speech to the Council of Europe parliamentary assembly in Strasbourg, Zelensky was cautious in his optimism but stressed that the agreement was “just the beginning”.

    “It will take strong political and legal cooperation to make sure every Russian war criminal faces justice – including Putin,” he said. He knows, through years of hard experience as he travelled the world seeking help from Ukraine’s allies, that political support can be fleeting.

    A new Nuremberg?

    Inspired by ad hoc courts established after major conflicts such as the Nuremberg tribunal after the second world war or, more recently the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
     in the 1990s, the Ukraine has been established with the aim of holding to account the perpetrators of the first full-scale armed conflict in Europe in the 21st century.

    The prohibition against the crime of aggression is a basic principle of international law, and a key part of the UN charter.

    In principle, the crime of aggression should be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). But as Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute which underpins the court, that option was ruled out. Similarly, Russia’s veto on the UN security council meant that it would be impossible in practice to practically set up a court under the mandate of the UN – as the ICTY was in 1993.

    The Ukraine special tribunal, which was developed by a Core Group, made up of states plus the EU and the Council of Europe, seeks to fill an obvious accountability gap. If the illegal invasion is left unpunished, it would set a dangerous precedent.

    Such impunity would embolden Russia and inspire others with revanchist ambitions, undermining an already shaky international order. The US, which was instrumental in setting up the Core Group under the presidency of Joe Biden, withdrew in March 2025 when Donald Trump took office.

    The statute of the special tribunal sets out that the court will be based on Ukrainian law and will have a strong link to the country’s legal system. Ukraine’s prosecutor-general will play a key role in the proceedings, referring evidence for further investigation by the tribunal. But it will be internationally funded with international judges and prosecutors, and strong cooperation with the International Criminal Court. It is likely to be based in the Hague – although this has yet to be confirmed.

    The need for accountability for the illegal invasion of Ukraine was stressed in a resolution of the UN general assembly in February 2023 as the war headed into its second year. The resolution, which calls for “appropriate, fair and independent investigations and prosecutions at the national or international level” to “ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes” was approved by an overwhelming majority of 141 states. Any country in the world can join this core group to support its establishment.

    Holding leaders accountable

    Unlike previous international courts, the caseload is likely to be extremely narrow. There are likely to be dozens of charges rather than hundreds or thousands, which is perhaps reassuring in terms of managing costs.

    The tribunal will focus on those “most responsible” including the so-called “troika”: the president Vladimir Putin, prime minister Mikhail Mishustin and the minister for foreign affairs Sergey Lavrov. Charges may also be levelled against the leadership of Belarus and North Korea for their role in aiding, abetting and actively participating in the war of aggression. But don’t expect Kim Jong-un or Alexander Lukashenko in the dock anytime soon.

    The Court has opted for a novel approach to a longstanding customary rule by noting that heads of state are not functionally immune from prosecution. But it adds that indictments won’t be confirmed until such time as the suspect is no longer in office.

    Trials can take place in absentia if the accused fails to attend and all reasonable steps taken to apprehend them have failed. But, like the ICC, the court will still rely on states to apprehend and physically transfer indicted individuals in due course. This will inevitably limit the chances of seeing any of the key individuals actually in a court, something that has also dogged the ICC.

    The fact that a tribunal has now been set up is a major development in international criminal justice. But it is now in a sort of purgatory, existing and not existing at the same time. To become operational, another treaty known as an enlarged partial agreement must be signed by interested states. This will have to be ratified by many national parliaments, depending on their constitutions. This process could take years.

    But simply by creating the framework for the tribunal, the Council of Europe has demonstrated its commitment to ensuring accountability. In a further development, the European Court of Human Rights delivers its long-awaited judgment in the case of Ukraine and the Netherlands v Russia on July 9.

    This concerns “complaints about the conflict in eastern Ukraine involving pro-Russian separatists which began in 2014, including the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, and the Russian military operations in Ukraine since 2022”. The judgement will add further momentum to these accountability efforts.

    Symbolic as it may seem, this week’s agreement creates a real opportunity for the international community to send a message that impunity for international aggression is intolerable – not just for the victims, but for all who believe in the rule of law.

    Andrew Forde is affiliated with Dublin City University (Assistant Professor, European Human Rights Law). He is also, separately, affiliated with the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Commissioner).

    – ref. New special tribunal for Ukraine will pave the way for holding Russian leaders to account for the invasion – https://theconversation.com/new-special-tribunal-for-ukraine-will-pave-the-way-for-holding-russian-leaders-to-account-for-the-invasion-260022

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Ibn Battuta, a 14th-century judge and ambassador, travelled further than Marco Polo. The Rihla records his adventures

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Ismail Albayrak, Professor of Islam and Catholic Muslim Relations, Australian Catholic University

    In our guides to the classics, experts explain key literary works.

    Ibn Battuta, was born in Tangier, Morocco, on February 24, 1304. From a statement in his celebrated travel book the Rihla (“legal affairs are my ancestral profession,”) he evidently came from an intellectually distinguished family.

    According to the Rihla (travelogue), Ibn Battuta embarked on his travels from Tangier at the age of 22 with the intention of performing the Hajj (the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca) in 1325. Although he returned to Fez (his adopted home-town) around the end of 1349, he continued to visit various regions, including Granada and Sudan, in subsequent years.

    Over the course of his almost 30 years of travel, Ibn Battuta covered an astonishing distance of approximately 73,000 miles (117,000 kilometres), visiting a region that today encompasses more than 50 countries. His journeys covered much of the medieval Islamic world and beyond, excluding Northern Europe.

    In 1355, he returned to Morocco for the last time and remained there for the rest of his life. Upon his return he dictated his experiences, observations and anecdotes to the Andalusian scholar Ibn Juzayy, with a compilation of his travels completed in 1355 or 1356.

    The work, formally titled A Gift to Researchers on the Curiosities of Cities and the Marvels of Journeys, is more commonly referred to as Rihlat Ibn Battuta or simply Rihla.

    A painting of Ibn Battuta (on right) in Egypt by Leon Benett.
    Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    More than a travelogue or geographical record, this book provides rich insights into 14th-century social and political life, capturing cultural diversity across nations. Ibn Battuta details local lifestyles, linguistic traits, beliefs, clothing, cuisines, holidays, artistic traditions and gender relations, as well as commercial activities and currencies.

    His observations also include geographical features such as mountains, rivers and agricultural products. Notably, the work highlights his encounters with over 60 sultans and more than 2,000 prominent figures, making it a valuable historical resource.

    The travels

    His travels began after a dream. According to Ibn Battuta, one night, while in Fuwwa, a town near Alexandria in Egypt, he dreamed of flying on a massive bird across various lands, landing in a dark, greenish country.

    To test the local sheikh’s mystical knowledge, he decided if the sheikh knew of his dream, he was truly extraordinary. The next morning, after leading the dawn prayer, he saw the sheikh bid farewell to visitors. Later, the sheikh astonishingly revealed knowledge of Ibn Battuta’s dream and prophesied his pilgrimage through Yemen, Iraq, Turkey and India.

    At the time, the Middle East was under the rule of the Mamluk sultanate, Anatolia was divided among principalities and the Mongol Ilkhanate state controlled Iran, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.

    Ibn Battuta initially travelled through North Africa, Egypt, Palestine and Syria, completing his first Hajj in 1326.

    He then visited Iraq and Iran, returning to Mecca. In 1328, he explored East Africa, reaching Mogadishu, Mombasa, Sudan and Kilwa (modern Tanzania), as well as Yemen, Oman and Anatolia, where he documented cities like Alanya, Konya, Erzurum, Nicaea and Bursa.

    His descriptions are vivid. Describing the city of Dimyat, on the bank of the Nile, he says:

    Many of the houses have steps leading down to the Nile. Banana trees are especially abundant there, and their fruit is carried to Cairo in boats. Its sheep and goats are allowed to pasture at liberty day and night, and for this reason the saying goes of Dimyat, ‘Its wall is a sweetmeat and its dogs are sheep’. No one who enters the city may afterwards leave it except by the governor’s seal […]

    Farmland on the banks of the Nile river today.
    Alice-D/shutterstock

    When it comes to Anatolia (in modern-day Turkey), he declares:

    This country, known as the Land of Rum, is the most beautiful in the world. While Allah Almighty has distributed beauty to other lands separately, He has gathered them all here. The most beautiful and well-dressed people live in this land, and the most delicious food is prepared here […] From the moment we arrived, our neighbors — both men and women — showed great concern for our wellbeing. Here, women do not shy away from men; when we departed, they bid us farewell as if we were family, expressing their sadness through tears.

    A judge and husband

    In 1332, Ibn Battutua met the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos.
    Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    Since Ibn Battuta dictated his work, it’s difficult to assess the extent of the scribe’s influence in recording his narratives. Despite being an educated man, he occasionally narrates like a commoner and sometimes exceeds the bounds of polite language. At times, he provides excessive detail, giving the impression he may be quoting from sources beyond his own observations.

    Nevertheless, the Rihla stands out for its engaging style and captivating anecdotes, drawing readers in.

    Ibn Battuta later journeyed through Crimea, Central Asia, Khwarezm (a large oasis region in the territories of present-day Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), Bukhara (a city in Uzbekistan), and the Hindu Kush Mountains. In 1332, he met Byzantine Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos and travelled to Istanbul with the caravan of Uzbek Khan’s third wife. He mentions a caravan that even has a market:

    Whenever the caravan halted, food was cooked in great brass cauldrons, called dasts, and supplied from them to the poorer pilgrims and those who had no provisions. […] This caravan contained also animated bazaars and great supplies of luxuries and all kinds of food and fruit. They used to march during the night and light torches in front of the file of camels and litters, so that you saw the countryside gleaming with light and the darkness turned into radiant day.

    Ibn Battuta arrived in Delhi in 1333, where he served as a judge under Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq for seven years. He married or was married to local women in many of the places he stayed. Among his wives were ordinary people as well as the daughters of the administrative class.

    Miniature painting in Mughal style depicting the court of Muhammad bin Tughluq.
    Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    The Sultan’s generosity, intelligence and unconventional ruling style both impressed and surprised Ibn Battuta. However, Muhammad bin Tughluq was known for making excessively harsh and abrupt decisions at times, which led Ibn Battuta to approach him with caution. Nevertheless, with the Sultan’s support, he remained in India for a long time and was eventually chosen as an ambassador to China in 1341.

    In 1345 his mission was disrupted when his ship capsized off the coast of Calcutta (then known as Sadqawan) in the Indian Ocean. Though he survived, he lost most of his possessions.

    After the incident, he remained in India for a while before continuing his journey by other means. During this period, he travelled through India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. He served as a judge in the latter for one and a half years. In 1345, he journeyed to China via Bengal, Burma and Sumatra, reaching the city of Guangzhou but limiting his exploration to the southern coast.

    He was among the first Arab travellers to record Islam’s spread in the Malay Archipelago, noting interactions between Muslims and Hindu-Buddhist communities. Visiting Java and Sumatra, he praised Sultan Malik al-Zahir of Sumatra as a generous, pious and scholarly ruler and highlighted his rare practice of walking to Friday prayers.

    On his return, Ibn Battuta explored regions such as Iran, Iraq, North Africa, Spain and the Kingdom of Mali, documenting the vast Islamic world.

    Back in his homeland, Ibn Battuta served as a judge in several locations. He died around 1368-9 while serving as a judge in Morocco and was buried in his birthplace, Tangier.

    Historic copy of selected parts of the Travel Report by Ibn Battuta, 1836 CE, Cairo.
    Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    The status of women

    Ibn Battuta’s travels revealed intriguing insights into the status of women across regions. In inner West Africa, he observed matriarchal practices where lineage and inheritance were determined by the mother’s family.

    Among Turks, women rode horses like raiders, traded actively and did not veil their faces.

    In the Maldives, husbands leaving the region had to abandon their wives. He noted that Muslim women there, including the ruling woman, did not cover their heads. Despite attempting to enforce the hijab as a judge, he failed.

    He offers fascinating insights into food cultures. In Siberia, sled dogs were fed before humans. He described 15-day wedding feasts in India.

    He tried local produce such as mango in the Indian subcontinent, which he compared to an apple, and sun-dried, sliced fish in Oman.

    Religious practices

    Ibn Battuta’s accounts of the Hajj (pilgrimage) rituals he performed six times provide a unique perspective. He references a fatwa by Ibn Taymiyyah, prominent Islamic scholar and theologian known for his opposition to theological innovations and critiques of Sufism and philosophy, advising against shortening prayers for those travelling to Medina.

    Ibn Battuta’s accounts, particularly regarding the Iranian region, offer important perspectives into religious sects during a period when Iran started shifting from Sunnism to Shiism. He describes societies with diverse demographics, including Persians, Azeris, Kurds, Arabs and Baluchis. His observations on religious practices are especially significant.

    Inclined toward Sufism, Ibn Battuta often dressed like a dervish during his travels. He offers a compelling view of Islamic mysticism. He considered regions like Damascus as places of abundance and Anatolia as a land of compassion, interpreting them with a spiritual perspective.

    His accounts of Sufi education, dervish lodges, zawiyas (similar to monasteries), and tombs, along with the special invocations of Sufi masters, are important historical records. He also observed and documented unique practices, such as the followers of the Persian Sufi saint Sheikh Qutb al-Din Haydar wearing iron rings on their hands, necks, ears, and even private parts to avoid sexual intercourse.

    While Ibn Battuta primarily visited Muslim lands, he also travelled to non-Muslim territories, offering key understandings into different religious cultures, for instance interactions between Crimean Muslims and Christian Armenians in the Golden Horde region.

    He also documented churches, icons and monasteries, such as the tomb of the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem. His observation of Muslims openly reciting the call to prayer (adhan) in China is significant.

    Other anecdotes include the division of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus into a mosque and Christian church. Most importantly, his encounters with Hindus and Buddhists in the Indian subcontinent and Malay Islands provide rich historical context.

    Umayyad Mosque, Damascus.
    eyetravelphotos/shutterstock

    His accounts of death rituals reveal diverse practices. In Sinop (a city in Turkey), 40 days of mourning were declared for a ruler’s mother, while in Iran, a funeral resembled a wedding celebration. He observed similarities in cremation practices between India and China and described a chilling custom in some regions where slaves and concubines were buried alive with the deceased.

    Ibn Battuta’s Rihla, widely translated into Eastern and Western languages, has drawn some criticism for containing depictions that sometimes diverge from historical continuity or borrow from other works. Ibn Battuta himself admitted to using earlier travel books as references.

    Despite limited recognition in older sources, the Rihla gained prominence in the West in the 19th century. His legacy remains vibrant today. Morocco declared 1996–1997 the “Year of Ibn Battuta,” and established a museum in Tangier to honour him. In Dubai, a mall is named after him.

    Notably, Ibn Battuta travelled to more destinations than Marco Polo and shared a broader range of humane anecdotes, showcasing the depth and diversity of his experiences.

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

    – ref. Ibn Battuta, a 14th-century judge and ambassador, travelled further than Marco Polo. The Rihla records his adventures – https://theconversation.com/ibn-battuta-a-14th-century-judge-and-ambassador-travelled-further-than-marco-polo-the-rihla-records-his-adventures-246148

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Making New York Safer During Gun Violence Awareness Month

    Source: US State of New York

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    New York State Office of Victim Services Director Bea Hanson said, “Communities across New York State are experiencing record-low incidents of gun violence, but some communities still experience more gun violence than others. And we know that even one victim is one too many. All survivors, their families and communities need continued support, increased access to services, and expanded programs that focus on both prevention and intervention. OVS is proud to support the work of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and remains committed to ensuring that all survivors have the resources they need to recover and thrive. We thank Governor Hochul for prioritizing public safety and for her unwavering support to continue reducing gun violence in all our communities.”

    State Senator Zellnor Myrie said, “At a time when the Trump Administration is rolling back efforts to stop gun violence nationwide, New York continues to lead the way. The Office of Gun Violence Prevention will coordinate efforts among localities and community groups, collect and share data on best practices, and help organizations on the front lines of this fight weather the storms coming from Washington. Our community deserves a whole-of-government approach to ending gun violence, and I am proud to have led the effort to establish OGVP alongside Assemblymember Monique Chandler-Waterman and advocates who are fighting for public safety.”

    State Senator Nathalia Fernandez said, “Gun violence has cut too many lives short — and the current administration has turned their backs on us by closing the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. By codifying the Office of Gun Violence Prevention in New York, we’re saying that our right to safety, community, and to life itself is worth defending. I thank Governor Hochul for not only responding to gun violence, but also investing in the infrastructure to prevent it.”

    Assemblymember Monique Chandler-Waterman said, “We are at a pivotal moment in time with these vital investments of securing in state stature the NYS Office of Gun Violence Prevention. This office will be rooted in data collection, public education, wrap-around services, community collaboration, providing funding to local anti-violence groups and effective coordination between agencies and stakeholders. We are taking a bold step toward ending gun violence and addressing the trauma that continues to devastate our communities. While also codifying a new term called mass gun violence that will activate this office to coordinate resources to impacted communities. Thank you to the Governor for prioritizing our survivors, community members and anti-violence community based organizations on the ground doing this important work. As the co-chair of the NYS Anti-Gun Violence Subcommittee of the NYS Black Puerto Rican Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus I am proud of the movement we’ve made here in New York that will serve as a model for states across the country—especially at a time when federal funding for comprehensive, preventative approaches to gun violence is being slashed. Deepened financial investments will ensure long-term support to address this public health crisis in a real and lasting way. This is a step in the right direction and I will continue to advocate for more investments until the day we can say not another loved one was murdered due to gun violence.”

    State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey said, “Codifying the State Office of Gun Violence Prevention is about building a lasting commitment to saving lives. As we see a decline in shootings, we cannot grow complacent. Now is the time to double down, to institutionalize the progress we’ve made and ensure our strategies are permanent, proactive, and rooted in community. This Office will serve as a centralized hub for prevention, coordination, and innovation to keep the voices of those most impacted at the center of the conversation. Thank you to Senator Zellnor Myrie and Assembly Member Monique Chandler-Waterman for sponsoring the bill. I thank Governor Kathy Hochul, Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie for their continued leadership and their partnership in making public safety a priority for every neighborhood across the State of New York.”

    State Senator Kristen Gonzalez said, “As the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans cut funding for violence prevention and dismantle offices to address this crisis our state is showing leadership. Every New Yorker including my constituents deserves to be safe. The codification of a state Office of Gun Violence Prevention will ensure this important initiative can carry on in future administrations and that we can more intentionally track and address this public health emergency. I’m grateful to my colleagues who worked on this legislation and the issue and the Governor for including it in our state budget.”

    State Senator Leroy Comrie said, “Gun violence is a public health crisis that demands a united, data-driven response. I commend Governor Hochul for codifying the Office of Gun Violence Prevention into law and look forward to increased investment in the Crisis Management Services providers who do this work everyday, from Southeast Queens to East Buffalo. With CMS organizations involved at every level, this office will help ensure we’re not only addressing violence when it happens, but working to prevent it in the first place.”

    Assemblymember Michaelle Solages said, “While Washington turns its back, New York is stepping up. Governor Hochul, our State Legislature, and local advocates are proving what real action looks like. By making the Office of Gun Violence Prevention permanent, we are saving lives and supporting communities that have been marginalized for too long. The drop in shootings shows this approach works and we will keep going until every New Yorker feels safe.”

    Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz said, “Following alarming spikes of gun violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, New York State has seen a steady decrease in gun violence during the last few years. Many of the investments we’re making, including providing funding for the establishment of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and expanding the duties of the Division of Criminal Justice Services to include gun violence intervention and prevention strategies, will contribute towards our continued success in addressing gun violence. Legislation has also been a key factor contributing to the decline of gun violence, including my law requiring a person who seeks to obtain a gun license or purchase a firearm to be made aware of the dangers of ownership, including the increased risk of suicide, death during domestic disputes, and unintentional deaths of others while and making them aware of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. I look forward to continuing to work with my partners in government in reaching our ultimate goal of eradicating the scourge of gun violence in our state.”

    Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia said, “Gun violence has devastated too many families in the Bronx and across New York State. By making the Office of Gun Violence Prevention permanent, our state is making it clear that we will not turn our backs on the communities most impacted by this crisis. This office will strengthen violence interruption efforts, increase access to youth programs, and provide long-term support to grassroots organizations working on the frontlines.”

    “By codifying the State’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention, we’re increasing the impact of our efforts to mitigate gun crimes in New York and working directly with the communities most affected by gun violence to fundamentally change the way we address and combat this public health crisis across our state.”

    Governor Kathy Hochul

    Assemblymember Nikki Lucas said, “I am in support of the establishment of an Office of Gun Violence. Members of my district like New Yorkers across our state, hold accountable government to provide Public Safety services for all. The Office of Gun Violence is another crucial step that protects all New Yorkers including families, domestic violence survivors, police officers, incarcerated individuals along with providing critical psychological testing for candidates in need. I am happy to stand with Governor Hochul along with my colleagues in government who have worked to make this a reality.”

    Assemblymember Brian Cunningham said, “We’ve seen gun violence go down in my district because prevention works. The Office of Gun Violence Prevention, now formally established in the state budget, will expand that impact by coordinating funding, supporting local groups, and improving accountability. Communities most affected by gun violence deserve strategic, evidence-based solutions, and the Governor’s work here positions New York to deliver them.”

    Assemblymember Landon Dais said, “Here in the Bronx, we have unfortunately seen Gun violence devastate too many families for far too long. The formal establishment of New York’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention is a critical step in making sure our communities get the resources, coordination, and support they deserve. As a father of two young boys growing up in the Bronx, I recognized the need for a holistic approach to ending gun violence. One that does not only criminalize but finds our youth something to do and prevents them from picking up guns in the first place. I commend Governor Hochul for her commitment to real, lasting solutions because every New Yorker, from the South Bronx to upstate, deserves to feel safe where they live, work, and raise their families.”

    Assemblymember George Alvarez said, “I applaud Governor Hochul on her successful efforts to significantly reduce gun violence over the past year. It’s been my honor to work alongside the Governor and my colleagues in the State legislature to make our communities safer. In the face of declining support for gun safety at the Federal level, I congratulate the Governor on making permanent the Office of Gun Violence Prevention (OGVP). The time is now for New York to take such measures to protect our residents against the ravages of guns on our streets.”

    Assemblymember John Zaccaro, Jr. said, “I was proud to support legislation in this year’s budget that would codify the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and applaud the Governor’s dedication and leadership combating gun violence in our cities. New York State continues to set the benchmark for success in the battle to address the gun epidemic and the numbers don’t lie. Shootings are down 21% in New York City and gun involved homicides are the lowest on record. As we forge ahead, New York will continue to lead with an emphasis on keeping our communities safe.”

    Assemblymember Chantel Jackson said, “As someone who has seen firsthand the pain gun violence inflicts on our communities, I commend Governor Hochul for formalizing New York’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention. This is not just policy, this is about protecting lives, uplifting neighborhoods, and ensuring families can feel safe in their own homes. The data speaks for itself, we’re shown that when we invest in prevention, support our communities, and take a comprehensive approach, we save lives. New York is showing the nation what it means to prioritize public safety, and I am proud to stand alongside this effort.”

    Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. said, “Gun violence has claimed far too many lives and torn apart far too many families across our city. As someone whose career was kick-started by the loss of a close friend to gun violence, I’m proud to work alongside Governor Hochul and all our city and community partners to drive down shootings and save lives in our neighborhoods. From building a new 116th Precinct to addressing the root causes of crime to now codifying the state’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention, we are delivering on a data-driven, community-based approach to gun violence that keeps New York neighborhoods and families safe. The work is never over, however, and these tireless efforts will continue uninterrupted.”

    New York City Council Member Keith Powers said, “Gun violence is a heartbreaking public health crisis. I’m proud that New York has some of the strongest gun safety laws in the country, which are critical to keeping our communities safe. The state’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention leads the way on ensuring guns don’t get into the hands of those who could do harm, and I am glad that it is now a codified part of our state’s efforts to curb violence from firearms.”

    Embedded Flickr Album

    New York City Council Member Kevin C. Riley said, “As a Council Member representing communities deeply impacted by gun violence, I commend Governor Hochul for making the Office of Gun Violence Prevention permanent in New York State law. This office strengthens our ability to invest in life-saving, community-based solutions that address the root causes of violence. We know that public safety is about more than policing; it is about prevention, healing, and opportunity. I look forward to continuing this critical work alongside our state partners to protect our neighborhoods and uplift our youth.”

    New York City Council Member Carlina Rivera said, “New York and our nation continue to face the public health crisis of gun violence. Too many residents still live in fear, and we must double down on comprehensive policies, investments, and community partnerships to stop the violence. I commend Governor Hochul for codifying New York’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention into law, a vital step that will strengthen coordination and expand proven prevention strategies.”

    New York City Council Member Rita Joseph said, “As a mother, an educator, and a proud representative of a community that has felt the devastating impact of gun violence, I wholeheartedly support Governor Hochul’s announcement to formalize the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. This is the kind of bold, compassionate leadership we need—one that recognizes that public safety means investing in prevention, healing, and community. I look forward to working in partnership with the state to ensure that our young people can grow up in neighborhoods free from the threat of gun violence.”

    District Attorneys Association of the State of New York President and Rensselaer County District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly said, “New York State’s prosecutors appreciate Governor Hochul’s commitment to curbing gun violence in our State. My own county, Rensselaer, is one of the 21 counties that are part of the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative that focuses on the reduction of firearm-related homicides and shootings in communities outside of New York City. The support from this program and others led by the Division of Criminal Justice Services has been successful in reducing gun violence and in enhancing gun-involved crime reduction strategies. Along with my fellow District Attorneys and our larger law enforcement community, I look forward to continued partnerships with our state related to tackling gun crimes and supporting victims of those crimes.”

    Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr., said, “While shootings are down 69% in Manhattan compared to this time in 2021, we will not take our eye off the ball. Permanently codifying the Office of Gun Violence Prevention is an important measure to ensure a coordinated response across all corners of the State, and the perfect way to close out gun violence awareness month. I thank Governor Hochul for her steadfast commitment to combatting gun violence.”

    Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said, “Gun violence reached a record low in Brooklyn last year, but we cannot take that progress for granted. A dedicated Office of Gun Violence Prevention will give New York the tools to better coordinate responses, support communities, and develop data-driven strategies to save lives. I commend the Legislature for passing this important and proactive public safety legislation, and I applaud Governor Hochul for signing it into law.”

    Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark said, “One shooting victim is too many so anything we can do to prevent gun violence must be done. Governor Hochul’s strategies to reduce the harm and heartbreak in our community are concrete steps. But efforts must be made to improve opportunities for our youth and to stop the flow of firearms so they do not get into the hands of children.”

    Richmond County District Attorney Michael E. McMahon said, “Although recorded shootings are at a historic low so far this year on Staten Island – one shooting is one shooting too many, and law enforcement needs all the help it can get to eradicate the scourge of gun violence from our communities. From taking nearly 800 firearms off our streets through our gun buyback partnership with the NYPD to implementing precision prosecution in the courtroom, the men and women of my office are committed to removing illegal firearms from our communities and holding those who dare use these dangerous weapons accountable under the law. However, more must be done to prevent acts of gun violence and protect New Yorkers from its deadly consequences. I commend Governor Hochul for codifying the New York State Office of Gun Violence Prevention and for her continued commitment to keeping Staten Islanders and all New Yorkers safe from the threat of gun violence.”

    Newly released data comes from the 28 police departments outside of New York City participating in the state’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative. Cities including Albany, Buffalo and Rochester all reported double-digit reductions in both shooting incidents involving injury and the number of individuals shot. In May 2025, four individuals were killed by gun violence across these jurisdictions, down from 13 in May 2024.

    To build on this progress, OGVP will launch a statewide safe storage public awareness campaign and make $5 million available for community-based organizations to provide safe spaces for youth mentorship, mental health services, and recreational programming in the coming months. The awareness campaign will promote responsible gun ownership and distribute free gun locks to help prevent firearm-related injuries and deaths, especially among children and teens.

    About the Office of Gun Violence Prevention
    The New York State Office of Gun Violence Prevention (OGVP), housed within the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), leads a coordinated statewide approach to preventing gun violence. Its mission is to build a comprehensive, equity-driven public health model that addresses the root causes of violence by strengthening communities and public systems. OGVP plays a central role in New York’s broader violence prevention ecosystem, partnering with the Department of Health (DOH), the Office of Children and Family Services (OFCS), the Office of Mental Health (OMH), the Office of Victim Services (OVS), and State and local stakeholders across New York, including the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). Visit the Office of Gun Violence Prevention webpage to learn more.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 38 Gang Members and Associates Charged in Federal Complaint as a Result of “Operation Shock Collar”

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

    On June 26, 2025, upwards of 550 federal, state, and local law enforcement personnel executed 54 search warrants in the Fresno County city of Huron, and surrounding communities. Throughout the investigation, law enforcement seized firearms, ammunition, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. Eighty‑nine criminal street gang members and associates were arrested and charged with crimes in federal and state court.

    The complaint, unsealed today, charges 38 members and associates of the Huron Dog Life, Coalinga Dog Life, and San Joaquin Ruthless Perro cliques of the Bulldog street gang with various drug and firearms trafficking offenses.

    Announcing the results of Operation Shock Collar today are Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, FBI Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel, Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni, Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, and California Highway Patrol Captain (MAGEC Commander) Jon Staricka.

    “Today’s announcement reflects our Office’s commitment to using every available resource in close coordination with our law enforcement partners to address the root causes of crime and hold gang members and their associates accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “Criminal street gangs inflict real harm on our communities by trafficking deadly drugs and firearms that destroy lives and neighborhoods. I commend the outstanding work of our agents and law enforcement partners in disrupting these criminal networks and safeguarding our communities.”

    “The charges reflect the brazen violence and drug trafficking that have threatened the safety and stability of the greater Fresno area, particularly in rural communities like Huron and Coalinga,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Yesterday’s operation was the culmination of months of collaborative work to disrupt gang-driven violence and the flow of drugs and firearms into Central Valley neighborhoods. This case highlights the power of strong partnerships at every level of law enforcement, all united in the mission to dismantle violent gangs and protect the communities we serve.”

    Fresno County Sheriff Zanoni said, “The collective work done by all law enforcement agencies in this operation will undoubtedly improve the safety and overall quality of life for residents in Fresno County, particularly those living in our smaller rural communities.”

    “This operation is a powerful example of what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies at every level work together with a shared mission: to protect our communities from violent criminal street gangs,” said Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp. “We are determined to send a clear and unwavering message to even the most rural parts of our county—no matter where you are, gang violence and drug trafficking will not be tolerated. I commend the extraordinary efforts of all the agencies involved in this operation.”

    According to the criminal complaint, in February 2024, investigators began an investigation into the Bulldog criminal street gang operating in Fresno County with a specific focus on the ongoing criminal activities of Bulldog cliques in Huron, Coalinga, and San Joaquin. The complaint alleges an extensive criminal conspiracy in which Bulldog members and associates — some of whom were inmates in California prisons and the Fresno County Jail — orchestrated various crimes, including drug and firearms trafficking. On several occasions, members of the drug trafficking conspiracy attempted to smuggle drugs hidden inside their bodies into jails or through holes they punctured in the walls. They used contraband phones to coordinate these smuggling attempts with other gang members and associates.

    Narcotics packaged for smuggling within bodily cavities

    Narcotics packaged for smuggling through holes in jail walls

    Photo depicting hole in jail walls

    Photo depicting hole in jail wall

    This case is the product of an investigation led by the FBI, the Fresno County Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the California Department of Justice Special Operations Unit, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Police Departments of Fresno, Kingsburg, Coalinga, Kerman, Firebaugh, Lemoore, Parlier, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Kings County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert L. Veneman-Hughes, Luke Baty, and Antonio Pataca are prosecuting the case.

    The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi‑agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    This operation is part of Summer Heat, the FBI’s nationwide initiative targeting violent crime during the summer months. As part of this effort, the FBI has launched a multi-pronged offensive to crush violent crime. By surging resources alongside state and local partners, executing federal warrants on violent criminals and fugitives, and dismantling violent gangs nationwide, we are aggressively restoring safety in our communities across the country.

    The defendants charged in the criminal complaint unsealed today are:

    Ignacio Sanchez, aka “Giddy,” 44, of Salinas Valley State Prison, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Ray Pinon, aka “Lil Ray,” 46, of Huron, is charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Benny Gonzales, aka “Huero,” 51, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Ramona Felisciano, 45, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Jennifer Escobedo, 42, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Armando Alfaro, aka “Whisper,” 49, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Luis Amaro Aguilar, 31, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Carly Balboa, 24, of Hanford, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Timothy Chenot, aka “Lil Whisper,” 34, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Barbara Diaz, 55, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Susanna Garcia, 38, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Axel Guevara, aka “Action,” 18, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Carlos Guillen, aka “C-Dog,” 23, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to traffic in firearms.

    Gilberto Hernandez, 27, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Anthony Jeff, aka “Envy,” 46, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Victoria Lima, 44, of Clovis, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Angel Solorio Lopez, aka “Ronzo,” 18, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Ricardo Lopez, aka “R-Dog,” 27, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Damien Murphy, 30, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Bridgett Murphy, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Ricardo Nunez, 22, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Laura Plascencia, aka “LP,” 46, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Gracie Pulido, 38, of Lemoore, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Daniel Loubet Romero, aka “Topo,” 44, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Debbie Sanchez, 60, of Hanford, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Naul Sandoval, 23, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Angel Soto Rios, 42, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Rodrigo Ruvalcaba, aka “Regal,” 40, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Victor Tamayo, 47, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Louis Bonilla, 41, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Crystal Martinez, 38, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Hemir Alonso Fevela Velazquez, 32, of Huron, is charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Herman Vierra Jr., 41, of Fresno, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    Servando Ayala, 30, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license.

    Jose Licea, aka “T-Bird,” 35, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license.

    Alexander Vasquez, aka “A-Dog,” 21, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and conspiracy to traffic in firearms.

    Brian Fornes, 22, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and conspiracy to traffic in firearms.

    Jesus Quesada, aka “Rojo,” 50, of Hanford, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    If convicted, the defendants face a range of sentences from 10 years to life in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: DataGrail Report: Consumer Demand for Data Privacy Surges, Driving Up Business Costs as Data Deletion Requests Rise

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Consumers are reclaiming control of their personal data—and businesses are feeling the impact. DataGrail’s newly released 2025 Data Privacy Trends Report shows a surge in data deletion and do not share requests, skyrocketing privacy expectations globally, and a failure by companies to honor consumer consent – driving up compliance costs across the board.

    DataGrail 2025 Privacy Trends Report Highlights:

    • Data deletion requests are surging, rising 82% year-over-year, surpassing access and do not sell requests for the fourth consecutive year.
    • Compliance costs are skyrocketing, largely due to the manual processing of Data Subject Requests (DSRs). Managing DSRs now costs businesses an estimated $1.26 million annually per 5 million unique website visitors—a 43% increase over 2023.
    • “Do Not Sell” (DNS) requests are gaining significant traction, with an increase of 37% over 2023. This increase is worth noting as organizations face heightened scrutiny from bodies like the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA), which has focused litigation on ensuring companies honor these opt-out requests.
    • New state laws are driving more action. Seven new U.S. state laws went into effect in 2024. As a result, 41% of DSRs in 2024 came from states with active privacy laws – an increase of 229% from the 12.5% of DSRs we received from states with active privacy laws in 2023.
    • 69% of businesses violate consumer consent. Despite consumers setting their opt-out preferences, businesses continue to deploy tracking cookies, risking fines, lawsuits, and damage to their brand.

    “Our 2025 report clearly shows that consumers are taking control over their data privacy rights and are actively exercising those rights by demanding deletion of their data,” said Daniel Barber, co-founder and CEO of DataGrail. “This surge in DSRs, particularly deletions, is making compliance more expensive for organizations. The privacy landscape, driven by stricter laws and heightened enforcement globally, means proactive data privacy management is no longer optional but mandatory for brands.”

    “The trends highlighted in DataGrail’s 2025 report underscore a critical shift in the data privacy landscape,” said Ryan O’Leary, Research Director, Privacy and Legal Technology, IDC. “The significant increase in data deletion requests, coupled with rising compliance costs and continued violations of consumer consent indicates that organizations need to prioritize robust data privacy management.”

    Consumers expect privacy regardless of location or legislation
    Around the world, consumer demand for control over personal data is seeing momentum. Globally, 31.5% of DSRs came from countries without privacy laws. In the U.S., 46.6% of requests were made by people in states that didn’t have privacy laws in effect.

    Majority of businesses not honoring do not sell preferences
    As consumers automate do not sell requests, a majority of organizations are not honoring those requests, putting their organizations at risk for regulatory scrutiny, potentially leading to costly fines, lawsuits, or reputational damage to their brand. An audit of 5,000 websites reveals that 69% of organizations fire 3 or more cookie trackers despite website visitors opting out. This means organizations have not correctly implemented consent mechanisms and are tracking consumer activities to retarget them with ads without their consent.

    Data brokerage industry tops list for most data privacy requests
    Privacy requests in 2024 among data brokers were the highest category of requests across industries. Driven by the California Delete Act, which put renewed pressure on data brokers to honor deletion requests, combined with an uptick in companies that delete data, heightened concern over data breaches, political uncertainty and AI’s expanding use of personal data. These factors are driving a surge in consumer privacy actions and reshaping the data landscape.

    Methodology
    DataGrail analyzed the Data Subject Requests (DSRs) it helped process on behalf of customers from January 1 to December 31, 2023. The customer set has more than 700 million records, where a “record” is defined as a single, individual record associated with a unique identifier within a customer’s database. To determine the cost of processing requests, DataGrail used Gartner’s manual processing estimate of $1,524 per DSR.

    To normalize the data across various company sizes, DataGrail calculated DSRs per one million identities. To account for variability, DataGrail used a “10% trim mean” calculation to determine benchmarks. The dataset includes DSRs submitted under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), along with DSRs received in the U.S. and globally that don’t fall under those regulatory umbrellas. As a United States-based company, with primarily U.S.-based customers, DataGrail’s dataset may skew toward DSRs from the U.S.

    About DataGrail
    DataGrail is the data privacy company for this era. We help brands minimize risk, stay a step ahead of consumer and employee expectations, and safeguard their reputation. Our complete, data privacy platform is powered by patented Risk Intelligence technology that detects shadow IT and makes vulnerable data visible so brands can proactively manage risk. Leveraging responsible automation at scale and the largest integration network in data privacy, DataGrail automates privacy workflows across systems to perform risk assessments, accelerate data subject request (DSR) fulfillment, and optimize resources.

    Headquartered in San Francisco, the world’s most trusted brands partner with DataGrail on their data privacy journey, including Salesforce, FanDuel, Dexcom, Databricks, among others.

    Media Contact
    press@datagrail.io

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Providing for the Revocation of Syria Sanctions

    Source: US Whitehouse

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-175) (Syria Accountability Act), the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-182, title III) (CBW Act), the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, as amended (22 U.S.C. 8791 note) (Caesar Act), the Illicit Captagon Trafficking Suppression Act of 2023 (Public Law 118-50, div. P), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1.  Background.  The United States is committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and its neighbors.  A united Syria that does not offer a safe haven for terrorist organizations and ensures the security of its religious and ethnic minorities will support regional security and prosperity.  The Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury have taken initial steps towards this goal through the issuance on May 23, 2025, of General License 25 and a waiver of sanctions under the Caesar Act. 

    Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of the United States to recognize that circumstances that gave rise to the actions taken in the Executive Orders described in section 3(a) of this order, related to the policies and actions of the former regime of Bashar al-Assad, have been transformed by developments over the past 6 months, including the positive actions taken by the new Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa.  This order supports United States national security and foreign policy goals by directing additional actions, including the removal of sanctions on Syria, the issuance of waivers that permit the relaxation of export controls and other restrictions on Syria, and other actions to be taken by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Secretary of Commerce, as well as by other executive departments and agencies (agencies) of the United States, without providing relief to ISIS or other terrorist organizations, human rights abusers, those linked to chemical weapons or proliferation-related activities, or other persons that threaten the peace, security, or stability of the United States, Syria, and its neighbors. 

    Sec. 3.  Revocation of Syria Sanctions.  (a)  Effective July 1, 2025, I hereby terminate the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13338 of May 11, 2004 (Blocking Property of Certain Persons and Prohibiting the Export of Certain Goods to Syria), and revoke that order, as well as Executive Order 13399 of April 25, 2006 (Blocking Property of Additional Persons in Connection With the National Emergency With Respect to Syria), Executive Order 13460 of February 13, 2008 (Blocking Property of Additional Persons in Connection With the National Emergency With Respect to Syria), Executive Order 13572 of April 29, 2011 (Blocking Property of Certain Persons with Respect to Human Rights Abuses in Syria), Executive Order 13573 of May 18, 2011 (Blocking Property of Senior Officials of the Government of Syria), and Executive Order 13582 of August 17, 2011 (Blocking Property of the Government of Syria and Prohibiting Certain Transactions with Respect to Syria).
         (b)  Pursuant to section 202(a) of the NEA (50 U.S.C. 1622(a)), termination of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13338, as modified in scope and relied upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 13399, Executive Order 13460, Executive Order 13572, Executive Order 13573, and Executive Order 13582 shall not affect any action taken or pending proceeding not finally concluded or determined as of July 1, 2025, any action or proceeding based on any act committed prior to July 1, 2025, or any rights or duties that matured or penalties that were incurred prior to July 1, 2025.

    Sec. 4.  Accountability for the Former Regime of Bashar al‑Assad.  I find that additional steps must be taken to ensure meaningful accountability for perpetrators of war crimes, human rights violations and abuses, and the proliferation of narcotics trafficking networks in and in relation to Syria during the former regime of Bashar al-Assad and by those associated with it.  Perpetrators of such actions threaten to undermine peace, security, and stability in the region, and thereby constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.
         (a)  I hereby expand the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13894 of October 14, 2019 (Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Syria), as amended in and relied on for additional steps taken in Executive Order 14142 of January 15, 2025 (Taking Additional Steps With Respect to the Situation in Syria), to deal with that threat, and accordingly further amend Executive Order 13894 by:
            (i)   striking section 1(a) and inserting, in lieu thereof, the following:
         “Section 1.  (a)  All property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in: 
            (i)  any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State:
              (A)  to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged in, or attempted to engage in, any of the following in or in relation to Syria:
                 (1)  actions or policies that further threaten the peace, security, stability, or territorial integrity of Syria; or
                 (2)  the commission of serious human rights abuse;
              (B)  to be a former government official of the former regime of Bashar al-Assad or a person who acted for or on behalf of such an official;
              (C)  to have engaged in, or attempted to engage in, activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to, the illicit production and international illicit proliferation of captagon;
              (D)  to be responsible for or complicit in, to have directly or indirectly engaged in, or to be responsible for ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing, instances in which a United States national ((i) as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22) or 8 U.S.C. 1408, or (ii) a lawful permanent resident with significant ties to the United States) went missing in Syria during the former regime of Bashar al-Assad; 
              (E)  to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of: 
                 (1)  the former regime of Bashar al-Assad; 
                 (2)  any activity described in subsections (a)(i)(A)–(a)(i)(D) of this section; or 
                 (3)  any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; 
              (F)  to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; or
              (G)  to be an adult family member of a person designated under subsections (a)(i)(A)–(a)(i)(D) of this section.”; and
            (ii)  striking section 2(a) and inserting, in lieu thereof, the following:  
         “Sec. 2.  (a)  The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and other officials of the United States Government as appropriate, is hereby authorized to impose on a foreign person any of the sanctions described in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, upon determining that the person, on or after the date of this order: 
            (i)    is responsible for or complicit in, has directly or indirectly engaged in, or attempted to engage in, or financed the obstruction, disruption, or prevention of efforts to promote a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and its neighbors, including:
              (A)  the convening and conduct of a credible and inclusive Syrian-led constitutional process;
              (B)  the preparation for and conduct of supervised elections, pursuant to the new constitution, that are free and fair and to the highest international standards of transparency and accountability; or
              (C)  the development of a Syrian government that is representative and reflects the will of the Syrian people;
            (ii)   is an adult family member of a person designated under subsection (a)(i) of this section; or
            (iii)  is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, or attempted to engage in, the expropriation of property, including real property, for personal gain or political purposes in Syria.”
         (b)  I additionally amend Executive Order 13606 of April 22, 2012 (Blocking the Property and Suspending Entry into the United States of Certain Persons With Respect to Grave Human Rights Abuses by the Governments of Iran and Syria Via Information Technology), by removing the following text from the preamble:  “Executive Order 13338 of May 11, 2004, as modified in scope and relied upon for additional steps in subsequent Executive Orders” and replacing it with:  “Executive Order 13894 of October 14, 2019, and relied upon for additional steps and further amended in subsequent Executive Orders.”

    Sec. 5.  Caesar Act.  The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall examine whether the criteria set forth in section 7431(a) of the Caesar Act have been met, and on the basis of that examination may, pursuant to the Presidential Memorandum of March 31, 2020 (Delegation of Certain Functions and Authorities Under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020), suspend in whole or in part the imposition of sanctions otherwise required under the Caesar Act.  If the Secretary of State determines to suspend in whole or in part the imposition of such sanctions, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall provide the briefing to the appropriate congressional committees required by section 7431(b) of the Caesar Act within 30 days of such determination.  Further, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall continue to review the situation in Syria, and if the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, determines that the criteria set forth in section 7431(a) are no longer met, the Secretary of State shall reimpose sanctions. 

    Sec. 6.  Syria Accountability Act.  I hereby determine pursuant to section 5(b) of the Syria Accountability Act that it is in the national security interest of the United States to waive the application of subsection (a)(1), with respect to items on the Commerce Control List (supp. No. 1 to 15 C.F.R. part 774) only, and subsection (a)(2)(A) of the Syria Accountability Act only.  The Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees the report required under section 5(b) of that Act.

    Sec. 7.  CBW Act.  (a)  Pursuant to section 307(d)(1)(B) of the CBW Act, I hereby determine and certify that there has been a fundamental change in the leadership and policies of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic.  Accordingly, I hereby waive the following sanctions imposed on Syria for the prior use of chemical weapons under the former regime of Bashar al-Assad:
            (i) the restriction on foreign assistance under section 307(a)(1) of the CBW Act;
            (ii)   the restriction on United States Government credit, credit guarantees, or other financial assistance under section 307(a)(4) of the CBW Act;
            (iii)  the restrictions on the export of national security-sensitive goods and technology under section 307(a)(5) of the CBW Act and on all other goods and technology under section 307(b)(2)(C) of the CBW Act; and
            (iv)   the restriction on United States banks from making any loan or providing any credit to the Government of Syria under section 307(b)(2)(B) of the CBW Act.
         (b)  The Secretary of State shall transmit this waiver determination and report as required by sections 307(d)(1)(B) and (d)(2) of the CBW Act to the appropriate congressional committees.  This waiver shall be effective 20 days after it has been so transmitted.

    Sec. 8.  Counterterrorism Designations.  (a)  The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney General, shall take all appropriate action with respect to the designation of al-Nusrah Front, also known as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and other aliases, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under 8 U.S.C. 1189 and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under 50 U.S.C. 1702 and Executive Order 13224, as well as the designation of Abu Muhammad al Jawlani, commonly known as Ahmed al-Sharaa, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
         (b)  The Secretary of State shall take all appropriate action to review the designation of Syria as a State Sponsor of Terrorism consistent with section 1754(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115-232; 50 U.S.C. 4813(c)), section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act (Public Law 90-629, as amended; 22 U.S.C. 2780), and section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (Public Law 87-195, as amended; 22 U.S.C. 2371).

    Sec. 9.  United Nations.  The Secretary of State shall take appropriate steps to advance United States policy objectives at the United Nations to support a Syria that is stable and at peace and to support Syrian efforts to counter terrorism and comply with its responsibilities and obligations concerning weapons of mass destruction, including chemical and biological weapons.  The Secretary of State is further directed to explore avenues at the United Nations to provide sanctions relief in support of these objectives.

    Sec. 10.  Implementation.  The Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Secretary of Commerce, as appropriate, are hereby authorized to take such actions, including adopting rules and regulations, as may be necessary to implement this order.  The Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Secretary of Commerce may, consistent with applicable law, redelegate any of these functions within their respective agencies.  The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Transportation, as appropriate, is authorized to exercise the functions and authorities conferred upon the President in section 5 of the Syria Accountability Act and to redelegate these functions and authorities consistent with applicable law.  All agencies of the United States shall take all appropriate measures within their authority to implement this order, consistent with applicable law.

    Sec. 11.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
            (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
            (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
         (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
         (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
         (d)  The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Department of State.

                            DONALD J. TRUMP

    THE WHITE HOUSE,
    June 30, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Provides for the Revocation of Syria Sanctions

    Source: US Whitehouse

    TERMINATING SANCTIONS ON SYRIA: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a historic Executive Order terminating the Syria sanctions program to support the country’s path to stability and peace.

    • The Order removes sanctions on Syria while maintaining sanctions on Bashar al-Assad, his associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, persons linked to chemical weapons activities, ISIS or its affiliates, and Iranian proxies.
    • The Order directs the Secretary of State to evaluate suspending sanctions, either in whole or in part if specific criteria are met, under the Caesar Act, a law that sanctions the Assad regime for atrocities.
    • The Order permits the relaxation of export controls on certain goods and waives restrictions on certain foreign assistance to Syria.
    • The Order directs the Secretary of State to review Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s (HTS) designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
    • The Order directs the Secretary of State to review HTS and Ahmed al-Sharaa’s designations as Specially Designated Global Terrorists.
    • The Order directs the Secretary of State to review Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism.
    • The Order directs the Secretary of State to explore avenues for sanctions relief at the United Nations to support stability in Syria.

    GIVING SYRIA A CHANCE TO SUCCEED: President Trump is committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and its neighbors.

    • President Trump wants Syria to succeed—but not at the expense of U.S. interests. While seeking to reengage constructively, this Administration will continue to guard against all threats and monitor progress on key priorities: taking concrete steps toward normalizing ties with Israel, addressing foreign terrorists, deporting Palestinian terrorists and banning Palestinian terrorist groups, helping the United States prevent a resurgence of ISIS, and assuming responsibility for ISIS detention centers in northeast Syria.
    • U.S. sanctions were imposed in response to the Assad regime’s brutal actions against the Syrian people and their direct support for terrorism in the region.
    • Recent positive changes and actions taken by the Government of Syria, after the fall of the brutal Assad Regime, demonstrate promise for a stable and peaceful future.
    • Removing sanctions will support Syria’s efforts to rebuild and counter terrorism without empowering harmful actors.
    • A unified Syria that protects its people and rejects extremism strengthens security and prosperity in the Middle East.
    • This policy aligns with U.S. goals to promote peace and stability in the region while holding accountable those responsible for past atrocities or terrorism.

    PROMISE MADE, PROMISE KEPT: President Trump is delivering on his commitment to give Syria a chance to rebuild and thrive by lifting sanctions and ensuring accountability for harmful actors.

    • On May 13, President Trump announced he would be lifting sanctions on Syria to “give them a chance at greatness.”
      • President Trump: “The sanctions were brutal and crippling and served as an important — really an important function — nevertheless, at the time. But now it’s their time to shine … So, I say, ‘Good luck, Syria.’ Show us something very special.”
    • The Treasury Department quickly took the first step in lifting sanctions on Syria by issuing a general license, known as GL25, to authorize transactions involving the interim Syrian government, its central bank, and state-owned enterprises. Simultaneously, the State Department issued a 180-day waiver of sanctions under the Caesar Act. 
    • President Trump is now fully delivering on that promise by taking bold action to implement the termination of the Syria sanctions program.
    • The world should take notice—if you want to take meaningful steps towards peace and stability, then the United States is willing to move rapidly to support you. 
    • President Trump hopes that Syria’s new government “will hopefully succeed in stabilizing the country in keeping peace.”
    • President Trump believes “there is great potential in working with Syria to stop Radicalism, improve Relations, and secure Peace in the Middle East.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CISA and Partners Urge Critical Infrastructure to Stay Vigilant in the Current Geopolitical Environment

    News In Brief – Source: US Computer Emergency Readiness Team

    Today, CISA, in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3), and the National Security Agency (NSA), released a Fact Sheet urging organizations to remain vigilant against potential targeted cyber operations by Iranian state-sponsored or affiliated threat actors. 

    Over the past several months, there has been increasing activity from hacktivists and Iranian government-affiliated actors, which is expected to escalate due to recent events. These cyber actors often exploit targets of opportunity based on the use of unpatched or outdated software with known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures or the use of default or common passwords on internet-connected accounts and devices.

    At this time, we have not seen indications of a coordinated campaign of malicious cyber activity in the U.S. that can be attributed to Iran. However, CISA, FBI, DC3, and NSA strongly urge critical infrastructure asset owners and operators to implement the mitigations recommended in the joint Fact Sheet, which include: 

    • Identifying and disconnecting operational technology and industrial control systems devices from the public internet,
    • Protecting devices and accounts with strong, unique passwords,
    • Applying the latest software patches, and
    • Implementing phishing-resistant multifactor authentication for access to OT networks.

    Review the joint Fact Sheet: Iranian Cyber Actors May Target Vulnerable US Networks and Entities of Interest and act now to understand the Iranian state-backed cyber threat, assess and mitigate cybersecurity weaknesses, and review and update incident response plans to strengthen your network against malicious cyber actors. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Joint Statement from CISA, FBI, DC3 and NSA on Potential Targeted Cyber Activity Against U.S. Critical Infrastructure by Iran

    News In Brief – Source: US Computer Emergency Readiness Team

    Iranian state-sponsored or affiliated threat actors are known to conduct a range of targeted cyber activity to include exploit known vulnerabilities in unpatched or outdated software, compromise internet-connected accounts and devices that use default or weak passwords and work with ransomware affiliates to encrypt, steal and leak sensitive information.

    At this time, we have not seen indications of a coordinated campaign of malicious cyber activity in the U.S. that can be attributed to Iran. However, we are urging critical infrastructure organizations to stay vigilant to Iranian-affiliated cyber actors that may target U.S. devices and networks. We strongly urge organizations to review our joint fact sheet and implement recommended actions to strengthen our collective defense against this potential cyber activity.

     The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3) and the National Security Agency (NSA) are actively monitoring and coordinating with government, industry, and international partners to identify and share actionable intelligence and provide resources and assistance. We also strongly urge organizations report suspicious or criminal activity related to potential Iranian cyber activity.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Secures More Than $13 Million in Sweeping Takedown of Transportation Companies for Defrauding Medicaid

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a major takedown of 25 transportation companies throughout the state for schemes to steal millions of dollars from Medicaid. In January, Attorney General James announced new investigations into transportation companies that are reimbursed by Medicaid for taking patients to and from health care appointments. As a result of these Office of the Attorney General (OAG) investigations, 16 transportation companies will pay back more than $13 million. In addition, OAG has filed new lawsuits against seven transportation companies for defrauding Medicaid and secured the convictions of two individuals and their companies for their roles in medical transportation fraud schemes. Today’s statewide takedown includes companies located in New York City, the Capital Region, Western New York, Westchester County, Central New York, and on Long Island.

    “When companies make up fake bills and exploit patients to overcharge Medicaid, they take resources away from a program that allows the most vulnerable New Yorkers to get health care,” said Attorney General James. “My office launched a sweeping investigation of the medical transportation industry to root out fraud, and we are getting results. From Buffalo to the Bronx, we’re holding scammers accountable and returning millions of dollars in stolen funds to Medicaid, a taxpayer funded program. I will continue to go after anyone who tries to profit by undermining our health care system.”

    Medicaid reimburses authorized businesses for transporting Medicaid patients to and from covered medical services. A licensed taxi company enrolls with the state as an eligible provider and is then randomly assigned to provide trips to patients to specific, non-emergency, medical appointments. The companies must use licensed drivers, proper vehicles, and bill only for services actually rendered. They are allowed to bill Medicaid for a base rate for the trip, plus an amount for mileage and any tolls.

    The OAG’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) has investigated transportation companies across the state for using fake billing and other fraudulent tactics to steal Medicaid funds. The companies’ schemes often involve billing Medicaid for fake trips, adding fake tolls to inflate costs, fraudulently extending the mileage of trips, and using unlicensed drivers. In some cases, companies exploit vulnerable Medicaid recipients by paying them kickbacks in exchange for requesting transportation services from the company. These kickback schemes can put already vulnerable New Yorkers at even greater risk. MFCU investigators have uncovered cases in which transportation companies exploited Medicaid recipients in need of substance abuse treatment to recruit passengers to use in fake billing schemes.

    Attorney General James today announced that OAG has secured 16 settlements with transportation companies worth a combined $13 million:

    • American Base No. 1, a Bronx-based company, will pay $4,775,869.61 to resolve civil and criminal allegations that the company operated illegally to steal millions of dollars from Medicaid. MFCU’s investigation found, among other things, that the mileage claimed by American Base drivers was grossly inflated, as they billed vastly more paid trip miles than their vehicle odometers read at mandatory NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) inspections. American Base drivers also claimed impossible amounts of daily services, such as one driver who claimed 96 unique trips amounting to 2,158 miles during just one day. Many Medicaid patients whom American Base claimed to bill for had never heard of the company nor actually used Medicaid taxi services, and others admitted to being paid kickbacks by drivers to request rides from American Base.
    • Agape Luxury Corp, a Bronx-based company, paid $2.45 million to resolve allegations that the company falsely increased the mileage of its trips that it submitted for reimbursement to Medicaid. Agape also failed to follow New York City TLC requirements for legal operation and failed to maintain legally required records.
    • NBT Transportation, a Bronx-based company, paid $1,516,617.00 to resolve allegations that the company submitted claims to Medicaid for fake toll expenses.
    • Angel Medical Transportation, a Schenectady-based company, paid $1.1 million to resolve allegations that the company submitted claims to Medicaid for transportation services that did not occur and that were provided by drivers who lacked proper licenses.
    • Lakeview Global, a Clarence-based company, paid $684,308.18 to resolve allegations that the company claimed trips that did not occur or used false addresses that resulted in excess payments.
    • U.S. Trips and Trade, a Westchester-based company, paid $500,000 to resolve allegations that the company submitted inflated and fake tolls for reimbursement from Medicaid.
    • Buzz Transport, a Hudson-based company, paid $363,995 to resolve allegations that the company submitted claims to Medicaid for fake tolls.
    • JD Express, a Forest Hills-based company, paid $331,000 to resolve allegations that the company submitted claims to Medicaid for fake toll expenses and transportation services provided by unlicensed, under-licensed or suspended drivers.
    • Vic and Bay Care Service, a Staten Island-based company, paid $250,000 to resolve allegations that the company submitted claims to Medicaid for transportation services that did not occur.
    • Divine Hearts Transportation, a North Tonawanda-based company, paid $227,010.34 to resolve allegations of overbilling for false addresses and fictitious trips.
    • Equaltrans, a Bronx-based company, paid $224,892.01 to resolve allegations that the company submitted claims to Medicare for transportation services that did not occur as described on the claim.
    • KFH Medicaid Transportation, an Amherst-based company, paid $143,760.37 to resolve allegations that the company submitted fake rides for reimbursement from Medicaid. The company has since ceased operation.
    • Shamrock Transportation, an Orange County-based company, paid $147,680 to resolve allegations that the company submitted inflated and fake tolls for reimbursement from Medicaid.
    • Interstate Luxury Limousines, a Bronx-based company, paid $142,389.25 to resolve allegations that the company submitted claims to Medicaid for transportation services that did not occur as described on the claim.
    • Lak Sam, a Glenmont-based company, paid $119,708.88 to resolve allegations that the company submitted claims to Medicaid for transportation services that did not occur and for fake tolls.
    • A Nice Ride, a Colonie-based company, paid $28,075.43 to resolve allegations that the company submitted claims to Medicaid for transportation services and inflated toll payments.

    In addition, Attorney General James today announced lawsuits against seven transportation companies that were sent cease and desist letters earlier this year but have failed to comply and continued fraudulent practices:

    • Green Cab BNY, a Cheektowaga-based company, was sued for allegedly billing Medicaid for trips with falsely inflated mileage. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages of at least $2,385,398.54.
    • Dutchess Black Car Service, a Lagrangeville-based company, was sued for submitting claims for transportation services that did not occur, and for submitting claims for tolls that were not incurred or where the cost of the toll was inflated. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages of at least $2,276,850.28, as well as civil penalties. An affiliated company, Westchester County Black Car Service, operating out of the same address, was also sued for submitting claims for transportation services that did not occur, and for tolls that were not incurred or where the cost of the toll was inflated. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages of at least $1,157,127.86, as well as civil penalties.
    • Buffalo Taxi Services, an Amherst-based company, was sued for allegedly billing Medicaid for trips that never actually happened. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages of at least $1,691,714.04.
    • Seaman Radio Dispatchers, a Manhattan-based company, was sued for submitting claims for the transportation of Medicaid beneficiaries who were deceased, for claiming payment for rides that never took place, and claiming payment while the company’s NYC TLC base license was suspended. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages of at least $1,235,514.76.
    • TemboCare Transportation Express, a Saratoga County-based company, was sued for repeatedly submitting claims for payment to Medicaid with falsified pickup or drop off locations to inflate the mileage of the trips for which they billed and for falsely using Ngowi’s driver’s license information for trips claimed when Ngowi was clocked in for duties elsewhere as a New York state employee. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages of at least $294,982.18.
    • SMI Transportation, a Buffalo-based company, was sued for allegedly billing Medicaid for trips with falsely inflated mileage and for using a driver to provide transportation services who had been previously excluded from providing Medicaid services due to a prior criminal conviction for Medicaid fraud. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages of at least $96,827.10.

    Attorney General James today also announced that three individuals have been charged or convicted as a result of OAG investigations into medical transportation fraud:

    • David Moore, 56, of Interlaken pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny. As the owner of ASAP 2, a transportation company, Moore submitted claims for payment to Medicaid that were the result of unlawful kickback payments to multiple Medicaid recipients and which were also falsely inflated by substantially increasing the claimed mileage for trips that were taken. Medicaid paid ASAP 2 over $50,000 based on these false and fraudulent claims.
    • James Bessell, 65, of Shirley was charged with Grand Larceny, Health Care Fraud, Offering a False Instrument for Filing, and payment of kickbacks for his role in a Medicaid fraud scheme. Bessell owned Jim Jim Rentals, which billed Medicaid for transportation services that were never actually provided, causing Medicaid to pay Jim Jim Rentals over $1 million. Bessell also operated an illegal kickback scheme, paying Medicaid recipients for their purported use of his transportation services.
    • Jose Ortiz, 63, of the Bronx, the owner of American Base, was charged and pleaded guilty to Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the Second Degree, a felony, in connection with the unlawful operations of that company.

    These charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

    Attorney General James thanks the United States Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, the New York State Department of Health, and the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General for their cooperation in these investigations.

    These investigations were conducted by Auditor-Investigators and Data Analysts led by MFCU Chief Auditor Dejan Budimir, MFCU Detectives led by Deputy Chief  Ronald Lynch, Acting Commanding Officer, MFCU, and the MFCU Regional Directors, Special Assistant Attorneys General, and legal support analysts from each of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit’s seven regional offices, coordinated by MFCU Chief of Criminal Investigations Thomas O’Hanlon and MFCU Chief of Civil Enforcement Alee Scott and AAGs Emily Auletta and Nathan Shi. MFCU is led by Director Amy Held and Assistant Deputy Attorney General Paul J. Mahoney. The Division of Criminal Justice is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado under the oversight of First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.

    Reporting Medicaid Provider Fraud: MFCU defends the public by addressing Medicaid provider fraud and protecting nursing home residents from abuse and neglect. If an individual believes they have information about Medicaid provider fraud or about an incident of abuse or neglect of a nursing home resident, they can file a confidential complaint online or call the MFCU hotline at (800) 771-7755. If the situation is an emergency, please call 911.

    New York MFCU’s total funding for federal fiscal year (FY) 2025 is $70,502,916. Of that total, 75 percent, or $52,877,188, is awarded under a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $17,625,728 for FY 2025, is funded by New York State.

    If you need assistance obtaining Medicaid transportation services, you can contact New York’s Medical Transportation Broker at the following numbers: NYC, Long Island and Westchester: 844-666-6270; Upstate: 866-932-7740 or using the MAS website. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Releases Third Annual State of Pride Report in Honor of Pride Month

    Source: US State of California

    State of Pride Report highlights DOJ’s actions to defend and expand the civil rights of the LGBTQ+ community amid ongoing threats to justice and equality

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today, in honor of Pride Month, issued a new “State of Pride Report” highlighting the California Department of Justice’s (DOJ) recent actions to support, uplift, and defend the rights of LGBTQ+ communities across California and beyond. Pride Month is a time to celebrate the beautiful strength and diversity of LGBTQ+ communities, as well as reflect on the struggles, sacrifices, and historic accomplishments of the LBGTQ+ equality movement. Despite the immense progress that has been achieved, LGBTQ+ individuals continue to face deeply rooted and emerging challenges across the nation. Amidst a rise in attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, DOJ remains steadfast in its commitment to fight alongside LGBTQ+ communities in pursuit of justice and equality.

    “As a proud ally and advocate, I stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ community this Pride Month and every month,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Amidst a rise in attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, it is more important than ever that we recommit ourselves to the ongoing fight for equality, safety, and inclusion. Today’s report highlights our commitment to defending, expanding, and advancing LGBTQ+ rights. It also underscores the work that remains to be done to ensure LGBTQ+ individuals have access to all the rights and resources they deserve. As the People’s Attorney, I remain steadfast in my commitment to using every tool at my disposal to safeguard the rights, freedoms, and wellbeing of our LGBTQ+ community.”

    The State of Pride Report presents detailed insight into DOJ’s latest initiatives to confront hate crimes and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals. The report emphasizes the importance of the Attorney General’s Hate Crime Rapid Response Protocol, which equips local law enforcement with essential resources to efficiently handle significant hate crimes and extremism. The report also focuses on DOJ’s work to cultivate safe and inclusive learning environments for LGBTQ+ students that are free from discrimination and harassment, enable transgender athletes to participate in sports aligned with their gender identity, and defend access to critical lifesaving care.

    The State of Pride Report also underscores the ongoing adversities LGBTQ+ individuals face in California and nationwide. Despite considerable progress, many LGBTQ+ individuals still experience discrimination, harassment, and violence in their daily lives. Transgender individuals are especially vulnerable, facing high rates of poverty, unemployment, and homelessness. These challenges demonstrate the need for ongoing protective efforts to uphold and expand LGBTQ+ individuals’ rights, enable all individuals to live free from discrimination and violence, and collaborate toward creating a more just and inclusive society.

    Key data points in the State of Pride Report depict the reality of hate crimes and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals: 

    • In 2024, 2.8 million people in this state identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender — the largest number of any state in the nation at 9.5%.
    • Data reported to DOJ in 2024 shows that between 2023 and 2024, there were 172 reported hate crime events motivated by anti-LGBTQ+ bias (an increase of 13.9% from the previous year), 73 hate crime events motivated by anti-transgender bias (an increase of 12.3% from the previous year), 251 hate crime events motivated by anti-gay bias (an increase of 8.7% from the previous year), and 23 hate crime events motivated by anti-lesbian bias up from 17 the previous year. 
    • In 2024 alone, more than 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced across the country – targeting healthcare, education, and public spaces.
    • The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most recent annual crime report showed a nearly 16% increase in reports of hate crimes nationally based on gender identity and a nearly 23% increase in reports of hate crimes based on sexual orientation.

    The State of Pride Report can be accessed here. For additional information on hate crimes please visit here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico Announces Intent to Seek Death Penalty Against Labar Tsethlikai

    Source: US FBI

    ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico filed a Notice of Intent to seek the death penalty against Labar Tsethlikai.

    Tsethlikai, 52, an enrolled Member of Zuni Pueblo, is charged in a 17-count Second Superseding Indictment as follows:

    • Count 1 (October 22, 2022): Kidnapping Resulting in Death of John Doe 1
    • Count 2 (January 18, 2024): First Degree Murder of John Doe 2
    • Count 3 (January 18, 2024): First Degree Felony Murder of John Doe 2
    • Count 4 (January 18, 2024): Kidnapping Resulting in Death of John Doe 2
    • Count 5 (May 19, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 3
    • Count 6 (June 15, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 4
    • Count 7 (June 15, 2023): Assault with Intent to Commit Murder of John Doe 4
    • Count 8 (June 15, 2023): Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury of John Doe 4
    • Count 9 (July 13, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 5
    • Count 10 (July 13, 2023): Aggravated Sexual Abuse of John Doe 5
    • Count 11 (August 24, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 6
    • Count 12 (August 24, 2023): Assault with a Dangerous Weapon of John Doe 6
    • Count 13 (September 7, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 7
    • Count 14 (September 15, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 8
    • Count 15 (February 16, 2024): Kidnapping of John Doe 9
    • Count 16 (April 5, 2024): Kidnapping of John Doe 10
    • Count 17 (April 11, 2024): Kidnapping of John Doe 11

    The maximum penalty for the kidnapping resulting in death charges is death, and Attorney General Bondi has authorized and directed the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico to pursue capital punishment in this case. Consistent with that authorization, the U.S. Attorney filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Tsethlikai.

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

    The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office is investigating this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department’s Homicide Unit, Sex Crimes Unit, and Air Support Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. McGinley and Jack E. Burkhead are prosecuting the case.

    The FBI continues to investigate Tsethlikai’s involvement in crimes against other victims. If you have reason to believe you or someone you know may be a victim, or have information about Tsethlikai, please call the FBI at (505) 889-1300 or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico Announces Intent to Seek Death Penalty Against Labar Tsethlikai

    Source: US FBI

    ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico filed a Notice of Intent to seek the death penalty against Labar Tsethlikai.

    Tsethlikai, 52, an enrolled Member of Zuni Pueblo, is charged in a 17-count Second Superseding Indictment as follows:

    • Count 1 (October 22, 2022): Kidnapping Resulting in Death of John Doe 1
    • Count 2 (January 18, 2024): First Degree Murder of John Doe 2
    • Count 3 (January 18, 2024): First Degree Felony Murder of John Doe 2
    • Count 4 (January 18, 2024): Kidnapping Resulting in Death of John Doe 2
    • Count 5 (May 19, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 3
    • Count 6 (June 15, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 4
    • Count 7 (June 15, 2023): Assault with Intent to Commit Murder of John Doe 4
    • Count 8 (June 15, 2023): Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury of John Doe 4
    • Count 9 (July 13, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 5
    • Count 10 (July 13, 2023): Aggravated Sexual Abuse of John Doe 5
    • Count 11 (August 24, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 6
    • Count 12 (August 24, 2023): Assault with a Dangerous Weapon of John Doe 6
    • Count 13 (September 7, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 7
    • Count 14 (September 15, 2023): Kidnapping of John Doe 8
    • Count 15 (February 16, 2024): Kidnapping of John Doe 9
    • Count 16 (April 5, 2024): Kidnapping of John Doe 10
    • Count 17 (April 11, 2024): Kidnapping of John Doe 11

    The maximum penalty for the kidnapping resulting in death charges is death, and Attorney General Bondi has authorized and directed the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico to pursue capital punishment in this case. Consistent with that authorization, the U.S. Attorney filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Tsethlikai.

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

    The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office is investigating this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department’s Homicide Unit, Sex Crimes Unit, and Air Support Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. McGinley and Jack E. Burkhead are prosecuting the case.

    The FBI continues to investigate Tsethlikai’s involvement in crimes against other victims. If you have reason to believe you or someone you know may be a victim, or have information about Tsethlikai, please call the FBI at (505) 889-1300 or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: District of Arizona Charges 164 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

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

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 21, 2025, through June 27, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 164 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 84 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 71 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed cases against 9 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

    Recent matters of interest include:

    United States v. Jesus Alfred Salazar-Ruiz: On June 22, 2025, Border Patrol Agents attempted to conduct a stop on Jesus Alfred Salazar-Ruiz while he was driving. Salazar-Ruiz failed to yield and turned on to a dirt road, breaking through a chain gate in barbed wire fencing. Salazar-Ruiz drove at approximately 50 mph on the dirt road for several miles before coming to an abrupt stop. When agents approached the vehicle, it was empty. Agents searched the area and were able to locate Salazar-Ruiz, who still had the vehicle key in his possession. Agents were able to locate and apprehend three passengers from Salazar-Ruiz’s vehicle who were determined to be in the United States illegally. Salazar-Ruiz was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-02859]

    United States v. Miguel Angel Mezo-Antele: On June 24, 2025, Border Patrol Agents stopped a vehicle on Interstate 40 in Yuma, Arizona. Miguel Angel Mezo-Antele, the driver of the vehicle and a citizen of Mexico, was transporting four passengers who were also citizens of Mexico. Mezo-Antele and the four passengers did not possess any documents allowing them to enter, pass through, or remain in the United States legally. Mezo-Antele was transporting the four passengers from New Mexico, through Arizona, to their ultimate destinations in California and Oregon. Mezo-Antele was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: 25‐MJ‐1696]

    United States v. Dalesio Hernandez-Bautista: On June 27, 2025, Dalesio Hernandez-Bautista, was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Hernandez-Bautista had been previously removed from the United States in 2018 after being convicted of manslaughter, a felony, in the Superior Court of Arizona, Pinal County. Hernandez-Bautista was sentenced to five years in prison for the manslaughter. [Case Number: 25-MJ-53146]

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

    These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-105_June 27 Immigration Enforcement

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Clayton Man with Gun Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for COVID-19 Fraud

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

    WILMINGTON, N.C. – Darnell William King, age 42, was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release following his plea in May to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  According to the indictment and information presented in court, King entered into separate conspiracies to commit Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud and to use stolen identities to obtain personal lines of credit from various private lenders in and around Wake County.  King was also ordered to pay restitution to the Small Business Administration and the private lenders who were defrauded.

    “This sentence sends a clear message: those who seek to exploit pandemic relief programs and steal individuals’ identities for personal gain will be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “Mr. King’s deliberate and repeated fraud undermined a program designed to help struggling businesses in Eastern North Carolina. Thanks to the diligence of our federal and state partners, justice has been served.”

    “Criminals cause immeasurable hardship to innocent victims and businesses by lying and stealing their identities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Gaskins, Charlotte Field Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. “The defendant knowingly stole personally identifiable information and recruited others to aid in obtaining fraudulent loans using the stolen info. Our special agents will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office, to find, investigate and prosecute those who choose to willfully defraud the American people.”

    “Stealing critical resources aimed at protecting communities and citizens is inexcusable,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “Not only did this individual exploit assistance programs aimed at helping those in need, but he did so while illegally possessing a firearm. Prohibited individuals in possession of firearms are dangerous and should be considered serious threats to public safety.”

    King and others recruited “mules” to obtain fraudulent personal loans.  King created fake driver’s licenses and other identity documents using a true photo of the mule and stolen personally identifying information belonging to unknowing victims.   The mules then used the fake identity documents and other forged business records to obtain personal loans based on applications for credit that King or others had previously submitted online.  The mule would then deliver the loan proceeds to King or his co-conspirators and would receive kickbacks anywhere between $100 and $2,000.

    “This extensive investigation, known as Operation Overload, uncovered a sophisticated criminal enterprise that fraudulently utilized thousands of North Carolina licenses, resulting in financial crimes that impacted individuals across multiple states,” said Captain Vaughn of the North Carolina DMV License & Theft Bureau. “Bureau commends its inspectors, intelligence analysts, and all partner agencies for their hard work and collaboration. Their efforts underscore the importance of interagency cooperation in combating complex fraud schemes and safeguarding the identities of North Carolina residents.”

    “This investigation began following several complaints from Wake County residents regarding identity theft and fraud. Over the course of nearly a year, a thorough investigation led to multiple arrests, supported by the NCDMV License and Theft, Clayton Police Department, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the IRS Criminal Investigations. The investigators involved demonstrated exceptional diligence in pursuing the suspects and uncovering a vast network of crimes. Their efforts resulted in identifying hundreds of victims, not only in Wake County, but across North Carolina, and uncovering hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraud. I would like to commend the investigators for their tireless work and unwavering commitment to serving the residents of our county and state,” Sheriff Willie Rowe said.

    In a second conspiracy, King and other conspirators applied for a PPP loan in King’s name with falsified bank and tax records claiming that King had been working as an Uber driver before the pandemic, resulting in the disbursement of over $15,000 in funds guaranteed by the Small Business Administration.  Finally, during the execution of a search warrant in Clayton seeking evidence related to the identity theft conspiracy, law enforcement discovered King in possession of a firearm with a high-capacity drum magazine, even though King is a previously convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms.  King’s co-defendants, Loretta Clarice James and Lakesha Bowles, were previously sentenced to 8 years imprisonment and 30 months imprisonment respectively, for their roles in the conspiracies.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II pronounced the sentence.  Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation led the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations; the Wake County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles License & Theft Bureau.  The Clayton Police Department and other local agencies have also aided over the course of the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David G. Beraka and Ashley H. Foxx prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5-24-CR-00156.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: PENSACOLA MAN SENTENCED FOR POSSESSING ILLEGAL NARCOTICS AND A FIREARM IN A HOME WITH YOUNG CHILDREN PRESENT

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

    PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Christopher Michael Stanton, Jr., 29, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    According to court records, on August 7, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Stanton’s residence on West Baars Street in Pensacola. In addition to Stanton and a female being present in the residence at the time of the search warrant, there were also three young children, all under the age of 10, present in the residence. Law enforcement located marijuana, cocaine, a loaded firearm, ammunition, loaded handgun magazines, and drug paraphernalia including a scale and cups with cocaine residue. Stanton was already a convicted felon.

    U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The fact that the defendant had dangerous narcotics strewn about his home in the presence of young children is inexcusable.  My office is committed to the safety of our community, which includes keeping illegal narcotics off the streets and firearms out of the hands of convicted felons.”

    The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Task Force (HIDTA).  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Answers to typical requests from credit institutions on banking regulation and supervision

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Central Bank of Russia (2) –

    Question

    from 15.10.2024

    The Bank requests that the data sources used to reflect information about the address of residence (registration) of an individual be unified:

    1. When filling out the register of obligations in accordance with Bank of Russia Instruction No. 4990-U.

    2. When forming the credit history of an individual subject in accordance with Bank of Russia Regulation No. 758-P1.

    3. When identifying an individual client and generating formalized electronic messages in accordance with Bank of Russia Instruction No. 5861-U2.

    1 Bank of Russia Regulation dated 11.05.2021 No. 758-P “On the procedure for forming a credit history” (hereinafter referred to as Bank of Russia Regulation No. 758-P).

    2 Bank of Russia Instruction dated 15.07.2021 No. 5861-U “On the procedure for submitting data and information by credit institutions to the authorized body in accordance with Articles 7 and 7.5 of the Federal Law “On Combating the Legalization (Laundering) of Criminally Obtained Incomes and the Financing of Terrorism” (hereinafter referred to as Bank of Russia Instruction No. 5861-U).

    Answer

    dated 11/15/2024 No. 4990-U-2024/8

    Regarding question 1.

    The source of data for reflecting information about the address of residence (registration) of the depositor1 are entries in the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation or, for persons under the age of fourteen, in the certificate of registration at the place of residence2.

    If the identity document (hereinafter referred to as the I.D.) of an individual depositor does not contain certain address-forming elements (for example, the name of the region, city) of the depositor’s place of residence (registration), this information may be supplemented by the bank based on information from the registration authority that registered such depositor at the place of residence (stay), or based on additional information provided by the depositor when concluding the agreement or during the depositor’s next visit to the bank.

    In the event of a discrepancy between the data on the depositor’s residential address (registration), filled in on the basis of the DUL, and the information reflected in the GAR FIAS3, the bank may, when sending the register of obligations to the Bank of Russia, provide additional explanations (comments) on the sources of relevant information it used.

    At the same time, we note that in order to unify approaches to recording the address of an individual used to fill out the register of obligations and to identify the client4, it is planned to make editorial clarifications to Bank of Russia Instruction No. 4990-U, providing for the possibility of reflecting information about the address of the place of residence of an individual depositor when filling out lines of the register of obligations related to the address of residence (registration) and the address for postal notifications5.

    Regarding question 2.

    In accordance with Part 1 of Article 5 of Federal Law No. 218-FZ6, sources of credit history formation submit to the credit history bureau all available information specified in Article 4 of Federal Law No. 218-FZ, in the manner established by Bank of Russia Regulation No. 758-P.

    The specified procedure establishes unified requirements for the formation of credit information indicators, including technical ones, which allows for the automation of information interaction between financial market participants and the bureau, reduces the costs of interaction participants, minimizes the risks of incorrect formation of credit information and, as a result, increases its accuracy and quality, in connection with which, in particular, information about the registration address (residence) of the subject of the credit history is formed in the form of a unique address number of the addressing object in the State Register of Financial Accounting Information (according to the indicator “Address number in the State Register”, the code of the settlement, street code, house (property) code, building code and apartment number code are indicated)7.

    The unification of requirements for the formation of credit information indicators is also of particular importance to ensure the ability of financial market participants – users of credit histories – to automate the process of processing credit information for its use for analytical purposes.

    At the same time, we note that, along with the formation of the credit information indicator “Address Number in the State Register” (the unique address number of the addressing object in the State Register of Financial Accounting Systems), Bank of Russia Regulation No. 758-P provides for the formation by the source of other credit information indicators containing information about the subject’s address, which can be formed both on the basis of information from the subject’s DUL and on the basis of information about the address contained in the State Register of Financial Accounting Systems (in addition to the unique address number of the addressing object in the State Register of Financial Accounting Systems).

    In this regard, the addition of credit information indicators, provided for by Bank of Russia Regulation No. 758-P, with indicators that provide for filling in address information from the DUL has already been implemented in Bank of Russia Regulation No. 758-P.

    Regarding question 3.

    In accordance with paragraph two of subparagraph 1 of paragraph 1 of Article 7 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ8, when identifying individuals, credit institutions are obliged to establish data, including the address of residence (registration) or place of stay.

    According to paragraph fourteen of Article 3 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ, confirmation of the accuracy of information obtained during the identification process is carried out using original documents and (or) duly certified copies and (or) state and other information systems.

    Taking into account the provisions of Part One of Article 2 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ, the norm of the second paragraph of subparagraph 1 of paragraph 1 of Article 7 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ is of a universal nature and applies to all subjects subject to identification – individuals, both citizens of the Russian Federation and foreign citizens, and stateless persons.

    The above-mentioned provision in terms of establishing the address of an individual provides for the possibility, in order for credit institutions to comply with the requirement of Federal Law No. 115-FZ on the identification of individuals, to establish information either on the address of their place of residence (registration) or place of stay. In this case, the concepts of “registration of a citizen of the Russian Federation at the place of stay”, “registration of a citizen of the Russian Federation at the place of residence”, “place of stay”, “place of residence” are defined by Article 2 of the Law of the Russian Federation of 25.06.1993 No. 5242-1 “On the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Freedom of Movement, Choice of Place of Stay and Residence within the Russian Federation” and can be used by credit institutions to comply with the requirements of paragraph two of subparagraph 1 of paragraph 1 of Article 7 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ.

    The provision of the second paragraph of subparagraph 1 of paragraph 1 of Article 7 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ in terms of establishing by credit institutions, when identifying an individual client, information about the address of his/her place of residence (registration) or place of stay, does not in itself contain a requirement for the registration of such a client in the territory of the Russian Federation (a specific subject of the Russian Federation) or outside it, and does not define the sources of information on the basis of which this information should be established. In this regard, credit institutions, in order to implement the specified requirement, independently determine the relevant sources of information in the internal control rules.

    Bank of Russia Instruction No. 5861-U defines the procedure for sending by credit institutions the information provided for by Federal Law No. 115-FZ to the authorized body, and not the identification requirements. When sending the relevant information to the authorized body, containing information, including the address of an individual, such information is reflected in accordance with the data from the client’s questionnaire (dossier), obtained during his identification (updating identification information).

    1 Line 6 “Address of place of residence (registration)” of Table 3.1 of Section I of the Appendix to Bank of Russia Instruction No. 4990-U.

    2 In accordance with paragraph 18 of the RF Government Resolution of 17.07.1995 No. 713 “On approval of the Rules for registration and deregistration of citizens of the Russian Federation at the place of stay and place of residence within the Russian Federation and the list of persons responsible for receiving and transferring to the registration authorities documents for registration and deregistration of citizens of the Russian Federation at the place of stay and place of residence within the Russian Federation.”

    3 State Address Register of the Federal Information Address System (hereinafter referred to as the State Address Register of the Federal Information Address System). As a general rule, address elements in the Russian Federation must comply with the State Address Register of the Federal Information Address System, which is related to ensuring compliance with the requirement of Article 12 of the Federal Law of 23.12.2003 No. 177-FZ “On Insurance of Deposits in Banks of the Russian Federation”, which provides for sending messages to depositors of a bank in respect of which an insured event has occurred.

    4 As part of the client identification procedure carried out for the purpose of combating the legalization (laundering) of proceeds from crime and the financing of terrorism, it is possible to obtain data on the client’s location (subparagraph 1.7 of paragraph 1 of Appendix 1 to Bank of Russia Regulation No. 499-P of 15.10.2015 “On the identification by credit institutions of clients, client representatives, beneficiaries and beneficial owners for the purpose of combating the legalization (laundering) of proceeds from crime and the financing of terrorism”).

    5 Changes are planned to be made to the names of the corresponding lines of the register of obligations: “Address of place of residence (registration) or place of stay”, as well as to the explanations for filling in information about the address for postal notifications.

    6 Federal Law of 30.12.2004 No. 218-FZ “On Credit Histories”.

    7 Clause 4.3 of Chapter 4 of Section 1 of Appendix 3 to Bank of Russia Regulation No. 758-P.

    8 Federal Law of 07.08.2001 No. 115-FZ “On Combating the Legalization (Laundering) of Criminally Obtained Incomes and the Financing of Terrorism.”

    Seal

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Service ‘Operation River Run’ Results in Arrest of Over 50 Fugitives in Southeast Iowa

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Davenport, IA – From May 19 – June 20, U.S. Marshals from the Southern District of Iowa, Northern District of Iowa, and Central District of Illinois, joined forces with law enforcement officers from the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Bettendorf Police Department, and Iowa Department of Corrections to conduct a five-week long fugitive operation in Scott County, Iowa, and surrounding communities.  

    The local operation dubbed “Operation River Run”  (ORR) resulted in the arrests of 52 fugitives wanted on outstanding local, state, and/or federal arrest warrants.  Each of the individuals arrested during Operation River Run had pending criminal charges for crimes involving homicide, guns, drugs, assaults, sex offenses, or other crimes of violence and/or criminal histories of convictions for such crimes. 

    Operation River Run was divided into three phases- from May 19-June 1, participating agencies selected arrest warrants to work during the enforcement phase of the operation and began developing credible information as to the whereabouts of the fugitives. From June 2-4, three teams of law enforcement officers representing 11 local, state and federal law enforcement agencies participated in the three-day enforcement phase. During the follow-up phase from June 5-20, ORR investigators continued to locate and arrest several additional individuals not previously located during the enforcement phase. Most of these individuals were arrested in Scott County and Rock Island County, Illinois, while the arrest of others spanned between Sioux City Iowa and Chicago Illinois.

    “In our work with local, state, and federal agencies, our commitment to serving the community remains unchanged,” said Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Iowa George Mavromatis. “We are all devoted to honoring our oaths of office and tirelessly working to combat violent crime in our communities. The achievements of Operation River Run highlight our shared dedication to collaboration among all professionals in the Southern District of Iowa.” 

    The Southern Iowa Fugitive Task Force- Davenport Division is composed of the following federal, state and local agencies: U.S. Marshals Service, Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, Burlington Police Department, Fort Madison Police Department, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Ottumwa Police Department, Iowa Department of Corrections Fugitive Team, Coralville Police Department, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New powers yield “real-world impact” in Companies House economic crime crackdown

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    New powers yield “real-world impact” in Companies House economic crime crackdown

    A new report shows the agency’s progress in implementing changes brought in by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.

    Economic crime costs the UK economy billions annually, and Companies House is leading a major transformation to combat this through new powers granted by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.

    A new progress report on the implementation of these powers demonstrates how Companies House is transforming from a passive register to an active gatekeeper and gives examples of how the agency is actively tackling economic crime and improving register data.

    Key to Companies House progress is strengthened collaboration with The Insolvency Service and other law enforcement agencies to present a unified front against economic crime.

    The report covers progress in the implementation of secondary legislation, Companies House and Limited Partnership reform, and updates on the Register of Overseas Entities and enforcement of the new powers.

    The report includes detail on how Companies House has:

    • queried and removed false, misleading or incorrect information from the registers, with an impact on 100,400 companies – this often relates to the hijacking of innocent people’s identities or addresses, usually to enable criminality such as fraud or money laundering

    • rejected 10,200 suspicious applications including where evidence has suggested mass incorporations at certain addresses are taking place – this practice has a known link with money laundering

    • collaborated with The Insolvency Service and partners to identify approximately £50 million in UK property related to companies owned by organised criminals, which is now subject to ongoing asset recovery investigations

    • played an active role in the first Europol Asset Sprint, which saw 43 law enforcement agencies across 28 countries, along with private sector partners, participating in this unique initiative aimed at enhancing the number of criminal assets seized globally

    The report represents another significant milestone in the transformation of Companies House as it looks to achieve its vision of a transparent corporate framework that both supports economic growth and fights economic crime.

    Chief executive of Companies House Louise Smyth said:

    These reforms represent a significant transformation of Companies House and I’m proud to see the real-world impact they’re already having.

    Our latest report demonstrates how we’re strengthening the UK’s business environment by taking direct action against those misusing corporate structures, while improving the accuracy and reliability of our register for legitimate businesses.

    Our new intelligence capabilities have now already facilitated approximately 850 intelligence reports to law enforcement partners, while our risk-based approach targets resources where they’ll have the greatest impact on economic crime.

    As we prepare for the next phase of implementation, including mandatory identity verification by autumn 2025, we remain committed to creating a transparent company register that supports economic growth while making the UK a hostile environment for those looking to commit economic crime.

    Director of Investigation and Enforcement Services at The Insolvency Service Dave Magrath said:

    The Insolvency Service’s close collaboration with Companies House is delivering positive results in the fight against economic crime, with joint efforts already identifying thousands of suspicious companies and millions in criminal assets.

    Our investigative and enforcement powers, combined with Companies House’s enhanced intelligence capabilities, allow us to take decisive action against those who exploit company structures for fraud and money laundering.

    Together, we’re building a more robust and trusted business environment that benefits legitimate companies while making the UK much harder for fraudsters to operate in.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 20-year partnership to boost fusion skills in East Midlands

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    20-year partnership to boost fusion skills in East Midlands

    UKAEA and East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) announce a new 20-year collaboration to advance fusion energy training and skills development.

    Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, and Nick Walkden, UKAEA’s Head of Fusion Skills, signing the collaboration agreement at the Fusion Energy Cafe in Worksop, Notts. Copyright United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

    The collaboration will focus on developing and delivering fusion related skills, including apprenticeships and wider vocational training programmes, to support the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) project – the UK’s first prototype fusion energy power plant that will be built on the West Burton site in Nottinghamshire.  

    This new collaboration will not only provide crucial skills for STEP but also support a growing fusion industry across the region. An Economic and Wider Impact Assessment commissioned by relevant local authorities has calculated that by the time it is fully operational, the West Burton site is anticipated to accommodate 6,500 full-time jobs across STEP and the surrounding business park, equivalent to 12.5% of the current total workplace jobs in Bassetlaw. Around half of the forecast STEP Campus construction jobs are expected to require Level 3+ qualifications, and it is estimated that nearly three quarters of the on-site jobs on the STEP Campus are expected to require individuals with Level 4+ qualifications.

    Fusion has the potential to provide abundant, clean power, and deliver energy security, and bolstered by the government’s record £2.5 billion investment, the sector promises to create thousands of jobs and empower the UK to export its world-leading technology to a global market, expected to be worth trillions of pounds in the future.

    UKAEA is committed to facilitating the training of the next generation of British scientists and engineers. The East Midlands benefits from an outstanding base of training and skills providers, and universities. This EMCCA-led collaborative will bring together the best of this existing provision to empower people in the region to meet the skill needs of this globally significant clean energy programme.  

    Training provided through the new collaborative will be designed with flexibility to adapt as the STEP programme and the West Burton site evolves. Initial training will focus on the engineering and project skills needed to complete plant design, with construction and operational skills as focus areas for future stages of the programme.

    The collaboration will deliver fusion-relevant courses through existing training sites across the EMCCA geography, South Yorkshire, and Greater Lincolnshire. Colleges, training providers, and universities are already mobilising to offer more places for construction and clean energy qualifications, gearing up the region to deliver on its emerging inclusive growth strategy even before the West Burton facility is in place.

    I am delighted to announce EMCCA as our partner in this exciting new training collaboration, which will be delivered out of our planned West Burton Training Facility,

    said UKAEA’s Head of Fusion Skills and FOSTER (Fusion, Opportunities, Skills, Training, Education and Research) Programme Director, Nick Walkden.

    People are the most important element of any programme or project. We have listened and learned from other major research, engineering, and infrastructure projects and believe that an early and focussed attention to local skills and workforce growth will be a critical enabler to success.

    STEP is a programme with global impact and, as with the successive Governments who have recognised fusion’s potential to have a significant and positive impact on the nation’s economy, we are equally committed to leaving a lasting local legacy. The training provided will equip people across the East Midlands, Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire with the skills needed for the prototype fusion powerplant at West Burton as well as long-term career opportunities in fusion and beyond.

    The STEP programme, led by UK Industrial Fusion Solutions (UKIFS), provides an enormous opportunity for regional growth and regeneration, with the potential to create thousands of jobs during construction and a pipeline of long-term highly skilled careers over decades of operations. Permissions and consents will be sought for construction to begin in the early 2030s, with the prototype powerplant targeting first operations in 2040.

    Paul Methven, CEO, UK Industrial Fusion Solutions and Senior Responsible Owner of STEP, said:

    Delivering STEP, and commercial fusion beyond that, will require a strong skills pipeline, not only in STEM subjects, but in every aspect of running a complex business. It is fantastic to see that UKAEA are leading on putting this essential enabler in place now to ensure local people benefit directly from the programme, in addition to ensuring we have the skills needed to deliver STEP.

    Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, said:

    The East Midlands is planning for our energy future today, and fusion energy is an exciting part of that future. One day – thanks to the Nottinghamshire-based STEP programme – the whole region will benefit from clean, affordable fusion energy. Right now, my priority is ensuring that local people can get the jobs associated with developing this new industry and its supply chains. This is what inclusive growth in practice looks like – investing smartly to ensure that growth is created, sustained, and experienced by local people.

    The Fusion Skills Collaboration embodies this goal, and our outstanding colleges, training providers, and universities will be front and centre in training people in the skills of the future.

    Photos from the collaboration signing at The Fusion Energy Cafe in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, can be found here.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Police Chairperson Calls for Immediate Suspension of Every Arrested South African Police Service (SAPS) Officer


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    The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Mr Ian Cameron, has called on the South African Police Service (SAPS) management to suspend every member of the SAPS arrested over the past week, pending finalisation of internal investigations.

    “The sanctity of the investigations is dependent not only on justice being done, but also on the appearance that justice is done. It is essential for the credibility of the investigations as well as the SAPS reputation that arrested senior officers are suspended until the conclusion of the investigations,” Mr Cameron emphasised.

    The Chairperson has noted that the SAPS have in the recent past taken a nonchalant attitude towards errant officers, returning them to work despite serious criminal charges. While the Chairperson acknowledges that everyone is presumed innocent unless proven otherwise, investigations must be completed urgently to ensure that only fit and proper individuals serve within the SAPS,” Mr Cameron emphasised.

    The arrest of senior officers within the Crime Intelligence service has laid bare the level of rot within the environment. This has a chilling effect when considering the centrality of CI in combating crime in the country. “It is clear that a major pillar to fight crime has been disabled through rogue officers who are inclined to act criminally,” Mr Cameron said.

    It is on this basis that a skills audit within the senior echelons of SAPS is necessary. Also, periodic lifestyle audits must be undertaken, especially in the CI environment and senior management of SAPS,” Mr Cameron contended.

    Mr Cameron reiterated that the committee will not be complicit and allow rogue SAPS to remain unaccountable. “We will continue to insist that every rogue officer must be removed from the service to protect the reputation of the service,” Mr Cameron concluded.

    The committee will soon schedule a meeting to assess the impact of the arrests and processes to be followed in instituting internal consequence management.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Joint Statement from CISA, FBI, DC3 and NSA on Potential Targeted Cyber Activity Against U.S. Critical Infrastructure by Iran

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    Iranian state-sponsored or affiliated threat actors are known to conduct a range of targeted cyber activity to include exploit known vulnerabilities in unpatched or outdated software, compromise internet-connected accounts and devices that use default or weak passwords and work with ransomware affiliates to encrypt, steal and leak sensitive information.

    At this time, we have not seen indications of a coordinated campaign of malicious cyber activity in the U.S. that can be attributed to Iran. However, we are urging critical infrastructure organizations to stay vigilant to Iranian-affiliated cyber actors that may target U.S. devices and networks. We strongly urge organizations to review our joint fact sheet and implement recommended actions to strengthen our collective defense against this potential cyber activity.

     The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3) and the National Security Agency (NSA) are actively monitoring and coordinating with government, industry, and international partners to identify and share actionable intelligence and provide resources and assistance. We also strongly urge organizations report suspicious or criminal activity related to potential Iranian cyber activity.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: The Government of Liberia (GOL) Strongly Refutes Misleading Claims in Recent Media Article

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

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    The Government of Liberia categorically refutes the content, tone, and intent of a recent article titled “Liberia Selected as One of Trump’s ‘Dumpsite’ Countries for Criminals and Illegal Immigrants.” The article, which has circulated across social and digital platforms, presents a grossly distorted narrative that misrepresents the U.S.–Liberia bilateral cooperation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs can emphatically state that the Government of Liberia has not been in any conversation or negotiations regarding third party nationals being sent from the United States to Liberia. Likewise, noting that there are no ongoing discussions related to 3rd party nationals, Liberia has not entered into any agreement formal or informal that obligates it to receive individuals who are not Liberian citizens. 

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs however seeks to use this opportunity to caution the public from being drawn into misinformation and disinformation, and to ask the concerned media to desist from such destructive actions of writing stories on false and baseless claims. The Government of Liberia is however engaged with the United States on actions required to address issues to prevent Liberia from being placed on a travel ban. These issues include the widespread presentation of fraudulent documents to the United States Embassy such as court papers, affidavits, birth certificates and others, as well as issues related to the slow prosecution of said cases of fraud. In addition, issues surrounding overstay are high on the agenda given that Liberia has a high record of overstays. This among several other issues are points of engagement between the US Government and the Government of Liberia, and we look forward to continue to work together to address these issues holistically to avoid Liberians being banned from traveling to the United States. 

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs encourages all Liberians including the diaspora, to comply with the US regulations and work together to ensure that Liberians who visit the United States return within the timeframe stipulated during their visa interviews as overstay is marked against the duration of the visit that the applicant stated during the interview or request for visa. We will be providing more information to the public to ensure that Liberians understand the meaning of overstay and the implications of presentation of fake documents and information to the United States government.

    – on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Iranian national and wife federally indicted after wife threatens to shoot ICE officers in Tempe as a result of an ICE Arizona investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    PHOENIX, Ariz. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment June 24 against Iranian national, Mehrzad Asadi Eidivand, 40, of Tempe, Arizona for alien in possession of a firearm, and against his wife, Linet Vartanniavartanians, 37, a U.S. citizen from Tempe, Arizona, for threatening to assault a federal officer. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI are conducting the investigation in this case.

    Documents filed in the case allege that ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officers went to Eidivand and Vartanniavartanians’ Tempe residence on Saturday, June 21, to administratively arrest Eidivand for failing to comply with a 2013 removal order. Eidivand had challenged the removal order on several occasions, but the Board of Immigration Appeals denied those motions repeatedly. Despite the court order to return to his home country, Eidivand remained in the U.S. over a decade.

    When ICE ERO officers arrived at the couple’s residence, they announced themselves and were answered by Vartanniavartanians, who refused to open the door and told the officers to return with a warrant. Shortly thereafter, Tempe Police officers arrived on the scene and told ICE ERO that Vartanniavartanians had called the police and threatened to shoot the federal officers. She claimed that she had a loaded gun and that she would shoot anyone who tried to come inside the house. She also threatened to go outside and shoot ICE officers in the head. When the police dispatcher spoke with Eidivand, he confirmed that there were guns in the home.

    The following day, June 22, special agents with ICE Homeland Security Investigations and officers from ICE ERO executed a federal search warrant on the residence. Inside the home, agents found a loaded firearm on the kitchen counter and a second loaded firearm on a nightstand. Both Vartanniavartanians and Eidivand were arrested at the scene and taken into custody without further incident.

    A conviction for alien in possession of a firearm carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, or both. A conviction for threatening to assault a federal officer carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, or both.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

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

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Addison Owen, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pair jailed following fatal stabbing in east London

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two men, who brutally stabbed an unarmed man as he sat behind the wheel of his car in Tower Hamlets last year, have been jailed.

    Shamiah McKenzie, 18 (01.08.06), of Colvin Close, Lewisham, was sentenced to life imprisonment, to serve a minimum of 22 years in prison, for the murder of 23-year-old Abdul Jalloh at the Old Bailey on Friday, 20 June.

    Codee Godfrey, 19 (25.12.05), of Grosvenor Wharf Road, Tower Hamlets, was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment for manslaughter at the same hearing.

    Detective Chief Inspector Paul Waller, from Specialist Crime North – who led the investigation – said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Abdul Jalloh, who lost a loved one in shocking circumstances.

    “By carrying and using a knife, their callous act demonstrates once again the devastating and far-reaching effects of knife crime.

    “I therefore commend the officers who worked incredibly hard to build evidence against McKenzie and Godfrey in order to prove that there could be no doubt as to their guilt. London will be a safer place with them taken off the streets.

    “I also want to thank the local community who came forward to assist officers with footage they had on the day. They displayed immense courage in giving evidence to the court.”

    McKenzie was found guilty of murder and Godfrey, was found guilty of manslaughter at the Old Bailey on Thursday, 12 June, in a trial which started on Monday, 28 April,

    The court heard that police were called at around 16:15hrs on Monday, 5 August 2024 to reports of a stabbing on New Union Close, E14.

    When Abdul was attacked, he was unable to defend himself as he was unarmed and vulnerable behind the wheel of his car.

    Despite the best efforts of emergency services, Abdul died a short time later as a result of a stab wound in his neck.

    A manhunt began immediately, with officers painstakingly combing through hours of CCTV footage and digital evidence to understand what took place, identify the attackers and track their movements after they fled the scene.

    As a result of this meticulous work, officers were able to show the jury how the pair had been circling the Isle of Dogs on bicycles for more than an hour looking for Abdul.

    After the attack they threw the knife and its sheath and McKenzie’s bicycle into the Thames at Caledonian Wharf. As paramedics tried to save Abdul’s life, the pair packed their bloody clothing and footwear they had been wearing into bags.

    Officers then uncovered that they changed into summer clothes and then disposed of the bags and two mobile phones in nearby bushes. In the bag officers found £3k worth of cannabis, £2k of cash, a vacuum sealing machine used to package drugs, and business cards containing their phone numbers.

    McKenzie and Godfrey were so confident in their changed appearance that they returned to the Thames Path which was full of officers who were searching for Abdul’s killers.

    McKenzie and Godfrey turned themselves in to police on Thursday, 8 August 2024 and were charged the following day.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Palestine Action: what it means to proscribe a group, and what the effects could be

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Brian J. Phillips, Reader (Associate Professor) in International Relations, University of Essex

    The UK’s home secretary, Yvette Cooper, plans to proscribe the protest group Palestine Action under anti-terror law. This move, if approved by parliament, would criminalise the group’s existence, making it a crime to be a member of the group or to support it in any way.

    Palestine Action emerged in 2020, first drawing attention when its members broke into and spray painted red the UK headquarters of Elbit Systems, an Israeli defence contractor. In the years since, the group has sprayed paint, blockaded or otherwise vandalised a number of institutions it sees as complicit in Israeli military actions, such as a Lockheed Martin facility and two Barclays branches.

    The group’s website describes it as a “direct action movement committed to ending global participation in Israel’s genocidal and apartheid regime”.

    The term “direct action” has historically been used for tactics ranging from legal protest to traffic obstruction and property damage, such as animal rights activists smashing laboratory equipment used for experiments on animals. Or, more recently, the roadblocks carried out by Extinction Rebellion.

    Palestine Action’s campaign has caused substantial property damage. Five activists were jailed after a 2022 protest at a Glasgow weapons equipment factory that caused more than an estimated £1 million in damage due to pyrotechnics thrown inside the building.

    Activists are also accused of causing £1 million in damages to Elbit property near Bristol in 2024. Eighteen face charges of aggravated burglary and criminal damage, 16 of whom also face a charge of violent disorder. Nine have pleaded not guilty, while others have not yet entered a plea. During the Bristol attack, one person was accused of assaulting police officers with a sledgehammer, and has pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

    The group’s recent spray-painting of two military jets at RAF Brize Norton – reportedly causing millions of pounds in damage, combined with the military nature of the target – seems to have been the breaking point for the home secretary.

    The question is whether all this makes the group a terrorist organisation.

    The terrorist list criteria

    The UK’s list of proscribed groups currently contains 81 organisations, from radical Islamists such as al-Qaida to neo-Nazis such as the Base.

    The legislation behind the list, the Terrorism Act 2000, imposes serious punishments for proscribed organisations’ members or supporters, from a fine to a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. Even wearing clothing or publishing an image supporting a proscribed group can be punished by up to six months in prison or a fine of up to £5,000.

    For a group to be proscribed, it needs to be determined by the secretary of state to be “concerned in terrorism”, basically meaning committing or planning terrorist acts. The definition of terrorism is long and legalistic, but is, essentially, the politically-motivated use or threat of actions to intimidate the government or public through violence or destruction, including “serious damage to property”.

    This latter justification, serious property damage, has been invoked by the home secretary in discussing Palestine Action’s planned proscription. So, technically, Palestine Action appears to meet the criteria.

    But there are a variety of groups carrying out serious property damage that have not (yet) been proscribed under anti-terrorism law. Following the same logic, the government could theoretically proscribe Extinction Rebellion and other groups that might not be widely thought of as terrorist organisations.

    Whether it makes sense to proscribe the group, however, is a matter of debate. Proscribing Palestine Action on the basis of its alleged property damage would set a precedent in legally declaring that this type of direct action – vandalism – is considered significant enough to invoke the Terrorism Act in this way.

    Palestine Action is different in an important way from currently proscribed terrorist organisations.

    In Palestine Action’s five years of attacks, it has never killed anyone, or apparently attempted to do so. There have, though, been several injuries allegedly associated with the group. Two people were charged with assaulting an emergency worker at a protest – after the intention to proscribe the group was announced. At some of the group’s actions, members have been charged with assaulting security guards.

    In her statement to parliament, Cooper cited the group’s “impact on innocent members of the public fleeing for safety and subjected to violence”. But the primary focus of the government’s intention to proscribe the group seems to be around serious damage to property, particularly related to national security.

    Many currently proscribed groups have killed thousands of people, from al-Qaida on September 11 or 7/7 to groups like Hamas or Hezbollah attacking Israelis or Boko Haram’s killing sprees in Nigeria.

    There are some less violent proscribed groups. For example, UK-based Islamist group al-Ghurabaa (and the related Saved Sect, also known as al-Muhajiroun) have not been clearly linked to actual violence, although the group is accused of glorifying violence, for example celebrating the 9/11 attacks. It has also apparently inspired terrorist attacks.

    The government’s choice to start using serious property damage as sufficient criteria for terrorist designation would be a substantial change in how anti-terrorism law is applied.

    What happens next?

    If Palestine Action were to be proscribed, the consequences could be substantial.

    Since any support of the group would be a crime, a protest in support of the group – like the one that happened June 23 – could lead to thousands of arrests. If supporters failed to turn out, and the members stopped participating out of fear, it could lead to the end of the group.

    Or the group might shift to strictly legal or less damaging direct actions, like permitted marches or blockades. This would be a clear victory for the government.

    An ultimate goal of proscription is to keep dissident groups protesting legally. It sometimes works. Al-Muhajiroun and other local groups seemingly often tried to walk the fine line of being as extreme as possible, while staying “just within the law”.

    It is also possible that current Palestine Action members form renamed groups and carry on with criminal direct actions. Fragmenting and renaming groups is a common response to proscription, as we have seen with al-Ghurabaa, and with armed groups abroad like Lashkar-e-Taiba, as my own research with my colleague Muhammad Feyyaz has shown.

    This results in counter-terrorism officials playing Whac-A-Mole, frequently updating legislation with aliases and chasing many smaller groups or a broader movement instead of one organisation.

    Overall, the government might be legally justified to proscribe Palestine Action. What parliament must decide, however, is if the group poses enough of a threat to warrant this change to precedent. And officials should think about whether the action is likely to bring about the desired consequences, or if it could radicalise supporters into more violent action.

    Brian J. Phillips works on a research project that receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council.

    – ref. Palestine Action: what it means to proscribe a group, and what the effects could be – https://theconversation.com/palestine-action-what-it-means-to-proscribe-a-group-and-what-the-effects-could-be-259619

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Orlando Man Pleads Guilty To Selling Machine Guns

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

    Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Omar Joel Rivera Olivo (26, Orlando) today pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing and transferring machine guns. Rivera Olivofaces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to the plea agreement, Rivera Olivo engaged in eight sales of drugs and guns, including automatic weapons, to an undercover law enforcement officer – initially selling cocaine and marijuana before selling firearms. On March 13 and March 28, 2025, Rivera Olivo sold four firearms, some of which had been modified to be fully automatic weapons, along with multiple devices to convert firearms into fully automatic weapons. 

    Rivera Olivo subsequently posted images of himself online with guns, drugs, and the proceeds of his illegal activities. 

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.

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

    MIL Security OSI –