NewzIntel.com

Category: CTF

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Banking – Kiwibank first New Zealand bank to partner with Kiwi tech company Wych to provide open banking – and draws line with zero fees

    Source: Kiwibank

     

    • Local tech company, Wych, will assist Kiwibank in implementing open banking.
    • Kiwibank will not be charging accredited third parties to make standard API requests. 
    • Open banking will deliver more value, choice and flexibility for customers.

     

    Kiwibank is the first New Zealand bank to partner with Wych, a New Zealand based financial technology company specialising in providing open data services and capabilities to data holders and data recipients.

     

    Wych will provide the integration capability to connect accredited third parties with Kiwibank as it delivers open banking.

     

    Steve Jurkovich, Kiwibank’s Chief Executive, says, “As a modern integration provider, Wych’s solution is cloud hosted and provided as a complete end-to-end SaaS solution. It’s also scalable and will enable Kiwibank to easily adapt as the open banking ecosystem develops.

     

    “This next step in our open banking journey will set us up to collaborate with even more innovative partners to offer services and experiences that provide our customers greater value and choice. As a smaller player compared to the larger banks, Kiwibank is excited to partner with fintechs to drive more competition to make Kiwi better off.”

     

    Dermot Butterfield, Wych’s Chief Executive Officer, says, “We are excited to be partnering with Kiwibank to build on the opportunity that open banking represents for their customers, including more innovation and customer-centric solutions as the market matures.”

     

    Kiwibank is proud to be supporting a Kiwi technology company and leveraging the expertise we have right here in New Zealand.

     

    Kiwibank takes competitive stand on open banking fees

    Kiwibank exists to challenge the status quo and to create a future where banking in New Zealand is stronger and fairer than ever before. 

     

    “We see the significant value open banking can deliver for our customers and we want to enable that,” says Jurkovich. “That’s why we won’t be charging accredited third parties to make standard API requests.”

     

    This sets Kiwibank apart. While some banks are offering temporary waivers on fees charged to accredited third parties, in the longer term those costs could be passed on to customers.


    “At Kiwibank, we’re committed to shaping an open banking environment that delivers real benefits for New Zealanders,” says Jurkovich. “By removing cost barriers we’re helping to unlock innovation that puts customers first – enabling more tailored, transparent, and empowering financial experiences.” 

     

    Kiwibank is committed to delivering payment initiation API services by 30 May 2026 and account information API services by 30 November 2026.

     

    About Kiwibank

    Kiwibank is a Purpose-led organisation that has modern, Kiwi values at heart and keeps Kiwi money where it belongs – right here in New Zealand. As a Kiwi bank, with more than a million customers, our trusted experts are focused on supporting Kiwi with their home ownership aspirations and backing local business ambitions, so together we can thrive here in Aotearoa and on the world stage. Kiwibank is the #1 bank in Kantar’s 2024 Corporate Reputation Index and the only bank in the top 20. To find out more about Kiwibank visit www.kiwibank.co.nz.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Culture – Pushing the boundaries of creativity in kapa haka

    Source: Rata Foundation

    When new rōpū Kōkō Tangiwai stormed to the front of the Waitaha region kapa haka competitions in 2024 they pushed the boundaries of creativity and innovation to take out the top spot and earn their place at Te Matatini 2025.
    Kapa haka is a vital expression of Māori identity, history, and culture. It has been passed down through generations and has evolved into a dynamic art form. Originating from traditional mōteatea, haka, mau rākau, and poi, kapa haka has spiritual significance.
    Today, it thrives as both a cultural tradition and a modern artistic discipline, showcased in events like Te Matatini. Contemporary performers and composers are finding new ways to showcase kapa haka by integrating elements of theatre, modern music, and digital technology.
    Kapa Haka leader Junior Tana and his wife Kerrie-Anna formed Kōkō Tangiwai early in 2024 in response to the relatively small number of teams entering the Waitaha regional competition at the time.
    Junior says that kapa haka presents the perfect platform for developing an understanding of te reo Māori because all items performed are in te reo Māori. “We are definitely focused on ensuring that performers know what they’re singing about and, therefore, know how to portray the ideas and concepts within the compositions.
    “The whole way we practice, and train together is like a kaupapa Māori framework. We karakia at the beginning of practices, we do whanaungatanga, and we allow our tamariki and rangatahi to be with us. We also spend time discussing different Māori concepts that are affecting us as a people at any given time. So yeah, there are lots of examples of where we can integrate te ao Māori into our practices and performances,” says Junior.
    Kōkō Tangiwai has over 70 people engaged in its kaupapa, including performers and the people who support the team with resourcing, cooking, teaching, and making the uniforms. Junior says there is a big whānau involved that embodies both unity and inclusiveness. “Those relationships become really strong and tight.
    “We have an open-door policy – anybody who’s interested in learning or developing is welcome to come and at least see whether they like us or not.”
    Kapa haka is vital for preserving and reviving tikanga Māori, language, and traditions. It also fosters a sense of identity and ensures that tikanga Māori is passed down to future generations.
    Kōkō Tangiwai performer Rangimarie Pomare was inspired to join the rōpū after watching her older siblings doing kapa haka. “The benefits of kapa haka, personally for me, is doing it with my family and my fri

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Farmer satisfaction with banks better – but fragile

    Source: Federated Farmers

    Farmers are feeling more satisfied with their banks, pointing to improved communication and less ‘undue pressure’, Federated Farmers’ latest Banking Survey shows.
    “It’s good to see things are improving but farmers’ trust in their banks is still fragile,” Federated Farmers banking spokesperson Richard McIntyre says.
    “Where farmers have given positive feedback in the survey, it’s usually about their individual managers, not bank policy.
    “When those individual staff leave, that trust can erode quickly.”
    Nearly 700 farmers responded to the May survey, with 60% of them ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with their bank.
    That’s up from 53% in Federated Farmers’ November 2024 survey but well shy of the 80% peak rating recorded in 2017.
    “It’s helped that over the last year banks have been grilled by the select committee inquiry on banking competition that Federated Farmers pushed for,” McIntyre says.
    “There has been a lot of scrutiny and banks have definitely been feeling the pressure, so it’s good to see them start to lift their game as a result.”
    In the survey, 61% of farmers rated their bank’s communication as good or very good – the best result since 2020.
    Just on 18% of farmers said they were feeling undue bank pressure, down from 24% six months earlier and the lowest rating recorded since 2018.
    “Many farmers said bank pressure has eased over the past six to 12 months, with some noting their bank had become more understanding or backed off earlier demands,” McIntyre says.
    “However, for those still under pressure, the situation remains serious.
    “A few farmers shared difficult stories with us, including being forced out of farming altogether.”
    One farmer said: “We’ve sold the farm. If the bank had been more understanding, things might have been different.”
    The survey shows interest rates on farm mortgages have also eased by about 1% since late 2024 to an average of 6.52%.
    “Even so, we’re still very concerned that, compared with average residential mortgage interest rates, farm mortgage interest rates are around 0.92% higher – and were about 1.12% higher late last year,” McIntyre says.
    From 2016 until 2021, the margin of difference hovered between about 0.6% and 0.35%.
    “These don’t seem like big differences, but when total agricultural lending is around $61 billion, a 1% margin difference puts $600 million of extra interest costs on the sector each year.
    “It’s crazy how much more money farmers are having to shell out to the banks in interest payments.
    “Part of the problem is the unnecessarily conservative Reserve Bank capital requirements, and the recent decision to review those settings is very welcome,” McIntyre says.
    “What we desperately need as well is stronger competition among banks in the rural sector. That would really help lower costs for farmers and drive better bank performance.”
    In the open comment section of the May survey, many farmers said they were still paying far too much in interest.
    Several expressed frustration that banks were quick to hike rates, but slow to pass on savings when the OCR falls.
    “OCR drops come through like a feather. Increases hit like a brick,” one said.
    The May survey also found that just under 20% of farmers said their bank has inquired about their farm’s emissions profile or environmental footprint as part of loan requirements.
    Westpac and ASB were much more likely to ask such questions, at 32% and 40% respectively.
    “Federated Farmers’ view is that our democratically elected Government is the correct body to be setting emissions and environmental policy, not banks,” McIntyre says.
    “Farmers are closely watching what’s happening with Bills passing through Parliament, promoted by MPs Andy Foster and Mark Cameron, that would rein in banks’ ability to make lending decisions on non-commercial grounds.”
    Foster’s proposed law would prohibit banks from refusing loans or services purely for environmental or emissions reasons. May survey responses show 70% of farmers support such a law (18% oppose, 12% unsure).
    Other key findings from the survey:
    Farm Debt Levels: 84% of farmers surveyed have a mortgage. The average mortgage in the survey was $4.7 million, compared to $4.4 million six months ago.
    Overdraft Use Declining: Only 76% of farms now have an overdraft facility, down from 88% a decade ago.
    Overdraft Limits: Average overdraft limits have risen to $349,000. Arable farms saw the largest increase (from $500k to $718k).
    Overdraft Interest Rates: Rates have dropped. The average is now 9.0%, down from 10.0%. Rabobank offers the lowest (7.3%), while BNZ remains highest (9.7%).
    Efficiency Concerns: 19% of farmers feel their bank isn’t allowing them to structure debt as efficiently as possible – down slightly from 23% in November. Rabobank and ANZ performed best; Westpac performed worst.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Update on the Golden State Plan to Counter Antisemitism

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jun 2, 2025

    Protecting Jewish Californians, strengthening campus safety, and ensuring California’s universities remain places of learning — not hate

    To the People of California,

    Recent years have seen a troubling spike in reported hate crimes and manifestations of bigotry. In response, California launched a robust anti-hate agenda that includes significant investments and actions to support and protect all the state’s communities from hate-motivated violence, to build mutual understanding and tolerance to prevent acts of hate and bigotry, and to redouble the state’s efforts to advance equity and fight discrimination. 

    Last year, as part of that agenda, my administration published the Golden State Plan to Counter Antisemitism, a roadmap for addressing hate and discrimination against the Jewish community in our state, and a call to remain vigilant amid new and evolving threats. Since the plan was released, California has taken bold action to ensure this vital California community feels safe and respected on their college campuses and schools, secure at their houses of worship, and supported and included in their communities.

    I would like to update the state on our progress since the plan was released last spring. Since then, we’ve doubled down on our efforts, requiring California’s higher education institutions to take concrete steps to prevent discrimination, protect student safety, and ensure civil discourse. We’ve also made new investments in nonprofit security and expanded resources to promote robust Holocaust and genocide education in California schools.

    Here’s what we’ve done together:

    • In partnership with the Jewish Caucus, enacted key legislation to protect student safety:
      • SB 1287 (Glazer) requires the CSU Trustees and requests the UC Regents to: adopt rules and procedures in the student codes of conduct that prohibit violent, harassing, intimidating, or discriminatory conduct that creates a hostile environment on campus; prohibit conduct that limits or denies a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from the free exchange of ideas or the educational mission of the segment; and develop mandatory training programs for students; and require each student to acknowledge the code of conduct. 
      • AB 2925 (Friedman) establishes requirements for anti-discrimination training offered at California college and university campuses that receive state financial assistance.
      • SB 153 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review) expressly prohibits the adoption of any curriculum that would subject a pupil to unlawful discrimination if used in a classroom. The new law also empowers individuals to seek enforcement of this prohibition through a complaint process and authorizes a fiscal penalty for violations.  
      • The 2024-25 Budget Act requires every CSU and UC campus to prepare a campus climate action notification annually, with campus plans for fostering healthy and safe discourse, bringing together campus community members with different viewpoints, and promoting the exchange of ideas in a safe and peaceful manner. 
    • Added funding to bolster security for faith communities: 
      • The 2024-25 Budget includes an additional $160 million for the Non-Profit Security Grant Program, $80 million each year in 2024-25 and 2025-26, bolstering safety and security for faith communities. 
      • In July 2024, announced California was expediting the deployment of funds and accepting applications for $76 million in grant funding available to bolster safety and security for nonprofits  — including synagogues — that are at higher risk of hate-based crimes. 
      • In March 2025, in partnership with the Legislature, announced this funding was being awarded to 347 community groups and nonprofit organizations to protect them from hate-motivated violence.
    • Added new resources to strengthen Holocaust and Genocide education across the state:
      • Signed SB 1277 (Stern), which established the California Teachers Collaborative for Holocaust and Genocide Education (Collaborative) in statute. The collaborative is creating a statewide professional development program on genocide for school district, county office of education, and charter school teachers.
      • In 2021, created the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education. In January 2025, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Council released “Holocaust and Genocide Education in California: A Study of Statewide Context and Local Implementation.” The Council assessed and made recommendations for how to improve Holocaust and genocide education in our schools. The Council  is now working to promote best practices for educators, schools and organizations and sponsor Holocaust and genocide remembrance.
    • Expanded efforts to counter discrimination and address hate. 
      • In 2024, the California Civil Rights Department collaborated with community groups and other organizations at nearly 200 events across 66 cities to support community-based anti-discrimination outreach and training sessions.
      • The Commission on the State of Hate, supported by the CA Civil Rights Department, is partnering with UCLA researchers on a first state-sponsored survey to estimate the prevalence of hate across California.

    Last year, I signed Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel’s legislation to help California residents recover art and personal property stolen from their families during the Holocaust. That small step toward resolving a historic wrong from 80 years ago was a vivid reminder that we cannot forget our history, and that the fight against hate is far from over. 

    Today, we face a tide of hate and violence, one that is not easily stemmed. California remains committed to protecting its people from hatred and abuse, providing individuals with the tools they need to stand up for their neighbors, and creating a better future where no one is afraid because of who they are. 

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Press releases

    Recent news

    Jun 1, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom and Acting Governor Eleni Kounalakis issued the following statement regarding the death of Baldwin Park Police Department Officer Samuel Riveros:“We mourn the tragic loss of one of California’s brave law enforcement officers,…

    May 31, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring May 2025, as “Mental Health Awareness Month.”The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONDuring Mental Health Awareness Month, we recognize the…

    May 30, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Connie Nakano, of Elk Grove, has been appointed Assistant Director of the Office of Strategic Initiatives and Equity at the California Department of Aging. Nakano has been Assistant…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Former Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xu Qiliang Dies at 75

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) — Former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission Xu Qiliang died of illness at the age of 75 in Beijing at 12:12 p.m. Monday, an official statement said.

    Xu Qiliang was also a member of the 18th and 19th Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and was an outstanding member of the CPC, a time-tested and loyal fighter for the ideals of communism, a proletarian military leader and an outstanding leader of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

    Xu Qiliang entered the military in July 1966 and joined the CPC in July 1967. He was promoted to the rank of Air Force colonel general in June 2007. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Results of the exhibition “Metalloobrabotka-2025”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    The traditional industry exhibition “Metalloobrabotka-2025” has ended in Moscow’s Expocentre. It is safe to say that SPbPU successfully presented its developments to ensure technological leadership in the direction of “Materials, Technologies, Production”. The Polytechnic University demonstrated a real technological process for manufacturing parts of power engineering for civil and special purposes. The exhibition participants got acquainted with special-purpose technologies and the technology of highly efficient repair of critically loaded parts of power engineering.

    Director of IMMiT and Chief Designer of the Scientific and Technical Complex “New Materials, Technologies, Production”, Professor Anatoly Popovich, noted: Development of technologies for manufacturing parts of gas-pumping units using modern digital additive manufacturing technologies, in particular the technology of high-temperature selective laser melting of domestically produced metal powder materials, will reduce the cost price, terms of technological preparation of production and repair of critical units and parts, improve the quality of manufacturing components of drive gas turbine engines of gas-pumping units for enterprises of the fuel and energy complex of the Russian Federation. In particular, redesigning taking into account the advantages of additive technologies and manufacturing parts of the hot gas turbine tract will significantly increase the performance characteristics of parts and units, and the developed new materials for protective coatings, such as high-entropy alloys, will increase the service life between repairs of the units.

    Thus, notes Anatoly Popovich, this will provide Russia with technological leadership in the market for the production of units and assemblies of gas turbine engines. The automated repair and restoration system will increase productivity at the surfacing stage up to five times and reduce the cost of repairs by half. Technologies for laser surfacing of difficult-to-weld and non-weld heat-resistant alloys and the developed specialized tool will expand the range of repaired parts.

    On the final day of the exhibition, a series of meetings between key executors of the Peter the Great SPbPU project in the direction of “Materials, Technologies, Production” and future customers took place at the Polytechnic stand.

    Mikhail Kuznetsov, Head of the Research Laboratory “LiAT” of the SPbPU Institute of Metallurgy and Metallurgy, held talks with representatives of the company JSC “EZTM” and colleagues from the State Corporation “Roscosmos”. The partners discussed current projects and prospects for joint work in the field of laser welding and additive technologies.

    At the SPbPU stand, the NIL employees presented samples created using laser and additive technologies. The specialists presented components of the hot tract of gas turbine engines repaired by laser cladding, samples 7 and 10 mm thick, welded in one pass without edge preparation by laser welding and hybrid laser-arc welding, and other equally interesting exhibits.

    Head of the Laboratory of Light Materials and Structures Oleg Panchenko held meetings with representatives of NPO Luch, PI Science and Innovations, NPK Morsvyazavtomatika and others. The participants discussed the possibilities of robotization of production, friction stir welding, electric arc growing, joint projects on reverse engineering in the areas of compressor and propulsion devices.

    The staff of the Laboratory of Light Materials and Structures of the Institute of Metallurgy and Engineering at SPbPU demonstrated the process of producing a conical gear for heavy engineering using the electric arc growing method right at the exhibition. This method is based on melting metal wire under the influence of the energy of an electric arc.

    The installation, created by engineers specifically for this exhibition, is a unique solution for reducing production costs. The technological process allows achieving record-high speeds of obtaining products (for aluminum alloys (Al) – 2.2 kg/hour, for Fe – 6 kg/hour). In addition to record productivity, the key advantage of the technology is the absence of geometric limitations of the printed product. This is the reason for the concept of the “open type” cell: the manipulator is easily installed on the rails and follows the part being grown.

    The Polytechnic University stand presented a selective laser melting installation for metals (3D metal printer) “Mercury”, jointly developed by specialists from SPbPU and 3DLAM.

    The peculiarity of this complex is the platform heating up to 1300 degrees, which allows printing with heat-resistant nickel alloys. During the exhibition, engineers printed samples for further laboratory tests and analysis of metal properties.

    Visitors to the exhibition could see the advanced developments of the polytechnics in the unified catalog of SPbPU. It was entirely dedicated to the projects of the divisions of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport.

    The debut at the Metalloobrabotka-202 exhibition is a significant event for IMMiT specialists. The event became a platform for demonstrating breakthrough solutions and the latest technologies that the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University is developing in the field of laser and additive technologies. Our achievements are not just ideas, but ready-to-manufacture solutions that shape the future, – summed up the Director of IMMiT and the Chief Designer of the KNTN “New Materials, Technologies, Production” Anatoly Popovich.

    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 New Zealand: Police attending sudden death in Muriwai

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police are in attendance at a car fire in Muriwai this morning.

    Fire and Emergency advised Police of the fire on Jack Butt Lane at 8.34am.

    The fire has been extinguished and a person’s body has been located next to the vehicle.

    The immediate area has been cordoned off for a scene examination to be carried out.

    Police will be carrying out enquiries into the circumstances of the fire.

    As these enquiries are still in the very early stage, we are unable to comment further at this stage.

    Police ask that anyone in the area this morning with information make contact.

    You can update Police online now or call 105 using the reference number P062750420.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two-Hundred-Eighty-Two Charged in New Cases Related to SDTX’s Continuing Efforts to Secure Southern Border

    Source: US FBI

    HOUSTON – In support of Operation Take Back America, the Southern District of Texas has filed another 281 cases in immigration and border security-related matters from May 23-29, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

    Among those are 105 people who face charges of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 163 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while seven cases allege various instances of human smuggling with the remainder involving other immigration crimes, child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and firearms.

    One such person charged this week is Carlos Enrique Gonzalez-Pena, an alien present in the United States with a work visa who was allegedly found in possession of CSAM. The charges allege he had visited the darknet where he viewed child pornography sites. A forensic examination of his computer allegedly resulted in the discovery of two video files involving a female child approximately four to six years of age, one of which showed her being sexually assaulted. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. 

    Another one of the cases involves Humberto Vasquez – a Mexican male who allegedly attempted to exit the United States via the Donna Port of Entry. Upon inspection, law enforcement discovered four pistols belonging to him as well as 870 rounds of assorted ammunition, according to the charges. The complaint alleges he did not possess an export license that would authorize him to transport such items into Mexico and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of illegal exportation of firearms. 

    Authorities also found three Mexican nationals near Mission this week with no legal permission to be in the United States, according to the complaints against them. Victor Manuel Ornelas-Ochoa, Alfredo Samuel Gallegos-Esquivel and Exequiel Solano had allegedly been previously removed from the country and have felonies to include possession with intent to deliver marijuana, human smuggling and aggravated sexual assault of a child, respectively. They are all charged with illegal reentry and could receive up to 20 years in prison. Another man who faces the same charges and penalty is Julio Sanchez-Lorenzo. He is a Mexican male who had just been removed from the United States via Brownsville May 21 with no permission to return, according to the charges. However, authorities allegedly found him just six days later near Roma. 

    In addition to the new cases, a federal jury in Houston convicted a Mexican citizen for illegally reentering the United States under an assumed identity. On June 11, 2024, authorities found Jose Martin Valdez-Galvan in Laredo. At that time, he provided a false name and claimed to be a U.S. citizen. Testimony revealed Valdez-Galvan originally stole the person’s identity to avoid previous charges for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Valdez-Galvan was an illegal alien who had been previously removed but returned to the United States without permission. He had assumed the other person’s identity in 2015 after his second removal. He faces up to a 20-year prison sentence. 

    “Both public safety and basic common sense require us to know who is entering and residing in our country. Those that adopt false or stolen personas to hide their identities pose an increased criminal risk to our community,” said Ganjei. “Theft of an American citizen’s identity by a foreign national will not be tolerated, and those that engage in such criminality will be charged, punished, and, if appropriate, deported.”

    In Corpus Christi, an intoxicated driver admitted he was an alien illegally in possession of firearm. Honduran national Josias Eliseo Ulloa-Pavon had been driving under the influence of alcohol before crashing Feb. 18. Upon arrival at the scene, authorities found him pinned inside the fully overturned vehicle. He had red bloodshot eyes, appeared unsteady on his feet and had a strong odor of alcohol. A search revealed a magazine containing six rounds of ammunition in his pocket and a Bersa Model Thunder .380 caliber pistol in his car.  

    Two men from Brownfield admitted to conspiring to transport illegal aliens in Laredo federal court this week. On March 22, authorities observed a Ford Expedition circumventing a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Laredo. Mac Quese Howard was driving, and De Richardson Miller was in the front passenger seat providing directions. Authorities conducted a traffic stop and found three illegal aliens hidden in the back seat. Miller and Howard admitted they had travelled to Laredo for the sole purpose of picking up the aliens and transporting them to San Antonio for payment.

    Also announced was the sentencing of a Mexican national with a felony criminal history and multiple prior removals for illegally reentering the country again. Juan Humberto Lara Molina’s has a lengthy drug, weapons and immigration criminal history including two other illegal reentry convictions. He was also convicted of dealing cocaine in Indiana and unlawful sale of firearms in Illinois and was previously ordered removed from the United States on multiple occasions, most recently in November 2021. However, law enforcement discovered him at the Falfurrias BP checkpoint Dec. 12, 2024. He was one of seven individuals being transported farther north by human smugglers in a tractor-trailer. He was ordered to serve 24 months in federal prison. 

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations, ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The 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 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.

    Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.  

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. 

    An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Beaumont Convenience Store Robbers Sentenced for Killing Clerk with Firearm

    Source: US FBI

    BEAUMONT, Texas – Two men who robbed a Beaumont convenience store and killed the clerk have been sentenced to over 30 years in federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

    Keandre Marquis Robinson, 20, of Beaumont, pleaded guilty to possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death and was sentenced to 405 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on May 30, 2025.  Larry Nathaniel Hagan, 28, of Houston, also pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison by Judge Crone.

    According to information presented in court, on December 29, 2023, Robinson and Hagan were wearing masks and brandishing semi-automatic pistols when they entered the Kris Food Mart located on Gulf Street in Beaumont. Robinson quickly forced the clerk behind the counter and demanded cash while Hagan guarded the front door. Seconds later, Robinson shot the clerk two times in the chest, killing him. Robinson grabbed cigarettes from behind the counter and fled with Hagan. No cash was taken.

    Later that night, the Beaumont Police Department posted images from the robbery to social media and a tip identified Robinson. Police detained Robinson about three hours after the robbery as he was leaving his residence just a few blocks from the store. Robinson later confessed to his role in the robbery and killing but would not identify Hagan.

    Detectives searched Robinson’s phone and discovered text messages with Hagan related to the robbery.  The texts began on December 28 at 10:15 a.m. and ended a few minutes after the robbery. During the conversation, Robinson and Hagan planned to rob the store to “[g]et some money.” In one text, Robinson told Hagan that he would “knock [the clerk’s] top” [to eliminate any] “lose [sic] ends…”.  The conversation ended on December 29 at 10:07 p.m. (approximately 4 minutes after the shooting). In that text, Hagan told Robinson to “[s]tay in the house for some days”.

    “The despicable killing committed by Robinson and Hagan has caused unimaginable pain and loss to the victim’s loved ones and damaged the fabric of our society,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.  “We can never undue the pain that the victim’s loved ones have endured, but we hope this outcome provides them with some measure of closure. The lengthy sentences that were meted out today reflect the gravity of the brazen and senseless crime committed by Robinson and Hagan.”

    “This case shows the importance of collaboration between our officers, our federal partners, and the community that helped us identify the suspect so quickly,” said Beaumont Police Chief Tim Ocnaschek.  “The shooter had already committed an aggravated robbery a year before and was back on the streets just weeks before this murder. The second suspect came to our city with a violent past. While no sentence can bring back the innocent life that was lost, taking these dangerous criminals off the streets for decades makes our community safer and sends a strong message about consequences.”

    “Keandre Robinson’s text messages with Larry Hagan, plotting the slaughter of an unsuspecting store clerk, leave no doubt their only ‘plan’ was to kill,” said Douglas Williams, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Houston. “This was not a robbery gone wrong; it was a cold-blooded, premeditated execution. Thanks to the exceptional partnership between FBI Beaumont and the Beaumont Police Department, these savage criminals will now endure the full consequences of murdering an innocent man.”

    Robinson was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 7, 2024.  Hagan, who was at large until April 24, 2024 when he was arrested in New Orleans by the U.S. Marshals Service, was added to the indictment by the grand jury on May 1, 2024. 

    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).

    This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: West Columbia, South Carolina, Man Indicted for Directing the Sex Abuse of Children in Brazil by Livestream, Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: US FBI

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Florence has returned a 13-count indictment charging Stephen Todd Greene, 55, of West Columbia, with conspiracy to produce child sexual abuse material, two counts of production of child sexual abuse material, four counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material, three counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material, possession of child sexual abuse material, and two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor into illegal sexual conduct.

    The indictment alleges that from June 2023 through September 2024, Greene worked with a woman in Brazil, referred to in the indictment as C0-Conspirator 1, to sexually exploit her nieces, who are 3 years old and 9 years old as of the date of the indictment. Co-Conspirator 1 abused the children in person and Greene abused the children virtually, including by livestreaming their sex abuse to his home in West Columbia and by directing Co-Conspirator 1 to engage in certain abuse over livestream, according to the indictment.

    Greene and Co-Conspirator 1 used Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram, and FaceTime to facilitate the scheme, as well as a series of cameras installed in Greene’s home and in Co-Conspirator 1’s home in Brazil, which allowed a livestream from both locations.  According to the indictment, Greene produced, received, distributed, and possessed child sexual abuse material, and he engaged in sexually explicit conduct on video and caused the minor victims to watch.  During the scheme, Greene travelled twice to Brazil, where he gained direct access to the children, and he transferred money during the scheme to Co-Conspirator 1 through a wire service, according to the indictment.

    Agents with the FBI Columbia field office arrested Greene and he was arraigned in federal court earlier this afternoon. He was ordered detained pending a bond hearing.

    Greene faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.  He also faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years on the conspiracy to produce child sexual abuse material and the production of child sexual abuse material charges, a mandatory minimum of 10 years on the coercion and enticement charges, and a mandatory minimum of five years on the receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material charges. Greene also faces up to a $250,000 fine, restitution payable to the minor victims for damages incurred as a result of the conduct, a special assessment of $5,000, lifetime supervision by the U.S. Probation Office following any term of incarceration, and potential sex offender registry requirements.

    The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia field office and the Brazilian Federal Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case.

    The FBI’s Columbia field office is seeking any information regarding additional potential victims in this investigation. Tips can be provided at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.

    U.S. Attorney Bryan P. Stirling stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    ###

    * The term “pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child. The Associated Press Stylebook also discourages the use of the phrase “child pornography.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: EY Regional CEO David Larocca on weaving Microsoft 365 Copilot into his day’s DNA

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: EY Regional CEO David Larocca on weaving Microsoft 365 Copilot into his day’s DNA

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Johnson Earns High Marks For Voting Record, Engagement on Intellectual Property Policies

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)

    Congressman receives “A” on Council for Innovation Promotion Congressional Scorecard for Working to Strengthen America’s IP Ecosystem

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), ranking member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet, announced June 2 that he received an “A” from the Council for Innovation Promotion (C4IP) for consistently introducing and supporting bills and policies that strengthen America’s IP framework.

    “Intellectual property laws protect the rights of inventors and creators by granting them patents, trademarks, and copyrights,” said Johnson. “In doing so, these laws boost America’s competitiveness and export growth, create millions of jobs, and affect virtually every segment of the U.S. economy. In many ways, IP laws are the drivers of the American Dream. I will continue to focus on intellectual property policies that foster the innovation and creativity we need to drive human progress. I am proud to represent so many hardworking artists, innovators, and small businesses working to make their dreams a reality.”

    C4IP is a bipartisan coalition dedicated to promoting strong and effective intellectual property rights that are necessary for innovation, increased economic competitiveness, and improved lives everywhere.

    The Scorecard evaluated Congress across three dimensions: political, legislative, and policy activity. It assesses both current congressional activity and relevant past activity by current members across 116th, 117th and 118th Congresses.

    The report highlighted some of Congressman Johnson’s most important legislative priorities, including his SHOP SAFE Act, and bills he’s cosponsored such as the RESTORE Patent Rights Act.

    “The United States is not only the world’s largest economy — it is also, by scale and substance, the global leader in innovation and creativity,” the report states. “Indeed, many, if not most, of the revolutionary technologies developed globally over the past half-century originated in the United States. A robust innovation-driven economy relies on a strong system of intellectual property (IP) rights, both now and in the future.”

    To read the report, click HERE. To learn more about C4IP, click HERE.

    ###
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Pressley, Advocates, Families Tell ICE: Hands Off Our Immigrant Neighbors

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Convening Comes Amid Disturbing Uptick in ICE Activity Across Massachusetts 7th

    Press Conference (YouTube) | Photos (Dropbox)

    EAST BOSTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) convened a roundtable and press conference in East Boston with immigrant justice advocates, local leaders, and impacted families to tell Donald Trump and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): Hands off our immigrant neighbors. The convening came amid an uptick in ICE activity across the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District and the Commonwealth, including a series of harrowing incidents in East Boston, Chelsea, Everett, and other communities.

    “Donald Trump wants a citizenry that is inactive and indifferent to the suffering of their neighbors, including our immigrant families in the Massachusetts 7th. But we will not stand idly by while he and ICE carry out their cruel, unlawful, and inhumane mass deportation agenda,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. “We stand with our immigrant neighbors. Children should not live in fear of their parents disappearing. Elders should not live in fear of going to the grocery store or their faith house. I was proud to convene an urgent and timely discussion about how we can push back against this harmful agenda, uplift impacted families, and share resources. I’m grateful to our advocates, families, and local partners for joining us.”

    Congresswoman Pressley was joined at the convening by State Senator Lydia Edwards, State Senator Sal DiDomenico, State Representative Adrian Madaro, Boston City Councilor Gabriela Coletta-Zapata, Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez, Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal of Lawyers for Civil Rights Boston, Nicole Eigbrett of the Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW), Caitlyn Burgess of MacMurray and Associates, Mercedes Pineda, an East Boston resident, Yolanda, a Randolph resident, Kenia Guerrero, a Chelsea resident, as well as impacted families, local elected officials, and community members.

    “East Boston is a proud, resilient, and diverse community — and our immigrant neighbors are the heart of it. The recent escalation in ICE activity is not only cruel, it’s dangerous,” said Senator Lydia Edwards, State Senator for Third Suffolk. “No one should live in fear for simply existing in their own neighborhood. I stand with Congresswoman Pressley, local advocates, and the families impacted in calling for humanity, accountability, and the end of these terrorizing practices. Our communities deserve safety, dignity, and the freedom to thrive.”

    “The cities I represent are vibrant and resilient because we welcome people from all parts of the world with open arms and lift each other up,” said State Senator Sal DiDomenico. “The Trump administration is tearing families apart and stoking fear, hoping that we will all sit back and not respond. I am proud to speak up against this abhorrent assault on our freedoms and our communities alongside my colleagues at all levels of government, impacted loved ones, and advocates on the ground fighting to protect our neighbors and keep families together. I want to thank Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley for convening this roundtable and continuing to sound the alarm about this crisis.”

    ”Our immigrant neighbors help form the backbone of our communities,” said State Representative Adrian Madaro. “They are caring parents, dedicated workers, and courageous dreamers who came here seeking a better life for themselves and their loved ones. Entire sectors of our economy that are essential to our collective wellbeing depend on their labor. Yet ICE has been harassing and targeting them in East Boston and surrounding communities for weeks, going as far as taking individuals with legal status and no criminal histories. Their desperation to fill jails with immigrants has torn families apart and inflicted deep emotional trauma. It has left many facing staggering legal costs. ICE is operating with alarming disregard for both the law and human dignity. They’ve sent ripple effects through several of our school communities, waiting outside during drop off, tearing parents from their children for all to see. These actions do not make us safer — they fracture the trust that holds our communities together. This is cruelty, not justice. Our neighbors deserve protection, not persecution.”

    “East Boston is home to vibrant, resilient immigrant communities who deserve to live without fear. We stand in solidarity with our neighbors and with leaders like Congresswoman Pressley in calling for dignity, safety, and justice. No one should be targeted for simply trying to build a better life. When they come for our neighbors, they come for all of us,” said Boston City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata.

    “The recent actions by federal immigration agents have inflicted fear and trauma in our community. This is not just about immigration enforcement—this is about the violent persecution of our residents and the destruction of trust between government and the people we serve. Chelsea is a city of immigrants. We will not stand by while our neighbors are racially profiled, ripped from their homes and families, and treated with cruelty and inhumanity. We stand united in defense of every resident’s dignity and right to live without fear,” said Fidel Maltez, Chelsea City Manager.

    “Today, I stood in full support of Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s powerful call to action in East Boston, where she convened a roundtable and press conference with immigrant justice advocates, local leaders, and families impacted by increased ICE activity,” said Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepén. “The message was clear: Hands off our immigrant neighbors. Here in the City of Boston, we are unwavering in our commitment to protect and uplift our immigrant communities. Immigrants are an integral part of our city’s fabric—they are our neighbors, colleagues, caregivers, and small business owners. They are not only welcome here; they are essential to the strength, diversity, and vibrancy of Boston. We reject the fear tactics and inhumane practices that target our immigrant families. As leaders, we must stand up to any efforts that seek to divide or dehumanize our communities. I will continue to advocate on behalf of our immigrant neighbors and proudly support Congresswoman Pressley’s efforts to demand dignity, safety, and justice for all.”

    “Federal agents say that they target people with terrorist ties, but they are the ones terrorizing the people of Chelsea,” said Chelsea City Councilor Roberto Jiménez-Rivera. “They kidnap bread winners, hard working people with legal status, and children. Chelsea and other immigrant communities are getting punched in the face every day, and we need other communities to stand up with us and defend Massachusetts. Congresswoman Pressley is doing everything she can, and it would be a dereliction of duty for every other level of government to ignore this call to action. We must do as much as possible to pass legislation that protects our immigrant neighbors everywhere.”

    “The Trump administration has chosen to deliberately attack and break my community in the city of Chelsea,” said Chelsea City Councilor Manuel Teshe. “Now is when we come together and fight because we’re the last line of defense against this tyranny. I stand strong next to Congresswoman Pressley who courageously represents each and every one of us in D.C.”

    “The federal government’s unlawful targeting of our immigrant residents makes our communities less safe. The people of Cambridge stand with our immigrant neighbors to demand due process for everyone because none of us are safe unless we all are,” said Cambridge City Councilor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler.

    ““As an immigrant from Cameroon and a public official in Somerville, I know firsthand the fear and uncertainty that many in our communities face. Today, I stand not only as a policymaker but as someone who understands what it means to seek safety, dignity, and belonging in a new land. The recent ICE raids are a cruel reminder of how fragile that sense of safety can be. I’m deeply grateful to Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley for organizing this moment of solidarity. Her leadership reminds us that our communities are strongest when we stand together to defend the rights and humanity of every resident—no exceptions,” said Somerville City Councilor Wilfred Mbah.

    “Lawyers for Civil Rights applauds elected officials for standing with the community. We demand that the federal government uphold the Constitution and respect the rule of law. We will safeguard civil rights to prevent their erosion under the guise of immigration enforcement,” said Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, Executive Director of Lawyers for Civil Rights.

    “At MacMurray and Associates, LLC, our mission is to empower the immigrant community by providing strong legal representation in both immigration court and before USCIS. In the wake of the recent ICE raids in our district, we have stood on the front lines—defending the rights of those detained, working tirelessly to reunify families, and ensuring that due process is not abandoned. Our partnership with the community and Congresswoman Pressley has been essential in responding rapidly and effectively to these injustices, giving voice and strength to those most vulnerable. Together, we continue to fight for a system where dignity and justice are not denied to immigrants seeking safety and opportunity, “ said Attorney Caitlyn Burgess.

    “The Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW) thanks Congresswoman Pressley for her partnership in this struggle for immigrant justice since the first Trump administration, during the height of raids and deportations in the Cambodian community,” said Nicole Eigbrett, Co-Executive Director of AARW. “Now, in his second term, we are experiencing Asian immigrants targeted on multiple fronts, including undocumented Asian workers, Chinese and Muslim international students, Southeast Asians with past criminal records, and TPS holders from Nepal. AARW will continue organizing to stop ICE raids, detentions, deportations within our community — but also across race and nationalities for solidarity with all immigrant communities in Massachusetts.”

    Video of the press conference is available here and photos are available here.

    Rep. Pressley has been a vocal advocate for our immigrant neighbors and everyone harmed by Donald Trump’s unlawful, anti-immigrant, and anti-free speech agenda. Congresswoman Pressley, who serves as Co-Chair for the House Haiti Caucus and represents one of the largest Haitian diaspora communities in the country, has also been an outspoken critic of the Trump Administration’s ending of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, Venezuela, El Salvador, and other countries grappling with humanitarian crises.

    Rep. Pressley has also been an outspoken critic against the unlawful detention of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts PhD student, Somerville resident, and constituent of the Congresswoman’s who was unlawfully detained for weeks in retaliation for her protected speech. After weeks of advocacy and Congressional oversight, including a visit to detention centers in Louisiana, Rep. Pressley and Senator Ed Markey welcomed Ms. Öztürk to Massachusetts following her arrival from ICE detention in Louisiana.

    Rep. Pressley has also spoken out against reports of ICE activity in Boston and other municipalities in Massachusetts.

    In January 2025, Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues in reintroducing the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, legislation that would repeal the antiquated Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which has been used to target innocent immigrants based on nothing more than national origin without affording due process rights, and which Donald Trump has used in his plans for mass deportations.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DAUPHIN COUNTY – Shapiro Administration Ends Receivership for Harrisburg City School District

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    June 03, 2025 – Harrisburg, PA

    ADVISORY – DAUPHIN COUNTY – Shapiro Administration Ends Receivership for Harrisburg City School District

    Pennsylvania Department of Education Acting Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe will join Sen. Patty Kim, Rep. Dave Madsen, and officials from the Harrisburg City School District to announce that effective June 17, the district will no longer be in Receivership. The district entered Financial Recovery in December 2012 and entered Receivership in June 2019.

    The Shapiro Administration is committed to ensuring schools have access to the investments and resources they need to serve learners in communities across the Commonwealth. Governor Shapiro’s proposed 2025-26 budget requests a $75 million increase for public K-12 schools and a $526 million increase for the Ready To Learn Block Grant; a $40 million increase for special education; and establishes a statewide cyber tuition rate of $8,000 per student per year to more closely align tuition with the actual costs of providing an online education, which is expected to save school districts an estimated $378 million annually.

    WHAT:
    Shapiro Administration Ends Receivership for Harrisburg City School District

    WHEN:
    Tuesday, June 3, 2025; 10:00 AM

    WHERE:
    Harrisburg City School District Administration Building Board Room
    1010 N. 7th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102

    VISUALS:
    Officials speaking at podium, ceremonial letter signing and presentation to school district

    NOTE:
    A PA Cast will follow

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hard Money Lender Sentenced for Defrauding Investors in Loans Made to Failed Fresno Company Bitwise Industries

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Andrew Adler, 31, of Greenwich, Connecticut, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to three years and five months in prison for defrauding investors in loans made to the failed Fresno-based startup Bitwise Industries, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Adler was ordered to pay $9.3 million in restitution jointly and severally with the Bitwise defendants and to forfeit another $1 million.

    “The collapse of Bitwise Industries exposed Andrew Adler’s lies to investors in securing a multi-million-dollar loan, which he used to secretly line his pockets.” said FBI Sacramento Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “This investigation clearly demonstrates the FBI’s tenacity and is a testament of the great work performed by FBI agents and personnel in our Fresno Resident Agency.”

    According to court records, from December 2022 through May 2023, Adler and his business partner, David Hardcastle, 61, of Fresno, gave Bitwise approximately $20 million in hard money loans. They did not fund the loans themselves or otherwise put their own money at risk. Instead, they syndicated the loans to other investors. In doing so, they altered the original loan documents to make it appear that Bitwise was paying a significantly lower interest rate for the loans than was true. They also forged the signature of one of Bitwise’s Co-CEOs, Jake Soberal, on the altered documents. This made the loans appear less risky and more appealing to the investors. Several of the investors later told the FBI that they would not have invested in the loans had they known the actual interest rates that Bitwise was paying because that would have been a red flag that something was wrong with Bitwise.

    One of the loans included a secure interest reserve of approximately $714,000 that the investors did not know about and that Adler and Hardcastle used to make an unrelated, personal investment in another company that they controlled. Generally speaking, secure interest reserves are disclosed to loan investors ahead of time and are supposed to help protect the investors in the event that the borrower does not make its payments on schedule. Secure interest reserves are not supposed to be used for the personal benefit of the loan originators like Adler and Hardcastle.

    Adler and Hardcastle also made tens of thousands of dollars in fees for originating the loans. They stood to make millions more in secret profits from the higher, undisclosed interest rates had the loans been fully repaid. Unfortunately, however, Bitwise turned out to be a Ponzi-like fraud scheme and collapsed before that could happen. As a result, the participants lost nearly all their money. Adler told the court in his filings that he was motived to commit the fraud by pure greed and nothing else.

    Hardcastle has been indicted for his role in the fraud and is currently pending trial. He is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Bitwise’s CEOs, Jake Soberal and Irma Olguin Jr., were previously sentenced to 11 years and nine years in prison, respectively, for the carrying out the Bitwise Ponzi scheme that caused a loss of over $115 million in that case.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Cody Chapple are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Charged with Hate Crime in Attack on Boulder Gathering

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Mohammed Sabry Soliman, age 45, of Colorado Springs, has been charged with one count of a hate crime involving actual or perceived race, religion, or national origin.

    According to the criminal complaint, on June 1, 2025, at approximately 2pm, Soliman threw two lit Molotov cocktails at individuals participating in a gathering near the Boulder Courthouse of members of “Run for Their Lives,” which organizes weekly walks to call attention to the Israeli hostages in Gaza.  When he threw the Molotov cocktails, Soliman yelled “Free Palestine!”  The Molotov cocktails ignited in the crowd of people, causing burn injuries to eight individuals.

    The complaint also alleges that when Soliman was detained by local law enforcement, at least fourteen unlit Molotov cocktails and a backpack weed sprayer, potentially containing a flammable substance, were found nearby.  A car registered to Soliman, parked a block away, contained a red gas container, red material consistent with rags used in the Molotov cocktails, and paperwork with the words, “Israel,” “Palestine,” and “USAID.”

    The complaint further alleges that, during an interview with local and federal law enforcement, Soliman stated that he had researched on YouTube how to make Molotov cocktails, purchased the ingredients to do so, and constructed them.  He traveled to Boulder in his vehicle with the Molotov cocktails and threw two of them at individuals participating in the gathering.  He stated that he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead.  He stated that he would do it (conduct an attack) again.  Throughout the interview, Soliman stated that he hated the “Zionist group” and did this because he needed to stop them from taking over “our land,” i.e., Palestine.  He stated that he had been planning the attack for a year.

    The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations Denver Field Office and the Boulder Police Department.  The prosecution is being handled by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, the Civil Rights Division and the National Security Division, both of the Department of Justice, and in coordination with the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office (Twentieth Judicial District).

    Case Number:  25-mj-000108-NRN

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks on the Election of the President of the 80th Session of the General Assembly [bilingual as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations – English

    et me begin by congratulating Her Excellency, Annalena Baerbock of Germany on her election as the President of the 80th Session of the General Assembly. 

    And to our current President of this 79th session — His Excellency Philemon Yang of Cameroon — thank you for your leadership.

    From day one, you have presided over the General Assembly with wisdom, vision and skill.

    You hit the ground running with the Summit of the Future.

    And, since then, you have carried that work forward, taking on critical global issues, preparing for numerous milestone events in this 80th anniversary year, working to strengthen our institution, and serving as a powerful voice and advocate for Africa and its enormous potential.

    President Yang, thank you for your advice, guidance and deep commitment to the United Nations and multilateral solutions.

    Excellencies,

    President-elect Baerbock, as you prepare to lead the 80th General Assembly, you do so at a difficult and uncertain moment for the multilateral system.

    Conflicts, climate catastrophe, poverty and inequality continue to challenge the human family.

    Mistrust and divisions are rife.

    The Sustainable Development Goals are alarmingly off-track.

    Aid and development funding are drying up.

    And our institutions and structures still reflect the world of yesterday, not a vision of tomorrow.

    This is a moment for us to unite, to forge common solutions, and to take action to confront these challenges.

    President-elect Baerbock’s vision — “Better Together” — is an inspiring rallying cry for today’s world and the global problem-solving system embodied by the United Nations to address these challenges.

    Her priority issues range from peace and development to reform and transparency in the United Nations. 

    She brings a wealth of government and diplomatic experience to this task — including serving as her country’s Foreign Minister.

    And let us not forget the historic significance of her being only the fifth woman to be elected President of the General Assembly.

    President-elect Baerbock, you can count on my full support as you take on this important responsibility.

    Excellences,

    Depuis 80 ans, l’Assemblée générale des Nations unies joue un rôle indispensable pour bâtir des consensus, trouver des solutions, et agir pour un monde meilleur, plus pacifique et plus égalitaire.

    Alors que nous approchons de la fin de la 79ème session et nous préparons à l’ouverture de la 80ème, engageons-nous à faire vivre les valeurs de solidarité et de collaboration qui définissent notre Organisation depuis sa création.

    Je vous remercie.

    ****
    [all-English]

    Let me begin by congratulating Her Excellency, Annalena Baerbock of Germany on her election as the President of the 80th Session of the General Assembly. 

    And to our current President of this 79th session — His Excellency Philemon Yang of Cameroon — thank you for your leadership.

    From day one, you have presided over the General Assembly with wisdom, vision and skill.

    You hit the ground running with the Summit of the Future.

    And, since then, you have carried that work forward, taking on critical global issues, preparing for numerous milestone events in this 80th anniversary year, working to strengthen our institution, and serving as a powerful voice and advocate for Africa and its enormous potential.

    President Yang, thank you for your advice, guidance and deep commitment to the United Nations and multilateral solutions.

    Excellencies,

    President-elect Baerbock, as you prepare to lead the 80th General Assembly, you do so at a difficult and uncertain moment for the multilateral system.

    Conflicts, climate catastrophe, poverty and inequality continue to challenge the human family.

    Mistrust and divisions are rife.

    The Sustainable Development Goals are alarmingly off-track.

    Aid and development funding are drying up.

    And our institutions and structures still reflect the world of yesterday, not a vision of tomorrow.

    This is a moment for us to unite, to forge common solutions, and to take action to confront these challenges.

    President-elect Baerbock’s vision — “Better Together” — is an inspiring rallying cry for today’s world and the global problem-solving system embodied by the United Nations to address these challenges.

    Her priority issues range from peace and development to reform and transparency in the United Nations. 

    She brings a wealth of government and diplomatic experience to this task — including serving as her country’s Foreign Minister.

    And let us not forget the historic significance of her being only the fifth woman to be elected President of the General Assembly.

    President-elect Baerbock, you can count on my full support as you take on this important responsibility.

    Excellencies,

    For 80 years, the United Nations General Assembly has played an indispensable role in forging consensus, finding solutions and taking action to build a better, more peaceful and equal world.

    As we look ahead to the end of the 79th session, and prepare for the start of the 80th, let us strive to live up to the values of solidarity and collaboration that have defined this organization from the very start.

    Thank you.

    *****
    [all-French]

    Permettez-moi tout d’abord de féliciter Madame Annalena Baerbock, de l’Allemagne, qui vient d’être élue Présidente de la 80e session de l’Assemblée générale.

    Quant à vous, Monsieur Philemon Yang, du Cameroun, qui présidez actuellement la 79e session, je tiens à vous remercier de votre leadership.

    Dès le premier jour, vous avez présidé l’Assemblée générale avec sagesse, hauteur de vue et compétence.

    Le Sommet de l’avenir a été votre baptême du feu.

    Depuis lors, vous avez poursuivi sans relâche l’action engagée, vous emparant des grandes questions internationales, organisant les nombreuses manifestations qui ont jalonné le 80e anniversaire de l’Organisation, œuvrant au renforcement de notre institution et vous faisant le porte-voix et le défenseur de l’Afrique et de son énorme potentiel.

    Monsieur le Président, je vous remercie des orientations et de la direction données, ainsi que de votre profond attachement à l’Organisation des Nations Unies et aux solutions multilatérales.

    Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Madame la Présidente, alors même que vous vous préparez à diriger la 80e Assemblée générale, le système multilatéral vit un moment difficile et incertain.

    Les conflits, la catastrophe climatique, la pauvreté et les inégalités continuent de fragiliser la famille humaine.

    La méfiance et les divisions s’enracinent.

    Les objectifs de développement durable sont encore très loin d’être atteints.

    Le financement de l’aide et du développement se tarit.

    Enfin, nos institutions et nos structures sont toujours le reflet du monde d’hier et n’incarnent aucune vision pour demain.

    Le moment est venu pour nous de nous unir, de trouver des solutions communes et d’agir ensemble pour relever ces défis.

    La vision portée par Madame la Présidente et qu’incarnent ces mots – « Mieux ensemble » – est à même de rallier et d’inspirer le monde d’aujourd’hui et le système international de règlement des problèmes qu’est l’ONU et de leur permettre de remédier aux difficultés.

    Ses priorités vont de la paix et du développement à la réforme et à la transparence à l’ONU.

    Elle apportera à sa tâche une riche expérience gouvernementale et diplomatique, ayant notamment été la Ministre des affaires étrangères de son pays.

    Enfin, n’oublions pas la dimension historique que revêt son élection, puisqu’elle n’est que la cinquième femme à être élue Présidente de l’Assemblée générale.

    Madame la Présidente, vous pouvez compter sur mon appui total dans l’exercice de cette lourde responsabilité.

    Excellences,

    Depuis 80 ans, l’Assemblée générale des Nations unies joue un rôle indispensable pour bâtir des consensus, trouver des solutions, et agir pour un monde meilleur, plus pacifique et plus égalitaire.

    Alors que nous approchons de la fin de la 79ème session et nous préparons à l’ouverture de la 80ème, engageons-nous à faire vivre les valeurs de solidarité et de collaboration qui définissent notre Organisation depuis sa création.

    Je vous remercie.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, ENR Colleagues Urge Interior Inspector General to Investigate Threats Posed by Workforce Reductions at Bureau of Reclamation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, ENR Colleagues Urge Interior Inspector General to Investigate Threats Posed by Workforce Reductions at Bureau of Reclamation

    Senators to DOI Acting Inspector General: “We are concerned that the Administration’s actions to gut the agency of qualified public servants could leave critical water infrastructure and communities vulnerable to operational disruptions”
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, joined his ENR colleagues in urging U.S. Department of the Interior Acting Inspector General (IG) Caryl Brzymialkiewicz to evaluate the consequences of the Trump Administration’s workforce reductions at the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR). The Senators warned that these cuts are preventing the agency from fulfilling its statutory mission and implementing relevant programs and activities authorized by Congress, including supporting essential water infrastructure projects in California and across the West.
    According to reports, BOR has lost 1,400 public servants — approximately 25 percent of the agency’s entire workforce — since the Trump Administration began its assault on the federal workforce in January. Additionally, President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request proposes a $600 million (34 percent) cut to BOR funding, jeopardizing important water infrastructure projects.
    “Recent reductions in workforce significantly threaten BOR’s ability to safely and reliably deliver water to communities and farmers, keep waterways flowing for fish and wildlife across the western United States, and produce reliable electricity,” wrote the Senators.
    BOR is the largest wholesale water supplier in the United States — operating many critical California water management projects and delivering trillions of gallons of water to more than 31 million people and 10 million acres of farmland. The farmland managed by BOR produces over 60 percent of the nation’s vegetables and more than 25 percent of its fruits and nuts.
    BOR is also the second-largest producer of hydroelectric power in the country. The facilities BOR operates generate 40 million megawatt-hours of electricity each year.
    The Senators expressed concern over the lack of strategy and harm to public safety that these workforce reductions pose.
    “Rapid reductions to BOR’s workforce raise significant concerns about the Bureau’s ability to meet its core responsibilities, particularly inspecting dams and identifying threats to public safety,” continued the Senators.
    “BOR needs experienced personnel with the necessary expertise to manage critical infrastructure. We are concerned that the Administration’s actions to gut the agency of qualified public servants could leave critical water infrastructure and communities vulnerable to operational disruptions,” added the Senators.
    The Senators concluded by pushing the IG to investigate whether recent workforce reductions at BOR prevent the Bureau from carrying out its obligations. The letter was led by ENR Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and signed by fellow ENR Democratic members U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    Earlier this year, Senators Padilla and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) pushed the Department of the Interior to prevent further federal workforce cuts to BOR, warning of the devastating effects of these reductions on water supply systems in California and across the nation. In that letter, Padilla and Schiff highlighted three vital water projects that depend on the expertise of Reclamation staff for managing water in the West: the Klamath Project, the Central Valley Project (CVP), and the Lower Colorado Regional Office. In the face of public pressure from the Senators and 14 California water officials, BOR paused a planned additional round of workforce cuts. Padilla and Schiff previously urged the Department of the Interior to immediately stop its freeze of Inflation Reduction Act funding for the Lower Colorado River System Conservation and Efficiency Program, which is managed by BOR.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Acting Inspector General Brzymialkiewicz:
    We write to request that your office evaluate the extent to which workforce reductions at the Bureau of Reclamation (“Bureau” or “BOR”) prevent the agency from fulfilling its statutory mission and implementing relevant programs and activities authorized by Congress. The Bureau is the largest wholesaler of water in the United States—delivering trillions of gallons of water to more than 31 million people. The Bureau is also the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the country. The facilities BOR operate generate 40 million megawatt-hours of electricity each year. However, recent reductions in workforce significantly threaten BOR’s ability to safely and reliably deliver water to communities and farmers, keep waterways flowing for fish and wildlife across the western United States, and produce reliable electricity.
    According to reports, BOR has lost 1,400 public servants since the administration began its assault on the federal workforce. The positions reportedly eliminated include mechanics, engineers, and fish biology specialists—personnel with considerable expertise. Through firings of probational workers, buyouts, early retirements, and other related actions, BOR has shrunk by 25 percent. This workforce reduction has lacked a coherent, mission- and safety- driven strategy and instead led to the departure of experienced personnel—some with over 20 years of experience—leaving the Bureau susceptible to operational disruptions.
    Rapid reductions to BOR’s workforce raise significant concerns about the Bureau’s ability to meet its core responsibilities, particularly inspecting dams and identifying threats to public safety. BOR manages over 450 dams throughout 17 western states. Previously, BOR’s dam safety program identified over 300 high and significant hazard dams at more than 200 facilities. The age and complex nature of dam systems necessitates having experienced staff trained in the operation of such systems. In fact, as your office identified in a September 2023 report, approximately 90 percent of BOR’s dams are more than 50 years old and “[a]ging dams increase the risk of dam failures.” BOR needs experienced personnel with the necessary expertise to manage critical infrastructure. We are concerned that the administration’s actions to gut the agency of qualified public servants could leave critical water infrastructure and communities vulnerable to operational disruptions.
    Your office is responsible for promoting “accountability, integrity, economy, efficiency, and effectiveness within” the DOI and identifying “ways to improve the DOI’s programs and operations by offering specific, actionable recommendations that lead to positive change.” We therefore urge you to evaluate whether recent workforce reductions at BOR inhibit the Bureau from carrying out its obligations.
    Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Major £5 billion technology investment accelerates UK defence innovation in a European first

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    Major £5 billion technology investment accelerates UK defence innovation in a European first

    More than £4 billion drive towards autonomous systems to shape UK military future and boost export potential, supporting the Plan for Change

    UK troops and warships will be protected by drone and laser weapon technology through a major £5 billion investment, as the UK seeks to become the leading edge of innovation in NATO under the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) and driven by lessons from Ukraine. 

    The major funding package includes more than £4 billion for autonomous systems and a further investment of nearly £1 billion for Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) this Parliament – including the iconic DragonFire laser – boosting frontline capabilities while creating 300 skilled jobs across the country. 

    DragonFire is set to be the first high power laser capability entering service from a European nation, with the first Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer due to be fitted in 2027.  

    The SDR recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy. To help achieve this, it says Defence must incorporate uncrewed and autonomous systems in high numbers over the next five years and make targeted investment in the development of novel directed energy weapons.  

    Today’s autonomous systems investment – of which more than £2 billion is new funding following the Government‘s historic uplift in defence spending to 2.5% of GDP from 2027– will see autonomous systems, including drones improve accuracy and lethality for our Armed Forces, and boost UK export potential. 

    It comes after major announcements ahead of the SDR publication, including: the building of up to a dozen new attack submarines for the Royal Navy; up to 7,000 new UK-built long-range weapons to procured; at least six new munitions and energetics factories in the UK; more than £1.5 billion to improve the state of military housing; and more than £1 billion for pioneering technology to spearhead battlefield engagements.

    The new DEW capabilities will give the UK an edge, creating low cost and sustainable alternatives to missiles to shoot down targets, such as drones, at the speed of light, reduce collateral damage and have a low-cost per shot, reducing reliance on expensive ammunition.   

    The systems will be tailored to the conditions in which they will operate – whether at sea, on land, or in the air – and will work alongside crewed assets, such as current and future fighter jets.  

    Both investments reflect the SDR’s vision for UK innovation to be driven by the lessons from Ukraine – harnessing drones, data and digital warfare to make our Armed Forces stronger and safer. 

    The SDR sets a path for the next decade and beyond to transform defence and make the UK secure at home and strong abroad. It ends the hollowing out of our Armed Forces and will also drive innovation, jobs and growth across the country, allowing the UK to lead in a stronger NATO as part of this Government’s Plan for Change.  

    Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said:

    These investments will mean the most significant advance in UK defence technology in decades. We will ensure our Armed Forces have the cutting-edge capabilities they need to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world.

    We are delivering the Strategic Defence Review’s vision to put the UK at the leading edge of innovation in NATO, by backing British industry and fast-tracking the kit of the future into the hands of frontline troops.

    This Government’s Plan for Change will harness the benefits of technology, create hundreds of new jobs and make defence a powerful engine for economic growth.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said:  

    A strong economy needs a strong national defence. That’s why we are delivering the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War—putting innovation and industrial strength at the centre of our national security strategy.

    Additional funding for autonomous systems maximises the defence industry’s potential to drive long term economic growth and productivity – helping us deliver our Plan for Change while keeping the UK safe.

    A new DEW will be created for the British Army this decade, alongside DragonFire being integrated on four Royal Navy warships, with the first ship due to be fitted in 2027, forming part of a layered air defence system to better protect UK forces while reducing collateral damage and reducing reliance on expensive ammunition. 

    DEW technology already supports 200 high-skilled UK jobs, with a further 300 positions to be created across the Ministry of Defence and industry partners. It’s another example of defence as an engine for UK economic growth, delivering on the Plan for Change.  

    In addition, a new Drone Centre will be established to accelerate exploitation of small, uncrewed air systems across all three military services, helping to deliver them to the front line faster.   

    The Centre will provide a central knowledge base to tackle any emerging legislative changes, develop best practice and better manage the interaction with industry. Crucially, it will apply battlefield lessons from Ukraine where drones now kill more people than traditional artillery. Detailed organisational arrangements will be developed over the coming months. 

    During the SDR process, 1,700 individuals, political parties, and organisations submitted more than 8,000 responses. 200 companies provided written contributions, more than 120 senior experts took part in the review and challenge panels, and nearly 50 meetings took place between the Reviewers and our senior military figures.

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor Calls on Department of Labor to Keep Doors Open at Pinellas Job Corps Center

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Reprepsentative Kathy Castor (FL14)

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) urged the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-Remer to reverse DOL’s decision to close the Pinellas County Job Corps Center. 

    The abrupt decision to pause Job Corps operations nationwide is creating deep concerns for the more than 250 students affected by the order.

    “This harsh and arbitrary decision casts students into an uncertain future, disrupts job training, and creates housing insecurity for hundreds of young people across Florida,” said Rep. Castor. “This move will upend more than 60 years of progress and take away a vital resource that helps young people succeed. I urge the Department to reverse this order and work with our community to ensure these students are not left behind.”

    The Pinellas County Job Corps Center provides job training, education and housing for at-risk youth from across the state. DOL’s directive to pause operations at all contractor-run centers by June 30 follows the release of a report that purportedly relied on narrow and incomplete data. Castor is demanding transparency from DOL regarding this hasty decision – which has a significant impact on at-risk youth – including the reliability of student performance numbers and how pandemic-related challenges were factored into the report.

    U.S. Rep. Castor is calling on the Department to delay the pause, revisit the data and commit to keeping opportunities alive for Florida students.

    Read the full letter here:

    Dear Secretary Chavez-DeRemer: 

    Thank you for the opportunity to relay my deep concern for the Department of Labor’s (DOL) decision to suddenly and arbitrarily close the Pinellas County, Florida Job Corps Center and cast 300 students into an uncertain future. I respectfully urge you to reverse the decision and answer the questions posed below. 

    For decades, Job Corps has provided a vital pathway to education, job training and self-sufficiency for young people who deserve a second chance. I am concerned, however, that DOL has proposed dismantling Job Corps, contrary to the direction of Congress. I have heard from local teachers and students how the sudden and arbitrary closure will undercut the mission and leave students in the lurch. The Pinellas County Job Corps Center serves 300 students who hail from across the state of Florida, 285 of whom receive housing, and employs 124 staff members. This order will displace students in the midst of their training, create housing insecurity, lay off dedicated staff and leave communities scrambling to fill the gap. 

    Staff and students have raised concerns about the cancellation of national contracts that provide critical services such as Wi-Fi access on-site, the halt of background checks for applicants, thus stopping the enrollment process, and now the pause of operations at all contractor-operated Job Corps centers scheduled to occur by June 30, 2025. This comes after the Department’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) released the first-ever Job Corps Transparency Report. This report analyzed the financial performance and operational costs of the most recently available metrics of program year 2023. Coming to such a swift decision is both alarming and hasty. 

    Please answer the following questions by June 15, 2025:

    • The Job Corps Transparency Report claims there are less than 25,000 students participating in Job Corps nationally. What data was used to determine this number? 
    • How many students receive housing through this initiative? 
    • The report claims that the graduation rate is less than 38.6 percent. Why was the analysis not performed on a date range larger than July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024? 
    • How are the impacts of COVID-19 taken into consideration? 
    • The analysis weighs incident occurrences against outcomes. What criteria are used to determine what an “incident” is? 
    • The report claims that the initiative is no longer meeting set outcomes. How have graduates’ wages compared to wage goals set by DOL for the last 10 years? 
    • Are there efficient structural changes that can be made prior to stopping operations? 

    The report suggests the initiative has become expensive, yet Job Corps has not received a funding increase in 8 years. This move will upend more than 60 years of progress, leaving current and future at-risk young people with one less pipeline to personal and professional development. Halting Job Corps contracts will deepen inequality and rob young people in need of critical tools to thrive. DOL should be investing in our communities and resources with effective tools like Job Corps to break the cycle of poverty and help young people succeed. I trust that we share the same goal of serving all Americans and bolstering our workforce. I respectfully urge you to delay the pause in operations, review this Transparency Report and include a longer dataset for analysis, and take actions to ensure the success of Job Corps.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Nimanode Positions To Become The OpenSea of AI Agents On XRP Blockchain – Presale Momentum Accelerates

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LEEDS, United Kingdom, June 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Excitement is building across the XRP community as Nimanode ($NMA), the first AI agent platform on the XRP Ledger, positions itself as the premier destination for intelligent automation within the Ripple ecosystem.

    Amid growing bullish sentiment around XRP — driven by XRP Futures trading going live seasoned investors from major ecosystems like Cardano ($ADA) and Solana ($SOL), are turning their attention to the Nimanode Presale, eager to secure early exposure to what many see as a foundational layer for on-chain AI infrastructure.

    Pioneering AI Agents on XRP

    Nimanode is strategically emerging as the leading marketplace and launch platform for autonomous AI agents on the XRP Ledger. Just as OpenSea redefined digital ownership through NFTs, Nimanode is redefining utility through AI agents that work, evolve, and earn on-chain.

    Designed specifically to offer a no-code gateway to intelligent, on-chain automation at scale. Nimanode offers services from solo builders to enterprises — to deploy intelligent agents that automate smart contracts, optimize DeFi strategies, assess protocol risk, and manage tokenized real-world assets (RWAs).

    This transformative model brings a new dimension to DeFi and AI adoption in the XRP ecosystem, by combining modular AI technology with XRPL’s unmatched speed and low transaction costs, opening up a new era of AI x Blockchain, with real monetization potential built into every deployment.

    Join Nimanode Presale

    Why Investors are Flocking to The Nimanode Presale

    The presale surge has captured the attention of prominent crypto investors including notable whales from the BNB, ADA and SOL communities. All looking to position themselves early in what many believe could be the next DeFi breakout project.

    From the desk of the development team at Nimanode, they are set to deliver an Agentic workforce handling various tasks autonomously. Features of these ecosystem include but not limited to

    Zero-Code Agent Builder – Easily create and configure AI agents through a drag-and-drop interface

    Autonomous Execution – Agents perform on-chain tasks, react to data feeds, and interact across dApps

    Agent Marketplace – Build, deploy and monetize AI agents within a Nimanode ecosystem

    XRPL Integration – High-speed, low-cost, and eco-friendly infrastructure to power scalable agent activity

    $NMA Token – Powering the Nimanode Ecosystem

    The native $NMA token is the backbone of the Nimanode platform, unlocking utility and benefits across their ecosystem through:

    • Agent Deployment: Lower fees for launching and customizing AI agents.
    • Staking Rewards: Earn passive income by staking $NMA tokens.
    • Marketplace Access: Use $NMA to buy, license, or upgrade agents.
    • Governance: Participate in DAO proposals and help shape platform evolution.

    At the end of the presale, $NMA will list on DEXs at a 25% higher price, offering early participants immediate upside on their investments.

    How to Join The Nimanode Presale

    Joining in the NimaNode Presale is quite straightforward for anyone seasoned investors and newbies alike.

    Setup an XRP-Compatible Wallet: Ensure you have a non-custodial wallet capable of receiving XRP native tokens like Xaman Wallet.

    Purchase XRP: Acquire XRP from reputable exchanges like Binance, Coinbase, or Bybit.

    Participate in the Presale: Visit the NimaNode presale page (https://nimanode.com/presale), send your XRP to the provided presale address, and secure your $NMA tokens.

    The last cycle gave us DeFi protocols and NFTs. This cycle is shaping up to be about autonomous infrastructure and Nimanode is at the heart of it.

    Don’t Miss Out – Secure your $NMA Tokens

    Learn more about Nimanode

    Website: https://nimanode.com

    Twitter/X: https://x.com/nimanodeai

    Telegram: https://t.me/nimanodeAI

    Whitepaper: https://docs.nimanode.com

    Contact:
    Nick Lambert
    contact@nimanode.com

    Disclaimer: This is a paid post and is provided by Nimanode. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/675f22df-2345-47a3-9ac2-1187fab5183a

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Reducing American antisemitism requires more than condemning opposition to Israel and targeting elite universities

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By David Mednicoff, Associate Professor of Middle Eastern Studies and Public Policy, UMass Amherst

    Law enforcement officials dress in protective gear to investigate after an attack on a march in Boulder, Colo., on June 1, 2025, calling for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. AP Photo/David Zalubowski

    Violent antisemitism in the U.S. isn’t limited to the far right wing of the political spectrum. This was tragically obvious in two recent events – the June 1, 2025, attack using Molotov cocktails to burn participants in a Boulder, Colorado, march supporting Israeli hostages in Gaza, and the murders of two Israeli embassy staffers, an American Jew and an Israeli, on May 21, 2025, outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.

    As an expert on the Middle East, including Israel, my research and administrative work have included contributing to a global effort to define antisemitism and addressing antisemitism on my own campus.

    Antisemitism can be defined simply as “discrimination, prejudice, hostility or violence against Jews as Jews (or Jewish institutions as Jewish).” What actually constitutes it is more contested, especially with respect to links between Jews and the state of Israel.

    President Donald Trump claims he is taking “unprecedented” steps to combat antisemitism.

    American Jews perceive antisemitism as rising since 2016, largely because, as one study put it, “people who hold anti-Semitic views now feel more free to express them.” But the current federal fight against antisemitism in the U.S. may have more to do with the agendas of members of the American and Israeli governments than with the concerns of most American Jews.

    First, the Trump administration’s attacks on antisemitism center on elite universities, where the president claims antisemitism runs rampant. Second, the current Israeli government tries to blur the lines between pro-Palestinian activism and antisemitism.

    These factors polarize and complicate the landscape for combating antisemitism effectively.

    GOP nominee for president Donald Trump speaks to prominent Jewish donors at an event called Fighting Anti-Semitism in America on Sept. 19, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
    Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

    Targeting speech at universities by charging ‘antisemitism’

    Trump’s administration has taken dramatic actions in the name of curbing antisemitism. Yet, his policies are notable for what they ignore as well as what they target.

    Right-wing antisemitism was responsible for the deadliest attack on a Jewish community in U.S. history in Pittsburgh in 2018. Yet the administration’s model for fighting antisemitism is not based in fighting white supremacist hatred toward Jews, which relates back to the Nazis in Germany.

    In fact, members of Trump’s administration, including senior adviser Stephen Miller and former Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk, have supported white supremacist ideas or groups. Trump’s own words have evoked right-wing antisemitic tropes, such as assuming American Jews are loyal to Israel or adept at making money.

    Trump administration policies on antisemitism are most vocal around punishing leading American universities as unsafe for Jews. As the leading target of the president’s ire, Harvard University has acknowledged that some activism against Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza has contributed to antisemitism on campuses.

    However, federal actions targeting Harvard ostensibly seek to punish antisemitism by demanding sweeping federal oversight of Harvard’s curriculum and self-governance. Billions of dollars in research funds have been cut. Neither action connects clearly to Harvard’s patterns or policies around antisemitism.

    Given this, Harvard sued the government in April.

    Many American Jews believe that Trump’s true purpose is to use the antisemitism issue as one means to curb free expression at universities.

    Defending Israeli policy by charging ‘antisemitism’

    National governments naturally seek political and material support from powerful allies. Israel’s efforts to encourage Americans to champion that support fit this pattern.

    Israel receives more U.S. aid than any other country. Thus, its government has an interest in enlisting diverse people and organizations in a sustained way to support its policies.

    The Israeli intervention has grown because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government is unpopular in both Israel and the U.S. Its war in Gaza, provoked by Hamas, is highly destructive and globally unpopular.

    Most experts and policymakers now argue that Israel, along with Hamas, has committed international war crimes.

    The Israeli government recently increased its funding to US$150 million for global public relations efforts. This is a major acceleration of policies that Israeli has pursued for decades known in Hebrew as “hasbara,” which translates to “explanation.”

    Documenting specific links between Israel’s government and groups promoting its agenda in the U.S. can be difficult. This may be a deliberate strategy by Israeli leaders to conceal their efforts.

    Yet, mainstream Israeli-run organizations such as the Jewish Agency have played up links between pro-Palestinian activism and antisemitism since Hamas triggered the war in Gaza. Groups whose funding and leadership are hard to trace maintain public blacklists labeling vocal pro-Palestine activists as antisemites. Those lists have been used by Israeli government bureaucrats to bar visitors to the country.

    U.S.-based groups aligned with Israeli government messaging engage in persistent strategies to discredit opposition voices. Some attack publicly vocal activists, including some American Jews. Others press organizations, political bodies and institutions to adopt a definition of antisemitism that makes it easy to conflate criticism of Israeli policy with antisemitism.

    Anti-Israel behavior in the U.S. can be antisemitic, such as asserting that American Jews, because they are Jews, are responsible for Israeli state actions. And some American Jews support crackdowns on pro-Palestinian activists.

    However, characterizing antisemitism in the U.S. mostly in terms of speech and activism against the Israeli government augments the Trump administration’s neglect of dangerous right-wing antisemitism.

    Presidential adviser Elon Musk interviews via video the German right-wing party AfD leader Alice Weidel at AfD’s election campaign launch on Feb. 23, 2025.
    Hendrik Schmidt/picture alliance via Getty Images

    Polarization and antisemitism in the US

    Taken together, the politics pursued by Trump and the Netanyahu government combine to target legally protected speech in the U.S. more than they deter antisemitism.

    By contributing to polarization, the conflation of antisemitism with a wide range of speech critical of Israel could add to threats faced by Jews and other religious minorities. Those who wish to undermine work toward Palestinian-Israeli coexistence benefit from the charge that most pro-Palestinian activists are antisemitic. This worsens already visible divides among American Jews over how Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinians squares with their Jewish identities.

    Supported by the most aggressive pro-Netanyahu groups, the Trump administration links concerns against antisemitism to efforts to deport immigrants who have expressed pro-Palestine views, such as Tufts doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk. Deporting people in the name of policing speech critical of Israel also runs a risk that Jews will be blamed for government actions many Americans find objectionable.

    Let’s be clear. Some pro-Palestinian activism embraces Jew-hatred, as the attacks in Washington and Boulder highlight. But lumping together as antisemitic most pro-Palestinian speech, as current American and Israeli leaders do, complicates seeing antisemitism clearly and countering it.

    In addition, most Americans – and Israelis – seek an end to the war, mounting deaths and humanitarian disaster in Gaza. Any potential to blur this with antisemitism augments the few, loud American voices that support one side in the conflict by dehumanizing the other side.

    Americans believe other minority groups face greater discrimination than Jews. Yet, antisemitism from diverse directions is the worst I have seen in my lifetime.

    As with any policy problem, the way to deal with this issue is to focus on all facets of the problem, including right-wing racism and Christian nationalism.

    Current national politics around antisemitism may serve many purposes. Yet most American Jews doubt that these policies actually protect them.

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

    – ref. Reducing American antisemitism requires more than condemning opposition to Israel and targeting elite universities – https://theconversation.com/reducing-american-antisemitism-requires-more-than-condemning-opposition-to-israel-and-targeting-elite-universities-257290

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar, Grassley Celebrate C-SPAN’s Historic Senate Coverage, Call for Public Access Across Platforms, Including Streaming

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
    C-SPAN provides the transparency and accountability our democracy needs, and it is important all Americans are able to access it 
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced a resolution to mark the 39th anniversary of C-SPAN 2’s first Senate broadcast on June 2, 1986. The resolution urges all television providers, including streaming services, to carry the network. 
    “C-SPAN has connected the Senate with the American people for nearly 40 years—providing the public an opportunity to see their government at work on the Senate floor and in committee meetings,” Klobuchar said. “Access to this live coverage on all platforms is essential to keeping the American people informed and engaged in their democracy.”
    “Transparency brings accountability, and C-SPAN’s coverage of the Senate has certainly brought transparency to the people’s business. Our resolution celebrates C-SPAN 2’s nearly 40-year commitment to give Americans a front row seat in the Senate, all without accepting a dime of taxpayer dollars. This public service strengthens our system of self-government by boosting civic engagement, and ought to be available on all television and streaming platforms,” Grassley said. 
    Over 39 years, C-SPAN2 has recorded more than 43,830 hours of Senate action, including more than 169,000 speeches from a broad range of ideologies. The network has documented more than 23,493 roll call votes, acting as a living ledger of Senate decision-making. 
    Find text of the resolution HERE.?

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Building consent system productivity on the rise

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Processing delays for building consents and code compliance certificates have dropped since the Government began publicly releasing council performance data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.   “One of the most common frustrations I’ve heard from tradies and aspiring homeowners since becoming Minister is how long it takes to get the paperwork sorted before building can begin. “Just over a year ago, I directed MBIE to start publishing quarterly performance data so the Government could dig into the problem and show how well Building Consent Authorities (BCAs) are handling consent applications.  “The decision to put performance in the spotlight is paying off, and I wish to acknowledge councils who have moved quickly to expedite consenting processes.  “Latest data shows 92.7 percent of building consent applications and 96.8 percent of code compliance certificates were processed within the statutory timeframe in the first quarter of 2025.   “That’s up from 88 percent and 93.6 percent respectively when reporting began last year.  “More work is getting done. In the first three months of 2025, 31,845 building consent applications, amendments and code compliance certificates were processed – almost 1,000 more than in the same period last year.  “These improvements reveal the impact of driving accountability, and we’re just getting started.  “The Government is working hard to bring in practical reforms which will streamline the consent system and make building in New Zealand easier and more affordable.  “This includes new legislation empowering trusted building professionals to sign off their own work – slashing thousands of applications to ease system pressure, and requiring BCAs to conduct 80 percent of building inspections within three working days.  “This mandatory target will help councils prioritise their workloads more effectively. I expect the requirement to come into effect later this year.  “By setting clear standards and creating a regulatory system that drives building productivity, we will see more Kiwi families move into homes faster.”Note to editors:    

    Building Consent System Performance Monitoring Data for the first quarter of 2025 is published on the MBIE website:  https://www.mbie.govt.nz/building-and-energy/building/building-system-insights-programme/building-consent-system-performance-monitoring
    Legislation to enable the self-certification scheme will be introduced by the end of 2025. Further information can be found on the Beehive website: Accelerating building projects with self-certification and inspection targets | Beehive.govt.nz 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: OPINION: Relief, Retention, and Responsibility—Why This Special Session Matters

    Source: US State of Missouri

    JUNE 2, 2025

    By Governor Mike Kehoe

    This special session is about showing up for our communities—from the families across our state picking up the pieces after devastating storms, to the employees and small businesses whose livelihoods depend on the jobs and economic activity provided by the sports franchise businesses on the western side of our state. It’s about proving that we can act swiftly to help those in crisis, while also making smart decisions that secure opportunity for the future.

    The General Assembly achieved so much for our state this spring, so I am both thankful for their efforts and optimistic that we can work together to use this rare opportunity to benefit the future of our state. Because helping Missourians today—and building the kind of future they deserve tomorrow—isn’t just possible; it’s the kind of leadership Missourians expect from us.

    Disaster Relief

    Every storm reveals what matters most and who we are here for. We’ve seen firsthand how Missourians weather hardships and show up for their neighbors with courage and compassion. Now, it’s our turn to meet that same standard. We have the chance to pull together – not as rivals, but as public servants united by purpose.

    In this special session, we are asking legislators to take direct action to provide financial relief and housing assistance to those affected by natural disasters across our state. One key provision is a new income tax deduction—capped at $5,000 per household per disaster—for insurance deductibles paid by homeowners and renters in disaster-affected areas.

    We’re also strengthening support for those in need by expanding eligibility for emergency grants and rental assistance through the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC). If passed by the General Assembly, the income eligibility threshold for these grants would be expanded from 50% to 75% of the regional Area Median Income. MHDC would also receive an additional $25 million appropriation to support the expanded disaster relief grands.

    Business Retention

    Sports teams have tremendous value beyond any financial measure. Our efforts are about retaining jobs, protecting local businesses, and preserving major economic drivers that benefit not just Kansas City, but the entire state.

    The Show Me Sports Investment Act is a step in the right direction for economic stability and job retention through tax credits and bonds that are performance-based and capped to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals right here in Missouri where they belong.

    Let me be clear: We are not handing out blank checks to billionaires.

    The legislation allows teams to independently bond money from the state based on the taxes they already contribute. Only money generated by the sports teams can be used to repay the bond and any new or existing revenue above the bond payment will go to the state as it currently stands. Finally, this legislation gives each team a one-time $50 million tax credit if they first spend $500 million of their own dollars on renovating their stadium.

    If we fail to act, Missouri stands to lose thousands of jobs and millions in annual revenue. This isn’t a giveaway—it’s a strategy to ensure Missouri remains competitive with other states that would gladly take this opportunity for themselves.

    Budgetary Responsibility

    This special session call also contains critical appropriations that didn’t make it across the finish line in the regular session, including $25 million in General Revenue funds for the Radioisotope Science Center at the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR). The MURR has developed life-saving medicines for patients around the world, and Missouri is proud to be home to this incredible nuclear resource.

    We are also asking the General Assembly to appropriate funding from funds other than the General Revenue for various projects such as a new 200-bed mental health hospital in Kansas City, a new crime lab in Highway Patrol Troop E, new livestock and stalling barns at the Missouri State Fairgrounds, and various projects at parks and Missouri National Guard facilities across the state.

    We are not asking the General Assembly to forgive and forget the actions taken by members of an opposing party or chamber. Instead, we are asking them to set those feelings aside to get to work on issues that matter to the people we serve.

    We understand that tension doesn’t vanish with the gavels that close one session and open another. It lingers – in priorities left unresolved and personal strains that follow difficult debates. As a former legislator, I know it can be tough to move on from these moments. The echoes of disagreements still ripple beneath the surface. But we must turn the page.

    A special session is not just a procedural tool – it’s an invitation to rise above all the noise. It’s a chance to demonstrate that principled public servants can come together with resolve to do what’s right. Leadership isn’t proven by how loudly we defend our corners, but by how we willingly find solutions that work. Missourians are watching, and they’re ready for us to meet the moment.

    This special session isn’t just another item on the legislative calendar to check off – it’s a moment Missouri simply cannot afford to coast through. There are families still waiting for relief, jobs hanging in the balance, and communities counting on us to make wise, forward-thinking investments that won’t just fix short-term, hot-button problems – but shape a stronger future.

    It’s time to rise above the noise and govern with the people in mind. Because Missourians didn’t send us here to work for ourselves. We’re here to serve them.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: North Dakota Department of Commerce Announces $15 Million Destination Development Grant to Boost Tourism and Economic Growth

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    The North Dakota Department of Commerce is excited to announce the launch of the 2025 Destination Development Grant Program, a $15 million initiative aimed at enhancing the state’s tourism industry. This program, funded by the 69th Legislative Assembly, is designed to support the development and expansion of tourism experiences and attractions that contribute to North Dakota’s economic growth and diversification.

    “Tourism plays an essential role in North Dakota, contributing to a strong economy, by attracting visitors who spend money and pay taxes,” said Gov. Kelly Armstrong. “This grant program will support projects that offer legendary experiences that make our state a unique destination.”

    The Destination Development Grant Program provides financial support for projects that increase the number of unique visitor experiences, support workforce recruitment and retention, and enhance the quality of life for North Dakota residents. Eligible projects include the construction or expansion of tourism, recreation, entertainment, historic, or cultural attractions, as well as infrastructure investments that directly support tourism.

    “By creating more experiences that attract visitors and expanding the potential for extended stays, we are also enhancing the quality of life for our residents,” said Commerce Tourism and Marketing Director Sara Otte Coleman. “This grant program is a fantastic opportunity for communities and businesses across North Dakota to develop and expand their tourism offerings, ultimately driving economic growth and diversification.”

    Grant requests should range between $25,000 and $5,000,000, with a required 1:1 match contribution from non-state sources. Eligible entities include for-profit and non-profit organizations or businesses involved in tourism. Private and non-profit tourism entities using government buildings or public property are also eligible if the grant dollars are used to improve items belonging to the business or non-profit.

    The grant portal will be open from July 1 through July 31, 2025. Applicants must submit all materials online, including a detailed project description, budget, and letters of support. Competitive applications will demonstrate a clear vision, strategic alignment with tourism goals, and long-term value.

    Information on the Destination Development Grant will be available at https://ndgov.link/DestinationDevelopment.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Charged in $227 Milion Medicare Fraud Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    An Illinois man and a foreign national were arrested yesterday on criminal charges related to their alleged submission of more than $227 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare.

    According to court documents, Syed Murtuza Kablazada, 34, of Arlington Heights, and Syed Mehdi Hussain, 32, of Carol Stream, owned and operated purported medical laboratories that submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare for the reimbursement of over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits allegedly provided to Medicare beneficiaries. The defendants allegedly installed foreign nationals to act as nominee owners at the laboratories to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare for the provision of over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits, with the understanding the nominee owners would flee the United States when they learned that their laboratory was under investigation.

    “As alleged, the defendants used straw owners at multiple laboratories to cause the submission of more than $200 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for COVID-19 test kits,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Health care fraud harms Americans by squandering taxpayer money and diverting limited resources from those who need them most. The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes to hold fraudsters accountable, protect victims, and recover financial losses.”

    “The overwhelming fraud uncovered in this investigation details a blatant disregard for America’s critical health care program, Medicare, and puts all patients at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “The FBI and our partners will not tolerate anyone who abuses the health care system for personal gain and will aggressively pursue justice on behalf of both patients and taxpayers.”

    “The submission of fraudulent claims to Medicare for products or services not dispensed or not medically necessary undermines the integrity of this valuable program, intended to protect the most vulnerable in our community,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Today’s arrests demonstrate our unwavering commitment, working in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, to identify, investigate and bring to justice those who seek to defraud our nation’s federal healthcare programs.” 

    As alleged in the indictment, the defendants rarely provided Covid-19 test kits to Medicare beneficiaries but instead submitted reimbursement claims on behalf of beneficiaries who had not requested COVID-19 test kits, including individuals who were deceased. Further, the defendants allegedly paid a marketing company to provide the names of hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries that the defendants used to submit fraudulent claims. In total, between September 2022 and June 2023, the defendants’ labs billed Medicare approximately $227 million in fraudulent claims, of which Medicare paid approximately $136 million in reimbursements.

    Kablazada and Hussain are both charged by indictment with four counts of health care fraud. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each of the four counts.

    The FBI Chicago Field Office and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Andres Q. Almendarez of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmina Vajzovic for the Northern District of Illinois.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    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: Kansas City Man Charged with Bank Robbery

    Source: US FBI

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Christopher L. Curtner, 41, was charged with bank robbery in a federal criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.

    The complaint affidavit alleges Curtner robbed a financial institution on the morning of May 27, 2025.  After speaking briefly with the bank teller, Curtner wrote a note saying: “give me the money this is a robbery.”  The teller activated the bank’s duress code and provided Curtner with approximately $1,400 in cash, after which he fled the scene.

    A Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) task force positively identified Curtner as the bank robber.  Kansas City, Missouri Police Department (KCPD) officers located Curtner, who was on foot in the Kansas City metro area. The KCPD fugitive unit began physical surveillance on Curtner and took him into custody as he entered a second financial institution.

    Under federal statutes, bank robbery carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment in federal prison without parole.  The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

    The charges contained in this complaint 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 Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Siegele. It was investigated by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, Kansas City Division and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Protects Iowans’ Second Amendment Rights

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    DAVENPORT, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) joined local gun owners at the Davenport Guns & Shooting Club to announce her new bill to protect Iowans’ Second Amendment rights and lawful gun dealers after the Biden administration’s “zero-tolerance” crackdown.

    After the roundtable, Ernst got in some target practice at the shooting range.
    Click here to download more photos.
    Ernst’s Fighting Irrational Regulatory Enforcement to Avert Retailers’ Misfortune (FIREARM) Act prevents the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) from shuttering Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) over minor clerical mistakes and allows them to correct self-reported errors.
    “The Biden administration’s zero-tolerance policy empowered gun grabbers in Washington to infringe on the Second Amendment and shutter small businesses,” said Ernst. “Iowans spoke loud and clear in November that they were tired of bureaucratic overreach. My FIREARM Act disarms the out-of-control ATF and ensures that the rights of law-abiding gun owners are protected.”
    Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) is introducing companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
    “For four years, the Biden administration undermined the Second Amendment and weaponized government against law-abiding citizens and small businesses of the lawful firearms industry,” said Issa. “It is now a new day and a different Washington, and that’s why my friend Senator Ernst and I are advancing the FIREARM Act. We can stop the targeting of our citizens and prevent it from ever happening again.”
    “It’s such a relief to know that Senator Ernst understands and appreciates the importance of the Second Amendment,” said Jeanelle Westrom, Iowa Director for Women for Gun Rights and the owner of Davenport Guns & Shooting Club. “Being a small business owner is hard, and it’s even harder when our agencies like the ATF are used as an end run around the Constitution. As the Iowa Director for Women for Gun Rights and the owner of Davenport Guns, I’m proud to stand by Senator Ernst and her FIREARM Act.”
    “Senator Joni Ernst’s ‘FIREARM’ Act will ensure that future administrations cannot weaponize the ATF as a political gun control tool for special interests,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President & General Counsel. “Under the Biden administration, the firearm and ammunition industry witnessed the ATF being weaponized to carry out that administration’s extreme antigun policies. That damaged the cooperative relationships between firearm retailers, who are on the frontline preventing illegal straw purchases of firearms, and the ATF, which enforces laws to safeguard our communities. NSSF is thankful for Senator Ernst’s leadership to provide remedies that repair this necessary public trust in our federal agencies.”
    Specifically, the FIREARM Act:

    Creates a safe harbor for FFLs to self-report violations, so they can correct any accidental errors;
    Requires the ATF to work collaboratively with FFLs to fix violations and help avoid future violations;
    Addresses the “willfulness” issue by defining it to mean a voluntary, intentional violation of a known legal duty achieved through specific intent or deliberate planning, excludes previous conduct, and creates a rebuttal if the conduct is not willful; and
    Allows for direct judicial review of license revocations to avoid the ATF from serving as both the judge and prosecutor.

    Click here to view the bill.
    Background:
    Because of her tireless commitment to protecting the rights of law-abiding gun owners and fighting back against bureaucratic overreach, Senator Ernst earned an “A+” rating from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schumer, Murray Statement on President Trump’s Expected Rescissions Request

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following joint statement on the rescission request President Trump is expected to submit to Congress this week:
    “Let’s be honest about what this is: President Trump is looking to go after PBS and NPR to settle political scores and muzzle the free press, while undermining foreign assistance programs that push back on China’s malign influence, save lives, and address other bipartisan priorities. The Trump administration continues to take their eye off the ball and is not focused on helping lower middle-class families’ costs. Instead, they are pursuing political retribution to appease the most right-wing factions. They are blowing up the national debt to give the wealthiest few and biggest corporations huge tax breaks while ripping health care away from millions of Americans. Donald Trump’s misplaced priorities are exactly why Americans have quickly turned on his presidency.
    “If Republicans choose to go along with this rescission package, they will follow Trump at their peril. The power of the purse is one of Congress’s most fundamental Constitutional responsibilities. Democrats will not allow Republicans to play games with the budget.”

    MIL OSI USA News –