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Category: Department of Justice

  • MIL-OSI: Apollo Capital Calls Out MediPharm Chairman Chris Taves (Managing Director, BMO Capital Markets) for Failure to Properly Communicate to Shareholders Details of David Pidduck’s Past as CEO and VP of Marketing for OxyContin® Manufacturer Purdue Pharma

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Opioid-Pusher Pidduck, Chairman Chris Taves and the Current MediPharm Board Have Presided Over $1 Billion in Shareholder Value Destruction while funneling $5,587,059 of the Shareholders’ Money Directly into Pidduck’s Pocket

    Apollo Capital’s Six Director Nominees Are Committed to Restoring Transparency and Value to MediPharm’s Shareholders

    URGES SHAREHOLDERS TO DISREGARD MEDIPHARM LABS’ GREEN PROXY CARD AND VOTE THE GOLD PROXY CARD “FOR” APOLLO CAPITAL’S SIX DIRECTOR NOMINEES

    TORONTO, May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo Technology Capital Corporation (“Apollo Capital”), which together with its affiliates and associates collectively is one of the largest shareholders of MediPharm Labs Corp. (TSX: LABS) (OTCQB: MEDIF) (FSE: MLZ) (“MediPharm”, “MediPharm Labs”, or the “Company”), owning approximately 3% of the Company’s common stock, today issued a statement regarding CEO David Pidduck’s background as former CEO & President of Purdue Pharma Canada (“Purdue Pharma”).

    Fellow shareholders deserve to know the truth regarding CEO David Pidduck. As stewards of a publicly traded company, MediPharm’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) have a responsibility to uphold transparency, accountability, and good governance. The current Board, which has overseen $1 billion of shareholder value destruction, and which has presided over an eye-watering 99% share price decline, is focused on downplaying Mr. Pidduck’s past, rather than its responsibilities to shareholders. Indeed, there was absolutely no reference to Pidduck’s role at Purdue Pharma, or of Purdue Pharma’s culpability in creating the opioid epidemic, in the Company’s press release announcing Mr. Pidduck’s appointment as CEO.

    Let’s look at the facts:

    From 2014 until December 2021, David Pidduck served as VP of Marketing, and then CEO & President of Purdue Pharma.

    As reported in the Globe and Mail, “More than 34,000 Canadians have died from opioids between January 2016, and September 2022, according to federal government data.”1

    In 2017, Purdue Canada agreed to pay $20 million to settle a class-action lawsuit involving allegations about how its pain pills were over-marketed, with the suit claiming that Purdue Pharma had engaged in deceitful marketing practices. In an interview with the CBC, Dr. David Juurlink, a drug safety researcher at the University of Toronto posited that, “the fair question that might be asked is did Purdue engage in questionable or even illegal activities in the marketing of OxyContin® in Canada.”2

    In 2020, Purdue Pharma’s U.S. entity pleaded guilty to three criminal charges over the handling of its painkiller OxyContin®, including conspiring to defraud officials and paying illegal kickbacks to doctors in a bid to keep prescriptions flowing.3

    In 2022, it was announced that Purdue Pharma agreed to pay a $150 million settlement in a proposed class action launched in 2018 on behalf of all provincial, territorial and federal governments, alleging that opioid manufacturers and distributors engaged in deceptive marketing practices that amplified addiction, destroying countless lives and killing of thousands of people. This remains the largest settlement of a governmental health claim in Canadian history.4

    Apollo Capital asks its fellow Shareholders – do you feel like Medipharm Chairman Chris Taves fulfilled his fiduciary duty, and even his moral duty to you, to make you aware of Opioid- Pusher Pidduck’s past with Purdue Pharma when he hired him as the CEO to steward your investments?

    Apollo Capital asks its fellow Shareholders – do you feel like Medipharm Chairman Chris Taves properly represented Pidduck’s past to you when he asked you on multiple occasions to vote on Opioid-Pusher Pidduck’s outrageous and off-market compensation package?

    Apollo asks its fellow Shareholders – do you feel like the details of Pidduck’s very recent past were MATERIAL facts that Medipharm Chairman Chris Taves should have made crystal clear to you so that you could have made a more informed decision before voting for nearly SIX MILLION DOLLARS of YOUR money to end up in Opioid-Pusher Pidduck’s pocket?

    While Shareholders have suffered immense losses with no path to stop the bleeding, Mr. Pidduck has benefited from the Board’s largesse with an excessive and off-market compensation package that has funneled $5,587,059 of Shareholders’ money directly to Pidduck, despite MediPharm’s share price plummeting nearly to zero.

    Shareholders should demand accountability from the Board at the 2025 Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders on June 16, 2025. Apollo Capital has nominated six highly qualified individuals; namely, Regan McGee, Scott Walters, David Lontini, Demetrios Mallios, John Fowler and Alan D. Lewis (the “Apollo Nominees”) to replace the incumbents and hold the Board accountable for destroying one billion dollars of shareholder value, enriching themselves at your expense, and enabling a CEO whose actions have driven operational and strategic failure and arguably much, much worse.

    ___________

    The opioid crisis continues to be devastating for people across the country in terms of lives lost, families torn apart and the impact on our health care frontline staff.

    Victims who before February 28, 2017 were prescribed in Canada and ingested OxyContin® tablets and/or OxyNEO® tablets, can visit https://oxycontinclassactionsettlement.com/ for more information.

    __________

    MediPharm Labs Shareholders can visit www.CureMediPharm.com, to sign up for important campaign updates.

    To access Apollo Capital’s Circular and related proxy materials, including a proxy or voting instruction form, visit SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Contacts

    For Shareholders:
    Carson Proxy
    North American Toll-Free Phone: 1-800-530-5189
    Local or Text Message: 416-751-2066 (collect calls accepted)
    E: info@carsonproxy.com

    For Media:
    CureMediPharm@gasthalter.com

    Legal Disclosures

    Information in Support of Public Broadcast Exemption under Canadian Law

    In connection with the Annual Meeting, Apollo Capital has filed an amended and restated dissident information circular (the “Circular”) in compliance with applicable corporate and securities laws. Apollo Capital has provided in, or incorporated by reference into, this press release the disclosure required under section 9.2(4) of NI 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations (“NI 51-102”) and the corresponding exemption under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario), and has filed the Circular, available under MediPharm’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The Circular contains disclosure prescribed by applicable corporate law and disclosure required under section 9.2(6) of NI 51-102 in respect of Apollo Capital’s director nominees, in accordance with corporate and securities laws applicable to public broadcast solicitations. The Circular is hereby incorporated by reference into this press release and is available under MediPharm’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The registered office of the Company is 151 John Street, Barrie, Ontario, Canada L4N 2L1.

    SHAREHOLDERS OF MEDIPHARM ARE URGED TO READ THE CIRCULAR CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and shareholders are able to obtain free copies of the Circular and any amendments or supplements thereto and further proxy circulars at no charge under MediPharm’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. In addition, shareholders are also able to obtain free copies of the Circular and other relevant documents by contacting Apollo Capital’s proxy solicitor, Carson Proxy Advisors Ltd. (“Carson Proxy”) at 1-800-530-5189, local (collect outside North America): 416-751-2066 or by email at info@carsonproxy.com.

    Proxies may be revoked in accordance with subsection 110(4) of the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) by a registered shareholder of Company shares: (a) by completing and signing a valid proxy bearing a later date and returning it in accordance with the instructions contained in the accompanying form of proxy; (b) by depositing an instrument in writing executed by the shareholder or by the shareholder’s attorney authorized in writing; (c) by transmitting by telephonic or electronic means a revocation that is signed by electronic signature in accordance with applicable law, as the case may be: (i) at the registered office of the Company at any time up to and including the last business day preceding the day the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the Annual Meeting is to be held, or (ii) with the chair of the Annual Meeting on the day of the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the Annual Meeting; or (d) in any other manner permitted by law. In addition, proxies may be revoked by a non-registered holder of Company shares at any time by written notice to the intermediary in accordance with the instructions given to the non-registered holder by its intermediary. It should be noted that revocation of proxies or voting instructions by a non-registered holder can take several days or even longer to complete and, accordingly, any such revocation should be completed well in advance of the deadline prescribed in the form of proxy or voting instruction form to ensure it is given effect in respect of the Annual Meeting.

    The costs incurred in the preparation and mailing of any circular or proxy solicitation by Apollo Capital and any other participants named herein will be borne directly and indirectly by Apollo Capital. However, to the extent permitted under applicable law, Apollo Capital intends to seek reimbursement from the Company of all expenses incurred in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of its director nominees at the Annual Meeting.

    This press release and any solicitation made by Apollo Capital is, or will be, as applicable, made by such parties, and not by or on behalf of the management of the Company. Proxies may be solicited by proxy circular, mail, telephone, email or other electronic means, as well as by newspaper or other media advertising and in person by managers, directors, officers and employees of Apollo Capital who will not be specifically remunerated therefor. In addition, Apollo Capital may solicit proxies by way of public broadcast, including press release, speech or publication and any other manner permitted under applicable Canadian laws, and may engage the services of one or more agents and authorize other persons to assist it in soliciting proxies on their behalf.

    Apollo Capital has entered into an agreement with Carson Proxy Advisors (“Carson Proxy”) for solicitation and advisory services in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the Meeting, for which Carson Proxy will receive a fee not to exceed $250,000, together with reimbursement for reasonable and out-of-pocket expenses. Apollo Capital has also engaged Gasthalter & Co. LP (“G&Co”) to act as communications consultant to provide Apollo Capital with certain communications, public relations and related services, for which G&Co will receive a minimum fee of US$75,000 in addition to a performance fee of US$250,000 in the event that Apollo Capital’s nominees make up a majority of the Board following the Annual Meeting, plus excess fees, related costs and expenses.

    No member of Apollo Capital nor any of their associates or affiliates has or has had any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction since the beginning of the Company’s last completed financial year or in any proposed transaction that has materially affected or will or would materially affect the Company or any of the Company’s affiliates. No member of Apollo Capital nor any of their associates or affiliates has any material interest, direct or indirect, by way of beneficial ownership of securities or otherwise, in any matter to be acted upon at the Annual Meeting, other than setting the number of directors, the election of directors, the appointment of auditors and the approval of the ordinary resolution approving, among other things, the Company’s amended and restated equity incentive plan dated May 8, 2025 and the unallocated awards available thereunder.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward‐looking statements. All statements contained in this filing that are not clearly historical in nature or that necessarily depend on future events are forward‐looking, and the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “plan,” and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward‐looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of Apollo Capital and currently available information. They are not guarantees of future performance, involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. All forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as of the date hereof and Apollo Capital disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that subsequently occur, or of which Apollo Capital hereafter becomes aware, except as required by applicable law.

    Hashtags: #ShareholderActivism #CorporateGovernance #InvestorProtection #Investor Alert #Investor Fraud #FinancialRegulation #CorporateCrime #FinancialCrime #HomelandSecurity #DHS #OpioidCrisis #OpioidEpidemic #OpioidLitigation #OpioidVictims #BMO #DEA #ONDCP

    __________________________________________________
    1 Source: The Globe and Mail, “McKinsey pitched Purdue Pharma Canada on plan to boost opioid sales in 2014, memo reveals”, 6/19/2023, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-mckinsey-opioid-lawsuit-purdue-pharma/.
    2 Source: CBC, “OxyContin maker agrees to $20M settlement in Canadian class-action case”, 5/1/2017, https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/oxycontin-class-action-1.4093781
    3 Source: U.S. Department of Justice, “Opioid Manufacturer Purdue Pharma Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Kickback Conspiracies”, 11/24/2020, https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/opioid-manufacturer-purdue-pharma-pleads-guilty-fraud-and-kickback-conspiracies
    4 Source: Ontario Minitstry of the Attorney General, Opioid Damages Settlement Secured with Purdue Pharma (Canada), 6/29/2022, https://news.ontario.ca/en/bulletin/1002169/opioid-damages-settlement-secured-with-purdue-pharma-canada

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Felon Arrested in Connection with Months-Long Armed Robbery Spree

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ATLANTA – Terry Lewis Burston, a multi-convicted felon who was released from prison last year, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Regina D. Cannon on May 22, 2025, following his arrest on charges of postal robbery, aggravated assault on a federal employee, Hobbs Act Robbery, and using a firearm during a crime of violence. Burston was arrested on May 17, 2025, pursuant to a criminal complaint obtained by the United States Postal Inspection Service.

    “Burston is a violent repeat offender who allegedly terrorized the citizens of DeKalb County by assaulting federal employees and robbing local business operators at gunpoint,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We are grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners whose coordinated investigation resulted in Burston’s arrest and prevented him from committing additional violent crimes.”

    “This is another example of Postal Inspectors and local agencies collaborating to remove an armed and dangerous individual from our community,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting the violent and callous actions committed by this defendant against postal service employees and other businesses.”

    According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On December 14, 2024, Burston allegedly robbed an auto parts store in Decatur, Georgia. During the robbery, Burston allegedly brandished a black handgun, tapped it on the store counter, and demanded money from an employee. Burston fled after confiscating the cash.

    Six days later, on December 20, 2024, Burston allegedly waited outside a Scottdale, Georgia, post office. He forced his way inside after the last customer departed, pointed a gun at a postal employee, demanded money, obtained cash from the register, and fled.

    Later, on January 17, 2025, Burston allegedly attempted to rob a gas station in Decatur when he pointed a black handgun at an employee and demanded money.

    Four months later, on May 17, 2025, Burston allegedly attempted to rob a Lithonia, Georgia, Post Office but fled after postal employees began alerting their co-workers. Postal inspectors who responded to the attempted robbery found Burston changing his clothes behind a nearby restaurant. They recovered a firearm lying at Burston’s feet and arrested him after a brief chase.

    At the time of these alleged offenses, Burston was subject to federal supervision following his 2013 conviction for armed bank robbery. In a separate case, Burston was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment for robbing an Atlanta bank and post office in 1995.

    Members of the public are reminded that the complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with valuable assistance from the DeKalb County Police Department. 

    Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Schechtman is prosecuting this case.

    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).

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SJ attends seventh Hong Kong Legal Services Forum in Xi’an (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    SJ attends seventh Hong Kong Legal Services Forum in Xi’an  
         With the theme of “Serving the Belt and Road Initiative: A New Chapter in Shaanxi-Hong Kong Cooperation”, the Forum this year explored issues of interest to Shaanxi enterprises as they “go global” in handling trade, commerce and foreign investment under the Belt and Road Initiative. The Forum also introduced the international legal and dispute resolution services which Hong Kong can offer as a “super connector” for cross-border transactions and as a centre for dispute resolution services. The Minister of Justice, Ms He Rong, the Secretary of the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee, Mr Zhao Yide, and others attended the Forum and delivered opening addresses.

         In his opening address, Mr Lam said that Shaanxi and Hong Kong have maintained close exchanges and co-operation over the years. Last year, the governments of the two places signed the Strengthening Hong Kong/Shaanxi Co-operation Agreement, which covers legal and dispute resolution services. The Department of Justice of Shaanxi Province and the DoJ also signed the Framework Arrangement on Co-operation in Legal Services to Support the “Belt and Road Initiative” to strengthen the exchanges and co-operation in legal services and talent-nurturing between the two places to better facilitate legal services bodies in both places to provide quality and efficient legal services for the high-quality Belt and Road development and for national enterprises and citizens to “go global”. The Forum represented a significant concrete action in implementing the above Agreement. Mr Lam said that he looked forward to strengthening exchanges and co-operation with Shaanxi to serve the country’s needs. 
         The Hong Kong Legal Services Forum has been held by the DoJ on a biennial basis in Mainland cities since 2010. The Forum has been held in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Qingdao, Nanjing and Chengdu to promote Hong Kong’s international legal and dispute resolution services to enterprises and other service users on the Mainland.
     
         Mr Lam attended the graduation ceremony of the Hong Kong Common Law and Dispute Resolution Practical Training Course organised by the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy with the assistance of the Shaanxi Province Lawyers Association. The programme is the first foreign-related legal talent training programme held by the Academy in a Mainland city. Through seminars, mock arbitration clause negotiations, moot court debates and arbitration trial workshops, a total of about 140 foreign-related lawyers, mainly from the Shaanxi Province and surrounding provinces, cities, autonomous regions and municipalities, gained a comprehensive understanding of Hong Kong’s common law system, the city’s characteristics and experience in dispute resolution, thereby contributing to the country’s nurturing of foreign-related legal talents.
     
         In addition, Mr Lam and the delegation visited the Belt and Road Demonstration Zone for International Commercial Legal Services in Xi’an, and toured the Xi’an Arbitration Commission, Xi’an China-Europe Railway Express Assembly Center and the “three centres” of the Ministry of Justice of the People’s Republic of China to learn about Shaanxi’s efforts in fostering an international first-class business environment and the local demand for foreign-related legal services in the Belt and Road context. They also discussed how Hong Kong’s international legal and dispute resolution services can provide relevant professional support.
     
         Mr Lam will conclude his visit to Xi’an this afternoon and return to Hong Kong. 
    Issued at HKT 16:30

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SJ attends legal forum in Xi’an

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Justice Paul Lam today led a delegation to attend the seventh Hong Kong Legal Services Forum in Xi’an to promote Hong Kong’s international legal and dispute resolution services to the legal sector and enterprises in Shaanxi and the neighbouring regions.

    Minister of Justice He Rong, CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee Secretary Zhao Yide and over 800 local lawyers and legal sector representatives were also at the forum.

    With the theme of “Serving the Belt & Road Initiative: A New Chapter in Shaanxi-Hong Kong Co-operation”, the forum this year explored issues of interest to Shaanxi enterprises as they go global in handling trade, commerce and foreign investment under the Belt & Road Initiative.

    It also introduced the international legal and dispute resolution services which Hong Kong can offer as a “super connector” for cross-border transactions and as a centre for dispute resolution services.

    In his opening address, Mr Lam said Shaanxi and Hong Kong have maintained close exchanges and co-operation over the years. He mentioned that the governments of the two places signed the Strengthening Hong Kong/Shaanxi Co-operation Agreement last year, which covers legal and dispute resolution services.

    The Department of Justice of Shaanxi Province and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s Department of Justice (DoJ) also signed the Framework Arrangement on Co-operation in Legal Services to Support the Belt & Road Initiative to strengthen the exchanges and co-operation in legal services and talent-nurturing between the two places to better facilitate legal services bodies in both places.

    Mr Lam pointed out that the forum represented a significant concrete action in implementing the agreement. He added that he looked forward to strengthening exchanges and co-operation with Shaanxi to serve the country’s needs.

    Yesterday, Mr Lam attended the graduation ceremony of the Hong Kong Common Law & Dispute Resolution Practical Training Course, organised by the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy with the assistance of the Shaanxi Province Lawyers Association.

    The programme is the first foreign-related legal talent training programme held by the academy in a Mainland city.

    A total of about 140 foreign-related lawyers, mainly from Shaanxi Province and the surrounding provinces, cities, autonomous regions and municipalities, participated.

    Mr Lam and the delegation also visited the Belt & Road Demonstration Zone for International Commercial Legal Services in Xi’an, and toured the Xi’an Arbitration Commission, Xi’an China-Europe Railway Express Assembly Center and the three centres of the Ministry of Justice.

    They learnt about Shaanxi’s efforts in fostering an international first-class business environment and the local demand for foreign-related legal services in the Belt & Road context, and discussed how Hong Kong’s international legal and dispute resolution services can provide relevant professional support.

    The seventh Hong Kong Legal Services Forum was jointly organised by the DoJ, the Department of Justice of Shaanxi Province and the Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office of Shaanxi Provincial People’s Government, together with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the X’ian Municipal People’s Government as co-organisers.

    Mr Lam’s delegation comprised more than 120 representatives from the Hong Kong Bar Association, the Law Society of Hong Kong and other related sectors.

    He will conclude his visit this afternoon and return to Hong Kong. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Miller, Davis Reintroduce the Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV)

    Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) and Congressman Danny K. Davis (D-IL) introduced legislation to reauthorize critical reentry grant programs from the Second Chance Act of 2008 to support reentry efforts including housing, career training and job placement, and substance use disorder and mental health treatment. The Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025 would reauthorize critical programs to reduce recidivism, invest in communities, and promote public safety.
     
    Over 95% of the prison population will eventually be released, with more than 600,000 individuals returning to their communities from prison each year and an even higher number entering and exiting local jails. To address this need and to improve reentry services and lower recidivism rates, the Second Chance Act was passed by Congress with bipartisan support and signed into law by President Bush in April 2008. The Act was last reauthorized by President Trump in 2018.
     
    Senators Capito (R-WV) and Booker (D-NJ) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.
     
    “Since the Second Chance Act passed in 2008, formerly incarcerated West Virginians reentering our communities have received the vital services and support they needed to return home successfully,” said Rep. Miller. “We have seen the benefits of the Second Chance Act in West Virginia and across the country. When we put in place strong reentry programming, we are creating safer communities where individuals feel supported and empowered to break the cycle of recidivism.”
     
    “Second Chance reentry programs and services have reached hundreds of thousands of individuals and families across the country, creating healthier families and safer communities,” said Rep. Davis. “Continuing to invest in these evidenced-based interventions is a commonsense approach to strengthen individuals, re-build families, and grow our economy.”
     
    Joining Representatives Miller and Davis are Representatives Darin LaHood (R-IL), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Laurel Lee (R-FL), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Don Bacon (R-NE), Nydia Velásquez (D-NY), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), Shontel Brown (D-OH), Mike Turner (R-OH), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Barry Moore (R-AL), and Andre Carson (D-IN).
     
    “As a former federal prosecutor, I understand the importance of accountability to the law, but I also believe that individuals deserve the opportunity to rebuild their lives and contribute to society,” said Rep. LaHood. “I am proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the Second Chance Act to invest in rehabilitation programs to strengthen services provided in Illinois’ 16th Congressional District to reduce recidivism rates and provide substance abuse treatment for those who need it most.”
     
    “Last month, I was honored to work with colleagues across the aisle to declare April as Second Chance Month, and today’s introduction of the Second Chance Act builds on our bipartisan efforts to break down barriers for formerly incarcerated Americans,” said Rep. McBath. “The goal of our justice system is to reduce and prevent recidivism, which is why we must make smart federal investments to support programs and organizations that assist individuals with reentry. We in Congress can and must be leaders in breaking the stigma and empowering formerly incarcerated individuals to once again make vital contributions to their communities. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation.”
     
    “It is incredibly important to create pathways for incarcerated Arkansans and Americans who have paid their debt to society and are now experiencing the arduous barriers to re-enter their communities. Congress must work towards reducing recidivism rates and breaking the cycle of crime,” said Rep. Westerman. “There is no doubt that each of these Americans have an intrinsic value and are worthy of the dignity that comes with establishing hard-earned jobs and gaining sought-after respect among their peers. I am proud to support the Second Chance Reauthorization Act which will promote second chances and in turn, create safer communities and brighter futures.
     
    “Thousands of citizens return from incarceration to our communities every year,” said Rep. Johnson. “I know how difficult it is for people to get back up on their feet after getting out of the system. We need to fund programs that can remove barriers for returning citizens. That’s what Second Chance Act is all about, and I’m proud to support this critical, bipartisan legislation.”
     
    “Stabilizing services and employment opportunities are critical for recently incarcerated individuals. We know these programs get people back on the right track and facilitate successful reentry,” said Rep. Scott. “The Second Chance Act reduces recidivism and provides critical support for those returning to society and I thank my colleagues for joining this bipartisan effort with me.”
     
    “I am pleased to support the reauthorization of the Second Chance Act, which demonstrates our commitment to the power of forgiveness and rehabilitation,” said Rep. Bacon. “Second Chance programs have helped reintegrate people back into society, heal families, and give much-needed mental health services. With the help of these support systems, individuals can become productive members of society, restoring dignity and respect to those who have served their time and want to contribute back to their communities and families.”
     
    “Everyone deserves the chance to rebuild their life after incarceration, and that means real support, not roadblocks. The Second Chance Reauthorization Act invests in the housing, job training, and mental health services that make successful reentry possible,” said Rep. Velázquez. “I’m proud to support this bipartisan effort to break cycles of incarceration and uplift communities across the country, and I thank Representatives Danny Davis and Carol Miller for their leadership on this important legislation.”
     
    “America is the land of opportunity and second chances. Previously incarcerated individuals who take accountability for their actions and improve their lives should be able to count on our support,” said Rep. Smucker. “By passing the Second Chance Act Reauthorization Act of 2025, we can help more Americans successfully reenter and become productive members of their communities.” 
     
    “I am honored to be an original cosponsor of the Second Chance Act Reauthorization of 2025. In Northeast Ohio we know first-hand how the cycles of incarceration can negatively impact families and communities,” said Rep. Brown. “By investing in reentry programs and supporting formerly incarcerated individuals, the Second Chance Act has reduced recidivism, strengthened families, and invested in communities that are far too often left behind. We need to build on that progress and ensure more people have a real path to opportunity and stability.”
     
    “The Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025 represents a principled and measured approach to criminal justice reform, one that reaffirms our commitment to accountability while acknowledging the vital role of rehabilitation and successful reintegration,” said Rep. Turner. “When we invest in programs that prepare individuals to return to society with purpose and responsibility, we not only restore lives, but strengthen the foundations of our communities.”
     
    “For many incarcerated Alabamians and Americans, paying their debt to society after committing a crime is just the start of a long, burdensome process toward re-entering society,” said Rep. Moore. “The Lord shows each of us grace daily, and that same grace should be shown to those who are committed to breaking the cycle of crime and reintegrating into communities. We must do all we can to help reduce recidivism rates and provide pathways to opportunities that will help incarcerated individuals see a brighter future. I am proud to support the Second Chance Reauthorization Act and look forward to seeing the positive impacts it makes on incarcerated individuals and their communities.” 
     
    “I’m honored to join my colleagues as an original cosponsor of the Second Chance Act Reauthorization. These programs have a proven track record of reducing recidivism and helping returning citizens come back home to become productive members of our communities,” said Rep. Carson. “Over half of all Second Chance participants enrolled in re-entry programs for employment, housing and education services. My home state of Indiana has seen a 21% drop in re-incarceration rates since the bill was first enacted, and if we continue to boldly invest in Second Chances, our families and communities will grow stronger with opportunities for everyone.

    “For too long, our country’s criminal justice system has focused on punitive measures that do nothing to reduce recidivism or actually make our communities safer. We need to invest in initiatives that center rehabilitation and reentry – which is why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Second Chance Reauthorization Act,” said Rep. Jayapal. “This legislation will continue giving formerly incarcerated individuals the tools and support they need to come back to their homes and communities and successfully rebuild their lives.” 
     
    To read the full text of the bill, click here.
     
    Background:
    The Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025 would:

    1. Reauthorize key grant programs that provide vital services, supports, and resources for people reentering their communities after incarceration;
    2. Expand allowable uses for supportive and transitional housing services for individuals reentering the community from prison and jail; and
    3. Enhance addiction treatment services for individuals with substance use disorders, including peer recovery services, case management, and overdose prevention.

     
    Since its passage 16 years ago, Second Chance has supported states, local governments, tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations in their efforts to reduce recidivism. To date, Second Chance grants have reached more than 442,000 justice-involved individuals who participated in reentry services or parole and probation programs. From 2009 to 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice awarded over 1,300 Second Chance Act grants to states, local, and tribal governments, as well as reentry-focused community organizations. Second Chance grants have been administered to 871 agencies across 49 U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia.
     
    The legislation is supported by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, Correctional Leaders Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, Conservative Political Action Conference, American Correctional Association, American Jail Association, Prison Fellowship, National District Attorneys Association, American Parole and Probation Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association of Counties, National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, National League of Cities, Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities, Unify.US, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Following Deadly Shooting at Capital Jewish Museum, Rep. Sherrill Urges DHS and DOJ to Dedicate Additional Resources to Combat Antisemitic Attacks and Threats

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)

    WASHINGTON, DC — In the wake of the May 21st shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) today sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Noem and Attorney General Bondi urging immediate action and additional federal resources to protect Jewish communities, houses of worship, and nonprofit organizations.

    In her letter, Rep. Sherrill detailed several recent violent antisemitic attacks, including the May 21st shooting, the April 13th arson attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence following a Passover celebration, and incidents in her New Jersey Congressional District such as the firebombing of Temple Ner Tamid and the vandalism of Oheb Shalom Synagogue.

    The May 21st attack came just one day after the Capital Jewish Museum received a grant from the District of Columbia’s Safe and Secure DC Grant Program to cover the costs of security officers at the museum, highlighting the critical need for additional funding to protect houses of worship and nonprofit organizations.

    “On the night of May 21, 2025, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, two staffers from the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, were horrifically shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum,” wrote Rep. Sherrill. “While details from the shocking attack are still emerging, the suspect’s antisemitic motivations highlight the threat of violence against Jewish Americans and residents across the United States. This attack was an assault on the core values and ideals of our nation – particularly the right to religious expression and to practice one’s faith without fear of violence – and we must take every effort to prevent it from happening again. In the wake of this violence and yet another devastating antisemitic attack in our country, I write to urge you to dedicate additional resources at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to protect houses of worship and nonprofit organizations and to combat the significant rise in antisemitic attacks and threats nationwide.”

    Read the full letter here or below:

    Dear Secretary Noem and Attorney General Bondi,  

    On the night of May 21, 2025, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, two staffers from the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., were horrifically shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum. While details from the shocking attack are still emerging, the suspect’s antisemitic motivations highlight the threat of violence against Jewish Americans and residents across the United States. This attack was an assault on the core values and ideals of our nation – particularly the right to religious expression and to practice one’s faith without fear of violence – and we must take every effort to prevent it from happening again.

    In the wake of this violence and yet another devastating antisemitic attack in our country, I write to urge you to dedicate additional resources at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to protect houses of worship and nonprofit organizations and to combat the significant rise in antisemitic attacks and threats nationwide. Over the past two years, our country has seen a concerning number of high-profile instances of antisemitic violence. It is vital that your departments ensure there are sufficient resources focused on preventing and investigating these violent crimes. Specifically, I ask that you surge funding from your departments to ensure that synagogues, faith-based organizations, and nonprofits have the resources to put necessary security measures in place and that law enforcement is prepared and able to investigate antisemitic violence and other hate crimes across the country.

    In addition to the heinous attack in Washington, on the night of April 13, 2025, an arsonist set fire to the residence of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. The fire was reportedly set only hours after Governor Shapiro hosted more than two dozen people commemorating the first night of Passover. The suspected arsonist reportedly sought to kill Governor Shapiro over his stated support for Israel. Such a brazen assault on one of our states’ governors highlights the ever-present risk of antisemitism and violence to all Jewish Americans.

    In my own Congressional District, Jewish houses of worship have come under these same types of hateful, antisemitic attacks. This January, the Oheb Shalom Synagogue in South Orange, New Jersey was vandalized with antisemitic threats. In 2023, Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, New Jersey was firebombed by an individual with a molotov cocktail in a brazen antisemitic attack.

    As antisemitic violence and threats have increased, I remain concerned that synagogues, Jewish faith-based organizations, and nonprofits are under-resourced for the heightened threats that they face. I urge you to take whatever actions you can to ensure that the programs that support these organizations are properly resourced and staffed. One such program, DHS’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program, offsets the cost of physical security enhancements for religious, educational, and nonprofit community institutions, including Jewish organizations. Synagogues and schools have been targeted with vandalism, destruction, and violent attacks by extremists who seek to strike fear into congregations and civil society leaders. This funding will help to keep Americans safe from antisemitic and extremist attacks, and allow communities of faith to practice in peace.

    I also urge you to ensure that initiatives to combat, investigate, and prosecute hate crimes are fully staffed and resourced. As President Trump has slashed budgets and staffing across the Executive Branch – including for the FBI staff who track and combat domestic terrorism – I am concerned that initiatives within your departments meant to combat antisemitism and other hate crimes will be left unable to address the rising threat that we face today. Specifically, it is vital that DOJ maintains its focus on investigating and prosecuting antisemitic violence across the country. However, prosecutions alone will not reduce antisemitic violence across America. For that reason, it is important that the DOJ continues programs designed to research and address hate crimes like antisemitism in our communities. Activities authorized by the Khalid Jabara & Heather Heyer NO HATE Act and the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, as well as the Community Relations Service, Community Approaches to Advancing Justice Grants, and continued research into domestic extremism and radicalization, are vital tools to allow the federal government to combat the rising tide of antisemitic violence. I urge you to maintain and expand funding for these programs.

    Our country faces a crisis of antisemitic violence and threats that show no signs of abating. It is vital that the federal government take urgent action to protect Jewish communities, prosecute perpetrators of antisemitic hate crimes, and support community programs to counter antisemitism. Jewish Americans face the severe threat of antisemitic violence every day, and it is long past time that the U.S. federal government prioritizes their safety. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Three Sentenced for $30 Million COVID-19 Unemployment Fraud

    Source: US State of California

    Three individuals were sentenced yesterday for their participation in a scheme to defraud the Georgia Department of Labor (GaDOL), out of tens of millions of dollars in benefits meant to assist unemployed individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Macovian Doston, 31, of Vienna, Georgia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date.

    Shatara Hubbard, 36, of Warner Robins, Georgia, was sentenced to 6 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date.

    Torella Wynn, 33, of Cordele, Georgia, was sentenced to one year in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date.

    According to court documents and evidence presented in court, from March 2020 through November 2022, Doston, Hubbard, Wynn and their co-conspirators caused more than 5,000 fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims to be filed with the GaDOL, resulting in at least $30 million in stolen benefits.

    To execute the scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators created fictitious employers and fabricated lists of purported employees using personally identifiable information (PII) from thousands of identity theft victims and filed fraudulent unemployment insurance claims on the GaDOL website. The conspirators obtained PII for use in the scheme from a variety of sources, including by paying an employee of an Atlanta-area health care and hospital network to unlawfully obtain patients’ PII from the hospital’s databases, and by purchasing PII from other sources over the internet. Using victims’ PII, Doston, Hubbard, Wynn and their co-conspirators caused the stolen UI funds to be disbursed via prepaid debit cards mailed to various locations.

    “The defendants orchestrated a $30 million fraud by using stolen identities to obtain thousands of unemployment insurance payouts under false pretenses,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively combat complex frauds that waste public funds. I thank the prosecutors and our law enforcement partners for their diligence and dedication to seeking justice for the United States.” 

    “Macovian Doston, Shatara Hubbard, and Torella Wynn engaged in a scheme to defraud the GaDOL by creating several fictitious employer accounts. After creating the fictitious accounts, the defendants submitted thousands of fraudulent UI claims to GaDOL to obtain UI benefits in the names of identity theft victims and other unwitting individuals who were not entitled to such benefits. The identity theft victims and unwitting participants were purported employees of several fictitious companies, which were created to execute this fraud scheme. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the UI system from those who exploit this benefit program,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the Southeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

    “These sentences underline our dedication to holding people accountable who exploit federal relief programs for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “As proven in this case, our criminal investigators and the legal teams at the Department of Justice will diligently pursue anyone who attempts to commit fraud and exploit programs created to help legitimate people and businesses affected by the global pandemic.”   

    “DHS OIG will continue to investigate the misuse of COVID pandemic funds and together with our law enforcement partners, hold fraudsters accountable.” said U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, PH.d.

    The court previously sentenced four other co-conspirators that were charged in the Nov. 8, 2022 indictment. In Oct. 2024, Tyshion Nautese Hicks, 32, of Vienna, Georgia was sentenced to 12 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In Sept. 2024, Kenya Whitehead, 37, of Cordele, Georgia was sentenced to 28 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In Oct. 2024, A’Darrion Alexander, 29, of Warner Robins, Georgia was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In May 2024, Membrish Brown, 29, of Vienna, Georgia was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. 

    DOL-OIG, IRS-CI, USPS-OIG, USPIS, USSS, HSI, and DHS-OIG investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Lyndie Freeman, Siji Moore, Matthew Kahn, and Andrew Jaco of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.

    On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Sentenced for $30 Million COVID-19 Unemployment Fraud

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    Three individuals were sentenced yesterday for their participation in a scheme to defraud the Georgia Department of Labor (GaDOL), out of tens of millions of dollars in benefits meant to assist unemployed individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Macovian Doston, 31, of Vienna, Georgia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date.

    Shatara Hubbard, 36, of Warner Robins, Georgia, was sentenced to 6 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date.

    Torella Wynn, 33, of Cordele, Georgia, was sentenced to one year in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date.

    According to court documents and evidence presented in court, from March 2020 through November 2022, Doston, Hubbard, Wynn and their co-conspirators caused more than 5,000 fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims to be filed with the GaDOL, resulting in at least $30 million in stolen benefits.

    To execute the scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators created fictitious employers and fabricated lists of purported employees using personally identifiable information (PII) from thousands of identity theft victims and filed fraudulent unemployment insurance claims on the GaDOL website. The conspirators obtained PII for use in the scheme from a variety of sources, including by paying an employee of an Atlanta-area health care and hospital network to unlawfully obtain patients’ PII from the hospital’s databases, and by purchasing PII from other sources over the internet. Using victims’ PII, Doston, Hubbard, Wynn and their co-conspirators caused the stolen UI funds to be disbursed via prepaid debit cards mailed to various locations.

    “The defendants orchestrated a $30 million fraud by using stolen identities to obtain thousands of unemployment insurance payouts under false pretenses,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively combat complex frauds that waste public funds. I thank the prosecutors and our law enforcement partners for their diligence and dedication to seeking justice for the United States.” 

    “Macovian Doston, Shatara Hubbard, and Torella Wynn engaged in a scheme to defraud the GaDOL by creating several fictitious employer accounts. After creating the fictitious accounts, the defendants submitted thousands of fraudulent UI claims to GaDOL to obtain UI benefits in the names of identity theft victims and other unwitting individuals who were not entitled to such benefits. The identity theft victims and unwitting participants were purported employees of several fictitious companies, which were created to execute this fraud scheme. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the UI system from those who exploit this benefit program,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the Southeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

    “These sentences underline our dedication to holding people accountable who exploit federal relief programs for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “As proven in this case, our criminal investigators and the legal teams at the Department of Justice will diligently pursue anyone who attempts to commit fraud and exploit programs created to help legitimate people and businesses affected by the global pandemic.”   

    “DHS OIG will continue to investigate the misuse of COVID pandemic funds and together with our law enforcement partners, hold fraudsters accountable.” said U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, PH.d.

    The court previously sentenced four other co-conspirators that were charged in the Nov. 8, 2022 indictment. In Oct. 2024, Tyshion Nautese Hicks, 32, of Vienna, Georgia was sentenced to 12 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In Sept. 2024, Kenya Whitehead, 37, of Cordele, Georgia was sentenced to 28 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In Oct. 2024, A’Darrion Alexander, 29, of Warner Robins, Georgia was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In May 2024, Membrish Brown, 29, of Vienna, Georgia was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. 

    DOL-OIG, IRS-CI, USPS-OIG, USPIS, USSS, HSI, and DHS-OIG investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Lyndie Freeman, Siji Moore, Matthew Kahn, and Andrew Jaco of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.

    On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Trump Administration Plans to Drop Criminal Charges Against Boeing, Warren and Blumenthal Call for Accountability of Boeing Executives

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    May 23, 2025
    “Any deal between DOJ and Boeing that would allow the company and its executives to avoid accountability would be a serious mistake”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi, calling on the Department of Justice to hold Boeing and any responsible executives accountable for their role in the 2018 Lion Air and the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crashes, which killed a total of 346 passengers. Boeing had previously agreed to plead guilty to criminal fraud in connection to the plane crashes, but recent reporting suggests the company is backtracking on its agreement in an attempt to receive more lenient treatment under the Trump administration. Now, DOJ appears to be preparing to drop the pending criminal charge against Boeing, signing a non-prosecution agreement..
    “We urge you not to sign a non-prosecution agreement with Boeing, and to instead hold the company, and its executives, to account for the consequences of their actions,” wrote the senators. 
    In both the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) flight control software installed on the aircraft, was found to have unexpectedly and forcefully pushed the aircraft’s nose down preceding the crashes. Boeing has admitted to criminally conspiring to defraud the federal government about MCAS in the course of the 737 MAX’s certification.
    Even as Boeing executives have promised to improve safety at Boeing, serious safety problems have persisted at the company. Last year, a door plug blew out of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 MAX. A preliminary report indicates that the aircraft was delivered from Boeing’s factory without the key bolts that hold the door plug in place. Following the incident, an audit by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of Boeing’s 737 MAX production line found “systemic” safety issues including failures in 33 of the 89 safety tests it conducted.
    “The series of safety incidents and warnings from whistleblowers and regulators all point to one troubling conclusion—that manufacturing errors and defects in Boeing aircraft are not one-offs. They appear to be a product of its broken safety culture across multiple manufacturing sites—an atmosphere that prioritizes speed of production and short-term profit over quality and safety,” wrote the senators. 
    Even as these safety issues persist, Boeing executives have continued to squeeze profits out of the company to pay for their exorbitant salaries. Since the two Boeing 737 MAX crashes that resulted in the deaths of 346 people, Boeing executives have received over $377 million in pay and bonuses. Just days before DOJ told the court that it is considering a non-prosecution agreement, Boeing’s CEO appeared in Qatar with President Trump to announce that Qatar Airways had placed an order for 160 Boeing jets.
    “Senior Boeing executives have consistently failed to take responsibility or face meaningful repercussions for wrongdoing, and the agreement that is reportedly under discussion would increase the odds that they are ever forced to do so…Any deal between DOJ and Boeing that would allow the company and its executives to avoid accountability would be a serious mistake,” said the senators. 
    The lawmakers demanded that the DOJ not sign the non-prosecution agreement and instead ensure that both the company and its executives are held accountable if they are found to have violated federal laws or regulations. 
    Senator Warren has led calls to hold Boeing accountable for its safety failures, and has pushed for greater corporate and executive accountability: 
    In October 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, urging the Department of Justice to investigate Boeing executives following years of promoting short-term profit over passenger safety.
    In October 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, calling on the DOJ to immediately reverse its newly unveiled “safe harbor” policy that would provide a get-out-of-jail-free card for mergers involving corporate white-collar criminals.
    In August 2022, Senators Warren and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) sent a letter to Attorney General Garland and Deputy Attorney General Monaco urging DOJ to use its authority to ban corporations that commit misconduct from government contracting.
    In May 2019, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) released a new report: Rigged Justice 2.0: Government of the Billionaires, by the Billionaires, and for the Billionaires. The report is the second in a series on the failure of the federal government to hold corporate and white-collar criminals accountable and highlights how enforcement hit a 20-year low under the Trump administration.
    In April 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to then-Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Acting Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration Dan Ewell urging them to enact strong ethics policies to ensure that the Special Committee tasked with reviewing the FAA’s Aircraft certification process is free from all conflicts of interest and undue insider influence.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Charges San Diego County Dermatologist with Insurance Fraud of Over $1.3 Million

    Source: US State of California Department of Justice

    Friday, May 23, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    SAN DIEGO – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the filing of felony charges against a San Diego dermatologist for Medi-Cal fraud of over $1.3 million. The investigation uncovered that the dermatologist charged Medi-Cal $1,386,995 for services that were never rendered.

    “We will not tolerate fraud where individuals take advantage of Medi-Cal to line thier own pockets, potentially jeopardizing critical, necessary medical services our most vulnerable residents rely on,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Today’s action is possible due to my team’s efforts to hold accountable those who defraud Medi-Cal, and we will continue to do so. At the California Department of Justice, we are committed to fighting against all types of elder abuse, theft, and fraud. We will take prompt action to ensure that anyone who exploits or harms these vulnerable members of our community is held accountable.”

    It is alleged that the dermatologist was invoicing for as many as 233 patients on a daily basis, averaging between 60 to 70 patients per day for identical or comparable services. Furthermore, it was found that all patients were undergoing light therapy, with the majority using non-medical lamps. A complaint was filed in San Diego County Superior Court charging the dermatologist with 22 counts of healthcare insurance fraud, one count of Medi-Cal fraud, the white-collar crime enhancement, and the excessive takings enhancement. 

    The California Department of Justice’s Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse (DMFEA) works to protect Californians by investigating and prosecuting those responsible for abuse, neglect, and fraud committed against elderly and dependent adults in the state, and those who perpetrate fraud on the Medi-Cal program. Assistance on this investigation was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, California Department of Healthcare Services, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. 

    The Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $69,244,976 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2025. The remaining 25 percent is funded by the State of California. FY 2025 is from October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025.
     
    A copy of the complaint can be found here.  

    It is important to note that criminal charges must be proven in a court of law. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 15 charged in wide-ranging narcotics and weapons conspiracy

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

    HOUSTON – A 29-count indictment has been unsealed following the arrests of nine individuals for their roles in a drug trafficking organization. Some are also charged with related gun offenses.

    Houston residents James Michael Brewer aka Creeper, 33, Jonathan Alvarado aka Joker, 28, Alexis Delgado aka Chino, 28, Hector Luis Lopez aka Capulito, 23, Kylie Rae Alvarado, 24, Ruby Mata, 31, Victor Norris Ellison, 35, Mexi Dyan Garcia aka Mexi, 31, and Jesus Gomez-Rodriguez aka Jr., 33, made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Ho, at which time the indictment was unsealed.

    Also charged are Enzo Xavier Dominguez aka Smiley, 32, William Alexander Lazo aka Miclo, 21, and Alfredo Gomez aka Fredo, 26. They are currently in custody and expected to make their initial appearances in the near future.

    Three others are considered fugitives and warrants remain outstanding for their arrests – Mexican national Jose Francisco Garcia-Martinez aka Paco, 29, Guatemalan national Marcos Rene Simaj-Guch aka Taco Man, 41, as well as Jose Eduardo Morales aka Primo, 22, Houston.

    “The defendants are alleged to have engaged in a multi-drug narcotics distribution ring, and, as often seen in the drug trade, are also alleged to have used illegal firearms to facilitate their enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Some of the charges indicate methamphetamine was alleged to have been sourced from Mexico, and thus this investigation highlights why this office’s enforcement efforts on the border are so critical. The Southern District of Texas will do everything it can to prevent narcotics from entering our country and will be relentless in apprehending those that would distribute drugs in our communities.”

    “As alleged, this drug trafficking organization imported methamphetamine directly from Mexico and used the U.S. mail, a taco truck, and homes in different Houston neighborhoods to distribute and sell methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Several of the defendants are also alleged to have used firearms in furtherance of their narcotics trafficking and illegally possessed firearms despite having previously been convicted of felonies. The Criminal Division, along with our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to work tirelessly to combat the scourge of drug trafficking in communities.”

    “For years, the transnational criminal organization allegedly operated by these gang members has brazenly flooded our local communities with deadly narcotics,” said Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “Working in conjunction with the Houston Police Department (HPD) and our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) partners, we were able to expose and dismantle their drug trafficking scheme, eliminating a significant contributor to violent crime in the area and saving an untold number of Houstonians from becoming addicted.”

    The indictment, returned under seal May 14, alleges all were members of a drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, Xanax psylocibin mushrooms and marijuana. They are alleged to have used several drug houses and a food truck to store illegal drugs and conduct drug transactions. In one notable instance in June 2023, authorities seized 29 kilograms of methamphetamine that one defendant was attempting to transport into the United States, according to the charges.

    With the exception of Simaj-Guch who faces up to 40 years, the rest could receive up to life, upon conviction. Brewer, Alvarado, Lopez, Gomez and Ellison are further charged with firearms offenses which carry up to another 15 years. 

    ICE-HSI and the HPD led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Texas Board of Criminal Justice-Office of the Inspector General.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Rodriguez is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and Amanda Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.

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

    This case is also part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Houston. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas have partnered, along with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes gang members and associates have committed through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute the offenders and prevent further violence.

    An indictment 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: Former police officer admits to sexual relations with minor female

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 31-year-old resident of Corpus Christi has pleaded guilty to enticing a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    On Jan. 8, authorities discovered Daniel Verduzco was having a relationship with a 15-year-old minor female dating back to May 2024. The two had exchanged more than 3,700 messages which included sexually suggestive images and detailed different times they had engaged in sexual relations and intentions for future sexual acts.  

    The conversations further revealed Verduzco and the minor victim had met in person on multiple occasions.

    U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing Aug. 21. At the time, Verduzco faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Seizes More than $868,247 in Alleged Proceeds of a Cryptocurrency Confidence Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – The United States has seized over $868,247 worth of cryptocurrency from perpetrators of a cryptocurrency confidence scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro; Deputy Chief Claudia Quiroz of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section; and Special Agent in Charge David K. Porter of the FBI Honolulu Field Office.

                Cryptocurrency confidence investment schemes begin by criminals contacting potential victims through seemingly misdirected text messages, dating applications, or professional meetup or investment groups. Next, using various means of manipulation, the criminal gains the victim’s affection and trust. The perpetrator then recommends cryptocurrency investment by touting their own, or an associate’s, success in the field.

                Means of carrying out the scheme vary, but a common tactic is to direct a victim to a fake investment platform hosted on a website. These websites, and the investment platforms hosted there, are created by criminals to mimic legitimate platforms. The subject assists the victim with opening a cryptocurrency account, often on an exchange based in the U.S., and then walks the victim through transferring money from a bank account to that cryptocurrency account. Next, the victim will receive instructions on how to transfer their cryptocurrency assets to the fake investment platform.

                On its surface, the fraudulent platforms often show lucrative returns, encouraging further investment; underneath, all deposited funds are routed to a cryptocurrency wallet address controlled completely by the perpetrators.

                The perpetrators frequently allow victims to withdraw some of their “profits” early in the scheme to engender trust and help convince victims of the legitimacy of the platform. As the scheme continues, victims are unable to withdraw their funds and are provided various excuses as to why. Ultimately, victims are locked out of their accounts and lose all their funds.

                Anyone who believes they are a victim of a cybercrime – including cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, and investment scams – should contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://www.ic3.gov.

                The FBI Honolulu Field Office is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and FBI’s Virtual Asset Unit are providing invaluable assistance. The Department of Justice would like to acknowledge Tether for its assistance in effectuating the transfer of these assets.

               This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Columbia Acting Deputy Chief Kevin Rosenberg and Asset Forfeiture Coordinator Rick Blaylock Jr., along with Trial Attorneys Gaelin Bernstein and Stefanie Schwartz from the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Department of Justice, and Daniel Zytnick with the Consumer Protection Branch of the Department of Justice.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 60 More Illegal Aliens Plead Guilty to National Defense Area Violations in El Paso, 133 New NDA Cases Added to the Docket

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EL PASO, Texas – Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced that from May 20 through May 22, 60 illegal aliens pleaded guilty to charges that they had illegally entered the National Defense Area (NDA) that had been established along the U.S.-Mexico border from area bordering New Mexico, through El Paso County, to an area near Fort Hancock.

    This three-day increase in guilty pleas adds to the 60 that the Acting U.S. Attorney announced earlier in the week, bringing the month’s total NDA violation convictions to 120 heading into Memorial Day weekend.

    The Acting U.S. Attorney also announced that federal prosecutors in the district’s El Paso Division filed 133 new cases involving NDA violations this week. Among the defendants charged are Mexican nationals Gustavo Ramos-Solorzano and Enrique Arenas-Garcia.

    Ramos-Solorzano was arrested May 14, two miles west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry. He had just been removed from the U.S. through El Paso on May 10, following an illegal re-entry felony conviction. Ramos Solorzano was also convicted in February for an improper entry by an alien misdemeanor. His removal on May 10 was his fourth deportation.

    Arenas-Garcia was arrested May 15 two miles west of the Ysleta Port of Entry. The defendant’s arrest comes just over one week after his most recent removal from the U.S. on May 7 through San Ysidro, California. Arenas-Garcia has been removed from the U.S. a total of three times in addition to two voluntary departures.

    Title 50 United States Code (USC) 797 and Title 18 USC 1382 are among the federal statutes that establish criminal penalties for unlawful intrusions into areas designated as National Defense Areas.  Title 50 USC 797 refers to the willful violation of defense property security regulation, which, pursuant to lawful authority, was approved by the Secretary of Defense—or a military commander designated by the Secretary of Defense—for the protection or security of Department of Defense property. Title 18 USC 1382 subjects anyone to criminal penalties who, within the jurisdiction of the U.S., entered upon a military post, fort, or yard—in these cases, the Texas National Defense Area—for a purpose prohibit by law or lawful regulation, that is illegal entry into the U.S.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Founder of Haitian Orphanage Sentenced to 210 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing Boys in his Care

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    A Colorado man was sentenced today to 210 years in prison for sexually abusing numerous children at the orphanage he founded and directed in Haiti.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Michael Karl Geilenfeld, 73, most recently of Littleton, founded St. Joseph’s Home for Boys — a home for orphaned, impoverished, and otherwise vulnerable children in Haiti — in 1985 and operated it for more than two decades. During this time, Geilenfeld repeatedly traveled from the United States to Haiti, where he sexually abused the boys entrusted to his care. He also physically and emotionally abused the children in the home, including through physical assault and other forms of punishment.

    In February 2025, a federal jury convicted Geilenfeld of one count of traveling in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct and six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place between 2005 and 2010. Each of the six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct relates to a separate victim who was a child at the time of the offense.

    At trial, these six victims testified about the sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of Geilenfeld and the devastating impact it had on them, as did other victims — now adults — who were not the subject of the charged offenses. Victims and witnesses also described the physical abuse Geilenfeld inflicted on his victims and the manipulation that he employed to keep his operation running and financially supported by others.

    “The defendant’s sustained sexual, physical, and emotional abuse of some of the most vulnerable children in the world is intolerable,” said Matthew Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution demonstrates the Department’s commitment to securing justice for children harmed by criminals who travel abroad from the United States to commit their crimes. We thank our partners for working with us to ensure that the defendant can never harm another child.”

    “This sentencing marks the end of a case built on the courage of survivors and the dedication of investigators,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “For decades, Geilenfeld used his position of trust and access to exploit vulnerable children under the guise of humanitarian work. We are grateful to those victims who came forward to report their abuse. The FBI is committed to pursuing those who commit crimes against children no matter where they occur or how long ago they were committed.”

    U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and FBI investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Jessica L. Urban and Eduardo Palomo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lacee Monk for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hawaii Woman Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud and Tax Fraud

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    A Hawaii woman pleaded guilty yesterday to defrauding her mortgage lender and conspiring to defraud the IRS by fraudulently obtaining a tax refund and then thwarting the IRS’ efforts to recoup it.

    The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Hannah Heart, of Honolulu, conspired with others to file a false 2014 individual income tax return in her name. As part of the conspiracy, Heart’s co-conspirators created a fake tax form purportedly issued by a mortgage lender to Heart, which she attached to her return. The form falsely reported that Heart had received income from a financial institution of more than $2.4 million, from which over $1.2 million in taxes had been withheld. As a result, Heart filed a tax return that falsely claimed she was entitled to a $464,904 refund, which the IRS paid.

    When the IRS began trying to collect the fraudulent refund from Heart, she took several steps to thwart the IRS. For example, Heart deposited the refund check into a trust bank account and immediately transferred most of the balance to a separate bank account, both of which she controlled. She also sent numerous false, fraudulent, and frivolous letters to the IRS in response to IRS communications.

    In addition, Heart helped another co-conspirator defraud the IRS using the same scheme. Heart and her co-conspirator deposited a second fraudulently obtained $1 million refund check from the IRS, payable to the co-conspirator.

    In total, Heart caused a tax loss to the IRS of $1,618,985.54.

    Heart also defrauded her mortgage lender, conspiring with others to do so. Heart took out a mortgage for her home in 2006 and stopped making payments in 2010 toward her mortgage. The mortgage lender initiated foreclosure proceedings in 2022 against Heart. In response, a co-conspirator sent the lender a fictitious document purporting to be a check for the full amount due for Heart’s mortgage. The lender initially accepted the check but later rejected it as fraudulent. Afterwards, Heart sent mail to the lender demanding that it accept the fraudulent check as full payment of her remaining balance.

    In total, Heart intended to defraud the mortgage lender of $2,066,522.22.

    Heart will be sentenced at a later date. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the charge of mail fraud and a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the charge of conspiracy to defraud the IRS. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson for the District of Hawaii made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and FBI are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Sarah Kiewlicz and Megan Jones of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Paris Yates for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former President of Asphalt Paving Company Sentenced to Prison for Bid Rigging

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    A former senior executive of a Michigan asphalt paving company was sentenced yesterday to six months in prison and a $500,000 fine for his role in a multiyear conspiracy to rig bids for asphalt paving services contracts in Michigan.

    Daniel L. Israel, former president of Pontiac-based Asphalt Specialists LLC (ASI), pleaded guilty in October 2023 to conspiring with Al’s Asphalt Paving Company Inc. (Al’s Asphalt), and employees from those companies, to rig bids in each other’s favor. Israel is one of seven individuals that have been charged as part of an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the asphalt paving services industry. Three companies also have been charged as part of the investigation, which to date has resulted in over $8.2 million in criminal fines.

    “Economic crime — like bid rigging — is no less harmful than violent crime,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Both inflict deep, lasting harm on our communities and disenfranchise those who believe in the American dream. As the defendant admitted, he conspired to eliminate competition to further enrich himself and his accomplices. The Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will continue to ensure that individuals who cheat and deprive the public of the benefits of competition are incarcerated.”

    “This sentencing marks an important milestone in holding accountable those responsible for this flagrant bid rigging scheme,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony Licari of the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), Midwestern Region. “We remain committed to working closely with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to investigate and prosecute individuals who undermine fair competition and violate federal antitrust laws.”

    According to court documents, the co-conspirators coordinated each other’s bid prices so that the agreed-upon losing company would submit intentionally non-competitive bids. These bids gave customers the false impression of competition when, in fact, the co-conspirators already had decided among themselves who would win the contracts. Israel participated in the conspiracy from March 2013 through November 2018.

    Israel’s former employer, ASI, and another former ASI executive also pleaded guilty in January 2024 for their participation in the conspiracy with Al’s Asphalt. Al’s Asphalt and two of its executives previously pleaded guilty in January and October 2024 for their participation in the conspiracy. ASI was sentenced in August 2024 to pay a fine of $6,500,000.

    The Antitrust Division’s Chicago Office, DOT-OIG, and U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated the case

    The Antitrust Division’s Chicago Office is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Founder of Haitian Orphanage Sentenced to 210 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing Boys in his Care

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A Colorado man was sentenced today to 210 years in prison for sexually abusing numerous children at the orphanage he founded and directed in Haiti.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Michael Karl Geilenfeld, 73, most recently of Littleton, founded St. Joseph’s Home for Boys — a home for orphaned, impoverished, and otherwise vulnerable children in Haiti — in 1985 and operated it for more than two decades. During this time, Geilenfeld repeatedly traveled from the United States to Haiti, where he sexually abused the boys entrusted to his care. He also physically and emotionally abused the children in the home, including through physical assault and other forms of punishment.

    In February 2025, a federal jury convicted Geilenfeld of one count of traveling in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct and six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place between 2005 and 2010. Each of the six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct relates to a separate victim who was a child at the time of the offense.

    At trial, these six victims testified about the sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of Geilenfeld and the devastating impact it had on them, as did other victims — now adults — who were not the subject of the charged offenses. Victims and witnesses also described the physical abuse Geilenfeld inflicted on his victims and the manipulation that he employed to keep his operation running and financially supported by others.

    “The defendant’s sustained sexual, physical, and emotional abuse of some of the most vulnerable children in the world is intolerable,” said Matthew Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution demonstrates the Department’s commitment to securing justice for children harmed by criminals who travel abroad from the United States to commit their crimes. We thank our partners for working with us to ensure that the defendant can never harm another child.”

    “This sentencing marks the end of a case built on the courage of survivors and the dedication of investigators,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “For decades, Geilenfeld used his position of trust and access to exploit vulnerable children under the guise of humanitarian work. We are grateful to those victims who came forward to report their abuse. The FBI is committed to pursuing those who commit crimes against children no matter where they occur or how long ago they were committed.”

    U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and FBI investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Jessica L. Urban and Eduardo Palomo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lacee Monk for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch, Durbin Lead Call for Inspector General to Investigate Emil Bove’s Abuse of Prosecutorial Power at DOJ’s Civil Rights Division 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Constitution Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee, and Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) referred Emil Bove III to the Office of Inspector General. Senators asked Inspector General Michael Horowitz to investigate Mr. Bove’s potential abuse of prosecutorial authority within the Civil Rights Division. 
    Public reporting indicates that Mr. Bove used intimidation tactics to stymie protected rights of students, including freedom of speech and freedom of association. Mr. Bove reportedly instructed career prosecutors in the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division to obtain a membership list of a student group at Columbia and investigate those students. After career prosecutors raised concerns about whether such actions violated the Constitution, Mr. Bove reportedly demanded prosecutors file for search warrants for the list. A magistrate judge twice rejected this request, finding the investigation initiated at Mr. Bove’s direction lacked probable cause. He then, purportedly, ordered FBI agents to intimidate protestors by putting on their raid jackets and stand in a phalanx formation.  
    “If these reports are accurate, Mr. Bove has abused his prosecutorial and supervisory authority to retaliate against protected First Amendment activity for the purpose of furthering President Trump’s political agenda,” the Senators write. “This matter must be reviewed by the Office of Inspector General (OIG). While we acknowledge that DOJ views attorney misconduct as the province of the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), OPR is apparently not available to pursue this matter. Since the constructive removal of Jeffrey Ragsdale as Director and Chief Counsel, OPR has no publicly-known leadership, and our understanding is that the office has been shuttered completely. OIG is thus the only available avenue for oversight of attorney professional misconduct.” 
    The letter, led by Senator Welch and Ranking Member Durbin, was signed Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). 
    Read the letter here and below:  
    Dear Inspector General Horowitz:  
    We write to express our concern about grave allegations that Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove III violated the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Justice Manual, flouted his ethical responsibilities, abused the powers of his office, and exceeded the constitutional limitations on prosecutorial power by initiating pretextual criminal investigations against students at Columbia University and premising investigative steps on protected constitutional activity.  
    According to public reporting, Mr. Bove sought to have career prosecutors in DOJ’s Civil Rights Division obtain a membership list of a student group at Columbia and investigate its members. Prosecutors resisted this request due to the Justice Manual’s prohibition on initiating criminal investigations based on protected constitutional activity, such as freedom of association. These career prosecutors then learned Mr. Bove allegedly sought this list to share with immigration agents, creating a fear that the investigation was a pretextual effort to intimidate students engaged in First Amendment expression with threats of detention and deportation. Separately, Mr. Bove reportedly attempted to employ a different intimidation tactic, instructing Federal Bureau of Investigation agents on the Joint Terrorism Task Force to don their raid jackets and stand in a phalanx near protestors on Columbia’s campus. 
    Subsequently, Mr. Bove ordered prosecutors to obtain a search warrant for the nonpublic data associated with the student group’s Instagram account, based on the premise that the account was used to make a threat—despite the assessment of career prosecutors that the identified statement did not meet the legal definition of a threat. No prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York signed the warrant application, despite the action being brought in their jurisdiction, reportedly due to the same concerns shared by the career prosecutors in the Civil Rights Division. 
    Ultimately, Mr. Bove’s requested warrant application was rejected twice, once on initial review and again on reconsideration, by a federal magistrate judge for failing to establish probable cause. The nature of the second rejection appears to indicate further abuses because the magistrate judge imposed a special condition: if DOJ seeks to refile this search warrant application before another federal judge, they must include a transcript of the sealed discussions of these initial efforts. If these reports are accurate, Mr. Bove has abused his prosecutorial and supervisory authority to retaliate against protected First Amendment activity for the purpose of furthering President Trump’s political agenda.  
    This matter must be reviewed by the Office of Inspector General (OIG). While we acknowledge that DOJ views attorney misconduct as the province of the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), OPR is apparently not available to pursue this matter. Since the constructive removal of Jeffrey Ragsdale as Director and Chief Counsel, OPR has no publicly-known leadership, and our understanding is that the office has been shuttered completely. OIG is thus the only available avenue for oversight of attorney professional misconduct.  
    Moreover, concurrent jurisdiction exists between OIG and OPR, particularly where misconduct creates waste, fraud, and abuse. The alleged abuse of power and unethical behavior in question involves the type of misconduct that extends beyond an attorney’s professional responsibilities and falls under the jurisdiction of OIG. In this extraordinary circumstance, we urge you to exercise existing concurrent jurisdiction to investigate all alleged misconduct. 
    Sincerely,  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Previously Deported Mexican National Indicted For Illegally Possessing Firearm After Shots Fired From Vehicle

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Hilario Diaz-Velazquez (32, Mexico) with illegal reentry after deportation and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. If convicted, Diaz-Velazquez faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.

    According to court records, on March 30, 2025, the Palmetto Police Department responded to a call for service regarding shots fired on 14th Street in Palmetto. An officer from the Palmetto Police Department witnessed gunshots from a vehicle, and officers arrested the vehicle’s occupants. The occupants were arrested on state charges and two firearms were seized from the vehicle. One of the occupants was identified as Diaz-Velazquez. A review of Diaz-Velazquez’s immigration history showed that he was previously deported from the United States on November 26, 2012.

    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).

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.          

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Palmetto Police Department, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ahead of George Floyd Anniversary, Pressley Reintroduces Suite of Bills to Transform Criminal Legal System, Improve Police Accountability

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

    People’s Justice Guarantee | Ending Qualified Immunity Act | Andrew Kearse Act

    WASHINGTON – Today, ahead of the five-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) reintroduced the People’s Justice Guarantee (PJG), the Ending Qualified Immunity Act, and the Andrew Kearse Accountability for Denial of Medical Care Act – a suite of bills that collectively will help build a fair, equitable, and just legal system in America, and improve police accountability.

    “It’s been nearly five years since George Floyd was murdered, and our families and communities continue to be plagued and destabilized by the overlapping crises of mass incarceration, police brutality, and overcriminalization,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “As we approach this somber anniversary and weather an unprecedented assault on Black and brown communities from the Trump Administration, I’m proud to reintroduce bold legislation and continue our push toward accountability, healing, and our collective liberation.”

    The People’s Justice Guarantee is a comprehensive, decarceration-focused resolution that outlines a framework for a fair, equitable and just legal system. The resolution, developed in close partnership with activists, advocates, and those most impacted by criminal and racial injustice, calls for an ongoing and participatory “people’s process” that centers the dignity and expertise of those impacted by the carceral state. The PJG is rooted in five guiding principles – shared power, freedom, equality, safety, and human dignity – and specifically calls for (1) decarceration and the dramatic reduction of jail and prison populations; (2) eliminating wealth-based discrimination and corporate profiteering; (3) transforming the experience of confinement; and (4) investing in historically impacted communities.

    The Ending Qualified Immunity Act, which Rep. Pressley is introducing alongside Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), would eliminate the unjust and court-invented doctrine of qualified immunity and restore the ability for people to obtain relief when state and local officials, including police officers, violate their legal and constitutionally secured rights. The lawmakers’ bill would permit civil lawsuits against public officials, in their personal capacity, to hold them accountable for their wrongdoing.

    “On the five-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, we must never forget that true justice requires that victims of police brutality and their families get their day in court,” said Senator Markey. “But all too often, qualified immunity impedes victims from holding government officials accountable. Qualified immunity is a flawed and judge-made doctrine that shields law enforcement officers from being sued for wrongdoing. For decades, courts have been gutting the landmark civil rights law, the Civil Rights Act of 1871, which allows victims of abuse at the hands of state and local officials to vindicate their rights in court. We must hold accountable the public officials who abuse their positions of trust in our communities.”

    The Andrew Kearse Accountability for Denial of Medical Care Act, which the Congresswoman is introducing alongside Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) would hold law enforcement officers criminally liable for failing to obtain medical assistance to people in custody experiencing medical distress. The bill is named after Andrew Kearse, a 36-year-old Black man who on May 11, 2017 died of a heart attack in the back of a police cruiser after begging a police officer for help. Instead of providing Mr. Kearse with medical assistance, the officer dismissed his pleas and waited precious minutes until after Mr. Kearse became nonresponsive to call for medical assistance. Despite failing to seek potentially life-saving care for Mr. Kearse, the officer involved was not charged with a crime.

    “If an officer denies life-saving medical care for people in their custody, they should be held accountable,” said Senator Warren. “This bill is a step towards justice for Andrew Kearse and all who died a preventable death while in custody.”

    Full text of the People’s Justice Guarantee resolution is available here.

    A copy of the Ending Qualified Immunity Act can be found here.

    A copy of the Andrew Kearse Act can be found here and a summary is available here.

    Congresswoman Pressley has introduced over a dozen pieces of precise legislation informed by the People’s Justice Guarantee to fundamentally redefine what justice looks like in America, including the Ending Qualified Immunity Act and Andrew Kearse Accountability for the Denial of Medical Care Act.

    Congresswoman Pressley also led calls in Congress for President Biden to use his clemency authority to address mass incarceration and has applauded the President for granting clemency to thousands of people and commended him for commuting the death sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row.

    • In June 2023, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12)unveiled the Housing for Formerly Incarcerated Reentry and Stable Tenancy (Housing FIRST) Act, bold legislation to help people who are formerly incarcerated and those with criminal histories access safe and stable housing.
    • In May 2023, Rep. Pressley reintroduced her Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act to improve maternal health care and support for pregnant individuals who are incarcerated. It was originally introduced in March 2020 and reintroduced in February 2021 as part of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Package—a suite of 12 bills aimed at addressing the Black maternal health crisis.
    • In May 2023, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Grace Napolitano (CA-31), Co-Chair of the Mental Health Caucus, requested the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to research post-traumatic prison disorder and share findings related to prevention and treatment for people returning from behind the wall.
    • In April 2023, Rep. Pressley and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) re-introduced their Ending Qualified Immunity Act, legislation that would eliminate the unjust and court-invented doctrine of qualified immunity and restore the ability for people to obtain relief when state and local officials, including police officers, violate their legal and constitutionally secured rights. Rep. Pressley originally introduced the bill in June 2020 with Rep. Justin Amash (L-MI) and reintroduced it with Sen. Markey in March 2021.
    • On April 6, 2023, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Hank Johnson led 25 of their colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus in calling on Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation to address racial disparities in traffic enforcement.
    • In April 2023, Rep. Pressley, in partnership with Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Ilhan Omar (MN-05), re-introduced the Ending PUSHOUT Act, their legislation to end the punitive pushout of girls of color from schools. It was originally introduced in December 2019 and reintroduced in March 2021.
    • In March 2023, Rep. Pressley, Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Congressman Greg Casar (TX-35) and 27 Members of Congress, alongside more than 300 advocacy organizations and community leaders, reintroduced the New Way Forward Act, a landmark piece of legislation that addresses some of the most harmful provisions of immigration law that drive racist enforcement practices, expanded incarceration in immigration detention centers, and unjust deportations. It was originally introduced in December 2019 by Reps. Chuy Garcia (IL-04), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Karen Bass (CA-37) and was reintroduced in January 2021.
    • In March 2023, Rep. Pressley and her colleagues re-introduced the Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act to stop federal entities’ use of facial recognition tools and prohibit federal support for state and local law enforcement entities that use biometric technology. They reintroduced the bill in June 2021.
    • In December 2022, the House passed Congresswoman Pressley’s amendment to strengthen maternal health care for people who are incarcerated.
    • In December 2021, Rep. Pressley unveiled the Fair and Independent Experts in Clemency (FIX Clemency) Act, historic legislation to transform our nation’s clemency system and address the mass incarceration crisis.
    • In March 2021, Rep. Pressley sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland urging him to consider H. Res. 266, the People’s Justice Guarantee, as a framework for embedding justice in our criminal legal system and building integrity in the Department of Justice (DOJ). 
    • In February 2021, October 2020, Congresswoman Pressley reintroduced the Mental Health Justice Act with Reps. Katie Porter (CA-45), Tony Cardenas (CA-29), and Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), to support the creation of mental health first responder units that would be deployed in lieu of law enforcement when 911 is called due to a mental health crisis. The lawmakers originally introduced the legislation in October 2020.
    • In January 2021, she reintroduced the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act of 2021 with Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) to prohibit the use of the death penalty at the federal level, and require re-sentencing of those currently on death row. The lawmakers originally introduced the bill in July 2019.
    • In August 2020, she introduced the COVID-19 in Corrections Data Transparency Act with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and others, requires federal, state, and local prisons and jails to collect and publicly report COVID-19 data. The legislation was reintroduced in 2021.
    • In July 2020, she introduced the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act with Reps. Ilhan Omar (MN-05) and Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), to prohibit federal funds to support the increased presence of police in K-12 schools and supports school districts that invests in counselors.
    • In June 2020, she introduced the Dismantle Mass Incarceration for Public Health Act with Reps. Tlaib (MI-13) and Barbara Lee (CA-13) to require decarceration to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in prisons and jails.
    • In June 2020, she introduced the Andrew Kearse Accountability for Denial of Medical Care Act with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Ed Markey (D-MA), to hold police officers criminally liable for denying care to those in medical distress.
    • In May 2020, she introduced a resolution with Reps. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Karen Bass (CA-37) and Barbara Lee (CA-13) to condemn any and all acts of police brutality, racial profiling, and militarization and over-policing of Black and brown communities.  
    • In July 2019, she introduced the No Biometric Barriers Housing Act with Reps. Yvette Clarke (NY-09) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-13) that would prohibit the use of biometric recognition technology in most public and assisted housing units funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), protecting tenants from biased surveillance technology. 
    • In June 2019, in conjunction with Gun Violence Awareness Month and the 5th Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day, she introduced a resolution to honor survivors of homicide victims by establishing National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: SDTX charges another 282 people with immigration and related crimes in support of Operation Take Back America

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A total of 277 cases have been filed from May 16-22 in border-security related matters in the Southern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

    The filed cases include 21 involving human smuggling. A total of 165 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while another 88 face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more. Other relevant cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes.

    Those charged by criminal complaint include two Mexican males found near Roma after being recently removed. Rogelio Torres and William Rocael have prior convictions for burglary and aggravated assault, respectively, and had been removed from the country just this year, according to the allegations. Another charged includes Roberto Martinez who had already previously received an 84-month sentence for the same crime. Regardless, he was found near Cuevitas after his removal in 2020. Five more Mexican males – Jose Salvador Orozco-Olivares, Jesus Misael Espinoza-Garza, Rigoberto Santana-Guerra, Gaspar Garcia-De La O and Celso Jassel Cantu-Mendiola are also charged with illegal reentry after being removed on dates ranging from 2018-2024 but found again in the Rio Grande Valley area this past week. They are also alleged to also have prior felonies. All of these individuals could face up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.

    As part of the ongoing efforts, charges are also being filed against those that have failed to register and be fingerprinted. In one such case this week, Victor Manuel Herrera-Herrera admitted he had illegally entered the United States in April 2024 near Brownsville and has remained in the country since that time without having registered or been fingerprinted as required by law.

    In addition to the new cases, the sixth and final person admitted her role in a human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in death. Cynthia Gabriela Muniz Carreon and five others were part of a transnational human smuggling organization responsible for moving illegal aliens across the southern border of Texas. Their actions led to the death of a Guatemalan man and several other dangerous events, including a rollover crash. Although many of the aliens were from Guatemala, the smuggling group instructed them to falsely claim Mexican nationality which ensured they would be removed to Mexico instead of their home country, making it faster and easier for the organization to smuggle them back into the United States. Ledgers revealed the organization generated approximately $79,000 in smuggling proceeds between April 12 and 17, 2024, alone. All six face up to life in federal prison.

    In McAllen, an illegal alien was sent to prison for 36 months after distributing cocaine with children in his vehicle. On Aug. 14, 2024, law enforcement conducted surveillance on Heriberto Marin-Hebert and observed him making hand-to-hand exchanges around McAllen. They conducted a traffic stop, at which time he threw a box containing of cocaine in a ditch in an attempt to avoid detection. Authorities found multiple individually wrapped baggies of cocaine in the box as well as additional baggies of cocaine, drug scales, drug paraphernalia, two firearms and over $12,000 in cash at his residence. 

    A Mexican national received 135 months for smuggling methamphetamine and heroin into the country in Brownsville federal court this week. Ramon Gustavo Alfaro Velez drove his Ford F-150 to the Veterans International Port of Entry. Authorities referred him to a secondary inspection, uncovering 43 bundles hidden within a non-factory compartment beneath the bed liner which contained a white substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine, weighing 139 kilograms. Velez admitted he was being paid $4,000 to travel to Dallas, collect narcotics proceeds and transport them to Mexico. He also admitted he had knowingly transported proceeds into Mexico on at least five prior occasions.

    Also sentenced was a human smuggler for transporting aliens in his pickup truck after they had crossed the Rio Grande River via raft. Julian Alberto Soto tried to evade law enforcement by fleeing an attempted traffic stop at a high rate of speed. He eventually stopped, and authorities discovered all 10 passengers in his vehicle were in the country illegally. The court noted his involvement in a separate smuggling attempt involving 20 illegal aliens and found Soto’s repeated involvement in human smuggling warranted a sentence that would promote respect for the law and deter future illegal conduct. Judge Crane emphasized that the repeated violations took place in Roma and the close timing of these incidents demonstrated a pattern of recurring behavior. He received 46 months.

    In Houston, an illegal alien was ordered to serve 54 months this week for unlawfully returning to the United States. His term of imprisonment will run consecutively to another sentence for driving while intoxicated he received after running through a stop sign in August 2022. Rodolfo Hernandez-Marchan has previous convictions for illegal reentry, evading arrest and assault of a family member.

    Another human smuggler – a 38-year-old resident of Chatanooga, Tennessee – was ordered to serve 18 months after unlawfully transporting illegal aliens through the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. Upon his arrival, Josef Alquan Rutley claimed he was traveling to Laredo, denied having any passengers and said he was looking for a load. An x-ray scan revealed 22 illegal aliens locked inside the trailer with no means of escape. All were from the countries of Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.

    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, Border Patrol, 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 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: Convicted Sex Offender Indicted for Child Pornography Distribution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 13, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Randy Smith (age: 46) of Kenosha, Wisconsin, on two counts of distribution of child pornography in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(2)(A).  

    The indictment alleges that on November 13, 2023, and again between approximately August 1, 2024, and August 5, 2024, Smith knowingly distributed child pornography using a means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce, that had been mailed, shipped, and transported in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, and which contained material that have been shipped and transported by a means and facility of  interstate and foreign commerce, including by computer. Court records indicate that at the time of his offenses, Smith was a previously convicted sex offender.

    If convicted of either of the distribution charges, Smith faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 40 years’ imprisonment on each count. He also faces up to a $250,000 fine on each of the counts.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    This case was investigated by the Kenosha Police Department, the Racine Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Milwaukee.  It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan J. Paulson.  

    An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.     

    # # #

    For Additional Information Contact:

    Public Information Officer

    Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov

    414-297-1700

    Follow us on Twitter

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Norman Man Sentenced to Serve 25 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OKLAHOMA CITY – JACOB EDWARD KAMOLZ, 39, of Norman, has been sentenced to serve 300 months in federal prison for production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    On September 17, 2024, a federal Grand Jury returned a four-count Indictment against Kamolz, charging him with production, attempted production, possession, and distribution of child pornography. According to public record, in August 2024, Kamolz connected with an FBI Online Covert Employee (OCE) who purported to be a juvenile on a social media messaging application. Over the course of several days, Kamolz sent child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to the OCE and requested that they send CSAM in return. Public record further reflects that, after his arrest, the FBI determined Kamolz produced CSAM with a child using his cell phone.

    On December 17, 2024, Kamolz pleaded guilty and admitted he used a minor to produce CSAM.

    At the sentencing hearing on May 20, 2025, U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Kamolz to serve 300 months in federal prison, followed by supervised release for life. In announcing his sentence, Judge Heaton emphasized the nature and circumstances of the offense.

    This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ganz prosecuted the case.

    This case is also part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lawton Couple Pleads Guilty for their Roles in Child Sex Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OKLAHOMA CITY – NIA HALL, 30, and JACKIE DUNCAN, 35, both of Lawton, have pleaded guilty for conspiring to commit sex trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. 

    On January 21, 2025, a federal Grand Jury returned a three-count Indictment against Hall and Duncan, charging them with sex trafficking of children, sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. According to public record, in May 2024, two juveniles ran away from a juvenile group home in Lawton, Oklahoma, and were entered into law enforcement databases as missing juveniles. One of the juveniles was located by officers with the Plano Police Department on July 16, 2024, at a motel in Collin County, Texas, where she disclosed that she and the other missing juvenile had been sex-trafficked. The juvenile told officers that after she and the other juvenile had fled the group home, they were approached by two people, later identified as Hall and Duncan, at a gas station. The juveniles began living with Hall and Duncan, who soon after transported the juveniles to various cities in Texas, where they performed sex acts for money, which Hall and Duncan kept. In return, the juveniles were provided food and shelter. The juvenile told authorities she had recently escaped Hall and Duncan’s car in the Dallas area. On September 30, 2024, the second juvenile was found and recovered in San Antonio, Texas.  She recounted a similar story of being sex-trafficked by Hall and Duncan in exchange for food and shelter. During the investigation, local and federal law enforcement reviewed sex advertisements associated with Hall. These advertisements contained photos of the juveniles. Hall and Duncan were arrested on December 16, 2024.

    On May 19, 2025, Hall pleaded guilty to Count 3 of the Indictment, and admitted she knowingly worked with Duncan to recruit and transport the juveniles for purposes of commercial sex acts, and that she knew the victims were under the age of 18. Duncan pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Indictment on April 30, 2025, and admitted he knowingly recruited two minors under the age of 18 to cause them to engage in commercial sex acts, and that he aided and abetted Hall to do the same. 

    At sentencing, Hall and Duncan face up to life in federal prison, Duncan faces at least 10 years in federal prison, and both face fines of up to $250,000. 

    This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, FBI, Lawton Police Department, Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics & Dangerous Drugs Control, Fort Smith Police Department, Arkansas State Police, San Antonio Police Department, Plano Police Department, and Fort Worth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Ganz and Brandon Hale are prosecuting the case.

    This case is also the result of an investigation by the Tornado Alley Child Exploitation Task Force, which is led by HSI. The Tornado Alley Child Exploitation Task Force is an implementation of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.  PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Recovers Approximately $2.5 Million of Cryptocurrency Involved in Fraudulent Confidence Schemes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – United States District Court Judge Amir H. Ali has ordered forfeiture of approximately $2.5 million worth of virtual currency involved in cryptocurrency confidence schemes to the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Chief John Lynch of the Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section of the Department of Justice, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy of the San Diego Field Office.

                “Whether they are in our district’s streets or hiding behind a computer screen abroad, the United States will continue to hold fraudsters and grifters responsible, seize money they scam from hardworking Americans, and use our authority to compensate victims,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro.

                “Cryptocurrency confidence schemes defraud and manipulate vulnerable victims into losing devastating amounts of money,” said Moy of the FBI’s San Diego Field Office. “We hope today’s announcement brings a measure of justice to the victims and serves as a reminder, the FBI will hold fraudsters accountable, no matter where they are located.”

                Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams, and fraud scams – should contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://www.ic3.gov.

                In this case and others, the United States of America utilizes asset forfeiture to punish and deter criminal activity by depriving criminals of property used in or acquired through illegal activities; to promote and enhance cooperation among federal and foreign law enforcement agencies; and most importantly, to recover assets that may be used to compensate victims. For more information, please visit https://www.justice.gov/afp.

                This matter was investigated by the FBI San Diego Field Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and FBI’s Virtual Asset Unit provided valuable assistance. The Department of Justice would like to acknowledge Tether for its assistance in effectuating the transfer of these assets.

               This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Blaylock Jr., Asset Forfeiture Coordinator, and Kevin Rosenberg, Acting Deputy Chief of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia—along with Trial Attorney Stefanie Schwartz and Gaelin Bernstein from the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Department of Justice. Supervisory Paralegal Gina Torres provided valuable assistance.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 14 Years

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Arnoldo Oswaldo Vargas-Samayoa, a Guatemalan national, was sentenced in federal court today to ­14 years in prison for managing a cocaine trafficking organization that smuggled more than 1,000 pounds of cocaine into the United States from Guatemala.

    Following his surrender to U.S. authorities in June 2024 at Los Angeles International Airport, Vargas-Samayoa pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to import cocaine that were filed in January 2020.

    In imposing sentence, U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo noted that Vargas-Samayoa was a “manager of a very extensive international drug ring” and money laundering effort who did not make a “mistake” but rather “chose a lifestyle.”

    Vargas admitted he sourced the cocaine from two different Guatemalan suppliers and coordinated delivery to a Mexico-based drug trafficker. Vargas and the Mexico-based trafficker arranged for the drugs to be hidden in vehicles and smuggled into the United States through ports of entry in Southern California and Southern Texas.

    Vargas, whose communications were being intercepted by law enforcement, messaged with the trafficker while cocaine loads were being moved into the United States to confirm the drugs were successfully smuggled. Once in the United States, some of that cocaine was moved to the Chicago area for further distribution. Vargas received a commission of $1,000 U.S. dollars for each kilogram of cocaine he delivered to the Mexico-based trafficker.

    “Cocaine continues to be a dangerous and highly addictive drug with devastating consequences for individuals and communities,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “We remain committed to dismantling the entire supply chain—from powerful cartel leaders to street-level dealers—and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.”

    “This sentencing sends the message that those who traffic dangerous drugs into our country will be held accountable,” said Shawn Gibson, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. “Thanks to the outstanding investigative work and strong domestic and international law enforcement partnerships, we were able to disrupt a key supply line of a major drug trafficking network. We remain committed to targeting high-level drug trafficking organizations and keeping deadly narcotics, like cocaine, out of our communities.”

    The U.S. Attorney’s office has previously convicted, and the court has sentenced, multiple couriers attempting to smuggle narcotics for the same drug trafficking organization as well as individuals engaged in related money laundering efforts (see list below). Through the related investigation of this matter, law enforcement has seized more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, more than $2 million in bulk currency, and firearms.     

    Vargas’ father, Arnoldo Vargas Estrada, is the former mayor of Zacapa, Guatemala who was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of New York in Case No. 90cr00855-SJF of five counts related to the importation of narcotics. He was sentenced to 365-months in custody. Vargas Estrada was one of the first Guatemalan drug traffickers to be extradited to the United States in the early 1990’s. He was released in 2017, returned to Guatemala, and then reelected as mayor of Zacapa holding that position until 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 is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Casper.

    DEFENDANT                                             Case Number 20CR00240-CAB                            

    Arnoldo Oswaldo Vargas-Samayoa, aka “Lalo”, aka “Pedrito”   Age: 50       Zacapa, Guatemala

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 960 and 963

    Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison

    RELATED SENTENCES

    Case No. 17cr648-GPC

    Defendant/Conviction Charge/Custodial Sentence                                       

    Walter Rovidio Ipina

    Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine (21 U.S.C. Sec. 841(a)(1), 846)

    50 months

    Zachary Vasquez

    Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine (21 U.S.C. Sec. 841(a)(1), 846)

    66 months

    Juan Angel Mexicano

    Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine (21 U.S.C. Sec. 841(a)(1), 846)

    135 months

    Luis Fernandez Oliva-Campos (18 U.S.C. Sec. 1956(h))                                                                   

    Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments

    31 months

    David Castaneda-Solis   

    Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments (18 U.S.C. Sec. 1956(h))                                                                       70 months

    Jacob Castillo-Lopez

    Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine (21 U.S.C. Sec. 841(a)(1), 846)                                                                           33 months

    Case No. 18cr4414-GPC

    Melchor Cardenas

    Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine

    60 months

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    Homeland Security Investigations

    Customs and Border Protection

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas Adds 334 New Immigration Cases This Week

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

    SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 334 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from May 16 through May 22.

    Among the new cases, Salvadoran felon Erick Douglas Serrano-Aleman was arrested by Van Horn Border Patrol agents for being an illegal alien present in the U.S. A criminal complaint indicates Serrano-Aleman was previously convicted of transporting and selling a controlled substance as well as accessory. In 2004, he was convicted for illegal re-entry in Nogales, Arizona. Serrano-Aleman has been deported twice and allegedly claims to be a member of the Sureño 13 gang.

    In El Paso, multiple alleged human smugglers were arrested, including U.S. citizen Ernesto Covarrubias and Tanya Joselyn De La Paz-Nunez, a Mexican national in possession of a legal B1/B2 Visa Border Crossing Card. Covarrubias, as the vehicle driver, and De La Paz-Nunez allegedly picked up five illegal aliens inside a pecan orchard near the Tornillo Port of Entry, intending to transport them to a stash house.

    U.S. citizen Gabriela Ivon Trejo-Gonzalez was arrested after U.S. Border Patrol agents allegedly observed six individuals crawl through a breach in the border fence near the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry and board Trejo-Gonzalez’s vehicle. The defendant allegedly drove away at a high rate of speed and continued in an attempt to evade law enforcement before becoming inoperable. Trejo-Gonzalez allegedly claimed she would be paid $500 per alien. She was convicted for alien smuggling in New Mexico in June 2023 and probation violation in October 2023.

    Juan Pedro Carmona-Cerritos, a Mexican felon, was arrested in El Paso and charged with illegal re-entry. Carmona-Cerritos was last removed from the U.S. in April 2009. He was previously convicted of child abuse in 2004 and second degree reckless homicide in 2005 in Waukesha, Wisconsin, for which he was sentenced to a total of approximately three years in prison. Guatemalan national Ramon Cortes-Velasquez was also arrested for illegal re-entry in El Paso, having been convicted of assault causing bodily injury to a family member in February and removed from the U.S. to Guatemala in March.

    Mexican nationals Jose Rolando Arenas-Aleman and J Angel Nava-Sanchez were arrested near Del Rio. According to court documents, Arenas-Aleman was arrested May 14 by U.S. Border Patrol agents for being an illegal alien present in the United States. He had previously been removed to Mexico for the second time through Laredo on Sept. 6, 2024 following his second conviction for Driving While Intoxicated. Nava-Sanchez was arrested May 15 after allegedly crossing the Rio Grande River near Del Rio. Nava-Sanchez was convicted twice in Tarrant County. He was found sentenced to 45 days in jail for a DWI in July 2022 and 29 days in jail in August 2018, for assault causing bodily injury to a family member.

    A U.S. citizen was arrested May 19 during a traffic stop on Highway 85 near Dilley. A criminal complaint alleges that Alex Guadalupe Nieto was the driver of a vehicle transporting six illegal aliens. The complaint alleges that Nieto stated he and another individual drove from Houston, picking up the six illegal aliens on the side of the road, and that he had expected to be paid $500.00 to transport the aliens.

    In Austin, Mexican national Juan Robledo-Trevino aka Octavio Garcia-Sanchez was taken into federal custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement after being arrested and sentenced to 10 days in the Travis County Jail for failure to identify. Robledo-Trevino has two prior convictions for illegal re-entry, and four previous DWI convictions. He’s been removed from the U.S. to Mexico four times, most recently in November 2016, and voluntarily returned to Mexico twice.

    Mexican national Jose Hernandez-Martinez was taken into ICE custody in Austin where he had been arrested for his second DWI and spent 20 days in the Travis County Jail. Hernandez-Martinez has a prior illegal entry conviction along with convictions for theft and assault causing bodily injury to a family member. He voluntarily returned to Mexico in 2006, and has been twice removed from the U.S.

    Edgar Aguilar-Mejia, a Guatemalan national, was also taken into ICE custody in Austin. Aguilar-Mejia was convicted twice in 2023 for illegal re-entry and has been removed from the U.S. three times before, as recent as April 2024.

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

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

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

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Charged in Connection With CARES Act Loan Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Joseph Ronald Trenkle, 54, formerly of Cherry Hills Village, Colorado and currently of Dorado, Puerto Rico, has been charged in a criminal information with one count each of wire fraud and money laundering.

    According to the information, between April 30, 2020, and February 25, 2022, Trenkle applied for and received $1,850,000 in COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and $2,999,995 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds from an SBA-approved lender.  The information alleges that after first obtaining an EIDL loan in March 2020, Trenkle made two requests to increase the amount of his EIDL and made false representations as part of each of request.  The information further alleges that Trenkle submitted two fraudulent PPP loan applications, and also submitted fraudulent applications for PPP loan forgiveness for each PPP loan.

    The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The CARES Act created the PPP, a program administered by the SBA that provided loans to small businesses to retain workers, maintain payroll, and certain other expenses consistent with PPP rules.  Additionally, the CARES Act authorized the SBA to provide EIDLs to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The defendant made his initial appearance on May 22, 2025, in Denver in front of Magistrate Judge Cyrus Y. Chung.

    The charges contained in the information are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig Fansler.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form

    Case Number:                    25-cr-00150-RMR             

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Blackburn, Pappas, Rutherford Renew Bipartisan, Bicameral Push to Establish Nationwide Programs to Mitigate Impacts of Childhood Trauma

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    **The bipartisan bill would model proven programs like Manchester’s ACERT to allow local entities to receive grant funding to address adverse childhood experiences associated with exposure to trauma**

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), along with U.S. Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and John Rutherford (FL-05), reintroduced the bipartisan National Adverse Childhood Experiences Response Team (ACERT) Grant Program Authorization Act in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation would establish a grant program to provide federal resources for communities across the country to address adverse childhood experiences associated with exposure to trauma by connecting law enforcement and first responders with local child specialists and professionals. The lawmakers’ legislation models successful programs like Manchester’s ACERT to mitigate the impact of traumatic childhood experiences. 

    “Experiencing trauma as a child can have damaging long-term effects on a person’s life – including on one’s physical, mental and emotional development. There’s more we can do to prevent and mitigate those effects early on, which is why I’m proud to introduce legislation with bipartisan support in the House and Senate to help do just that,” said Senator Shaheen. “Our bill would provide first responders and law enforcement with the tools they need to administer early intervention and trauma-informed care for affected families in the Granite State and beyond. The programs our legislation supports are crucial to ensuring children and families can break the cycle of trauma and lead healthy, successful lives.” 

    “We must ensure that we provide every necessary resource to combat childhood trauma for Tennessee communities in need,” said Senator Blackburn. “Due to trauma’s effects on brain development, early intervention is crucial to alleviate the effects of childhood trauma and prevent long-term harm. Tennessee is home to one of the leading Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) programs, Building Strong Brains, which serves as a national model for programs around the country. The National ACERT Grant Program Authorization Act would build on Tennessee’s progress by giving each state the tools they need to deliver services and care to children who have experienced trauma.” 

    “Adverse childhood experiences can have lifelong impacts on our children and our communities. As we’ve seen in Manchester and across New Hampshire, ACE response teams, or ACERTs, have been key to preventing future incidents of childhood trauma and supporting our kids, no matter what is going on in their lives,” said Congressman Pappas. “ACERTs partner law enforcement, firefighters, and first responders with child advocates and health providers so that children are put on a path to receiving the care they need as quickly as possible after a traumatic incident. We have already seen the positive impacts that these programs have brought to our local communities in New Hampshire. I’m proud to once again join Senator Shaheen in introducing this bipartisan legislation to make ACERT programs available nationwide.” 

    “As a former sheriff, I have seen firsthand the long-term negative effects trauma can have on a child and their family,” said Congressman Rutherford. “Responding to an emergency is just the first step, what happens after can shape a child’s future. The ACE Response Teams (ACERTs) program brings together law enforcement officers, first responders, mental health professionals, and child advocates to respond quickly after a traumatic incident and provide families with the services they need to help children heal and grow.” 

    ACEs, or Adverse Childhood Experiences, are events in a child’s life which have a heavy impact on their future wellbeing, success in life and risk of violence. This legislation would allow for the creation of ACE Response Teams (ACERTs) which would provide services and care to children who have experienced trauma.     
     

    The bipartisan, bicameral legislation authorizes $10 million a year for four years for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a national ACERT program, modeled on the pilots here in New Hampshire. 

    MIL OSI USA News –