Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)
President Cyril Ramaphosa joins other Heads of State and Government from BRICS Member Countries, BRICS Partner Countries and BRICS Outreach Invited Countries for a XVII BRICS Summit Family Photo at Museum of Modern Arts, In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ahead of day 2 of the XVII BRICS Summit.
The theme of the Rio Summit is “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance”.
The focus on day 2 is on the theme:
” Environment, COP 30, and Global Health” with inputs from BRICS Member Countries, BRICS Partner Countries and BRICS Outreach Inted Countries.
Stay updated, South Africa! Subscribe to The Presidency’s Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@PresidencyZA/?sub_confirmation=1.
Checkout more: http://www.thepresidency.gov.za
Get Social
Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/PresidencyZA
Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/presidencyza/?hl=en
Twitter ► @PresidencyZA
Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)
His excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa, delivers his intervention with the focus on Environment, COP 30, and Global Health during the XVII BRICS Summit held on 07 July 2025, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Interventions from other BRICS Member Countries, BRICS Partner Countries and BRICS Outreach Invited Countries were presented.
Stay updated, South Africa! Subscribe to The Presidency’s Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@PresidencyZA/?sub_confirmation=1.
Checkout more: http://www.thepresidency.gov.za
Get Social
Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/PresidencyZA
Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/presidencyza/?hl=en
Twitter ► @PresidencyZA
The just-concluded Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development made a major difference by bringing the world together, bringing in parters, and taking action, says its spokesperson, Martina Donlon.
Digital technologies have the potential to drive progress and strengthen rights, including connecting people, improving access to health and education, and much more.
But the pace of their evolution also poses serious risks, warned Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – from restrictions on free expression and privacy violations to discrimination and growing threats to our shared sense of truth and reality.
In this time of sweeping change, human rights must be prioritised and used as the blueprint for action.
“States’ legal obligations and companies’ duties to respect human rights offer guidance to tackle disinformation and protect our data from illicit use,” Mr. Türk stressed.
Such guidance also helps counter algorithmic bias, digital hate speech, and fosters trust and inclusive digital decision-making.
Role of WSIS
Founded in 2001, the inaugural WSIS was held in two phases in December 2003 (Geneva) and November 2005 (Tunis, Italy).
Since then, the forum has brought together diverse stakeholders to collaborate on digital governance and promote a digital landscape that is people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented.
“[The WSIS] helped create a space for States, technology companies, civil society, and others to harness the power of information and communication technologies for development,” said Mr. Türk.
Looking forward
The High Commissioner stressed that the coming months will see critical decisions on regulating the digital sphere, including new UN mechanisms on AI and data governance.
“We have a window of opportunity to make a difference,” he concluded.
“We must join forces – States, technology companies, international organizations, civil society, and others – to work towards an inclusive and open digital environment for everyone, everywhere.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
New York, NY – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on ABC’s The View where he highlighted the devastating impacts of Donald Trump and House Republicans’ One Big Ugly Bill that was signed into law last week.
SARA HAINES: Well, when you first started speaking, people thought that you would delay the vote by an hour. And instead, you spoke on the Senate floor for eight hours and 44 minutes. This is becoming a trend for you. What was behind the decision to keep going?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I thought first of all, that this kind of bill, which is going to have such a dramatic impact on people all across the country. I mean, literally millions of everyday Americans are going to be hurt. And it’s all being done to reward billionaires—Unacceptable, right, unconscionable, un-American—that it needed to be debated in the light of day, not passed in the middle of the night, which was the original intention. This debate started at 3:28 a.m. And so, you know, this is such an unprecedented assault on healthcare, on the economy, on nutritional assistance, on higher education, on everything, that we just wanted to be able to do everything that we could to fully air the challenges with the bill, but also see if we can persuade just a handful of Republicans to do the right thing by the American people.
SUNNY HOSTIN: Well, you persuaded two and one person as I understand was absent from the vote, which could’ve changed it. But you’re calling this the One Big Ugly Bill. And not only is it projected by the Congressional Budget Office to add $3.4 trillion to our national debt, it extends tax cuts for the rich, as you mentioned. It also includes though, big cuts to healthcare programs, such as Medicaid, cuts to SNAP benefits for the poor. My understanding is in New York, about 1 million people will be affected by this. Can you talk about the implications for healthcare and how it affects people who don’t even use these programs?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, first of all, like, in America, healthcare shouldn’t simply be a privilege, it should be a right to every single American. Presidents throughout the years, whether that’s, you know, Roosevelt or Truman, you know, President Johnson, President Clinton, President Obama, President Biden, have all worked to expand access to healthcare. But what’s so extraordinary about this bill is that more than 17 million people will lose healthcare as a result of the, you know, cuts to Medicaid, the attack on Medicare, the attack on the Affordable Care Act, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Planned Parenthood.
ANA NAVARRO: And by the way, MAGA kept saying that it was illegal aliens that were going to be kicked out. Explain to folks that there’s not 17 million illegal aliens that are receiving free Medicaid.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Actually federal law, to your point, Ana, explicitly prohibits federal dollars from being used to provide healthcare to undocumented immigrants. And so, that was always a lie. But we’re dealing with some folks where facts don’t matter, hypocrisy is not a constraint to their behavior and people actually have concluded that shamelessness is a superpower. And so, our view is we just have to aggressively push back with righteous intensity, continue to press on, as I indicated, as John Lewis would always inspire us to do, speak up, show up, stand up so we can get the type of America that this country deserves.
SUNNY HOSTIN: But don’t you then also—I think that’s right—shouldn’t you and other Democrats be screaming from the mountaintops and tether the Republicans to this bill, tether because there’s going to be true human loss here, right? People are going to really feel it.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, real pain and suffering. I mean, the attack on healthcare is not just going to result on millions of people losing access, but hospitals will close, nursing homes will shut down, community-based health clinics won’t be able to provide assistance.
SUNNY HOSTIN: Rural hospitals.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Rural hospitals in particular are at great risk. And in fact, people who have private insurance, once you attack the healthcare ecosystem, premiums, co-pays and deductibles for tens of millions of others are going to go up. And so it’s a big problem. It’s an immoral thing that just took place on the floor of the House of Representatives. An immoral thing.
ANA NAVARRO: And at the same time that this bill—by the way, I think instead of calling it the Big Ugly Bill, you should call it BUL—Big Ugly Law. But at the same time that it cuts SNAP benefits and it cuts healthcare for the neediest amongst us, it sets aside 170 billion for ICE mass deportation efforts, a bigger budget than the FBI and federal prison system combined. And last week, we saw the administration opened a new migrant detention center in my home state of Florida. They’re calling it Alligator Alcatraz. And we’ve also seen military style ICE raids throughout cities in this country. People are being imprisoned and deported and disappeared and taken away by masked men without any due process. And the worst part is, you know, my community in particular, Latinos, are being racially profiled and targeted. Communities and families are being torn apart. But for me, the saddest part is that people feel helpless and hopeless, that there is nothing they can do. They feel there’s nothing you can do, as a minority in the House. What’s your message to these people that feel such lack of hope and such fear?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, you know, we are seeing sort of an unprecedented flood of extremism being unleashed on the American people. And it’s happened from the very beginning, January 20, months and months and months, you know, of chaos, of cruelty, of corruption. But I think we can never lose hope in the resilience of the American people to face turbulence—and this is an incredibly turbulent moment—but to power our way through it and to come out stronger on the other side. It’s not to say it’s going to be easy. It will be challenging. But I think I still believe in the fundamental goodness of the American people. A recognition—one of the reasons why this bill is so deeply unpopular and it is, is because they recognize that this is not what America should be all about in terms of the deportation situation. One, we have to, of course, secure the border. We have a broken immigration system. We need to fix it. We should fix it in a bipartisan and comprehensive way. But we should also never abandon the fact that, yes, we are a nation anchored in the rule of law. We are also a nation of immigrants. E pluribus unum. Out of many, one. It’s one of the great strengths of the United States of America. We should not abandon it. And so, as House Democrats, our view is that while we, you know, work on making sure the border can remain secure, while we work to fix our broken immigration system, we also are going to stand up for Dreamers, for farmworkers and for law-abiding immigrant families at all times, at all times.
[…]
ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: So Leader Jeffries, you wear many hats, and one of your jobs is to try to win back the House for Democrats. I mean, we were talking about immigration before we went to break. Now, some Democrats, amid the criticisms of ICE right now to do these ICE raids, have started calling for defunding ICE. Do you think that’s effective going into the midterms, and do you support those calls?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I definitely think that we need aggressive oversight as it relates to the overly aggressive behavior that we’ve seen, you know, from ICE, from the Department of Homeland Security. It’s not what the American people actually, in my view, voted for. Donald Trump and Republicans promised to go after violent felons. But instead, they’re going after law-abiding immigrant families, and in fact, in some cases, deporting American citizens and children, some with cancer. And America is better than this, and that’s the reality. In terms of what House Democrats stand for, we believe that in this country, you work hard and you play by the rules, you should be able to experience the American dream. You should able to afford to live the good life. And we believe that that’s, you know, that’s a good paying job, good healthcare, good housing, good education for your children and a good retirement. And a good retirement, by the way, means keep your hands off of Social Security and Medicare, now and at all times. That’s the good life.
ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: I also want to ask you, because I could argue you’re the most important Democrat in New York right now, and Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary, is poised to become the next mayor of New York City. Now, he ran as an avowed socialist. He called for defunding the police in 2020. That would mean the New York Police Department. You have yet to endorse him. Will you be endorsing him, and do you have any concerns about some of his past positions?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, you know, he’s actually said that he plans to keep the police fully funded. I’m scheduled to meet with him next week, and we’ll have a conversation about his vision. He did run a campaign that was actually focused largely on affordability, and that was the right issue to focus on because New York City’s too expensive. America right now is too expensive.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Ain’t nobody got any money because money is all dissipated.
LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s a very—you’re right—it’s a very challenging situation in terms of affordability that we have to lean in on. In fact, Donald Trump promised that he would lower costs on day one. Costs haven’t gone down, they’re going up in America. And now we have to deal with the consequences of this One Big Ugly Bill, which is now One Big Ugly Law, Ana, as you pointed out. So, we’ll sit down, we’ll talk. I also want to talk to him about the importance of Democrats taking back control of the United States House of Representatives next year so we can have some balance in the country, which is what the founders envisioned.
SUNNY HOSTIN: Can’t you also roll back this Big Ugly Bill some, because it doesn’t take effect until after the midterms, correct?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It has several provisions in the legislation that will not take effect until after the 2026 midterm elections.
ANA NAVARRO: Before you go, I want to ask you—I want you to say something about Texas, because the entire country is in mourning and people have questions about why this happened, and could it have been avoided? Is there something that you can do?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, it’s an unspeakable and horrific tragedy. And, you know, our thoughts and prayers go out to every single family that has experienced a loss. And we know, you know, I mean, no parent should ever have to bury their child. And dozens will now have to bury their children. And so, with extreme weather events and the climate crisis and these natural disasters, we should never play politics, ever. Not play politics with the wildfires, not play politics with these floods and get the American people the relief that they need and deserve. That’s my commitment.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Our thanks to House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) is leading an effort in Congress to protect humanitarian aid workers operating in conflict zones and ensure accountability for those who target them. Joined by U.S. Representatives Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Pingree today introduced the Commitment to Aid Workers Act—comprehensive legislation that reaffirms the United States’ commitment to safeguarding humanitarian principles and holding foreign militaries accountable for actions that endanger civilians and those delivering American, life-saving aid.
“Humanitarian aid workers put their lives on the line to deliver food, water, medicine, and shelter to civilians caught in the crossfire of conflict. Their work is guided by a basic principle: that even in war, human dignity must be preserved,” Pingree said. “Tragically, we are seeing aid workers targeted like never before. So far this year, 192 have been killed—and last year was the deadliest on record, with over 370 killed across the globe. These are attacks on the very foundation of humanitarian law. The United States cannot stand by while those delivering life-saving assistance are treated as collateral damage. The Commitment to Aid Workers Act ensures accountability, advocacy, and limits U.S. military assistance to countries found to be targeting aid workers deliberately. We must support those who serve on the frontlines of humanitarian crises.”
“Humanitarian workers are the globe’s first responders. They deserve to be protected for the essential role they play in saving lives,” McGovern said. “The Act ensures that the safety of humanitarian NGO workers and the viability of their work are institutionally supported by the State Department through the creation of a special envoy position and an interagency working group, and accountability measures including conditioning aid to countries who unlawfully kill aid workers.”
“Delivering humanitarian aid into conflict zones is one of the most honorable and dangerous jobs,” said Pocan. “Those workers put their lives at risk to help others get basic, life-saving aid, such as food, water, and medicine, and they deserve to be protected. Yet, as conflicts around the world are on the rise, far too many aid workers have been injured or even killed. We must protect these aid workers, and I’m honored to co-sponsor this legislation led by Congresswoman Pingree.”
“Aid workers in conflict zones are heroes, doing lifesaving work in devastating environments — yet humanitarian personnel are often targeted and attacked,” Deansaid. “In times of major strife, we must protect those bringing desperately needed food, water, and medicine to innocent civilians. I am grateful to Congresswoman Pingree for her leadership on this crucial issue, and I hope that this bill will help preserve humanitarian aid programs, their employees, and the lifesaving help they provide.”
The Commitment to Aid Workers Act:
Establishes a Special Envoy for Humanitarian Aid Workers tasked with advocating for the safety of non-governmental organization (NGO) staff abroad, investigating the deaths of U.S. NGO aid workers, and reporting annually to Congress on threats and violence against aid missions.
Mandates the creation of an Aid Worker Independent Inquiry Group, an interagency body led by the Special Envoy that would investigate any incident in which an aid worker is killed by a foreign military. This group must provide Congress with a report within 90 days, detailing the circumstances of the death, including the use of U.S.-origin munitions and the intent behind the attack.
Strengthens accountability by amending the Foreign Assistance Act to prohibit military aid and arms sales to any country that repeatedly and intentionally targets humanitarian aid workers. Assistance can only resume if the Secretary of State certifies that sufficient safeguards have been implemented to protect aid missions.
The Commitment to Aid Workers Act is supported by Oxfam, a confederation of 21 independent non-governmental organizations that tackle poverty across the world.
“Humanitarian work, especially in conflicts, is increasingly dangerous. Aid workers face skyrocketing rates of death and detention in the line of duty. Most often it is local staff, bravely serving their own communities in crisis, who face this targeted violence without attention or consequence,” Oxfam America’s Director of Peace and Security Scott Paul said. “The Commitment to Aid Workers Act represents an important step toward preventing these egregious attacks and holding the perpetrators to account. Very simply, this bill would make it safer to save lives. Congress should pass it immediately to make it clear that aid workers can never be a target.”
Background:
So far this year, 192 aid workers have been killed globally. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more humanitarian aid workers died in 2024 than in any year previously reported.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
July 01, 2025
The Department of Justice—under Principal Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove’s leadership, a Trump judicial nominee—allegedly misled the courts and evaded court orders to advance Trump’s illegal mass deportation scheme
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led all Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in further investigatingwhistleblower accusations made by Mr. Erez Reuveni, formerly the Acting Deputy Director for the Office of Immigration Litigation at the Department of Justice (DOJ), against Principal Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove and senior DOJ leadership.
In a letter to Attorney General Bondi, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Noem, and Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Hegseth, the Senators write: “We write concerning grave allegations that senior Department of Justice (DOJ) leadership misled the courts and evaded court orders. These credible accusations are included in the protected whistleblower disclosure of Erez Reuveni, former Acting Deputy Director for the DOJ Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation (OIL). This disclosure, which was lawfully transmitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee under the Whistleblower Protection Act, describes multiple instances where senior DOJ officials advocated for ignoring court orders, delayed compliance with court orders, presented baseless legal arguments, misrepresented facts or made false statements in court, and directed Mr. Reuveni to misrepresent facts in court.”
The Senators then cite multiple allegations raising alarm regarding Mr. Bove’s conduct, including suggestions that DOJ should consider telling a court “f— you” and ignore a court order and that DHS should violate an order, writing: “DOJ leadership provided instructions to agency clients to facilitate removals to El Salvador in violation of the existing injunction, and ‘report[ed] “down the chain” that the government was not going to answer the court’s questions about anything that happened before 7:26 p.m. on March 15, and so not to provide information about when the flights took off.’ Mr. Reuveni’s superiors indicated that Mr. Bove was unhappy with his efforts to prevent the violation of a court order by providing consistent instructions to agency clients, including DHS and DOD.”
The Senators then cited concerning attempts at retaliation against the whistleblower, writing: “In addition to the legal and ethical concerns with DOJ’s attempts to mislead the courts and evade court orders, the disclosure details multiple instances where senior DOJ officials attempted to prevent Mr. Reuveni from creating records that could subject this misconduct to outside scrutiny. It also details apparent retaliation against Mr. Reuveni for following his professional ethical obligations as a member of the bar by placing him on administrative leave and ultimately terminating him.”
The Senators concluded with requests for any communications or records concerning these events, as well as transcribed interviews with senior DOJ leadership, writing: “The gravity of these allegations and the preexisting public record that corroborates the disclosure necessitate an immediate investigation by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Additionally, given Mr. Bove’s prominent alleged role in this disclosure and the Committee’s current consideration of his nomination to a lifetime appointment as a judge on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, we ask that you provide the following information and materials no later than July 14, 2025.”
In addition to Durbin, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Adam Schiff (D-CA).
For a PDF of the letter, click here.
-30-
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
July 04, 2025
SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement marking three years since the shooting in Highland Park, Illinois:
“Today, we remember Katherine Goldstein, Irina and Kevin McCarthy, Stephen Straus, Jacquelyn Sundheim, Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, and Eduardo Uvaldo, who we lost in an unspeakable act of violence three years ago. I join the Highland Park community in continuing to grieve the loss of these seven lives.
“As we remember this tragedy, I’m reminded of the bravery of those who responded to this crisis, as well as the heavy emotional toll this senseless act of violence inflicted on the Highland Park community. In honor of the lives impacted by the Highland Park shooting, I will continue to push the Senate to pass common sense gun safety reform.”
Yesterday, Durbin, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) announced that they will once again introduce a resolution to honor the victims of the Highland Park shooting.
-30-
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Austin Scott (GA-08) released the following statement regarding the final passage of the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act out of the House of Representatives:
“The House of Representatives just sent the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act to President Trump’s desk with my support. This legislation delivers historic tax relief for workers, middle-class families, farmers, and small businesses.
OBBBA stops the threat of a 24% tax increase on the average taxpayer in Georgia, while ending Democrats’ radical green handouts. The legislation doubles small business expensing which will help our local businesses hire more workers and grow operations. It also provides major relief for the American farmer with the first reference price increases since 2014.
I am pleased that we were able to work quickly to ensure that Congress and President Trump can get much needed relief to America’s farmers, veterans, and taxpayers,” said Rep. Scott.
An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
The reduction – achieved through normal attrition, early retirements, deferred resignations and the federal hiring freeze – eliminates need for a large-scale reduction in force
WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs today announced it’s on pace to reduce total VA staff by nearly 30,000 employees by the end of fiscal year 2025, eliminating the need for a large-scale reduction-in-force.
While VA had been considering a department-wide RIF to reduce staff levels by up to 15%, employee reductions through the federal hiring freeze, deferred resignations, retirements and normal attrition have eliminated the need for that RIF. The numbers break down as follows:
VA had roughly 484,000 employees on Jan. 1, 2025, and 467,000 employees as of June 1, 2025 — a reduction of nearly 17,000.
Between now and Sept. 30, the department expects nearly 12,000 additional VA employees to exit through normal attrition, voluntary early retirement authority ) or the deferred resignation program.
VA has multiple safeguards in place to ensure these staff reductions do not impact Veteran care or benefits. All VA mission-critical positions are exempt from the DRP and VERA, and more than 350,000 positions are exempt from the federal hiring freeze.
Meanwhile, VA performance continues to improve. Under President Trump and Secretary Collins:
VA’s disability claims backlog is already down nearly 30%, after it increased 24% during the Biden Administration.
VA is processing record numbers of disability claims, reaching 1 million claims processed for FY25 on Feb. 20 and reaching 2 million claims by June — both achievements were done in record time.
VA has implemented major reforms to make it easier for survivors to get benefits, after serious problems during the Biden Administration.
VA is accelerating the deployment of its integrated electronic health record system, after the program was nearly dormant for almost two years under the Biden Administration.
VA is phasing out treatment for gender dysphoria. Frankly, this commonsense reform should have been done years ago, but only President Trump and Secretary Collins had the courage to do it.
VA ended DEI at the department, reversing the divisive Biden-era policies and stopping more than $14 million in DEI spending.
VA has brought more than 60,000 VA employees back to the office, where we can work better as a team to serve Veterans.
“Since March, we’ve been conducting a holistic review of the department centered on reducing bureaucracy and improving services to Veterans,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “As a result of our efforts, VA is headed in the right direction — both in terms of staff levels and customer service. A department-wide RIF is off the table, but that doesn’t mean we’re done improving VA. Our review has resulted in a host of new ideas for better serving Veterans that we will continue to pursue.”
VA is currently exploring a number of additional reforms to improve operational efficiency and service to Veterans, including:
Today, the Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration and National Cemetery Administration all run duplicative and costly administrative functions that can be centralized or restructured so they can each focus on their core missions of health care, benefits and burial services, respectively.
To that end, VA is reviewing the centralization of support functions to streamline operations and improve support to Veterans, including areas such as police, procurement, construction, IT, budgeting and others.
VA operates 274 separate call centers that are not connected to one another. A centralized call center with modernized systems would lead to quicker and better service for Veterans and could be run with fewer staff members.
VA has a proven payroll system that processes paychecks for more than 200,000 VA employees, but some 50 VAMCs still process their own payroll. VA is already working to consolidate payroll for all employees under the VA Time and Attendance System, which will save time, money and resources.
Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov
Veterans with questions about their health care and benefits (including GI Bill). Questions, updates and documents can be submitted online.
Contact us online through Ask VA
Veterans can also use our chatbot to get information about VA benefits and services. The chatbot won’t connect you with a person, but it can show you where to go on VA.gov to find answers to some common questions.
Learn about our chatbot and ask a question
Subscribe today to receive these news releases in your inbox.
Two Chinese nationals and a New York woman, all members of a prolific Chinese money laundering organization (CMLO), pleaded guilty today to money laundering charges involving drug trafficking proceeds. They are the last of six total defendants charged in the indictment to plead guilty.
According to court documents, Enhua Fang, 38, and Jianfei Lu, 30, both of China, and Shu Jun Zhen, 36, of Staten Island, New York, were members of the CMLO that laundered over $92 million in illicit funds, including proceeds from the importation and distribution of illegal drugs into the United States, primarily through Mexico.
According to court documents, Fang was an organizer within the CMLO who directed a group of couriers to pick up bulk cash proceeds from unlawful activities, including narcotics trafficking, from individuals throughout the United States. The couriers then deposited these illicit funds, which generally exceeded $10,000, into shell company bank accounts controlled by the CMLO in order to conceal the nature of the illicit funds. Fang used multiple cellphones, changing phone numbers regularly, and several encrypted messaging applications to communicate with the CMLO’s foreign-based operatives and U.S.-based drug traffickers. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Fang admitted that she was personally responsible for laundering at least $90 million of illicit funds in less than two years. Fang further admitted that she knew funds laundered in the conspiracy included drug trafficking proceeds or funds intended to promote drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Lu collected drug trafficking proceeds from U.S.-based drug traffickers and deposited those illicit funds, using both real and fake identities, into shell company bank accounts registered by other members of the CMLO. Lu also served as a manager for the CMLO: he coordinated bulk cash pickups and deposits while Fang was in China and procured fake driver’s licenses for the CMLO’s couriers, which were used to deposit illicit funds at major U.S. banks. Pursuant to his plea agreement, Lu admitted that he had actual knowledge and involvement in the laundering of between $25 million and $65 million in illicit funds. Lu further admitted that he knew funds laundered in the conspiracy included drug trafficking proceeds.
According to court documents, Zhen, at Fang’s and Lu’s direction, picked up and deposited — using both her real and fake identities — nearly $25 million of illicit bulk cash, including drug trafficking proceeds. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Zhen admitted that she knew funds laundered in the conspiracy included drug trafficking proceeds or funds intended to promote drug trafficking.
Fang and Zhen each pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy, one count of money laundering to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the illicit proceeds, and one count of monetary transaction involving criminally derived property greater than $10,000. Lu pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy, two counts of money laundering to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the illicit proceeds, and two counts of monetary transaction involving criminally derived property greater than $10,000.
The defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the conspiracy and money laundering counts and a maximum of 10 years in prison on each of the monetary transaction counts. A federal district court judge will determine their respective sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
All members of the CMLO charged to date have pleaded guilty, including the three who pleaded guilty on April 30, 2025; as a result, this particularly prolific cell within the CMLO has been completely dismantled.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jae W. Chung of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Division, and Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco of the IRS Investigation (IRS-CI) Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.
The DEA Charlotte District Office and the IRS-CI Charlotte Field Office are investigating the case.
Acting Assistant Deputy Chief Mingda Hang, Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth, and Trial Attorney Jayce Born of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa for the Western District of North Carolina are prosecuting the 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, 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 Neighborhoods.
Azumi LLC; Zuma NYC LLC; Zuma Las Vegas LLC; Zuma Japanese Restaurant Miami LLC; Inko Nito Garey St. LLC; and Beach Chu Hallandale LLC (collectively, the “Azumi Entities”) have agreed to pay $3,602,423 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for which they were not eligible.
“PPP loans were intended to assist eligible small businesses during the pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When ineligible businesses improperly obtained loans, they harmed both the taxpayers who funded the program and the eligible businesses who were denied relief.”
“The Paycheck Protection Program limits were put in place to prevent large corporate groups from obtaining a disproportionate share of the limited funds that were available to assist small businesses struggling during COVID,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “Our office is committed to holding accountable those who misappropriated taxpayer-funded relief program limits.”
The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 and administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Borrowers were eligible to seek forgiveness of the loans if they spent the loan proceeds on employee payroll and other eligible expenses. In January 2021, SBA announced that certain parties that had previously received PPP loans were eligible to apply for a second loan, typically referred to as a second-draw PPP loan.
When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications and agree that they would comply with all PPP rules. Among other things, PPP rules limited the total amount of funding a single “corporate group” could receive in connection with both first-draw and second-draw loans.
The Azumi Entities are limited liability companies, each of which operates a restaurant in the United States and each of which is either fully or partially owned by Azumi Limited. As part of the settlement, the Azumi Entities admitted that they collectively received and were granted loan forgiveness for second-draw loans in a total amount that exceeded the applicable corporate group limit for second-draw loans.
The claims resolved by the resolution announced today include claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2 Inc. v. Azumi LLC et al., No. 22-cv-11822 (D. Mass.). As part of today’s resolution, GNGH2 Inc. will receive approximately $360,000.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General.
This matter was handled by Fraud Section Trial Attorney Kimya Saied and Senior Trial Counsel Benjamin Wei, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julien M. Mundele for the District of Massachusetts.
Except for the facts admitted by the Azumi Entities, the claims in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Azumi LLC; Zuma NYC LLC; Zuma Las Vegas LLC; Zuma Japanese Restaurant Miami LLC; Inko Nito Garey St. LLC; and Beach Chu Hallandale LLC (collectively, the “Azumi Entities”) have agreed to pay $3,602,423 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for which they were not eligible.
“PPP loans were intended to assist eligible small businesses during the pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When ineligible businesses improperly obtained loans, they harmed both the taxpayers who funded the program and the eligible businesses who were denied relief.”
“The Paycheck Protection Program limits were put in place to prevent large corporate groups from obtaining a disproportionate share of the limited funds that were available to assist small businesses struggling during COVID,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “Our office is committed to holding accountable those who misappropriated taxpayer-funded relief program limits.”
The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 and administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Borrowers were eligible to seek forgiveness of the loans if they spent the loan proceeds on employee payroll and other eligible expenses. In January 2021, SBA announced that certain parties that had previously received PPP loans were eligible to apply for a second loan, typically referred to as a second-draw PPP loan.
When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications and agree that they would comply with all PPP rules. Among other things, PPP rules limited the total amount of funding a single “corporate group” could receive in connection with both first-draw and second-draw loans.
The Azumi Entities are limited liability companies, each of which operates a restaurant in the United States and each of which is either fully or partially owned by Azumi Limited. As part of the settlement, the Azumi Entities admitted that they collectively received and were granted loan forgiveness for second-draw loans in a total amount that exceeded the applicable corporate group limit for second-draw loans.
The claims resolved by the resolution announced today include claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2 Inc. v. Azumi LLC et al., No. 22-cv-11822 (D. Mass.). As part of today’s resolution, GNGH2 Inc. will receive approximately $360,000.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General.
This matter was handled by Fraud Section Trial Attorney Kimya Saied and Senior Trial Counsel Benjamin Wei, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julien M. Mundele for the District of Massachusetts.
Except for the facts admitted by the Azumi Entities, the claims in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Headline: New e-book teaches how to build an AI-powered security operations center
The sheer volume of cyberattacks continues to increase at a breathtaking scale worldwide, with customers facing more than 600 million cybercriminal and nation-state attacks every day.1 To stem the growing tide of malicious cyber activity takes a commitment from all of us—individuals from operations to the executive level, security teams, organizations, industry leaders, and governments. It also requires a shift from traditional security approaches to a defense-in-depth strategy that deploys security tools that natively work together to coordinate defense across security layers.
Organizations also need to embrace AI and automation, moving away from manual, reactive security to an automated, proactive defense. But the transition is easier said than done. For most organizations, this transition will require significant effort that spans not just technology, but people and processes too. To help organizations make the move beyond silos to an integrated, defense-in-depth approach, we’re sharing a new e-book—our introduction to building a coordinated defense. In this post, we walk through the key content you can find in the e-book and share more resources on integrated cyberthreat protection.
Coordinated Defense: Building an AI-powered, Unified SOC
Help your teams shift from a manual, reactive mode to a more automated, proactive stance. Read the e-book.
Recommendations built on real-world lessons
Bad actors are increasingly adept at finding and exploiting weaknesses, especially in legacy infrastructure. The Coordinated Defense e-book was crafted through our own lessons learned in real-world scenarios, as well as our work to help customers defend their own organizations. The e-book can help security teams better understand how a unified solution can improve their ability to defend their increasingly complex and diverse digital environments and:
Stop fighting fires and become more proactive through streamlined threat hunting, triage, and investigation.
Adopt a continuous threat exposure management approach that addresses the most critical security domains, including endpoints, identities, and cloud-native applications.
Accelerate security operations (SecOps) to lower mean time to resolution (MTTR).
Unified security operations
In the e-book, we expand on a new pre-breach/post-breach paradigm that helps organizations shift from reactive and manual processes to an AI-powered, continuous, and autonomous security posture as they prevent, detect, and respond to cyberthreats—unified security operations.
Read the e-book on how to build an AI-powered, unified SOC
By integrating endpoints, identities, email, apps, data, and cloud environments with the critical security operations functions, including posture management, detection and response, and threat intelligence, security teams can shift from reactive to proactive security. The e-book outlines the unified architecture that can transform security operations by centralizing data and leveraging AI to enhance existing human expertise.
Figure 1. Diagram of unified security operations center (SOC) architecture that integrates data, AI, and human expertise to empower security teams to prevent, detect, and respond to threats seamlessly across the entire lifecycle.
Addressing the complete threat lifecycle
From preventing initial compromise, to detecting and disrupting active cyberattacks, to investigating and responding to incidents, the e-book explains how unifying security operations allows teams to build a closed-loop approach that improves business resiliency and continuously lowers the risk of a breach. The benefits span the lifecycle and include:
Prevent—Prioritized risk mitigation, reduced attack surface, proactive gap identification, and enhanced resilience.
Detect—Rapid ransomware response, real-time threat isolation, predictive threat intelligence, and more.
Respond—A single, prioritized incident queue, automatically correlated alerts, and relevant threat intelligence that helps prioritize cyberthreats based on severity.
Read the e-book to learn more about how AI assistants like Microsoft Security Copilot can enhance unified security by providing valuable insights, automating routine tasks, and correlating alerts into comprehensive incidents.
Coordinated Defense: Get the new e-book
Tackling your most critical security domains
Unifying security across all areas of your environment can strengthen defenses in each area. To create a truly effective security posture, organizations need to protect endpoints and identities, secure cloud-native applications, protect the entire organization with both security information and event management (SIEM) and extended detection and response (XDR), and protect the data. In the e-book, each domain is discussed in detail with a scenario that models cyberattacker actions, the response of a unified security approach, and the improved outcomes. The e-book also includes information on:
Endpoint protection—Critical trends shaping endpoint security and strategies to counter ransomware and malware threats.
Identity protection—Emerging identity-based cyberthreats and how united defenses can prevent account takeovers.
Securing cloud-native applications—Insights into cloud vulnerabilities and best practices for securing modern application environments.
Integrating SIEM and XDR—Integrated tools that help address advanced, persistent threats and reduce false positives.
Protecting your data—Key challenges in safeguarding sensitive data and mitigating insider risks effectively.
Getting started
A unified SOC architecture is imperative to help organizations face the current and future security challenges. Shifting to a proactive, integrated defense means breaking down the barriers between security functions and working across silos. It means embracing and enabling AI-powered automation across your environment. And it allows for a continuous loop of protection and improvement that security teams need to operate faster, smarter, and more resiliently. To get started on a more integrated, defense-in-depth approach to security, read the Coordinated Defense: Building an AI-powered, unified SOC e-book now.
Learn more about AI-powered, unified SecOps from Microsoft to improve your security posture across hybrid environments with unified exposure management and built-in, natively integrated security controls.
Discover even more resources: Integrated Cyberthreat Protection Resources.
To learn more about Microsoft Security solutions, visit our website. Bookmark the Security blog to keep up with our expert coverage on security matters. Also, follow us on LinkedIn (Microsoft Security) and X (@MSFTSecurity) for the latest news and updates on cybersecurity.
Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement as President Trump signs into law the GOP’s partisan budget megabill:
“Donald Trump and congressional Republicans have made it clear that they are willing to sell out millions of Americans in order to give tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy. This legislation is cruel and reckless – tearing health care away from millions of Americans, slashing critical assistance programs, killing jobs, and exploding our debt. Virginians deserve better, especially on a day that is meant to be about celebrating the promise of America and freedom from tyranny.”
Sens. Warner and Kaine introduced a series of amendments in an attempt to improve the legislation. Republicans blocked them.
The senators have been sounding the alarm about the effects of the GOP plan on Virginia families, noting that the GOP plan will strip health insurance from about 323,000 Virginians, saddle families with medical debt, cut SNAP benefits for more than 204,000 Virginians, and devastate rural communities. The legislation will also explode the deficit, jeopardize more than 20,000 Virginia jobs, raise energy costs, give the richest 0.1% a $255,125 tax cut, and eliminate a program allowing Americans file federal taxes for free.
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Rural Health and Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey will be coming to Hanmer Springs today as part of the rural health roadshow across the country.
“The rural health roadshow is an opportunity for me to hear direct feedback from the public and those who are working in rural health about what’s working well and where the barriers may be. The roadshow is also a great opportunity to hear how well the Rural Health Strategy is being implemented,” Mr Doocey says.
“I started the roadshow in Levin and have since visited Wairoa, Wānaka and Oamaru. I am excited to now be in the beautiful Hanmer Springs to hear from the community and people working in rural health.”
The roadshow builds on initiatives already in train to improve rural health care services.
“Budget 2025 delivered for Kiwis living in rural and remote communities. The Government is investing $164 million over four years to strengthen urgent and afterhours care nationwide, meaning 98 per cent of Kiwis will be able to access these services within one hour’s drive of their home.
“We are also improving access to primary care including access to 24/7 digital care, training more new doctors and investing to increase the number of nurses in primary care.
“I was pleased to hear from our hardworking farmers at Fieldays where I heard loud and clear that access to healthcare is one of the biggest concerns for people living in rural and remote communities.
“To improve access to mental health support I was pleased that the Government recently announced $3 million over four years, to help improve rural communities’ access to primary mental health services and specialised services. The Government is also doubling its investment in the Rural Wellbeing Fund to $4 million over the next four years.
“All New Zealanders deserve timely access to quality health care and this Government is committed to improving health and mental health outcomes, including for the one in five living in our rural communities.
“It is important that the Government continues the conversation with rural communities on how rural health care services can be improved. I have been thrilled with the support the roadshow has received so far, and I look forward to continuing to hear from our rural communities.”
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Rural Health and Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey is in Gore today for the rural health roadshow happening across the country.
“The rural health roadshow is an opportunity for me to hear direct feedback from the public and those who are working in rural health about what’s working well and where the barriers may be. The roadshow is also a great opportunity to hear how well the Rural Health Strategy is being implemented,” Mr Doocey says.
“I started the roadshow in Levin and have since visited Wairoa, Wānaka, Oamaru and Hanmer Springs. I am excited to now be in Gore to hear from the community and people working in rural health.”
The roadshow builds on initiatives already in train to improve rural health care services.
“Budget 2025 delivered for Kiwis living in rural and remote communities. The Government is investing $164 million over four years to strengthen urgent and after hours care nationwide, meaning 98 per cent of Kiwis will be able to access these services within one hour’s drive of their home.
“We are also improving access to primary care including access to 24/7 digital care, training more new doctors and investing to increase the number of nurses in primary care. “I was pleased to hear from our hardworking farmers at Fieldays where I heard loud and clear that access to healthcare is one of the biggest concerns for people living in rural and remote communities.
“To improve access to mental health support I was pleased that the Government recently announced $3 million over four years, to help improve rural communities’ access to primary mental health services and specialised services. The Government is also doubling its investment in the Rural Wellbeing Fund to $4 million over the next four years.
“All New Zealanders deserve timely access to quality health care and this Government is committed to improving health and mental health outcomes, including for the one in five living in our rural communities.
“It is important that the Government continues the conversation with rural communities on how rural health care services can be improved. I have been thrilled with the support the roadshow has received so far, and I look forward to continuing to hear from our rural communities.”
overnor Kathy Hochul today announced a record investment of nearly $379.5 million in federal and State funding over three years to support programs and services for victims and survivors of crime and their families. This is the largest funding allocation ever administered by the State Office of Victim Services and is supported by $100 million in State funding secured by Governor Hochul to offset reductions in federal aid. OVS awarded grants to 230 nonprofit organizations, hospitals and government agencies to support victim assistance programs offering crisis counseling, therapy, emergency shelter, civil legal assistance, case management, advocacy and more across New York State. Available at no cost, these critical programs assist victims and survivors in the immediate aftermath of crime and for as long as they need help to heal and thrive.
“Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority, and I am committed to ensuring our law enforcement and community partners have the resources and tools necessary to prevent and solve crimes, but also ensure that victims and survivors have access to the support they need as well,” Governor Hochul said. “While the federal government slashes funding for community violence intervention and prevention programs and other crucial services, New York is delivering record-level funding to provide the vital support crime victims and their families need and rightfully deserve to recover, heal and thrive.”
The 230 entities receiving funding are the most that the State Office of Victim Services (OVS) has ever supported: The agency currently funds 219 unique grantees. Selected programs currently receiving funding will receive new grant awards and there are 25 newly funded recipients, allowing OVS to expand its reach and better serve individuals and communities that face barriers to accessing support due to language, age, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. Annual grant awards range from $72,000 to $4.3 million, with an average award of $506,000. Total grant funding to the State’s 10 regions and to programs that serve the entire State:
New York City: $47,612,645
Long Island: $9,848,136
Mid Hudson: $18,319,067
Capital Region: $10,164,000
North Country: $3,511,660
Mohawk Valley: $3,887,865
Central New York: $3,935,645
Southern Tier: $3,319,373
Finger Lakes: $14,944,456
Western New York: $6,423,364
Statewide: $4,529,368
Federal rules require OVS to prioritize funding for victims of child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as underserved populations. Nearly half of the funding (49 percent) has been awarded programs supporting survivors of domestic violence; 22 percent to programs serving underserved communities; 15 percent to child abuse services; and 14 percent to sexual assault services. Additionally, OVS prioritized access to programs across the State’s 10 regions and closing service gaps for victims of gun violence, awarding more than $21 million to support programs assisting individuals, families and communities disproportionately affected by gun violence over the three-year grant cycle.
New York State Office of Victim Services Director Bea Hanson said, “This record-level funding will help ensure continued support for victims and survivors while improving access to services, especially in those communities most impacted by violence. We thank Governor Hochul for her unwavering commitment to ensuring that New York State remains a national leader in victim services.”
In addition to funding for victim assistance programs, the FY26 Enacted Budget includes other significant investments to better support victims and survivors, including creation of a Mass Violence Crisis Response Team; increasing reimbursement for victims of financial scams to $2,500, expanding benefits to those impacted by homicide and ensuring that all survivors of sexual assault receive a full course of anti-HIV medication. The Budget also continues the state’s work to strengthen support for survivors of gender-based violence by improving access to public assistance for survivors of gender-based violence, and codifying gender-based violence workplace policy that requires vendors doing business with New York State to affirm they have a gender-based violence workplace policy.
New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Executive Director Kelli Nicholas Owens said, “Now more than ever, New Yorkers need to know services and resources in our state are available and open to anyone who needs them. This record-setting investment allows us to continue supporting survivors and victims of all forms of violence in a way that ensures services are survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for your steadfast commitment to victims and survivors across the state, no matter who they love, where they came from, or how they identify.”
Senator Charles Schumer said, “We must do all we can to support crime victims and their families with critical services, and I am proud to deliver hundreds of millions in federal funding to support this effort in every corner of New York State. Together with the State of New York we are sending an unequivocal message that we will not leave victims and survivors of crime behind. I’m grateful for Governor Hochul’s work putting these federal dollars to good use to support crime victims and their families and will continue to fight tooth and nail to ensure our communities have all the resources needed to keep New Yorkers safe.”
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “It is critical that the victims and survivors of crime have access to the support programs and services they need to get back on their feet. This investment is an important step in the right direction, and I look forward to continuing to work with Governor Hochul to keep our communities safe while ensuring that victims and their families have the resources they need to recover.”
Representative Jerry Nadler said, “I’m proud that New York is stepping up with this critical investment to ensure that victims and survivors of crime across our state have the best possible services and supports. Robust and sustained funding for victim assistance programs is vital, which is why I led the fight in 2021 to pass the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act, which prevents future cuts to victim services grants. I will continue fighting in Congress to increase federal funding for these lifesaving programs.”
State Senator Julia Salazar said, “As Chair of the Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction, I commend the Governor’s and the State’s record level investment of nearly $379.5 million in support of no-cost services for survivors of crime and their families. More than $47 million of that funding will be earmarked for New York City alone. As a survivor of crime myself, I know what kind of physical, financial, and emotional toll the aftermath can be. I’ve spent much of my time in the State Senate fighting for crime survivors, and I’m proud New York is stepping up.”
State law requires OVS to use a competitive application process, which resulted in 261 applications from service providers across the State. Funding for these programs comes from the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Crime Victims Fund, and New York State’s General Fund. Grantees will receive $126.5 million annually from Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2028, aligning with the federal fiscal year.
Victim assistance programs also help individuals file compensation claims with OVS for expenses directly related to the crime. This financial assistance administered by OVS provides a critical safety net, helping victims and their families with medical care, counseling, funeral and burial costs, and other expenses, and providing compensation for lost wages and support. New York is the only state in the nation with no cap on medical or counseling costs, allowing eligible individuals to receive support for as long as they need it.
While compensation eligibility depends on access to other resources, such as health insurance, the services provided by victim assistance programs are always free. OVS Resource Connect allows New Yorkers to easily search for programs based on their specific needs. Visit the Office of Victim Services’ website for more information and follow the agency on Facebook and Instagram.
overnor Kathy Hochul today announced a record investment of nearly $379.5 million in federal and State funding over three years to support programs and services for victims and survivors of crime and their families. This is the largest funding allocation ever administered by the State Office of Victim Services and is supported by $100 million in State funding secured by Governor Hochul to offset reductions in federal aid. OVS awarded grants to 230 nonprofit organizations, hospitals and government agencies to support victim assistance programs offering crisis counseling, therapy, emergency shelter, civil legal assistance, case management, advocacy and more across New York State. Available at no cost, these critical programs assist victims and survivors in the immediate aftermath of crime and for as long as they need help to heal and thrive.
“Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority, and I am committed to ensuring our law enforcement and community partners have the resources and tools necessary to prevent and solve crimes, but also ensure that victims and survivors have access to the support they need as well,” Governor Hochul said. “While the federal government slashes funding for community violence intervention and prevention programs and other crucial services, New York is delivering record-level funding to provide the vital support crime victims and their families need and rightfully deserve to recover, heal and thrive.”
The 230 entities receiving funding are the most that the State Office of Victim Services (OVS) has ever supported: The agency currently funds 219 unique grantees. Selected programs currently receiving funding will receive new grant awards and there are 25 newly funded recipients, allowing OVS to expand its reach and better serve individuals and communities that face barriers to accessing support due to language, age, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. Annual grant awards range from $72,000 to $4.3 million, with an average award of $506,000. Total grant funding to the State’s 10 regions and to programs that serve the entire State:
New York City: $47,612,645
Long Island: $9,848,136
Mid Hudson: $18,319,067
Capital Region: $10,164,000
North Country: $3,511,660
Mohawk Valley: $3,887,865
Central New York: $3,935,645
Southern Tier: $3,319,373
Finger Lakes: $14,944,456
Western New York: $6,423,364
Statewide: $4,529,368
Federal rules require OVS to prioritize funding for victims of child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as underserved populations. Nearly half of the funding (49 percent) has been awarded programs supporting survivors of domestic violence; 22 percent to programs serving underserved communities; 15 percent to child abuse services; and 14 percent to sexual assault services. Additionally, OVS prioritized access to programs across the State’s 10 regions and closing service gaps for victims of gun violence, awarding more than $21 million to support programs assisting individuals, families and communities disproportionately affected by gun violence over the three-year grant cycle.
New York State Office of Victim Services Director Bea Hanson said, “This record-level funding will help ensure continued support for victims and survivors while improving access to services, especially in those communities most impacted by violence. We thank Governor Hochul for her unwavering commitment to ensuring that New York State remains a national leader in victim services.”
In addition to funding for victim assistance programs, the FY26 Enacted Budget includes other significant investments to better support victims and survivors, including creation of a Mass Violence Crisis Response Team; increasing reimbursement for victims of financial scams to $2,500, expanding benefits to those impacted by homicide and ensuring that all survivors of sexual assault receive a full course of anti-HIV medication. The Budget also continues the state’s work to strengthen support for survivors of gender-based violence by improving access to public assistance for survivors of gender-based violence, and codifying gender-based violence workplace policy that requires vendors doing business with New York State to affirm they have a gender-based violence workplace policy.
New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Executive Director Kelli Nicholas Owens said, “Now more than ever, New Yorkers need to know services and resources in our state are available and open to anyone who needs them. This record-setting investment allows us to continue supporting survivors and victims of all forms of violence in a way that ensures services are survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for your steadfast commitment to victims and survivors across the state, no matter who they love, where they came from, or how they identify.”
Senator Charles Schumer said, “We must do all we can to support crime victims and their families with critical services, and I am proud to deliver hundreds of millions in federal funding to support this effort in every corner of New York State. Together with the State of New York we are sending an unequivocal message that we will not leave victims and survivors of crime behind. I’m grateful for Governor Hochul’s work putting these federal dollars to good use to support crime victims and their families and will continue to fight tooth and nail to ensure our communities have all the resources needed to keep New Yorkers safe.”
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “It is critical that the victims and survivors of crime have access to the support programs and services they need to get back on their feet. This investment is an important step in the right direction, and I look forward to continuing to work with Governor Hochul to keep our communities safe while ensuring that victims and their families have the resources they need to recover.”
Representative Jerry Nadler said, “I’m proud that New York is stepping up with this critical investment to ensure that victims and survivors of crime across our state have the best possible services and supports. Robust and sustained funding for victim assistance programs is vital, which is why I led the fight in 2021 to pass the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act, which prevents future cuts to victim services grants. I will continue fighting in Congress to increase federal funding for these lifesaving programs.”
State Senator Julia Salazar said, “As Chair of the Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction, I commend the Governor’s and the State’s record level investment of nearly $379.5 million in support of no-cost services for survivors of crime and their families. More than $47 million of that funding will be earmarked for New York City alone. As a survivor of crime myself, I know what kind of physical, financial, and emotional toll the aftermath can be. I’ve spent much of my time in the State Senate fighting for crime survivors, and I’m proud New York is stepping up.”
State law requires OVS to use a competitive application process, which resulted in 261 applications from service providers across the State. Funding for these programs comes from the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Crime Victims Fund, and New York State’s General Fund. Grantees will receive $126.5 million annually from Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2028, aligning with the federal fiscal year.
Victim assistance programs also help individuals file compensation claims with OVS for expenses directly related to the crime. This financial assistance administered by OVS provides a critical safety net, helping victims and their families with medical care, counseling, funeral and burial costs, and other expenses, and providing compensation for lost wages and support. New York is the only state in the nation with no cap on medical or counseling costs, allowing eligible individuals to receive support for as long as they need it.
While compensation eligibility depends on access to other resources, such as health insurance, the services provided by victim assistance programs are always free. OVS Resource Connect allows New Yorkers to easily search for programs based on their specific needs. Visit the Office of Victim Services’ website for more information and follow the agency on Facebook and Instagram.
Stantec Inc. (Stantec) a provider of environmental development and engineering services, with its primary headquarters in Alberta, Canada, along with Cardno Consulting LLC (Cardno), a separate company that Stantec acquired in 2021, have agreed to pay $4 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting or causing the submission of applications to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Brownfields Assessment Grants that falsely certified compliance with federal procurement regulations.
“Applicants for federal grant funds must comply with applicable procurement requirements” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will hold accountable those who undermine the integrity of the federal grant process by falsely certifying compliance with regulations that are designed to prevent unfair competitive advantage.”
“The EPA’s Brownfields Grant Program aims to help communities around the country transform contaminated sites into community assets,” said Acting EPA Inspector General Nicole Murley. “Fair competition is critical to the integrity of this program, and the EPA Office of Inspector General will vigorously pursue allegations of false certifications to protect both the program and the taxpayer dollars that fund it.”
The EPA Brownfields Grant Program provides grants and technical assistance to cities, towns, and other municipalities to assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse contaminated properties. The settlement relates to Assessment Grants the EPA awarded from 2014 to 2022. Applicants for EPA Brownfields grants must certify compliance with a requirement that “contractors that develop or draft specifications, requirements, statements of work, or invitations for bids must be excluded from competing on those procurements.”
The United States alleged that, from 2014-2022, Stantec, through its subsidiary Stantec Consulting Services Inc., and Cardno drafted or assisted in the drafting of the requests for proposals and statements of work associated with applications for EPA Brownfields Assessment Grants, and then competed for and won the work for which they had drafted the specifications. The United States alleged that this conduct violated the above requirement and that Stantec and Cardno falsely certified, or caused the communities applying for the grants to certify, that they had complied with it.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the EPA’s Office of Inspector General.
The matter was investigated by Trial Attorney Robin Overby of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and Special Agent Brian Scriver of the EPA’s Office of Inspector General.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Stantec Inc. (Stantec) a provider of environmental development and engineering services, with its primary headquarters in Alberta, Canada, along with Cardno Consulting LLC (Cardno), a separate company that Stantec acquired in 2021, have agreed to pay $4 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting or causing the submission of applications to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Brownfields Assessment Grants that falsely certified compliance with federal procurement regulations.
“Applicants for federal grant funds must comply with applicable procurement requirements” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will hold accountable those who undermine the integrity of the federal grant process by falsely certifying compliance with regulations that are designed to prevent unfair competitive advantage.”
“The EPA’s Brownfields Grant Program aims to help communities around the country transform contaminated sites into community assets,” said Acting EPA Inspector General Nicole Murley. “Fair competition is critical to the integrity of this program, and the EPA Office of Inspector General will vigorously pursue allegations of false certifications to protect both the program and the taxpayer dollars that fund it.”
The EPA Brownfields Grant Program provides grants and technical assistance to cities, towns, and other municipalities to assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse contaminated properties. The settlement relates to Assessment Grants the EPA awarded from 2014 to 2022. Applicants for EPA Brownfields grants must certify compliance with a requirement that “contractors that develop or draft specifications, requirements, statements of work, or invitations for bids must be excluded from competing on those procurements.”
The United States alleged that, from 2014-2022, Stantec, through its subsidiary Stantec Consulting Services Inc., and Cardno drafted or assisted in the drafting of the requests for proposals and statements of work associated with applications for EPA Brownfields Assessment Grants, and then competed for and won the work for which they had drafted the specifications. The United States alleged that this conduct violated the above requirement and that Stantec and Cardno falsely certified, or caused the communities applying for the grants to certify, that they had complied with it.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the EPA’s Office of Inspector General.
The matter was investigated by Trial Attorney Robin Overby of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and Special Agent Brian Scriver of the EPA’s Office of Inspector General.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Stantec Inc. (Stantec) a provider of environmental development and engineering services, with its primary headquarters in Alberta, Canada, along with Cardno Consulting LLC (Cardno), a separate company that Stantec acquired in 2021, have agreed to pay $4 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting or causing the submission of applications to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Brownfields Assessment Grants that falsely certified compliance with federal procurement regulations.
“Applicants for federal grant funds must comply with applicable procurement requirements” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will hold accountable those who undermine the integrity of the federal grant process by falsely certifying compliance with regulations that are designed to prevent unfair competitive advantage.”
“The EPA’s Brownfields Grant Program aims to help communities around the country transform contaminated sites into community assets,” said Acting EPA Inspector General Nicole Murley. “Fair competition is critical to the integrity of this program, and the EPA Office of Inspector General will vigorously pursue allegations of false certifications to protect both the program and the taxpayer dollars that fund it.”
The EPA Brownfields Grant Program provides grants and technical assistance to cities, towns, and other municipalities to assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse contaminated properties. The settlement relates to Assessment Grants the EPA awarded from 2014 to 2022. Applicants for EPA Brownfields grants must certify compliance with a requirement that “contractors that develop or draft specifications, requirements, statements of work, or invitations for bids must be excluded from competing on those procurements.”
The United States alleged that, from 2014-2022, Stantec, through its subsidiary Stantec Consulting Services Inc., and Cardno drafted or assisted in the drafting of the requests for proposals and statements of work associated with applications for EPA Brownfields Assessment Grants, and then competed for and won the work for which they had drafted the specifications. The United States alleged that this conduct violated the above requirement and that Stantec and Cardno falsely certified, or caused the communities applying for the grants to certify, that they had complied with it.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the EPA’s Office of Inspector General.
The matter was investigated by Trial Attorney Robin Overby of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and Special Agent Brian Scriver of the EPA’s Office of Inspector General.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Stantec Inc. (Stantec) a provider of environmental development and engineering services, with its primary headquarters in Alberta, Canada, along with Cardno Consulting LLC (Cardno), a separate company that Stantec acquired in 2021, have agreed to pay $4 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting or causing the submission of applications to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Brownfields Assessment Grants that falsely certified compliance with federal procurement regulations.
“Applicants for federal grant funds must comply with applicable procurement requirements” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will hold accountable those who undermine the integrity of the federal grant process by falsely certifying compliance with regulations that are designed to prevent unfair competitive advantage.”
“The EPA’s Brownfields Grant Program aims to help communities around the country transform contaminated sites into community assets,” said Acting EPA Inspector General Nicole Murley. “Fair competition is critical to the integrity of this program, and the EPA Office of Inspector General will vigorously pursue allegations of false certifications to protect both the program and the taxpayer dollars that fund it.”
The EPA Brownfields Grant Program provides grants and technical assistance to cities, towns, and other municipalities to assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse contaminated properties. The settlement relates to Assessment Grants the EPA awarded from 2014 to 2022. Applicants for EPA Brownfields grants must certify compliance with a requirement that “contractors that develop or draft specifications, requirements, statements of work, or invitations for bids must be excluded from competing on those procurements.”
The United States alleged that, from 2014-2022, Stantec, through its subsidiary Stantec Consulting Services Inc., and Cardno drafted or assisted in the drafting of the requests for proposals and statements of work associated with applications for EPA Brownfields Assessment Grants, and then competed for and won the work for which they had drafted the specifications. The United States alleged that this conduct violated the above requirement and that Stantec and Cardno falsely certified, or caused the communities applying for the grants to certify, that they had complied with it.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the EPA’s Office of Inspector General.
The matter was investigated by Trial Attorney Robin Overby of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and Special Agent Brian Scriver of the EPA’s Office of Inspector General.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Wheeling, WV – Late this morning, members of the U.S. Marshals led Mountain State Fugitive Task Force arrested wanted fugitive Devin Roberts, 42. Roberts was wanted by the Cleveland Division of Police for murder as well as by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department for probation violations.
On June 16, 2025, Cleveland Police responded to gunshots in the area of Parkgate Ave. and East 105th St. When officers arrived, they received information that one victim had been shot and that the suspect was possibly located in a home nearby. The victim of the shooting, De’Ante Kidd, 34, was found deceased on the porch of a home on Parkgate Ave. Cleveland SWAT responded to a second location where they believed the suspect to be. At the time the suspect, Devin Roberts, was not located. A warrant was issued for Roberts’ arrest and the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) began searching for him.
As members of the NOVFTF began searching for Roberts, they believed that he had fled the Cleveland area after the crime. Today, information was provided to the U.S. Marshals in Wheeling, West Virginia that Roberts may be hiding in their area. The task force was able to locate Roberts in Brilliant, Ohio. He was arrested without incident during a traffic stop in the area of 1400 3rd St. Roberts will remain in custody until he can be extradited back to Cleveland for the charges against him.
U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated, “This suspect has brought violence and fear to the Cleveland community, we are thankful for the dedicated work of the Detectives in the Cleveland homicide unit as well as the quick actions by members of our task force and in West Virginia. The suspect is behind bars and the communities are safer.”
Anyone with information concerning a wanted fugitive can contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833), or you can submit a web tip. Reward money is available, and tipsters may remain anonymous. Follow the U.S. Marshals on Twitter @USMSCleveland.
The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force – Cleveland Division is composed of the following federal, state and local agencies: U.S. Marshals Service, Cleveland Police Department, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Department, Euclid Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Independence Police Department, Parma Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Solon Police Department, Cleveland RTA Police Department, Westlake Police Department, Bedford Police Department, Middleburg Heights Police Department, Newburgh Heights Police Department and the Metrohealth Police Department.
Wheeling, WV – Late this morning, members of the U.S. Marshals led Mountain State Fugitive Task Force arrested wanted fugitive Devin Roberts, 42. Roberts was wanted by the Cleveland Division of Police for murder as well as by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department for probation violations.
On June 16, 2025, Cleveland Police responded to gunshots in the area of Parkgate Ave. and East 105th St. When officers arrived, they received information that one victim had been shot and that the suspect was possibly located in a home nearby. The victim of the shooting, De’Ante Kidd, 34, was found deceased on the porch of a home on Parkgate Ave. Cleveland SWAT responded to a second location where they believed the suspect to be. At the time the suspect, Devin Roberts, was not located. A warrant was issued for Roberts’ arrest and the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) began searching for him.
As members of the NOVFTF began searching for Roberts, they believed that he had fled the Cleveland area after the crime. Today, information was provided to the U.S. Marshals in Wheeling, West Virginia that Roberts may be hiding in their area. The task force was able to locate Roberts in Brilliant, Ohio. He was arrested without incident during a traffic stop in the area of 1400 3rd St. Roberts will remain in custody until he can be extradited back to Cleveland for the charges against him.
U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated, “This suspect has brought violence and fear to the Cleveland community, we are thankful for the dedicated work of the Detectives in the Cleveland homicide unit as well as the quick actions by members of our task force and in West Virginia. The suspect is behind bars and the communities are safer.”
Anyone with information concerning a wanted fugitive can contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833), or you can submit a web tip. Reward money is available, and tipsters may remain anonymous. Follow the U.S. Marshals on Twitter @USMSCleveland.
The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force – Cleveland Division is composed of the following federal, state and local agencies: U.S. Marshals Service, Cleveland Police Department, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Department, Euclid Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Independence Police Department, Parma Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Solon Police Department, Cleveland RTA Police Department, Westlake Police Department, Bedford Police Department, Middleburg Heights Police Department, Newburgh Heights Police Department and the Metrohealth Police Department.
Two Chinese nationals and a New York woman, all members of a prolific Chinese money laundering organization (CMLO), pleaded guilty today to money laundering charges involving drug trafficking proceeds. They are the last of six total defendants charged in the indictment to plead guilty.
According to court documents, Enhua Fang, 38, and Jianfei Lu, 30, both of China, and Shu Jun Zhen, 36, of Staten Island, New York, were members of the CMLO that laundered over $92 million in illicit funds, including proceeds from the importation and distribution of illegal drugs into the United States, primarily through Mexico.
According to court documents, Fang was an organizer within the CMLO who directed a group of couriers to pick up bulk cash proceeds from unlawful activities, including narcotics trafficking, from individuals throughout the United States. The couriers then deposited these illicit funds, which generally exceeded $10,000, into shell company bank accounts controlled by the CMLO in order to conceal the nature of the illicit funds. Fang used multiple cellphones, changing phone numbers regularly, and several encrypted messaging applications to communicate with the CMLO’s foreign-based operatives and U.S.-based drug traffickers. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Fang admitted that she was personally responsible for laundering at least $90 million of illicit funds in less than two years. Fang further admitted that she knew funds laundered in the conspiracy included drug trafficking proceeds or funds intended to promote drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Lu collected drug trafficking proceeds from U.S.-based drug traffickers and deposited those illicit funds, using both real and fake identities, into shell company bank accounts registered by other members of the CMLO. Lu also served as a manager for the CMLO: he coordinated bulk cash pickups and deposits while Fang was in China and procured fake driver’s licenses for the CMLO’s couriers, which were used to deposit illicit funds at major U.S. banks. Pursuant to his plea agreement, Lu admitted that he had actual knowledge and involvement in the laundering of between $25 million and $65 million in illicit funds. Lu further admitted that he knew funds laundered in the conspiracy included drug trafficking proceeds.
According to court documents, Zhen, at Fang’s and Lu’s direction, picked up and deposited — using both her real and fake identities — nearly $25 million of illicit bulk cash, including drug trafficking proceeds. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Zhen admitted that she knew funds laundered in the conspiracy included drug trafficking proceeds or funds intended to promote drug trafficking.
Fang and Zhen each pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy, one count of money laundering to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the illicit proceeds, and one count of monetary transaction involving criminally derived property greater than $10,000. Lu pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy, two counts of money laundering to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the illicit proceeds, and two counts of monetary transaction involving criminally derived property greater than $10,000.
The defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the conspiracy and money laundering counts and a maximum of 10 years in prison on each of the monetary transaction counts. A federal district court judge will determine their respective sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
All members of the CMLO charged to date have pleaded guilty, including the three who pleaded guilty on April 30, 2025; as a result, this particularly prolific cell within the CMLO has been completely dismantled.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jae W. Chung of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Division, and Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco of the IRS Investigation (IRS-CI) Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.
The DEA Charlotte District Office and the IRS-CI Charlotte Field Office are investigating the case.
Acting Assistant Deputy Chief Mingda Hang, Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth, and Trial Attorney Jayce Born of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa for the Western District of North Carolina are prosecuting the 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, 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 Neighborhoods.
Two Chinese nationals and a New York woman, all members of a prolific Chinese money laundering organization (CMLO), pleaded guilty today to money laundering charges involving drug trafficking proceeds. They are the last of six total defendants charged in the indictment to plead guilty.
According to court documents, Enhua Fang, 38, and Jianfei Lu, 30, both of China, and Shu Jun Zhen, 36, of Staten Island, New York, were members of the CMLO that laundered over $92 million in illicit funds, including proceeds from the importation and distribution of illegal drugs into the United States, primarily through Mexico.
According to court documents, Fang was an organizer within the CMLO who directed a group of couriers to pick up bulk cash proceeds from unlawful activities, including narcotics trafficking, from individuals throughout the United States. The couriers then deposited these illicit funds, which generally exceeded $10,000, into shell company bank accounts controlled by the CMLO in order to conceal the nature of the illicit funds. Fang used multiple cellphones, changing phone numbers regularly, and several encrypted messaging applications to communicate with the CMLO’s foreign-based operatives and U.S.-based drug traffickers. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Fang admitted that she was personally responsible for laundering at least $90 million of illicit funds in less than two years. Fang further admitted that she knew funds laundered in the conspiracy included drug trafficking proceeds or funds intended to promote drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Lu collected drug trafficking proceeds from U.S.-based drug traffickers and deposited those illicit funds, using both real and fake identities, into shell company bank accounts registered by other members of the CMLO. Lu also served as a manager for the CMLO: he coordinated bulk cash pickups and deposits while Fang was in China and procured fake driver’s licenses for the CMLO’s couriers, which were used to deposit illicit funds at major U.S. banks. Pursuant to his plea agreement, Lu admitted that he had actual knowledge and involvement in the laundering of between $25 million and $65 million in illicit funds. Lu further admitted that he knew funds laundered in the conspiracy included drug trafficking proceeds.
According to court documents, Zhen, at Fang’s and Lu’s direction, picked up and deposited — using both her real and fake identities — nearly $25 million of illicit bulk cash, including drug trafficking proceeds. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Zhen admitted that she knew funds laundered in the conspiracy included drug trafficking proceeds or funds intended to promote drug trafficking.
Fang and Zhen each pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy, one count of money laundering to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the illicit proceeds, and one count of monetary transaction involving criminally derived property greater than $10,000. Lu pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy, two counts of money laundering to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the illicit proceeds, and two counts of monetary transaction involving criminally derived property greater than $10,000.
The defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the conspiracy and money laundering counts and a maximum of 10 years in prison on each of the monetary transaction counts. A federal district court judge will determine their respective sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
All members of the CMLO charged to date have pleaded guilty, including the three who pleaded guilty on April 30, 2025; as a result, this particularly prolific cell within the CMLO has been completely dismantled.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jae W. Chung of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Division, and Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco of the IRS Investigation (IRS-CI) Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.
The DEA Charlotte District Office and the IRS-CI Charlotte Field Office are investigating the case.
Acting Assistant Deputy Chief Mingda Hang, Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth, and Trial Attorney Jayce Born of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa for the Western District of North Carolina are prosecuting the 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, 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 Neighborhoods.
HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi met here on Monday with HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, Georg Georgiev.
Discussion during the meeting, focused on cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them, in addition to a host of topics of mutual interest.
A round of political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar and the Republic of Bulgaria was held in Sofia today.
HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi headed the Qatari side, while HE Bulgarian side was headed by HE Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Maria Angelieva.
The political consultations round dealt with cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and enhance them, in addition to a host of topics of common interest.
Just as birthdays are traditionally marked with celebration and some reflection, South Africa’s Constitutional Court recently blew out the candles in celebration of its 30th birthday, having continued to make a positive impact on society.
Few of us can envision a democratic South Africa minus the apex court that was birthed by our country’s world-famous Constitution.
In the most basic form of our understanding of the court, most of us have come to associate the court with the human rights contained in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution. That loose definition is not too far off the bat. As the highest court in the land on constitutional matters, it deals exclusively with matters that raise questions about the application or interpretation of the Constitution.
Given our painful history where torture and the real threat of death were the order of the day for the majority, South Africans care a lot about their human rights and that of others.
The court is an integral part of South African life, traversing even to the core of matters of life and death. In its S v Makwanyane (1995) landmark case on the constitutionality of the death penalty, which was a feature of the apartheid regime, the court ruled that the death penalty was unconstitutional as it violated the right to life as enshrined in Section 11 of the Bill of Rights.
That seminal ruling was proof that the law which was previously used to oppress non-whites in the apartheid era, could and did work in favour of South Africa’s people in all their diversity.
It was a needed and powerful ruling that spoke to the sacredness of life.
While that ruling of the court was made many years ago, its impact and effectiveness has continued to echo through the various stages democratic South Africa has gone through. Even when citizens and political formations, among others, called for a referendum to bring back the death penalty, government though the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services responded by stating that the Constitution strives “to eradicate the injustices of the past, to protect us from our own whims and to advance the rule of law and to guarantee equality before the law.”
Section 74 of the Constitution states that the founding provisions in section 1 of the Constitution may only be amended by a bill passed by the National Assembly with a supporting vote of at least 75% of its members and a supporting vote of at least 6 provinces in the National Council of Provinces. Government said that any decision of the return or otherwise of the death penalty could not be legally done via a referendum.
And while one may say that the public outcry expressed by society back in 2019 over not only the brutal murder of student Uyinene Mrwetyana, but the overall levels of violent crimes committed against women and children necessitated the referendum, the supreme nature of the Constitution as the law of the republic has remained.
This is seen in how government responded to the matter while also highlighting that conduct that is inconsistent with the Constitution is invalid and that obligations imposed by it must be fulfilled.
This was also evidenced by the August v Electoral Commission (1999) case which sought to confirm the right of prisoners to vote and subsequently, since 1999 the Electoral Commission and the Department of Correctional Services has worked to provide voter registration and voting opportunities for inmates in line with the Constitutional right extended to prisoners to vote.
These judgements and others that followed, including the Government of the RSA v Grootboom (2000) case on the right to housing, which President Cyril Ramaphosa referred to at a ceremony celebrating the 30th anniversary of the court, show that the work of the court does not favour one particular sect of society, but champions the validity and integrity of the Constitution instead.
These judgements have not only educated the public on the Constitution but have also strengthened the country’s law-making capabilities while also strengthening South Africa’s democracy.
As we reflect on the body of work that the Concourt has produced over the years, what remains is that while the faces of government administrations have changed, the court and indeed other courts around the country have and continue to maintain their sacrosanct independence.
And while the court has had to force the hand of government to implement rights contained in the Bill of Rights such as the right to housing in the Grootboom matter in which the applicant Irene Grootboom died without a decent house is something that government must still work on.
In his commentary on the matter, President Ramaphosa said that deepening respect for constitutionalism across all sectors must start with the state and that Grootboom’s death without her dream having been realised, “will forever remain a blight on our democracy.”
And while the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, with the Constitutional Court as the highest court in the land on constitutional matters, our democracy makes provision for the amending of the Constitution where necessary.
Recently, Parliament’s Joint Constitutional Review Committee concluded deliberations on the feasibility of amending the Constitution, following up on legacy submissions inherited from the previous Parliament.
In the sixth Parliament, the submissions were subjected to public hearings with the committee having considered 10 legal opinions.
These opinions provided by the Parliamentary Legal Services, informed the committee’s assessment of various proposals for constitutional amendment.
The actual amendment to the Constitution can only be considered through a resolution passed by both Houses of Parliament.
The court is not merely a building, but a breathing, living element of a present and future South Africa, warts and all. May it continue to live long into the future. –SAnews.gov.za
Neo Semono is the Features Editor atwww.SAnews.gov.za, in the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)