NewzIntel.com

Category: Federal Bureau of Investigation

  • MIL-OSI Security: California Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking in Downeast Maine, Hawaii

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Maine: A California man, Codee Houston, 33, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiring to commit money laundering. In addition, Houston agreed to the transfer of a pending case from the District of Hawaii and pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute.

    According to court records, from May 2022 through May 2023, Houston and others were part of a conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine in Maine. While living in California, Houston shipped large quantities of methamphetamine from California to Maine. In Maine, his coconspirators distributed the methamphetamine in the Downeast region of the state. Proceeds from the sale of the methamphetamine were sent to Houston using various money services, including Walmart2Walmart, Cash App, and Venmo. He enlisted the aid of coconspirators to use their identifications and accounts to receive the money. He did this to conceal and disguise his involvement in the transactions and the money laundering.

    From April 2023 through September 2023, Houston conducted similar acts in Hawaii, distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine. On four separate occasions he shipped packages from California to Hawaii that contained controlled substances. The substances were later tested and confirmed to be pressed fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and methamphetamine.

    For the most serious offenses, Houston faces a mandatory term of imprisonment of 10 years up to life imprisonment and a maximum fine of $10 million to be followed by five years to life of supervised release.

    Houston will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI investigated the Maine case with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Ellsworth Police Department, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Holden Police Department, and Hancock County Sheriff’s Office. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the Hawaii case with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Jersey Woman Sentenced for Investment Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Diana Mae Fernandez, age 38, of Bergenfield, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 33 months in federal prison for an investment scheme in which victims from West Virginia and elsewhere lost more than $300,000.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Fernandez, also known as “Diana Fernandez Koporan,” “Dana Fernandez,” and “Dajana Ko,” operated purported investment firms known as “The Self Made Success” and “Diana Mae K., LLC.” She used social media to advertise her services as “no risk” or offering “guaranteed” profit returns. Multiple victims, including an individual from Marion County, West Virginia, were defrauded of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Fernandez used the money she stole for her own benefit.

    Fernandez was ordered to pay $330,144.00 in restitution to the victims. She will serve three years of supervised release following her prison sentence.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

    The FBI investigated the case.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Sixth and Final Defendant Sentenced to 39 Years in Federal Prison in Louisville Case Involving String of Violent Crimes, Drug and Gun Offenses, and Money Laundering

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Louisville, KY – The final defendant was sentenced this week to 39 years in federal prison for his role in numerous felony offenses, including kidnapping, robbery, drug trafficking, and firearm offenses. Several other defendants were previously sentenced on the charges.

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department, Sheriff Walt Sholar of the Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office, and Sheriff John E. Aubrey of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.

    “This case is an example of the benefit of the strong working relationships that exist between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in the Western District of Kentucky,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “As a result of excellent collaboration and tireless work by our law enforcement agencies and federal prosecutors, violent offenders have been removed from our streets making our community safer for all who live, work, and visit here.”  

    “John E. Lohden, Jr. and his associates used law enforcement impersonation tactics to terrorize innocent individuals, ultimately undermining the public’s trust in legitimate police officers and creating a climate of fear and anxiety in our neighborhoods,” said Special Agent in Charge Stansbury. “Lohden, Jr.’s sentence of decades behind bars should serve as a clear message to violent offenders walking our streets. The FBI, working alongside our partners at all levels, will find you and ensure you face the full weight of the law.”

    According to court documents, John E. Lohden, Jr., 35, of Louisville, was sentenced on March 25, 2025, to 39 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for two counts of kidnapping, two counts of impersonator making arrest or search, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, two counts of possession of an unregistered firearm, robbery, using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. John E. Lohden, Jr. was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.

    On November 16, 2021, in Jefferson Circuit Court, John E. Lohden, Jr. was convicted of receiving stolen property under $10,000.

    On November 28, 2007, in Jefferson Circuit Court, John E. Lohden, Jr. was convicted of tampering with physical evidence, escape in the second degree, and complicity to wanton endangerment in the first degree (3 counts).

    Dayton Peterson, 24, of Louisville, was sentenced on October 22, 2024, to 30 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for kidnapping, impersonator making arrest or search, robbery, using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and engaging in monetary transactions derived from a specified unlawful activity.

    Joshua Lohden, 26, of Louisville was sentenced on July 24, 2024, to 22 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for kidnapping, impersonator making arrest or search, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and robbery.

    David Langdon, 39, of Louisville was sentenced on September 11, 2024, to 11 years and 5 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for kidnapping, impersonator making arrest or search, robbery, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Langdon was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.

    On October 14, 2015, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Langdon was convicted of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree, and possession of a controlled substance in the first degree.

    On October 15, 2015, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Langdon was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree greater than 2 grams of heroin.

    J. Louis Nance, 34, of Louisville was sentenced on July 24, 2024, to 6 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for kidnapping and impersonator making arrest or search.

    Samantha Trummer, 30, of Louisville was sentenced on July 22, 2024, to 4 years of probation for engaging in monetary transactions derived from a specified unlawful activity.

    Defendants Dayton Peterson, John E. Lohden, Jr., and Samantha Trummer were found guilty after a 10-day jury trial in March of 2024. The remaining defendants pleaded guilty prior to trial.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    The FBI, LMPD, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, with assistance from the ATF, IRS, DEA, and Kentucky State Police.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia P. Gomez and Frank E. Dahl III prosecuted the case, with assistance from paralegal Adela Alic.

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Justice Department Announces Arrest of MS-13 Leader

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erik Siebert announced the arrest of an MS-13 gang leader.  They were joined by Governor for the Commonwealth of Virginia Glenn Youngkin. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Marrero Bookkeeper Sentenced for Fraud and Tax Charges

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    NEW ORLEANS, LA – ActingUnited States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that MARY B. KATICICH (“KATICICH”), age 64, of Marrero, La., was sentenced on March 25, 2025, for wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, and for making and subscribing a false tax return, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1).

    According to court documents, KATICICH used her position as bookkeeper for a Belle Chasse, Louisiana-based company, to fraudulently divert funds for her own benefit, from the company’s bank accounts.  KATICICH also purchased personal items using company funds.  Further, KATICICH willfully filed a tax return for tax year 2016, that she did not believe to be true and correct, because it failed to report approximately $120,190.58 of income.

    United States District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced KATICICH to one year and one day in prison to be followed by (3) three years of supervised release.  KATICICH was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $439,650.51 to the owner of the company and $28,612.45 to the Internal Revenue Service.  Judge Morgan also imposed a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Arrest of MS-13 Leader

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erik Siebert announced the arrest of an MS-13 gang leader.  They were joined by Governor for the Commonwealth of Virginia Glenn Youngkin. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Justice Department Announces Arrest of MS-13 Leader

    Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)

    Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erik Siebert announced the arrest of an MS-13 gang leader. They were joined by Governor for the Commonwealth of Virginia Glenn Youngkin.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbgBvy21QlI

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, law enforcement partners arrest 13 illegal criminal alien offenders during Huntsville enforcement operation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    HUNSTVILLE, Ala. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement along with law enforcement partners from the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration engaged in an enhanced, targeted enforcement operation that focused on criminal illegal aliens. The team of officers and agents apprehended 13 illegal aliens in the Huntsville area March 25. Additionally, eight of the offenders had been previously removed from the United States and have federal convictions for illegal reentry after removal. The cases were prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama.

    Charges from those arrested include:

    • Domestic violence
    • Narcotics trafficking
    • Property crime
    • Driving while intoxicated

    ICE is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that protects the U.S. homeland through the arrest and removal of those individuals who compromise the safety of our communities and the integrity of our immigration laws.

    Entering the United States without authorization is a violation of federal law, and those who do so may be subject to administrative arrest, and in some cases, criminal prosecution.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X: @EROAtlanta.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: $10,000 Reward for Two Murder Suspects in Moses Lake Drive-By Shooting

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Spokane, WA – The U.S. Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force is working closely with the Moses Lake Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Washington State Department of Corrections; U.S. Border Patrol, and FBI to locate and apprehend two fugitives wanted in the March 21 drive-by shooting in Moses Lake that claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy and left four others—three juveniles and one adult critically injured.

    A reward of up to $10,000 ($5,000 per fugitive) is available for information leading directly to the arrest of Jose Beltran, 20, and Matthew Valdez, 18. Beltran is listed at approximately 5’7”, 200lbs and Valdez is listed at approximately 5’8”, 130lbs.

    Arrest warrants issued March 25 charge both men with murder in the first degree, five counts of assault in the first degree, drive-by shooting, and felon in possession of a firearm.

    Both suspects should be considered armed and dangerous.

    Anyone with information is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or at USMS Tips.

    Jose Beltran

    Matthew Valdez

    The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force is a U.S. Marshals-led partnership comprising federal, state, and local law enforcement officers from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. The task force’s primary mission is to locate, arrest and return to the justice system the most violent and egregious federal and state fugitives.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for 2023 Crime Spree

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    strong>ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man pleaded guilty in federal court to multiple robbery and firearms charges for a crime spree in the summer of 2023.

    According to court records, between July 11, 2023, to September 16, 2023, Demetrius Antonnie Bailey, 41, engaged in a series of armed robberies targeting retail stores in Albuquerque. Bailey and his accomplice conspired to commit robberies at Harbor Freight Tools, multiple Metro by T-Mobile locations, a T-Mobile store, a Verizon store, and a JC Penney. During these robberies, they threatened and overpowered store employees and security to steal merchandise and cash. In each robbery, a replica firearm or a real handgun was brandished to intimidate store employees and security personnel. The stolen items included electronics, cellular phones, cash, and clothing valued at tens of thousands of dollars.

    Bailey pleaded guilty to 10 counts, including interference with commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. His offenses also included knowingly participating in violent retail thefts. At sentencing, if the district court accepts the plea agreement, Bailey faces not less than ten years and up to twenty-two years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrinand Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Elena Stiteler and Natasha Moghadam are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Chinese National in Custody and Indicted After Allegedly Checking a Bag with a Firearm at Provo Airport

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Chinese national was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City for a firearm crime after she allegedly possessed an undeclared pistol in her checked luggage and ammunition in her carry-on bag at the Provo Airport.

    Xuemei Zhao, 53, of People’s Republic of China, was initially charged by complaint on March 20, 2025. 

    According to court documents, on March 20, 2025, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) discovered a black Rossi Braztech Int’l .357 revolver pistol in Zhao’s checked luggage, which was destined for Dallas – Ft. Worth via American Airlines flight 6189. Prior to delivering the suitcase to American Airlines, Zhao did not disclose the presence of the handgun to TSA or American Airlines. In addition to the firearm, Zhao had 9 rounds of .357 ammunition in her carry-on luggage. Zhao was taken into custody and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was contacted and confirmed Zhao arrived on a tourist visa, and had a currently pending asylum application, and was not a lawful permanent resident of the United States (she did not have a “green card”).

    Zhao is charged with possession of a firearm by a restricted person (alien). Her initial appearance on the indictment is March 28, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

    Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

    The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Provo Resident Agency. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

    Assistant United States Attorney Michael Kennedy of the District of Utah is 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 (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint for $47 Million in Proceeds From the Sale of Iranian Oil

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

               WASHINGTON – A civil forfeiture complaint was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that $47 million in proceeds from the sale of nearly one million barrels of Iranian petroleum is forfeitable as property of, or affording a person a source of influence over, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or its Qods Force (IRGC-QF), designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO).

               The forfeiture was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr. of the Minneapolis Field Office, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso of the New York Office.

               The forfeiture complaint alleges a scheme between 2022 and 2024 to facilitate the shipment, storage, and sale of Iranian petroleum product for the benefit of the IRGC and IRGC-QF. The facilitators used deceptive practices to masquerade the Iranian oil as Malaysian, including by manipulating the tanker’s automatic identification system (AIS) to conceal that it onboarded the oil from a port in Iran. The facilitators presented falsified documents to the Croatian storage facility and port authority, claiming that the oil was Malaysian. The facilitators paid for storage fees associated with the oil’s storage at the Croatian facility in U.S. dollars, transactions that were conducted through U.S. financial institutions that would have refused the transactions had they known they were associated with Iranian oil. The petroleum product was sold in 2024, and the United States seized $47 million in proceeds from that sale.

               The civil forfeiture complaint further alleges that the petroleum product constitutes the property of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), which has perpetuated a federal crime of terrorism by providing material support to the IRGC and IRGC-QF. As alleged, profits from petroleum product sales support the IRGC’s full range of malign activities, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, support for terrorism, and both domestic and international human rights abuses.

               “We will aggressively enforce U.S. sanctions against Iran, in furtherance of President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “With the continued seizures of Iranian oil and U.S. dollar profits, we are sending a clear message to Iran that bypassing the sanctions put in place by the U.S. Government is not as easy as playing a shell game with tankers filled with oil. We remain committed to thwarting Iran’s devious attempts, and to deprive its terrorists of the funding they desire.”

               “The FBI will not allow hostile regimes to evade U.S. sanctions or exploit our financial systems to fund designated terrorist organizations,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Winston. “The FBI, alongside our partners, will relentlessly enforce U.S. sanctions against Iran and safeguard U.S. national security by disrupting illicit networks that seek to profit from sanctioned oil sales.”

               “Through the work of HSI’s Counterproliferation Investigations group, alongside the FBI, the U.S. government has seized $47 million worth of funds allegedly meant for terrorist groups intent on causing catastrophic harm,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso. “The expertise of HSI personnel, coupled with federal law enforcement’s whole-of-government approach, ensures the wellbeing of the United States and our innocent foreign counterparts, alike. We are relentlessly utilizing every tool at our disposal in pursuit of any and all security threats.”

               Funds successfully forfeited with a connection to a state sponsor of terrorism may in whole or in part be directed to the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund.

               FBI Minneapolis Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations New York are investigating the case.

               Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert, Maeghan O. Mikorski, and Brian Hudak for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Adam Small of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are litigating the case. They received assistance from former Paralegal Specialist Brian Rickers and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

               A civil forfeiture complaint is merely an allegation.  The burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Violent Crime Consortium Keeps Public Safety at Forefront

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    CLEVELAND – The Northern Ohio Violent Crime Consortium (NOVCC) recently brought together more than 100 regional law enforcement participants, representing more than 20 agencies, to take part in a region-wide initiative to discuss public safety. The annual event is hosted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio. The District covers the 40 northern-most counties in the state of Ohio, which is home to more than 5.7 million people.

    The violent crime consortium was established in 2007 through a Department of Justice grant to specifically address violent crime issues in eight Northern Ohio cities: Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Elyria, Lorain, Mansfield, Toledo, and Youngstown.

    As the current top federal law enforcement officer for the District, Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik provided welcoming remarks on the importance of the consortium’s work to keep crime off the streets.

    “The Consortium’s purpose is to prevent and reduce violent crime through the use of data-driven and evidence-based technologies,” said Skutnik. “NOVCC enhances our member agencies through skills training on accepted best practices and emerging technologies.”

    Subject-matter experts addressed several key topics at this year’s gathering including the importance of inter-agency data sharing and information to combat crime, promising law enforcement practices, and modern policing in the digital age.

    The USAO would like to acknowledge and thank the following for attending and participating in this year’s event:

    Event speakers representing

    • Fordham University
    • Johns Hopkins University Center for Gun Violence Solutions
    • Blacksburg, Virginia Police Department
    • Brookhaven, Georgia Police Department
    • Research Innovations, Inc.

    Law enforcement agencies represented

    • Akron Police Department
    • Avon Police Department
    • The University of Akron Police Department
    • Barberton Police Department
    • Berea Police Department
    • Canton Police Department
    • Cleveland Division of Police
    • Cuyahoga County Sheriff
    • Elyria Police Department
    • Lorain Police Department
    • Mansfield Police Department
    • Maple Heights Police Department
    • North Royalton Police Department
    • Put-in-Bay Police Department
    • Sandusky Police Department
    • Toledo Police Department
    • Warren Police Department
    • Westlake Police Department
    • Youngstown Police Department

    State agencies

    • Ohio Adult Parole Authority
    • Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
    • Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services

    Nonprofit agency

    • Partnership for a Safer Cleveland

    Federal agencies

    • ATF-Cleveland
    • FBI-Cleveland
    • U.S. Marshals Service-Cleveland
    • U.S. Department of Justice-Office of Legal Policy

    For more information about the consortium, contact Thomas McCartney at 216-622-3955.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Irvine Man Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Federal Prison for Stealing and Reselling High-End Violins and for Robbing Bank in O.C. Last Year

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison for orchestrating a scheme to steal high-value violins and robbing a bank in Irvine.

    Mark Meng, 58, of Irvine, was sentenced by United States District Judge David O. Carter, who scheduled a restitution hearing for June 24 in this case.

    Meng pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of wire fraud and one count of bank robbery. He has been in federal custody since May 2024.

    From August 2020 to April 2023, Meng schemed to steal valuable violins and keep or resell them for his personal gain. Meng – posing as a collector of musical instruments – contacted violin shops across the country to express interest in receiving the violins on loan for a trial period to determine if he wished to buy them. In some cases, he purchased violin bows before asking for the violins on a trial-period basis.

    After receiving each violin, Meng negotiated a purchase price for it, kept the instrument beyond the trial period, then provided the violin shops with a check or set of checks for the violin, knowing the whole time the checks he wrote to the violin shops would be rejected due to insufficient funds.

    When a violin-shop representative contacted Meng to inform him that the shop’s bank had rejected his checks, he sent a new series of checks, which also later were rejected due to insufficient funds. Sometimes, Meng lied to the violin shops by falsely telling them he had mailed the violin back to them, but that they had been lost in the mail. Eventually, Meng stopped communicating with the violin shops.

    After fraudulently obtaining the violins, Meng re-sold them to a buyer – often during the trial periods from the violin shops. For example, on February 1, 2023, a victim loaned Meng a Guilio Degani violin – valued at $175,000 – pursuant to a trial-period contract, which required Meng to return or purchase the violin by February 10, 2023. However, Meng attempted to sell this violin to a buyer – who was unaware of the violin’s stolen origin.

    According to court documents, Meng also stole the following:

    • one Lorenzo Ventapane violin, dated 1823, and valued at $175,000;
    • one Guilio Degani violin, dated 1903, and valued at $55,000;
    • one Caressa & Francais violin, dated 1913, and valued at $40,000;
    • one Francais Lott violin bow, stamped “Lupot,” and valued at $7,500;
    • one Gand & Bernardel violin, dated 1870, and valued at $60,000;
    • one French, Charles J.B. Colin Mezin violin, valued at $6,500; and
    • one German, E.H. Roth Guarneri violin, valued at $6,500.

    Despite knowing that he did not own these violins and violin bows, Meng sold three of these stolen violins and a violin bow to a victim for a total of $44,700.

    In January 2023, Meng emailed one violin shop in Alexandria, Virginia, to express an interest in obtaining the Ventapane violin and the Degani violin on a trial basis, all the while intending to fraudulently obtain then re-sell them.

    On April 2, 2024, Meng entered a bank branch in Irvine, wearing a hat, sunglasses, a bandana covering his face, and blue latex gloves. Meng gave the bank teller a note stating “$18,000. Withdraw. Please. Stay Cool. No harm. Thx.” When the teller told Meng she did not have access to the money he demanded, Meng responded, “Give me whatever you have.” The teller, fearing harm to herself and her co-workers, handed Meng $446.

    The FBI’s Art Crime Team investigated this matter, with assistance from the Irvine Police Department and the Glendale Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Laura A. Alexander and Mark A. Williams, both of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section, prosecuted this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Stamford Man Indicted for Defrauding Mars, Inc. out of Millions of Dollars

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Harry Chavis, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, and Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Region of the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a nine-count indictment charging PAUL R. STEED, 58, of Stamford, with fraud and tax offenses stemming from his alleged commission of multiple frauds against his former employer Mars, Inc.

    The indictment was returned yesterday, and Steed was arrested this morning.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport, pleaded not guilty, and is currently detained.

    The indictment alleges that, between approximately 2011 and 2023, Steed was employed by Mars Wrigley, a subsidiary of Mars. Inc. (“Mars”), working remotely from his home in Stamford.  Steed served as Global Price Risk Manager for Mars Wrigley’s Global Cocoa Enterprise.  As part of his employment, Steed was responsible for managing Mars Wrigley’s participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Sugar-Containing Products Re-Export Program.  In approximately 2016, Steed created a company, MCNA LLC, to mimic an actual Mars entity, Mars Chocolate North America.  He then diverted millions of dollars in Mars assets to a bank account he set up in MCNA’s name by directing sugar refineries purchasing Mars’s re-export credits, obtained through the USDA program, to pay MCNA LLC as if it were a legitimate Mars entity.

    The indictment also alleges that Mars had an ownership interest in Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (“ICE”), a financial services company that operated financial exchanges and clearing houses, and received quarterly dividends in connection with that ownership.  In 2017, Steed directed Computershare Limited (“Computershare”), a company that ICE utilized for stock-related services, to pay MCNA LLC for Mars’s dividends from its ownership shares in ICE.  As a result, more than $700,000 in dividend payments were diverted to the MCNA LLC account.  In 2023, after Steed had used a fraudulent letter purportedly from the Mars Treasurer authorizing him to trade ICE shares, Steed directed Computershare to sell Mars’s ICE shares entirely.  Computershare issued a check in the amount of more than $11.3 million, which Steed deposited into the MCNA LLC account.

    The indictment further alleges that, from 2013 through 2020, Steed used a company he owned called Ibera LLC to invoice Mars for services Mars did not receive.  Mars paid Ibera LLC approximately $580,000 through this scheme.

    The indictment charges Steed with seven counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment on each count.  Steed is also charged with two counts of tax evasion, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years on each count, for failing to report and pay taxes on his stolen income, as alleged.

    According to statements made in court, Steed is alleged to have stolen more than $28 million from Mars and through his schemes.  More than $18 million was seized today for forfeiture, and the government is seeking to forfeit a Greenwich home that Steed is alleged to have purchased with nearly $2.3 million in stolen funds.  It is alleged that another $2 million was sent by Steed to Argentina, where he is a dual citizen, has family ties, and owns a ranch.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Choppa City Crew Members Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Roles in Three Brinks Armored Car Robberies

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    WASHINGTON – William Brock, 33, and Anthony Antwon McNair, Jr., 36, both of Washington, D.C., were sentenced today to 657 months (54.75 years) months and 378 months (31.5 years) in prison respectively for their roles in a series of armed robberies of Brink’s armored cars in Washington, D.C., that resulted in the loss of more than $1.2 million. 

               The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

               Brock and McNair were found guilty by a federal jury on September 9, 2024, of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, interference with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery), bank robbery, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The jury also found co-defendant Erin Sheffey guilty the same day of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery. Sheffey was sentenced January 15, 2025, to 18 years in prison.

               In addition to the prison terms, U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth ordered Brock and McNair to each serve three years of supervised release and pay $1.2 million in restitution.

              The three Brink’s truck robberies occurred on October 6, 2021, December 8, 2021, and March 2, 2022. In those robberies, the defendants used firearms to assault the drivers of Brink’s armored cars and steal money. In total, the defendants stole over $1.2 million. 

                According to court documents and the evidence at trial, the three defendants were members of the Choppa City street crew. Brock, McNair, and Sheffey conspired together and with others to plan and carry out the robberies, brandishing firearms on busy District streets while doing so. 

               Each robbery occurred on a Wednesday at about 9 a.m., and two occurred on busy city throughfares, causing a significant risk to the public. Testimony in the case revealed that the conspirators used assault rifles to carry out their robberies. 

              Brock planned the robberies for months, learning the routes and arrival times of the Brink’s drivers, to ensure the robbery team was in place. As the Brink’s driver exited his armored car vehicle to deliver money to a business, the robbers ambushed him. In two cases, the defendants assaulted one of the Brink’s drivers, even after he had complied to their demands and had turned over his courier bag.

              Members of the crew used social media to show off large sums of money they stole during the robberies and photographed themselves making high-end luxury purchases. For example, within two days of the robberies, Brock purchased vehicles in cash totaling over $36,000. 

               Leading up to trial, all three men attempted to intimidate witnesses in the case. These attempts, among other things, were cited as bases for their decades-long sentences.

              This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Schneider. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josh Gold, Meredith Mayer-Dempsey, and Thomas Strong.

    An AR-15 used by the defendants during the armed robberies

    Brock (right) and McNair (left) robbing a Brinks armored car employee with a firearm on December 8, 2021. Brock and McNair assaulted the driver by beating him with their pistols even after he turned over the delivery bag.

    23cr26

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Corrections Officer Convicted of Committing Perjury After Making False Statements During an Investigation into Use of Excessive Force at Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RALEIGH, N.C. – Richard Wargo, a former Sergeant at Pender Correctional Institution, pled guilty today to committing perjury before a federal grand jury in a civil rights investigation. Wargo, 37, faces up to 60 months in prison when sentenced later this year.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began an investigation in 2022 into Pender Correctional Institution (PCI), in Burgaw, after receiving multiple allegations of officers using excessive force against inmates in the prior year.  During one incident, which occurred on November 17, 2021, PCI officers removed an inmate from a dorm room due to apparent intoxication and took him to a separate shipping and receiving building with no surveillance cameras.  The inmate was handcuffed and struck with a baton multiple times, resulting in lacerations on his legs and scarring.   

    Wargo was working the night shift when the November 17, 2021, incident occurred and was tasked with preparing the incident report regarding the use of force.  In his report, Wargo omitted that he was present during or involved in the use of force. It was the prison’s policy that no one involved in the incident should prepare the incident report.

    The FBI interviewed Wargo in August 2023.  When asked about the November 17, 2021, incident, Wargo described being the investigating officer but said he otherwise was in no way involved and was not even present for the use of force.  He appeared before a federal grand jury on August 22, 2023, and while under oath, gave the same account.  However, grand jury testimony from other officers and witnesses established that Wargo was present in the shipping and receiving building during the assault. Two officers testified that Wargo participated in the assault, striking the inmate with a baton, while another officer testified that he saw Wargo standing over the inmate.     

    Wargo agreed to a second, audio recorded interview on February 26, 2024.  He again denied being present for or participating in the November 17, 2021, use of force incident.  But when confronted with evidence to the contrary, Wargo admitted that he had entered the shipping and receiving building during an ongoing use of force incident.  He further admitted that he had drawn his baton and witnessed other officers strike the inmate with batons.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the plea. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh is prosecuting the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:24-cr-0043-BO.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Long-Time Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips Leader Charged in 43-Count Indictment Alleging Murder, Extortion, Fraud, and Tax Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has returned a 43-count indictment charging a music label owner and purported anti-gang activist who is a long-time leader of a South Los Angeles street gang with dozens of felonies, including fraud, robbery, extortion, tax evasion, embezzlement of donations to his charity that receives public money, and running a racketeering conspiracy in which he allegedly murdered an aspiring musician, the Justice Department announced today.

    Eugene Henley, Jr., 58, a.k.a. “Big U,” of the Hyde Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, two counts of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and extortion (Hobbs Act), one count of Hobbs Act robbery, nine counts of attempted Hobbs Act extortion, five counts of Hobbs Act extortion, one count of transportation of an individual in interstate commerce with intent that the individual engage in prostitution (Mann Act), 15 counts of wire fraud, five counts of embezzlement, conversion, and intentional misapplication of funds from an organization receiving federal funds, one count of bank fraud, one count of tax evasion, and two counts of willful failure to file a tax return.

    Henley – a long-time member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips street gang – has been in federal custody since March 19 after being charged in a federal criminal complaint. His arraignment is scheduled for April 8 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. He has a detention hearing scheduled for April 10, also in Los Angeles federal court.

    Also charged in today’s indictment are:

    • Sylvester Robinson, 59, a.k.a. “Vey,” of Northridge;
    • Mark Martin, 50, a.k.a. “Bear Claw,” of the Beverlywood area of Los Angeles;
    • Termaine Ashley Williams, 42, a.k.a. “Luce Cannon,” of Las Vegas;
    • Armani Aflleje, 38, a.k.a. “Mani,” of Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles;
    • Fredrick Blanton Jr., 43, of South Los Angeles; and
    • Tiffany Shanrika Hines, 51, of Yorba Linda.

    These defendants are in federal custody and are expected to be arraigned in the coming weeks.

    “As the indictment alleges, Mr. Henley led a criminal enterprise whose conduct ranged from murder to sophisticated fraud that included stealing from taxpayers and a charity,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Eradicating gangs and organized crime is the Department of Justice’s top priority. Today’s charges against the leadership of this criminal outfit will make our neighborhoods in Los Angeles safer.”

    According to the indictment returned on Wednesday, from 2010 until March 2025, Henley’s criminal group – identified in court documents as the “Big U Enterprise” – operated as a mafia-like organization that utilized Henley’s stature and long-standing association with the Rollin’ 60s and other street gangs to intimidate businesses and individuals in Los Angeles. Henley is widely regarded as a leader within the Rollin’ 60s and rose to prominence in the street gang during the 1980s.

    While the Big U Enterprise at times partnered with the Rollin’ 60s and other criminal elements for mutual benefit, the Big U Enterprise is a distinct and independent criminal enterprise engaged in criminal activity including murder, extortion, robbery, trafficking and exploiting sex workers, fraud, and illegal gambling.

    Not only did the enterprise expand its power through violence, fear, and intimidation, but it also used social media platforms, documentaries, podcasts, interviews, and Henley’s reputation and status as an “O.G.” (original gangster) to create fame for – and stoke fear of – the Big U Enterprise, its members, and its associates.

    For example, in January 2021, Henley murdered a victim – identified in the indictment as “R.W.” – an aspiring musician signed to Uneek Music, Henley’s music label. Henley shot and killed R.W., who had recorded a defamatory song about Henley. Henley then dragged the victim’s body off Interstate 15 in Las Vegas and left it in a ditch.

    Henley also committed other crimes, including fraudulently obtaining a COVID-19 business-relief loan for Uneek Music, which operated at a loss and was ineligible for such relief. He used his anti-gang charity, Developing Options, as a front for fraudulent activities and to insulate other members of the Big U Enterprise from law enforcement suspicion.

    Henley further embezzled large donations that celebrities and award-winning companies made to Developing Options, which Henley immediately converted to his personal bank account. According to the indictment, Developing Options is primarily funded through the City of Los Angeles’s Mayor’s Office through the Gang Reduction Youth Development (GRYD) Foundation, portions of which receive federal funding, but also receives donations from prominent sources, including NBA players.

    Finally, the indictment alleges that – as part of the racketeering conspiracy charge – that during the early morning hours of March 19, while law enforcement was arresting other members of the enterprise, Henley turned off his cellphones and fled his home. That day, Henley posted to the “Crenshaw Cougars” Instagram account, claiming racial profiling, blaming his co-defendants and opponents for the criminal charges filed against him in a federal criminal complaint, and instructing the public not to associate with his co-defendants and known opponents. Henley eventually surrendered to federal law enforcement without his phones.

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

    If convicted, Henley, Robinson, Martin would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the racketeering conspiracy count. The bank fraud count is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison. The Hobbs Act conspiracy, robbery, and extortion and the wire fraud counts each carry a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The Mann Act count and the theft concerning programs receiving federal funds count each carry a penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison. The tax evasion count carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison while the willful failure to pay file a tax return count is punishable by up to one year’s imprisonment.

    The FBI’s Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs; IRS Criminal Investigation; the United States Department of Justice Office of Inspector General; the Los Angeles Police Department; and the North Las Vegas Police Department are investigating this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mentmore Man Charged with Federal Assault and Strangulation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Mentmore man is facing charges in federal court for allegedly assaulting and injuring a woman.

    According to court records, on December 5, 2024, Alery Al Reid, 26, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly assaulted and strangled Jane Doe. Reid is accused of inflicting substantial bodily injury on Jane Doe, including extensive facial bruising, neck abrasions, and other injuries.

    Reid is charged with assault by strangling and assault resulting in substantial bodily injury. Reid will remain with a third-party custodian on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Reid faces 15 years in prison.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case. 

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Charlotte Man Sentenced For Brandishing AR-15 Rifle During Restaurant Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jermond Santa Lowery, Jr., 29, of Charlotte, was sentenced in federal court today to seven years in prison for brandishing an AR-15 rifle during the robbery of a Waffle House, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.

    According to information in filed documents and court proceedings, on October 31, 2023, Lowery entered a Waffle House in Charlotte, where he brandished an AR-15 rifle. As the employees began to flee through the back door, Lowery shouted at the employees to get back and open the cash register, threatening to kill them. Court documents show that Lowery removed the cash register from the restaurant and fled the scene. CMPD officers arrested Lowery the next day.

    On September 26, 2024, Lowery pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He remains in federal custody pending placement by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

    The investigation was handled by the FBI and CMPD.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican national extradited from Mexico to the United States pleads guilty to drug and money laundering conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Gilberto Alarcon-Holguin a/k/a Beto, 57, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $10,000,000.

    According to the plea agreement, on October 14, 2017, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) seized 10 kilograms of cocaine from an identified co-conspirator. HSI obtained a phone number as a point of contact for the delivery of the cocaine, which was linked to co-conspirators of Alarcon-Holguin. On October 19, 2017, HSI conducted a controlled delivery of 10 bricks of “sham” cocaine, which had been wrapped in the same manner as the seized kilograms of cocaine, to a motel parking lot in Corfu, NY. The bag was given to co-conspirator Eduardo Valdez, who was on the phone with Alarcon-Holguin during the delivery. Following the controlled delivery, the New York State Police conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle Valdez was riding in. HSI seized $259,960 in cash as a result of the controlled delivery.

    Subsequent investigation determined that Alarcon-Holguin had multiple communications with another co-conspirator, Edgar Pavia. Alarcon-Holguin provided instructions to Pavia about shipments of cocaine, packaging of money, and more, all of which was passed along to drug distributors supplied by Alarcon-Holguin in cities including Buffalo, and Louisville, KY. Alarcon-Holguin also passed information to Pavia that was separately conveyed to other co-conspirators, including those involved in the transportation of drugs. For example, on June 21, 2018, co-conspirator Adrian Goudelock received 40 kilograms of cocaine in Buffalo. Over the course of the conspiracy, Goudelock received multiple shipments of 10 kilograms of cocaine or more brokered by Pavia and supplied by Alarcon-Holguin. Alarcon-Holguin also provided instructions to Pavia on how Goudelock should wrap and mark money being sent back to Mexico. Specifically, Alarcon-Holguin told Pavia that Goudelock should wrap the money into 52 packages of $10,000 each.

    Other deliveries organized by Alarcon-Holguin during the investigation included: 17 kilograms of cocaine seized from a co-conspirator in West Seneca, NY, and shipments of 10, 15, 20, and 40 kilograms of cocaine to a co-conspirator in Kentucky. In addition, approximately $1,144,735 in cash was seized from a commercial truck driver in Chicago, Illinois. During the course of the investigation, investigators seized approximately $2,600,000.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto; the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia; and Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Unit, under the direction of Brian Manaher, Director, Marine Operations. Additional assistance was provided by the New York National Guard and Homeland Security Investigations, El Paso, Texas. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Alarcon-Holguin.    

    Sentencing is scheduled for September 3, 2025, before Judge Sinatra.

    # # # #

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Four Individuals and One Company Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging Schemes and Related Crimes Plaguing Public Schools in Mississippi and Louisiana

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Four individuals and one company pleaded guilty in three separate U.S. District Courts for their roles in various bid rigging and wire fraud conspiracies which targeted the sale of sports equipment to public schools throughout Mississippi and Louisiana. The schemes affected sales to hundreds of public schools in both states.

    The individuals and company pleaded guilty between February and March of 2025. Yesterday, Patrick Joseph Stewart of Hattiesburg, Mississippi pleaded guilty to one count of bid rigging and one count of wire fraud affecting sales to at least 69 public schools in the Eastern District of Louisiana. In the Southern District of Mississippi, Maurice Daniel Bowering Jr., of Hattiesburg, Mississippi pleaded guilty to five counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 50 public schools on March 6; and Robert Tucker Craig of Starkville, Mississippi pleaded guilty to three counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 38 public schools and one count of obstruction for the deletion of related evidence on Feb. 19. Lastly, Robert Douglas Heflin of Starkville, Mississippi pleaded guilty to two counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 31 public schools on March 4; and Mississippi company Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc., pleaded guilty to two counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 60 public schools on Feb. 20, in the Northern District of Mississippi.

    “School sports are integral to the development and upbringing of American children. From these opportunities, they learn the benefits of teamwork and open competition. Bid rigging, on the other hand, is the antithesis of American meritocracy. It is also patently unlawful,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The defendants here selfishly targeted school sports programs, depriving students of an opportunity to thrive. The Antitrust Division’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force has zero tolerance for bid collusion schemes, particularly when they target children.”

    “The defendants rigged bids for school sports equipment which resulted in an unfair playing field,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi is committed to working with our law enforcement and Antitrust Division partners to protect school athletics and taxpayer dollars.”

    “Financial fraud perpetrated against the U.S. government is a serious crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Particularly egregious, is fraud that undercuts government procurement processes and erodes public trust in the fair-bidding practice. These guilty pleas send a clear and decisive message that our office, along with our federal partners, will continue to protect the taxpayer by vigorously investigating and prosecuting all such corruption cases.”

    “Bid rigging and the collusion that makes it possible drive up prices for taxpayers and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner for the Northern District of Mississippi. “We will continue our commitment to work with the FBI and to root out corruption.”

    “This investigation underscores the FBI’s commitment to safeguarding public schools from criminal schemes that defraud the American people and exploit taxpayer money,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “Stewart, Bowering, Craig, Heflin, and Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc. were in positions to help shape children’s learning, the benefits of physical fitness in living prosperous lives. Instead, these co-conspirators chose to abuse the trust given to them by stealing future opportunities from students in fraudulently filling their pockets with the hard-earned tax dollars schools are entrusted to invest in the development of America’s future leaders. The FBI will continue to work with our federal partners to relentlessly pursue and bring justice to individuals and companies who use fraudulent schemes to defraud our communities.”

    According to court documents, Tucker, Bowering, Heflin, Stewart, and Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc. entered into conspiracies in which they agreed to submit complementary bids to public schools to obtain procurements for sports equipment and related services. The longest of the charged conspiracies lasted more than a decade. Two other co-conspirators, Charles Ferrell Trimm and Bradley D. Willcutt, previously pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Mississippi in May 2024 and September 2024, respectively.

    The maximum penalty for the Sherman Act is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit wire fraud is 20 years in prison, a criminal fine, and Court-ordered restitution. The maximum penalty for obstruction in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c) is 20 years in prison and a criminal fine of no more than $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine the sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Today’s guilty pleas result from an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the school sports equipment industry being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant Chief Laura Butte; Trial Attorneys Jill Rogowski, Marc Hedrich, and Hannah Muller; and Senior Litigation Counsel Paul Torzilli are prosecuting the case.

    Anyone with information about this investigation or other procurement fraud schemes should notify the PCSF at www.justice.gov/atr/webform/pcsf-citizen-complaint. The Justice Department created the PCSF in November 2019. It is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Individuals and One Company Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging Schemes and Related Crimes Plaguing Public Schools in Mississippi and Louisiana

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Four individuals and one company pleaded guilty in three separate U.S. District Courts for their roles in various bid rigging and wire fraud conspiracies which targeted the sale of sports equipment to public schools throughout Mississippi and Louisiana. The schemes affected sales to hundreds of public schools in both states.

    The individuals and company pleaded guilty between February and March of 2025. Yesterday, Patrick Joseph Stewart of Hattiesburg, Mississippi pleaded guilty to one count of bid rigging and one count of wire fraud affecting sales to at least 69 public schools in the Eastern District of Louisiana. In the Southern District of Mississippi, Maurice Daniel Bowering Jr., of Hattiesburg, Mississippi pleaded guilty to five counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 50 public schools on March 6; and Robert Tucker Craig of Starkville, Mississippi pleaded guilty to three counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 38 public schools and one count of obstruction for the deletion of related evidence on Feb. 19. Lastly, Robert Douglas Heflin of Starkville, Mississippi pleaded guilty to two counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 31 public schools on March 4; and Mississippi company Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc., pleaded guilty to two counts of bid rigging affecting sales to at least 60 public schools on Feb. 20, in the Northern District of Mississippi.

    “School sports are integral to the development and upbringing of American children. From these opportunities, they learn the benefits of teamwork and open competition. Bid rigging, on the other hand, is the antithesis of American meritocracy. It is also patently unlawful,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The defendants here selfishly targeted school sports programs, depriving students of an opportunity to thrive. The Antitrust Division’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force has zero tolerance for bid collusion schemes, particularly when they target children.”

    “The defendants rigged bids for school sports equipment which resulted in an unfair playing field,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi is committed to working with our law enforcement and Antitrust Division partners to protect school athletics and taxpayer dollars.”

    “Financial fraud perpetrated against the U.S. government is a serious crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Particularly egregious, is fraud that undercuts government procurement processes and erodes public trust in the fair-bidding practice. These guilty pleas send a clear and decisive message that our office, along with our federal partners, will continue to protect the taxpayer by vigorously investigating and prosecuting all such corruption cases.”

    “Bid rigging and the collusion that makes it possible drive up prices for taxpayers and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner for the Northern District of Mississippi. “We will continue our commitment to work with the FBI and to root out corruption.”

    “This investigation underscores the FBI’s commitment to safeguarding public schools from criminal schemes that defraud the American people and exploit taxpayer money,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “Stewart, Bowering, Craig, Heflin, and Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc. were in positions to help shape children’s learning, the benefits of physical fitness in living prosperous lives. Instead, these co-conspirators chose to abuse the trust given to them by stealing future opportunities from students in fraudulently filling their pockets with the hard-earned tax dollars schools are entrusted to invest in the development of America’s future leaders. The FBI will continue to work with our federal partners to relentlessly pursue and bring justice to individuals and companies who use fraudulent schemes to defraud our communities.”

    According to court documents, Tucker, Bowering, Heflin, Stewart, and Wilder Fitness Equipment Inc. entered into conspiracies in which they agreed to submit complementary bids to public schools to obtain procurements for sports equipment and related services. The longest of the charged conspiracies lasted more than a decade. Two other co-conspirators, Charles Ferrell Trimm and Bradley D. Willcutt, previously pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Mississippi in May 2024 and September 2024, respectively.

    The maximum penalty for the Sherman Act is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit wire fraud is 20 years in prison, a criminal fine, and Court-ordered restitution. The maximum penalty for obstruction in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c) is 20 years in prison and a criminal fine of no more than $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine the sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Today’s guilty pleas result from an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the school sports equipment industry being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant Chief Laura Butte; Trial Attorneys Jill Rogowski, Marc Hedrich, and Hannah Muller; and Senior Litigation Counsel Paul Torzilli are prosecuting the case.

    Anyone with information about this investigation or other procurement fraud schemes should notify the PCSF at www.justice.gov/atr/webform/pcsf-citizen-complaint. The Justice Department created the PCSF in November 2019. It is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Greenville Fentanyl Distributor Sentenced to 11 Years

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WILMINGTON, N.C. – Ernest Russell Early, Jr., of Greenville, was sentenced today to 11 years in prison for an armed robbery and for possessing fake oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl.  Early, 37, pled guilty to the charges on August 21, 2024.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 19, 2023, Early entered the Falkland Mini Mart located on South Main Street in Falkland. He approached the clerk at the back of the store and brandished a black pistol. He then compelled the clerk to return to the register and demanded that he hand over all the money. When the clerk opened the register, Early grabbed $1,500, exited the store, and entered a black Nissan Sentra with New Jersey plates. The cashier followed him outside and was able to obtain a partial license plate number.

    Pitt County Sheriff’s Deputies responded and located the suspect’s vehicle, initiating a pursuit. After initially evading the deputies, Early crashed the car and fled on foot. Deputies were able to collect fingerprints from the vehicle, which had been reported stolen, and later confirmed that the prints matched Early’s.

    Early remained at large until he was spotted by a detective from the Greenville Police Department on December 8, 2023. The police arrested Early on active warrants in a parking lot in Greenville. During the arrest, they seized 103 counterfeit oxycodone pills and a .40 caliber handgun from his pockets. The pills were subsequently tested and found to contain fentanyl.

    Early’s criminal history features three state felony convictions and fifteen misdemeanor convictions.  In 2013, he was convicted in Wake County Superior Court of common law robbery.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Pitt County Sheriff’s Office, and Greenville Police Department investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Aubart and Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-0025-M.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: South Carolina Woman Sentenced For $1.7 Million Embezzlement Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Kristin Turney, 54, of Catawba, South Carolina, was sentenced today to 51 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for embezzling more than $1.7 million from her employer, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Turney was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,754,204.13.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.

    “Turney was a trusted employee that pilfered money from an unsuspecting employer,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Her conduct was not a lapse in judgement; it was a prolonged and deliberate pattern of deceptive behavior that nearly destroyed a small business. Today’s sentence is a reminder that embezzlement is not a shortcut to riches, but a path to federal prison.”

    According to court documents, from 2016 to 2023, Turney executed a scheme to defraud her employer, a small, family-owned business, by embezzling more than $1.7 million. Turney was in charge of the company’s financial matters, including bank accounts, payroll, accounts payables and receivables, and tax filings. During the scheme, Turney misused her access and control over the company’s bank accounts and books and records to write herself company checks, which she then deposited into bank accounts she controlled. Turney made over 1,000 unauthorized bank deposits to herself totaling over $1.7 million. Court documents show that Turney covered up the fraud by making false accounting entries in the company’s books and records. She also provided fraudulent information to the company’s tax return preparer and lied to the company’s owner and employees. As a result of Turney’s embezzlement scheme, the company continues to be impacted by the defendant’s theft.

    On November 8, 2024, Turney pleaded guilty to wire fraud. She will be ordered to report the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

    The case was investigated by the FBI.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced To Prison For Possession Of Ammunition In Ghost Gun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    The Defendant Was on Federal Supervised Release for Heroin and Fentanyl Distribution

    ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Leopold Rob Finley, 45, of Candler, N.C. was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing ammunition loaded in a “ghost gun,” announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. At the time, Finley was on supervised release for a federal drug conviction.

    Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department (APD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.

    According to filed documents and court proceedings, on December 20, 2022, Finley’s vehicle was stopped by APD officers for a traffic violation. During a search of the vehicle, a “ghost gun” was recovered from Finley’s car. A “ghost gun” is an untraceable firearm with no serial number that is assembled by components purchased separately or as part of a kit. The ghost gun was loaded with 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition. When Finley was arrested, he was on federal supervised release for a prior drug conviction, specifically distribution of heroin and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and marijuana.

    Finley is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and the Asheville Police Department for their investigation of the case.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case. 

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Disrupts Hamas Terrorist Financing Scheme Through Seizure of Cryptocurrency

    Source: US State of Vermont

    The Court-Authorized Seizure Interdicts Cryptocurrency Valued at Approximately $200,000 Intended to Support the Terrorist Activities of Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Hamas)

    The Justice Department announced the disruption of an ongoing terrorist financing scheme through the seizure of approximately $201,400 in cryptocurrency held in wallets and accounts intended to benefit Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Hamas). The seized funds were traced from fundraising addresses purportedly controlled by Hamas that were used to launder more than $1.5 million in virtual currency since October 2024.

    “At Attorney General Pam Bondi’s direction, the Department of Justice is committed to dismantling Hamas using every tool at our disposal,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.   

    “These seizures show that this office will search high and low for every cent of money going to fund Hamas, wherever it is found, and in whatever form of currency,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “Hamas is responsible for the death of many U.S. and Israeli nationals, and we will stop at nothing to stop their campaign of terror and murder.”

    “Hamas raised and laundered more than a million dollars to support its terrorist operation, but through our investigation, the FBI traced and seized these funds,” said Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI Counterterrorism Division. “Disrupting funding mechanisms and seizing cryptocurrency from Hamas is one of the FBI’s many tools that we use in the fight against terrorism. The FBI will work with our partners to dismantle this terrorist group and protect the American people from their violent and horrific acts.”

    “Countering terrorism remains the FBI’s number one priority. By successfully disrupting access to funds, we weaken their ability to function,” said Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. “This success demonstrates that financial warfare is a critical component to fight terrorism. We will continue to do everything in our power to protect the American people and pursue justice by depriving terrorist organizations of the resources they need to continue their illicit activity.”

    As alleged in court documents, a group chat claiming association with Hamas on an encrypted communications platform provided Hamas supporters worldwide with a changing set of at least 17 cryptocurrency addresses. Supporters were encouraged to donate money to those addresses. Those funds were sent into an operational wallet and laundered through a series of virtual currency exchanges and transactions by leveraging suspected financiers and over-the-counter brokers. More than a million dollars was raised and laundered using the laundering system and the virtual currency accounts described in the affidavit.

    Included among the assets seized were cryptocurrency addresses valued at approximately $89,900 and three additional accounts containing cryptocurrency valued at approximately $111,500. These accounts were registered in the names of Palestinian individuals living in Turkey and elsewhere.

    The FBI Albuquerque Field Office is investigating the case, in coordination with the FBI Counterterrorism Division and Cyber Division.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Tejpal Chawla for the District of Columbia, Trial Attorney Jacques Singer-Emery for the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section, and Trial Attorney Jessica Joyce of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Hassan, Shaheen, Goodlander Urge Department of Justice to Protect Retention Incentives for FCI Berlin Workforce

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), along with U.S. Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), are urging the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to reverse a recent decision to cut retention incentives provided to several federal corrections facilities across the country, including at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Berlin. In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Associate Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Shaheen, Hassan and Goodlander highlight that the decision would worsen persistent staffing shortages that threaten FCI Berlin’s operational capacity and security. 

    The lawmakers wrote, in part: “FCI Berlin has had a 25 percent retention incentive authorized since 2023. As the nationwide staffing crisis makes it difficult to recruit new officers, these retention incentives have been instrumental in ensuring that the facility is able to retain and adequately pay existing staff, keeping the facility operational. However, even despite this critical assistance, FCI Berlin’s custody department is currently staffed at only 64 percent, with far reaching consequences as stretched-thin correctional officers must take on unreasonable amounts of overtime to help maintain the daily operations of the facility.” 

    They continued: “There is no doubt that the abrupt reduction in retention benefits will have real financial impacts on those who bravely serve FCI Berlin and its population. We urge you to find a solution to provide the highly professional and dedicated staff at FCI Berlin with the compensation they deserve for their work and, at a minimum, allow this facility and others facing chronic understaffing to continue to receive their full retention incentives as originally authorized.” 

    The lawmakers concluded: “Now more than ever, we remain committed to working with you to ensure FCI Berlin has the resources and support it requires to continue its integral work in our state.” 

    Read the full text of the letter here. 

    Shaheen has long advocated on behalf of FCI Berlin. In 2011, Shaheen fought to get FCI Berlin open. During the 2019 government shutdown, Shaheen spoke on the Senate floor about the damaging impacts the shuttered federal government had on FCI Berlin staff members. In 2023, Shaheen was instrumental in ensuring corrections officers, medical personnel and support staff at the facility received access to these critical retention incentives. Further, during her time as Chair of the Senate Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, Shaheen repeatedly secured language in annual government funding legislation calling attention to the BOP staffing crisis nationwide.  

    Last month, Shaheen offered an amendment to the Republican budget resolution that would have raised pay for Federal Bureau of Prisons correctional officers in New Hampshire and across the country. Additionally, Shaheen offered an amendment to last week’s continuing resolution that would have preserved retention incentives at federal correctional facilities ahead of this weekend’s impending cut. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Disrupts Hamas Terrorist Financing Scheme Through Seizure of Cryptocurrency

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    The Court-Authorized Seizure Interdicts Cryptocurrency Valued at Approximately $200,000 Intended to Support the Terrorist Activities of Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Hamas)

    The Justice Department announced the disruption of an ongoing terrorist financing scheme through the seizure of approximately $201,400 in cryptocurrency held in wallets and accounts intended to benefit Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Hamas). The seized funds were traced from fundraising addresses purportedly controlled by Hamas that were used to launder more than $1.5 million in virtual currency since October 2024.

    “At Attorney General Pam Bondi’s direction, the Department of Justice is committed to dismantling Hamas using every tool at our disposal,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.   

    “These seizures show that this office will search high and low for every cent of money going to fund Hamas, wherever it is found, and in whatever form of currency,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “Hamas is responsible for the death of many U.S. and Israeli nationals, and we will stop at nothing to stop their campaign of terror and murder.”

    “Hamas raised and laundered more than a million dollars to support its terrorist operation, but through our investigation, the FBI traced and seized these funds,” said Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI Counterterrorism Division. “Disrupting funding mechanisms and seizing cryptocurrency from Hamas is one of the FBI’s many tools that we use in the fight against terrorism. The FBI will work with our partners to dismantle this terrorist group and protect the American people from their violent and horrific acts.”

    “Countering terrorism remains the FBI’s number one priority. By successfully disrupting access to funds, we weaken their ability to function,” said Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. “This success demonstrates that financial warfare is a critical component to fight terrorism. We will continue to do everything in our power to protect the American people and pursue justice by depriving terrorist organizations of the resources they need to continue their illicit activity.”

    As alleged in court documents, a group chat claiming association with Hamas on an encrypted communications platform provided Hamas supporters worldwide with a changing set of at least 17 cryptocurrency addresses. Supporters were encouraged to donate money to those addresses. Those funds were sent into an operational wallet and laundered through a series of virtual currency exchanges and transactions by leveraging suspected financiers and over-the-counter brokers. More than a million dollars was raised and laundered using the laundering system and the virtual currency accounts described in the affidavit.

    Included among the assets seized were cryptocurrency addresses valued at approximately $89,900 and three additional accounts containing cryptocurrency valued at approximately $111,500. These accounts were registered in the names of Palestinian individuals living in Turkey and elsewhere.

    The FBI Albuquerque Field Office is investigating the case, in coordination with the FBI Counterterrorism Division and Cyber Division.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Tejpal Chawla for the District of Columbia, Trial Attorney Jacques Singer-Emery for the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section, and Trial Attorney Jessica Joyce of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy welcomes debarment of doctor who facilitated gain-of-function research in Wuhan: “We now have justice”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    Watch Kennedy’s comments here.

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) commended the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for debarring and defunding EcoHealth Alliance and its president, Dr. Peter Daszak, for their role in facilitating gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China, which likely caused the coronavirus pandemic.  

    Key excerpts of the speech are below: 

    “Many commentators and many news accounts say that what Dr. Daszak—with the money from American taxpayers that he had gotten from Dr. Fauci and Dr. Collins—what they were doing was conducting gain-of-function research. . . . Gain-of-function research just means taking, in this context, an animal virus, a bat virus, altering it genetically so it would jump into a human—pretty dangerous stuff.

    “Now Dr. Fauci has said that didn’t happen, Dr. Collins says that didn’t happen, and Dr. Daszak says that didn’t happen, but everybody else says it did. The FBI says it did. The CIA says it did. The top spy agency in Germany says it did. The Department of Energy says it did.

    “So what happened? What happened? Well, we do know that the first two people that we know of in the world who got the coronavirus—the first two humans—were not people in the city of Wuhan; they were workers in the Wuhan lab. . . . We also know that when the virus became really contagious, other than these two people who were working in the Wuhan lab, it became contagious in Wuhan, China, a few miles away from the Wuhan lab—pretty curious. 

    “We also know that when word first broke of the coronavirus, Dr. Fauci learned about it. Do you know one of the first persons he called was Dr. Peter Daszak and said: What is going on?

    “We also know that Dr. Daszak was trying to convince the American people and the people of the world that the virus started naturally—that it didn’t start from his gain-of-function research. We know that he rounded up a bunch of epidemiologists to write a fake article and start publishing it and others in a lot of professional scientific magazines to try to convince the world that the bat virus jumped to human beings naturally. We know that. That has all come out.”

     . . .

    “It took a while, and some will call this only partial justice, but we now have justice—at least for 5 years. I hope forever Dr. Peter Daszak and any company with which he is affiliated will no longer receive taxpayer dollars from the National Institutes of Health because he was doing—according to many people smarter than me and many news reports—he was funding gain research in Wuhan. . . . Pretty scary stuff, and we know how it all turned out.

    Background:

    • On Jan. 17, 2025, HHS announced that it would be defunding and debarring EcoHealth Alliance Inc. and Dr. Daszak for at least five years due to their role in facilitating irresponsible gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.
    • HHS determined that Dr. Daszak and EcoHealth Alliance violated the terms of their gain-of-function grant to conduct experiments that modified novel bat coronaviruses to make them 10,000 times more infectious in mice.
    • Dr. Daszak, former National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins and former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci coordinated with other public health officials to propel the theory that COVID-19 originated in nature.

    Watch Kennedy’s full speech here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –