NewzIntel.com

Category: Federal Bureau of Investigation

  • MIL-OSI Security: Baltimore County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Elder Fraud Schemes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant alleged to have received and transmitted victim funds to fraudsters.

    Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has sentenced Ambrose A. Obinna Warrior, 44, of Milford Mill, Maryland, to 42 months in federal prison. Warrior served as an unlicensed money transmitter in connection with various romance, business email compromise, and investment schemes.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed, FBI Salt Lake City Field Office; and Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Ajay Lall, U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division.

    According to the plea agreement, beginning in March 2018, and continuing through at least August 2021, Warrior received victims’ funds and transferred them to other scheme participants through federally insured financial institutions in exchange for a percentage.  Warrior opened personal and business bank accounts and formed the limited liability company, The Golden Voice of Orientals, to conduct, control, manage, and direct his unlicensed money transmitting business.

    Additionally, Warrior used WhatsApp to communicate bank account information to other scheme participants and his fee for receiving and transmitting funds from victims, which was usually 20 percent or more.  After depositing the funds, Warrior retained a portion of the money as a fee and ensured others received a portion of the fraudulent funds.  Warrior also transferred victims’ funds to scheme participants overseas.

    In total, Warrior transmitted or attempted to transfer more than $700,000 in proceeds from various schemes. Victims lost at least $467,912.

    Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcement’s efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older, and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available. Call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).  This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers through assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps, including identifying appropriate reporting agencies, providing information to callers to assist them in reporting or connecting them with agencies, and providing resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis.  The hotline is staffed from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Friday.  English, Spanish, and other languages are available.  Learn more about the Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at www.elderjustice.gov.  Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and United States Postal Inspection Service for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evelyn Lombardo Cusson and Adeyemi Adenrele who prosecuted the federal case. The FBI’s Baltimore and Salt Lake City Field Offices, along with the St. George Resident Agency, investigated this case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Parents of Former Boone County Schools Maintenance Director Plead Guilty to Evading Financial Reporting Requirements

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

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael P. Barker, 68, and Lana Barker, 66, both of Foster, pleaded guilty today to structuring transactions with one or more domestic financial institutions.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, starting on or about November 7, 2023, through on our about November 28, 2023, the Barkers made or caused to be made 11 cash deposits to their bank accounts in amounts ranging from $8,000 to $9,500 and totaling $97,215. The Barkers admitted that these transactions were specifically designed to avoid currency reporting requirements. Financial institutions are required to report cash deposits of more than $10,000, and federal law prohibits structuring multiple cash deposits to avoid this reporting requirement.

    The Barkers furthered admitted that they used the $97,215, a $30,000 bank loan, and $50,000 provided by their son, former Boone County Schools Maintenance Director Michael David Barker, to purchase property in Foster.

    Michael P. Barker is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2025, and Lana Barker is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1, 2025. Each faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a forfeiture money judgment.

    Today’s guilty pleas result from an investigation that led to the indictment of Michael David Barker, 47, of Foster, by a federal grand jury on December 10, 2024. The 18-count indictment alleges that Michael David Barker entered into a scheme to defraud the Boone County Board of Education out of approximately $3,400,000 while serving as maintenance director. The charges against Michael David Barker are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    Jesse Marks, 65, of Rush, Kentucky, pleaded guilty on February 27, 2025, to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Marks was the sole owner and operator of Rush Enterprises when Michael David Barker contacted him in November 2019 about Rush Enterprises selling custodial and janitorial supplies to Boone County Schools. Marks admitted that he and Barker entered into the overbilling scheme at that time. Marks is scheduled to be sentenced on June 16, 2025.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), and the assistance provided by the West Virginia Department of Education.

    United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the cases.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:25-cr-4 (Michael P. Barker) and 2:25-cr-5 (Lana Barker).

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Final Defendant Pleads Guilty to Role in Drug Trafficking Organization

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

    BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jermaine Antoine Johnson, 34, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Johnson admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl as well as cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Johnson participated in the DTO conspiracy in April and May 2024. Johnson admitted to supplying others with controlled substances that they distributed. Johnson further admitted that he spoke to co-conspirators about obtaining and distributing fentanyl during May 2024 phone calls that were intercepted by law enforcement.

    During a May 15, 2024, phone call, Johnson told a co-conspirator about a supplier prepared to sell controlled substances to them, and the two discussed providing $6,000 to this supplier for drugs they planned to distribute in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. Johnson admitted that he was picked up by the co-conspirator on May 20, 2024, and the two traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, where they purchased approximately $6,000 worth of fentanyl. Johnson further admitted that he and his co-conspirator returned to West Virginia the next day and discussed increasing the volume of the purchased fentanyl by adding such cutting agents as sugar and brown sugar.

    Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 3, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

    Johnson is among 12 individuals indicted on charges alleging the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine base within the Southern District of West Virginia from in or about June 2023 to in or about May 2024. All 12 have pleaded guilty, including two defendants who pleaded guilty to separate charges in lieu of the offenses alleged in the indictment.

    “Today’s guilty plea marks a major milestone in this case, which has disrupted a significant drug trafficking operation in the Beckley area,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “The fact that all 12 defendants have pleaded guilty is also a testament to the teamwork of our law enforcement partners and this office and to our shared dedication to protecting our communities.”

    Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.

    United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over today’s hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the case.

    The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-90.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: OKX Pleads Guilty to Violating U.S. Anti-Money Laundering Laws and Agrees to Pay Penalties Totaling More Than $500 Million

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

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that Aux Cayes Fintech Co. Ltd, d/b/a “OKEx,” d/b/a “OKX” (“OKX”), a Seychelles-based entity, that since at least 2017 has operated OKX, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, pled guilty today to one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. In connection with today’s guilty plea and sentencing, OKX agreed to pay monetary penalties totaling more than $504 million.  The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who presided over today’s guilty plea and sentencing.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “For over seven years, OKX knowingly violated anti-money laundering laws and avoided implementing required policies to prevent criminals from abusing our financial system. As a result, OKX was used to facilitate over five billion dollars’ worth of suspicious transactions and criminal proceeds.  Today’s guilty plea and penalties emphasize that there will be consequences for financial institutions that avail themselves of U.S. markets but violate the law by allowing criminal activity to continue.”

    FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “For years, OKX flagrantly violated U.S. law, actively seeking customers in the United States—including here in New York—and even going so far as to advise individuals to provide false information to circumvent requisite procedures. Furthermore, in their failure to adhere to U.S. law, significant illicit transactions which furthered other criminal activity went undetected on their platform. Blatant disregard for the rule of law will not be tolerated, and the FBI is committed to working with our partners across government to ensure that corporations that engage in this type of conduct are held accountable for their actions.”

    According to court documents and admissions: 

    OKX is one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange platforms, with billions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency transactions occurring daily on its platform.  OKX allows registered users to place orders for spot trades in over three hundred cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. OKX users can also place orders for derivative products, including futures contracts, tied to the value of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. 

    Financial institutions that operate wholly or in substantial part in the United States must register with the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) as a money services business (“MSB”) and comply with federal anti-money laundering (“AML”) laws, including the Bank Secrecy Act.  These laws require the filing of suspicious activity reports and the maintenance of an adequate AML program, including an effective know-your-customer (“KYC”) program. AML programs are critical to ensure that entry-points into the U.S. financial system do not become tools criminals can use to profit from illicit activity.

    Since 2017, OKX has had an official policy preventing U.S. persons from transacting on its exchange. But contrary to this official policy, OKX sought out customers in the United States, including in the Southern District of New York. 

    From in or about 2018 through in or about at least early 2024, OKX served U.S. retail and institutional customers that engaged in over one trillion dollars’ worth of transactions through OKX. Transactions from those U.S. customers generated hundreds of millions of dollars in trading fees and profits for OKX. 

    Because OKX served U.S. retail and institutional customers, OKX knew it was required by U.S. law to register as a money services business with FinCEN, but OKX chose not to do so.[1] In fact, despite OKX’s official policy prohibiting U.S. persons from transacting on the exchange, OKX was fully aware that individuals in the United States could, and did, easily create and use OKX trading accounts.  From OKX’s founding in approximately 2017 through approximately November 2022, OKX allowed retail customers the option to create an account, receive and transfer funds, and place trades without completing a KYC process. This meant that OKX, a large financial institution, facilitated transactions on behalf of customers that it could not identify. Further, while OKX implemented a policy blocking customers with U.S.-located IP addresses from trading or depositing assets onto OKX (the “IP Ban”), OKX knew that the IP Ban could be circumvented through cheap, widely available VPN technology.  Also, through at least early 2023, OKX allowed existing accounts to continue to receive and transfer funds, and place trades, all without completing a KYC process.  And until approximately early 2024, OKX also allowed customers to place trades on the exchange through third-party entities known as “non-disclosure brokers” without the third-party entity disclosing any identifying information to OKX about the customers on whose behalf the trades were placed. 

    Even after OKX began requiring all customers to provide some KYC information to trade, OKX employees on certain occasions advised customers how to provide false information to circumvent the company’s KYC process and official policy prohibiting U.S. customers.  For example, in April 2023, an OKX employee encouraged a potential U.S. customer to open an account by providing false information about the customer’s nationality during the KYC processing, writing “I know you’re in the US, but you could just put a random country and it should go through. You just need to put Name, nationality, and ID number. You could just put United Arab Emirates and random numbers for the ID number.”  At that time, OKX did not verify the information that customers provided to open an account to trade.  In January 2024, the same employee wrote to another potential U.S. customer and asked if the individual had “any workaround on KYC outside of the US to make it potentially work.”

    During the relevant period, OKX advertised in the United States, sponsoring the Tribeca Film Festival, for example, and used affiliate marketers based in the United States to promote the exchange. OKX also allowed existing customers to promote the exchange, and provided such customers benefits for recruiting additional users. At least one such OKX customer produced a publicly-available, step-by-step instructional video educating U.S. customers about how to register with OKX using a VPN to conceal their U.S. presence.

    OKX also focused its efforts on attracting and retaining certain U.S. institutional customers, including large institutions who could provide liquidity and help OKX become one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges by making a broad range of cryptocurrencies available at competitive rates.  OKX’s U.S. institutional customers were some of OKX’s largest customers, with one such firm alone generating more than a trillion dollars in spot and derivatives transactions on OKX during the relevant period.  They provided significant liquidity, volume and trading fees for the platform, despite OKX’s knowing failure to register as an MSB and OKX’s “official” policy banning U.S. customers.

    Until approximately May 2023, OKX did not adequately or consistently use commercially available software to monitor and detect suspicious activity, including money laundering, and OKX did not have adequate controls to determine whether either party to transactions on the exchange was potentially subject to sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury Department. As a result, through at least early 2024, OKX was used by numerous customers as a vehicle for laundering the proceeds of suspicious and criminal activities, including more than five billion dollars of suspicious transactions and illicit proceeds, based on a review of third-party transaction data.

    In early 2024, OKX retained an external compliance consultant (the “Consultant”) to advise OKX on policies and controls reasonably designed to prevent U.S. persons from engaging in transactions on OKX’s platform through accounts held at OKX.  As part of the plea agreement, OKX is continuing to retain the Consultant, at its own cost, through February 2027, and has agreed to continue to cooperate with the United States Attorney’s Office.

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    In addition to the guilty plea, OKX, a Seychelles-based entity, also agreed to criminally forfeit $420.3 million and pay a criminal fine of approximately $84.4 million.  OKX received credit for its cooperation with the investigation and timely engaging in remedial measures, resulting in a 25% reduction off the bottom of the otherwise applicable recommended fine range.

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI New York Field Office. 

    This matter is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance & Money Laundering Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Brumwell, Eli J. Mark, and Vladislav Vainberg are in charge of the prosecution.

    [1] OKX has an affiliate U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange named OKCoin USA, Inc. (“OKCoin”) which, in contrast with OKX, has registered with FinCEN as a MSB. OKCoin serves customers globally, including in the United States, and offers retail and institutional customers the ability to spot trade, including purchasing cryptocurrency using U.S. dollars. The conduct described herein that gives rise to the charge in the Information, and to which OKX pled guilty, is solely that of the unregistered MSB, Aux Cayes Fintech Co. Ltd., d/b/a “OKEx,” d/b/a “OKX,” the defendant.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Former Prison Guard Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing Inmates

    Source: US State of California

    A Hawaii man pleaded guilty yesterday to sexual abuse of inmates under his custody or control.

    According to court documents, Mikael Rivera, 47, of Kapolei, was a correctional officer at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu from approximately 2014 to 2018. While on duty as a correctional officer, Rivera committed multiple sexual acts with one inmate who did not consent and engaged in sexually abusive conduct with two additional inmates under his supervision.

    Rivera pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual abuse of a ward. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 3 and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson for the District of Hawaii, and Special Agent in Charge Zachary Shroyer of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) Western Region made the announcement.

    DOJ-OIG is investigating the case with assistance from the FBI.

    Trial Attorney Nicole Lockhart of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Ayabe for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from former PIN Deputy Chiefs Jennifer Clarke and Marco Palmieri.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation, Cyberstalking, and Sextortion Offenses

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

    Jackson, MS – A Jackson man entered a guilty plea to federal charges relating to a “sextortion” scheme that targeted multiple victims, including minors, across several states.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Marquez Cameron Jones Weston, 22, operated a “sextortion” scheme in which he engaged in cyberstalking, interstate threats, extortion, attempted production of child pornography, and transportation of child pornography over the internet. As part of the scheme, Weston attempted to and did extort money and sexually explicit photographic images and videos from numerous female victims, some of whom were minors, over the internet.

    Weston pleaded guilty to attempted production of child pornography, transportation of child pornography over the internet, extortion, and cyberstalking. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 27, 2025 and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

    The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the Sam Houston State University Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly T. Purdie and Dave Fulcher are prosecuting the case.

    The FBI provides the following six tips on how people can protect themselves from sextortion schemes:

    • Be selective about what you share online. If your social media accounts are open to everyone, a predator may be able to figure out a lot of information about you.
    • Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online. Block or ignore messages from strangers.
    • Be aware that people can pretend to be anything or anyone online. Videos and photos are not proof that people are who they claim to be. Images can be altered or stolen. In some cases, predators have even taken over the social media accounts of their victims.
    • Be suspicious if you meet someone on one game or app and this person asks you to start talking on a different platform.
    • Be in the know. Any content you create online—whether it is a text message, photo, or video—can be made public. And nothing actually “disappears” online. Once you send something, you don’t have any control over where it goes next.
    • Be willing to ask for help. If you are getting messages or requests online that don’t seem right, block the sender, report the behavior to the site administrator, or go to an adult. If you have been victimized online, tell someone.

    If you, your child, or someone you know is being exploited via sextortion, contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or report it online at the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Additional resources can found at Sextortion and Financially Motivated Sextortion — FBI.  If you believe you are a victim in this particular case, please also contact the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pitt County Man Pleads Guilty in Multimillion-Dollar Ponzi Scheme that Defrauded Eastern North Carolina Investors

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

    WILMINGTON, N.C. – Willard Timothy Sutton, age 64, pled guilty to one count of mail fraud today for running a Ponzi scheme that resulted in more than 60 investors suffering net losses in excess of $8 million.  At sentencing later this year, Sutton faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.  Sutton will also be required to pay restitution to victims.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, between approximately 2019 and 2023, Sutton operated a largescale Ponzi scheme in connection with an investment program offered through Greenville Auto World, LLC (GAW), a car dealership located in Greenville.  GAW was a “buy here pay here” (BHPH) dealership.  BHPH dealerships enable customers with poor or no credit history to finance the purchase of a vehicle directly through the dealership, rather than through a bank or credit union.  Such loans typically carry significantly higher interest rates than traditional car loans.  Between approximately 2012 and 2023, as part of an investment program sponsored, promoted, and administered by GAW, Sutton sold BHPH finance contracts to outside investors through direct solicitation, referrals, and word-of-mouth advertisement.

    Beginning in approximately 2019, Sutton falsely and fraudulently led BHPH investors to believe that their investments were safe and secure, and that GAW was collecting sufficient repayments from loan customers to be able to fully pay the principal and interest owed to them.  In truth, GAW was collecting millions from investors, but it did not have the means to service the debt through BHPH revenue or any legitimate business income.  Between approximately October 2018 and August 2023, the FBI estimates that GAW collected investor funds in excess of $60 million.  However, GAW’s gross receipts were a small fraction of the total.

    In order to conceal GAW’s financial condition, and avoid the collapse of the business, Sutton operated the BHPH program as a Ponzi scheme in which he would (in a typical transaction) sell a legitimate loan contract to one investor and then sell one or more false and fabricated versions of that same contract to other investors without their knowledge.  Sutton then used the proceeds of the fraudulent sales to pay off earlier investors.  Among other things, Sutton forged loan customer signatures to the fake contracts and, in some instances, provided fake title documents to investors to convince them that their investments were appropriately secured.   

    In approximately 2022, in order to generate additional funds to meet GAW’s mounting debts to investors, Sutton solicited some BHPH investors to help finance GAW’s vehicle inventory.  Sutton falsely and fraudulently represented to these investors that he was using their funds to purchase vehicles when, in fact, Sutton was using their funds to conceal and perpetuate the Ponzi scheme.

    “Over the course of years, instead of helping so-called investors, this defendant bilked his victims out of millions of dollars of their hard earned money,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “Fraudsters should know that they will be held accountable for their crimes in the Eastern District of North Carolina.”

    “Mr. Sutton ran a local business for many years, purporting to help those with poor or no credit get much needed vehicle loans. When he ran into financial trouble, rather than admitting his business was failing, he resold those loans over and over again to outside investors to protect his own reputation at the expense those who trusted he was legitimately investing their hard earned money,” said Robert M. DeWitt the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.    

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after Chief Judge Richard E. Myers, II accepted the plea. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Charlotte Field Office, investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-83-M.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Boston man has pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to a drug distribution offense involving fentanyl. Defendant is currently awaiting trial on murder charges in Massachusetts state court.

    Csean Skerritt, a/k/a “Shizz Grimmy,” a/k/a “Black,” 36, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for June 6, 2025. In March 2023, Skerritt was indicted by a federal grand jury.

    As part of a drug trafficking investigation, on Feb. 1, 2023, Skerritt agreed to sell 50 grams of fentanyl to an individual in exchange for $1,500. Following a series of communications, Skerritt met the individual at a pre-arranged location. There, Skerritt entered the individual’s car and provided approximately 52.3 grams of fentanyl in exchange for the agreed-upon amount.

    On March 9, 2023, Skerritt was indicted for murder in the Massachusetts Superior Court and is awaiting trial.

    The charge of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Prison Guard Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing Inmates

    Source: United States Attorneys General 6

    A Hawaii man pleaded guilty yesterday to sexual abuse of inmates under his custody or control.

    According to court documents, Mikael Rivera, 47, of Kapolei, was a correctional officer at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu from approximately 2014 to 2018. While on duty as a correctional officer, Rivera committed multiple sexual acts with one inmate who did not consent and engaged in sexually abusive conduct with two additional inmates under his supervision.

    Rivera pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual abuse of a ward. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 3 and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson for the District of Hawaii, and Special Agent in Charge Zachary Shroyer of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) Western Region made the announcement.

    DOJ-OIG is investigating the case with assistance from the FBI.

    Trial Attorney Nicole Lockhart of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Ayabe for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from former PIN Deputy Chiefs Jennifer Clarke and Marco Palmieri.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pittsburgh Resident Pleads Guilty to Cocaine and Firearm Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to committing firearm and drug trafficking crimes, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Marvin Tymous, 25, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan to conspiring to distribute a quantity of cocaine between September 2023 and December 2023 and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on December 15, 2023.

    Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for June 25, 2025. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Tymous.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Arrest Escapee Who Fled Federal Facility

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Philadelphia, PA — Members of the U.S. Marshals Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force arrested Keith Freeman, 30, at a residence in the 2400 block of Nicholas Street. Freeman was wanted by the Federal Bureau of Prisons after he escaped from the Kintock Group located in the 600 block of E. Luzerne Street, on February 23rd. After a dispute with a staff member, Freeman climbed over two fences and fled from the facility. At the time of the escape, Freeman was finishing a 96-month sentence for firearms possession.

    At approximately 8 a.m. on March 4th, investigators from the Marshals Fugitive Task Force in Philadelphia surrounded a residence in the 2400 block of Nicholas Street where Freeman was believed to be hiding. Upon entering the residence Freeman was located after trying to conceal himself under a pile of clothes in the living room. He was then taken into custody without incident and transported to the Federal Detention Center (FDC) in Philadelphia to serve the remaining time of his sentence.

    “After an extensive investigation, Keith Freeman has been placed back into federal custody without incident. With this arrest, our task force has again demonstrated its excellence in apprehending escaped prisoners,” said Robert Clark, Supervisory Deputy for the Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force.

    The Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force is a team of law enforcement officers led by U.S. Marshals in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. The task force’s objective is to seek out and arrest violent crime fugitives. Membership agencies include the Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania State Parole Officers, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Attorney General Agents, Immigration Customs Enforcement, Chester Police Department, Bucks County Sheriffs, and Delaware County Sheriffs.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Gow School Administrator Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Pornography

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

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Matthew Fisher, 51, of South Wales, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy to production of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that between June 2022, and November 2023, Fisher was employed as the Associate Director of Enrollment and Management at the Gow School, a private boarding school in South Wales, NY. Fisher resided on the Gow School campus. He utilized hidden cameras to create and attempt to create videos of at least five minor males engaged in sexually explicit conduct. During the investigation, several of Fisher’s electronic devices were seized and found to contain child pornography depicting the five victims and several yet to be identified minor individuals.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Transit Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Patterson, and the East Aurora Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick Welch.

    Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Superseding Indictment Charges Two Brothers and a City Mayor’s Assistant with Tax Fraud, Public Corruption, and Money Laundering

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

    CLEVELAND – A federal grand jury returned a 32-count superseding indictment charging Zubair Mehmet Abdur Razzaq Al Zubair, 42, recently of Bratenahl, Ohio, his brother Muzzammil Muhammad Al Zubair, 31, recently of Pepper Pike, Ohio, and their associate Michael Leon Smedley, 56, of Cleveland, with multiple fraud, tax fraud, money laundering, and public corruption schemes. The initial 22-count indictment was issued Jan. 24, 2024.

    All three defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, and Hobbs Act conspiracy. The Al Zubair brothers were both charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 13 counts of wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, four counts of money laundering, theft of government funds, and aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. Zubair Al Zubair was also charged with harboring a fugitive and willful failure to file a tax return.

    According to court documents, from June 2020 through August 2023, the Al Zubair brothers allegedly employed several deceptive strategies to obtain money and property from victims. Their schemes involved investment fraud, a Small Business Administration COVID-19 relief Emergency Income Disaster Loan, cryptocurrency mining, and commercial and residential real estate transactions.

    One scheme was international in scope and involved military munitions. After the Al Zubair brothers found a buyer who was looking to purchase military-grade weapons, they made contact with individuals in Romania, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, and New York about finding sources to supply the munitions their buyer was seeking. The true intent was not the actual sale of the munitions, but rather to convince the purchaser to transfer a commission to the brothers for arranging the transaction.

    The Al Zubair brothers’ ill-gotten proceeds allowed them to acquire a trove of jewelry, luxury timepieces and vehicles, as well as more than 80 firearms. Zubair Al Zubair also leased a high-end residential property in Bratenahl, Ohio, before being evicted in August 2023.

    The superseding indictment alleges that the two made exorbitant claims about their extraordinary wealth and government connections. Zubair Al Zubair said he was a member of the royal family of the United Arab Emirates through his marriage to a princess. His brother, Muzzammil, claimed to be a hedge fund manager. According to the superseding indictment, he was not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or as a broker with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and his only education on hedge funds came from watching YouTube videos. Using the illusion of being extremely educated, successful, and well-connected, the brothers befriended a public official employed with the city of East Cleveland to help them to carry out their elaborate and deceptive plots.

    As the chief of staff and executive assistant to the mayor of East Cleveland, Smedley allegedly used his position to help navigate red-tape bureaucracy and obtain specific outcomes for the Al Zubair brothers in return for things of value including checks, food and meals at high-end restaurants, and offers of future employment. For example, Smedley secured official letters on city letterhead to sway administrative and judicial proceedings, helped obtain appointment of Zubair Al Zubair as an International Economic Advisor to the city, obtained city business cards in Zubair Al Zubair’s name, and even provided the brothers with City of East Cleveland Police Badges.

    An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of actors unique to this case. These include each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

    This case is being investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division and the IRS−Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Shepherd and Om Kakani for the Northern District of Ohio. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Seven Defendants in Armed Transnational Cocaine and Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracies

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

    Four Defendants Arrested in Three U.S. States, Along With the Seizure of More Than 350 Kilograms of Methamphetamine, 100 Kilograms of Cocaine, and Four Firearms

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); and Francis J. Russo, the Director of Field Operations for the New York Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging seven defendants with narcotics trafficking and firearms offenses. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos.

    Since at least in or about October 2023, SHEHNAZ SINGH, a/k/a “SHAWN,” along with his co-conspirators, AMRITPAL SINGH, a/k/a “AMRIT,” a/k/a “Bal,” AMRITPAL SINGH, a/k/a “CHEEMA,” TAKDIR SINGH, a/k/a “ROMY,” SARBSIT SINGH, a/k/a “SABI,” and GURLAL SINGH (“GURLAL”), operated a transnational conspiracy to import cocaine into the U.S. from Colombia and distribute the drug in cities across the U.S. and into Canada.  Beginning in or about April 2024, a subset of these conspirators—led by ROMY and SABI, and joined by co-conspirators including FERNANDO VALLADARES, a/k/a “FRANCO”—stole a cache of cocaine from their original co-conspirators and agreed to distribute it out of, among other places, hotels in New York City.  Members of the two armed drug trafficking conspiracies hunted each other down, brandished a firearm, and threatened the lives of each other and innocent family members. 

    Four defendants are in custody after arrests made on the morning of February 26, 2025.  Searches of various of the defendants’ residences and vehicles conducted at the time of arrest resulted in the seizure of four firearms, approximately 391 kilograms of methamphetamine, and approximately 109 kilograms of cocaine. CHEEMA was arrested in the Eastern District of California and was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher D. Baker and detained; ROMY and SABI were arrested in the Northern District of Ohio and were presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Grimes Jr. and detained; and FRANCO was arrested in the Eastern District of New York, presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo, and released on certain conditions.  AMRIT and GURLAL are in custody in Pennsylvania after prior arrests.  SHAWN remains at large. 

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “For more than a year, Shehnaz Singh and his associates not only imported dangerous drugs to sell across the United States but also armed themselves with deadly weapons and endangered communities here in New York City and around the country.  This week, we and our law enforcement partners halted that dangerous activity and took drugs and guns off the street.  I commend the career prosecutors of the Southern District of New York, and our partners at the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, for their tireless efforts to disrupt this dangerous distribution network and to keep communities safe for our country and our neighbors, too.  We hope that today’s charges bring accountability to those who push drugs and use violence to protect their criminal organizations.”

    CBP Director of Field Operations Francis J. Russo said: “Every day our CBP officers and law enforcement partners relentlessly pursue the most vicious and brutal criminal drug organizations in the world who do business globally and right here in our local communities and neighborhoods. We will not stop until networks such as this one and their criminal facilitators are off the street and brought to justice. CBP will continue its unwavering commitment to keeping Americans safe from the dangers of drugs and the violence they often bring.”

    According to the allegations contained in the Indictments, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings:[1]

    Since at least in or about October 2023, a group of conspirators led by SHAWN—a Canada-based drug trafficker who holds himself out as a corrupt police officer—operated a drug trafficking organization that imported cocaine into the U.S., transported it to stash houses and other distribution sites using networks of trucking companies and drivers, and sold it in communities across the U.S. and into Canada (the “Original Cocaine Conspiracy”). AMRIT and CHEEMA, served as, among other things, SHAWN’s enforcers, and helped operated the drug trafficking organization by safekeeping and distributing cocaine while armed with guns.

    Members of the Original Cocaine Conspiracy imported cocaine into the U.S. from Colombia and delivered the drug to coconspirators in the midwestern U.S., including a vacant home used by AMRIT and others in Indiana. From there, the cocaine was distributed across the U.S. and to Canada, including through and to California, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.  This cross-border trade, from Colombia to the U.S. and Canada, was lucrative. As AMRIT described it: “It costs roughly about two, four, or five thousand dollars per [kilo in Colombia]. When it reaches America, it’s worth twelve to thirteen thousand. When it reaches Canada, it’s thirty thousand.”  In total, this organization was moving more than 600 kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine a week.

    Beginning in or about April 2024, a subset of the Original Cocaine Conspiracy’s members—ROMY and SABI—stole a large cache of cocaine from their co-conspirators in the Original Cocaine Conspiracy and worked with others, including FRANCO—to distribute the stolen cocaine from, among other places, two hotels in New York City (the “Stolen Cocaine Conspiracy”).  After a co-conspirator (“CC-1”) crashed a truck carrying approximately 10 kilograms of the group’s cocaine and abandoned his cargo, members of the Original Cocaine Conspiracy announced plans to travel to New York with weapons to reclaim their stolen drugs and serve vengeance on members of the Stolen Cocaine Conspiracy and their families.  As AMRIT put it: “We need our stuff.  We aren’t letting anyone go.  We are going to kill them all.”  The day before arriving in New York City, AMRIT and CHEEMA, took photos of themselves displaying weapons over a large cache of stacked cocaine.

    Once in New York, AMRIT and CHEEMA threatened members of the Stolen Cocaine Conspiracy and their family members with violence.  In just one such incident, at a meeting in front of a home on suburban Long Island, AMRIT thrust a handgun into CC-1’s teenage brother’s neck while demanding to know the location of the stolen cocaine.

    While executing arrests of certain of the defendants and searches of various residences and vehicles, law enforcement agents seized four firearms, approximately 391 kilograms of methamphetamine, and approximately 109 kilograms of cocaine.  CHEEMA was stopped while fleeing a residence in Bakersfield, California, and arrested in possession of a loaded handgun.  Three additional firearms were seized from residences or vehicles belonging to or controlled by ROMY and SABI in Cleveland, Ohio, where agents also seized approximately 391 kilograms of methamphetamine and approximately 109 kilograms of cocaine.  The seized firearms and narcotics are shown below.

    Cocaine intercepted en route to ROMY and SABI

    Methamphetamine seized from SABI’s residence

    *                *                *

    A chart containing the charges and minimum and maximum penalties each defendant faces is attached. The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by a judge.

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and CBP. Mr. Podolsky further thanked the New York City Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, the Cleveland Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) Strike Force, the Cleveland Division of Police, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office and Bakersfield Resident Agency, the FBI’s Cartel, Gang, Narcotics, & Laundering Task Force, the Cleveland Division of Police Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the Bakersfield (Calif.) Police Department, for their assistance and cooperation in the investigation.

    This prosecution is part of an OCDETF operation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys William C. Kinder and Justin Horton are in charge of the prosecution.

    The charges in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    Defendant

    Age

    Charges

    Minimum and Maximum Sentences
    SHEHNAZ SINGH, a/k/a “Shawn”

    34

    		 Cocaine distribution conspiracy; using, carrying, and possessing firearms during and in relation to, or in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime Minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison (cocaine distribution conspiracy); minimum of five consecutive years in prison and a maximum of life (firearms offense)
    AMRITPAL SINGH, a/k/a “Amrit,” a/k/a “Bal”

    30

    		 Cocaine distribution conspiracy; brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime Minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison (cocaine distribution conspiracy); minimum of seven consecutive years in prison and a maximum of life (firearms offense)
    AMRITPAL SINGH, a/k/a “Cheema”

    26

    		 Cocaine distribution conspiracy; using, carrying, and possessing firearms during and in relation to, or in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime Minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison (cocaine distribution conspiracy); minimum of five consecutive years in prison and a maximum of life (firearms offense)
    TAKDIR SINGH, a/k/a “Romy”

    33

    		 Cocaine distribution conspiracy; using, carrying, and possessing firearms during and in relation to, or in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime Minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison (cocaine distribution conspiracy); minimum of five consecutive years in prison and a maximum of life (firearms offense)
    SARBSIT SINGH, a/k/a “Sabi”

    32

    		 Cocaine distribution conspiracy; using, carrying, and possessing firearms during and in relation to, or in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime Minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison (cocaine distribution conspiracy); minimum of five consecutive years in prison and a maximum of life (firearms offense)
    GURLAL SINGH

    29

    		 Cocaine distribution conspiracy; using, carrying, and possessing firearms during and in relation to, or in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime Minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison (cocaine distribution conspiracy); minimum of five consecutive years in prison and a maximum of life (firearms offense)
    FERNANDO VALLADARES, a/k/a “Franco”

    36

    		 Cocaine distribution conspiracy Minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison

    [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictments and the description of the Indictments set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Columbus Man Sentenced for COVID Fraud

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

    OXFORD, MS – A Columbus man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining a $200,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ramirez Ivy, of Columbus, Mississippi conspired with Lakeith Faulkner, Norman Beckwood and others to each receive $200,000 from the Small Business Administration (SBA) based on a fraudulent loan application.  The loan applications contained fictitious documents and claimed business revenue that did not exist.

    In September 2024, after a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills, the jury found Ivy and Smith guilty on all counts.

    Judge Mills sentenced Ivy to 18 months to be followed by five years supervised release and ordered him to pay $200,000 in restitution to the SBA.

    On January 23, 2025, Felicia L. Smith, Ivy’s co-defendant at the September trial, was sentenced serve six months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release. Smith was ordered to pay $200,000 in restitution to the SBA.

    On December 7, 2022, Faulkner, a former SBA employee, entered a plea of guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On May 24, 2023, U.S. District Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Faulkner to serve sixty-two (62) months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release. Faulkner was also ordered to pay $10,620,452.26 in restitution to the SBA.

    On January 17, 2023, Beckwood entered a plea of guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Beckwood to serve 62 months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release. In addition to prison time, Faulkner was ordered to pay $10,620,452.26 in restitution to the SBA. In connection with his guilty plea, Beckwood also forfeited $700,147.74, a 2018 Mercedez Benz C Class and a 2020 Mercedes Benz G63.

    Thirty (30) other individual borrowers have also been charged in connection with the same scheme.

    “Ramirez Ivy was a law enforcement officer when he deceptively obtained funds that were intended to provide emergency financial relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, and he absolutely knew better than to engage in this type of fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner.  “Today’s sentence should reinforce the fact that the prosecutorial and law enforcement partnership on display in this case will continue until the stolen money is recovered and the perpetrators have been brought to justice.”

    “Abusing a federal program designed to assist Americans in a time of need has, and will continue to be, aggressively investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. What makes this crime even more egregious is that Mr. Ivy was a police officer in a position of public trust,” stated Assistant Inspector General Gary Smith for Investigations for the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. “This sentencing demonstrates our commitment to investigating and bringing to justice anyone who victimizes the American taxpayer. I want to thank TIGTA’s Special Agents, our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their unwavering dedication to this goal.”

    “Today’s sentencing of former police officer, Ramirez Ivy, demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to investigating those who defraud the federal government, no matter their position within the community,” remarked Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff for the FBI Jackson Division. “The FBI, alongside our partners, will continue to investigate and hold individuals accountable, like Mr. Ivy, who commit fraudulent crimes against the U.S. Government.”

    “The abuse of programs designed to assist small businesses is unacceptable. This sentencing underscore the SBA Office of Inspector General’s unwavering commitment to holding fraudsters accountable and ensuring justice is served,” said Sophia Curtis Acting Special Agent in Charge of the SBA OIG’s Central Region.

    This scheme was initially uncovered during a civil investigation, led by the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Harland Webster.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clayton A. Dabbs, Parker S. King and Samuel D. Wright of the Northern District of Mississippi are prosecuting the criminal case.

    The case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Key Member of Drug Distribution Ring Linked to Aryan Prison Gangs Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison

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

    Defendant served as transporter, pill maker, and muscle for the leader of drug distribution cell

    Tacoma – A key member of a drug distribution ring selling fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, and heroin throughout the Puget Sound region was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 14 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy and for possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Michael Slocumb, 46, attempted to evade law enforcement and helped move the drug ring activities to Arizona after the Shelton, Washington, stash house he and his partners operated was raided in December 2022. When law enforcement moved in on the multi-faceted drug conspiracy in March 2023, Slocumb was arrested in his new home in Arizona.

    At today’s sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said about fentanyl pills, “People become addicted to these drugs . . . they end up taking a bad dose and that ends their time on this Earth.” Remarking on Slocumb’s guns, Judge Estudillo said, “The firearms involved here are extremely serious and the types of firearms make me wonder what they may have been used for.”

    According to records filed in the case, in the fall of 2022, Slocumb made multiple trips to Arizona to pick up and transport narcotics to the Shelton stash house. Slocumb used the stash house to manufacture fentanyl pills using two different pill presses. When the stash house property was searched on December 9, 2022, law enforcement

     seized more than 640,000 pills containing fentanyl, as well as a kilogram of fentanyl powder and 12 kilograms of methamphetamine, along with more than $81,000 in cash proceeds from drug trafficking. Slocumb was a key partner for the leader of the drug conspiracy.

    The stash house property also contained 23 firearms, including a shotgun kept where the drugs were stored, and the pills manufactured. In his car, Slocumb kept several firearms including a loaded .40 caliber pistol behind the front seat. In a suitcase in the trunk were a 9mm handgun with a high-capacity magazine and an AR-15 type rifle with a folding shoulder stock and a loaded 115-round drum magazine. Also in the suitcase was a 9mm firearm silencer.

    During this conspiracy, law enforcement intercepted Slocumb and the ringleader Bryson Gill discussing kidnapping a rival drug dealer. Slocumb was surveilling the target’s apartment when law enforcement made a show of being in the vicinity to get Slocumb to leave and ward off any violence.

    Following the stash house raid, Slocumb was heard on the wiretap discussing his plan to move drug operations to Arizona. Slocumb and Gill continued their drug trafficking in Arizona until they were arrested in March 2023. When law enforcement searched the Arizona property, they seized approximately 70 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

    Slocumb pleaded guilty in November 2024 to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    In asking for a 15-year sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court, “Slocumb’s conduct in the drug conspiracy involved massive numbers of firearms, as well as ammunition, firearms accessories, large capacity magazines, and a firearm silencer. It is clear that he played a trusted role in partnership with Gill in not just distributing drugs but acting as an enforcer—he took direction from Gill in picking up guns following a trip to get drugs from the stash house, and on another occasion, he conspired with Gill to kidnap a co-conspirator who was a drug redistributor.”

    Bryson Gill entered a guilty plea February 7, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, and is scheduled for sentencing on May 9, 2025.

    Law enforcement made two dozen arrests on federal charges on March 22, 2023. The coordinated takedown involved ten swat teams and more than 350 law enforcement officers. On that day law enforcement seized 177 firearms, more than ten kilos of methamphetamine, 11 kilos of fentanyl pills and more than a kilo of fentanyl powder, three kilos of heroin, and more than $330,000 in cash from eighteen locations in Washington and Arizona. Earlier in the investigation law enforcement seized 830,000 fentanyl pills, 5.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, 223 pounds of methamphetamine, 3.5 pounds of heroin, 5 pounds of cocaine, $388,000 in cash, and 48 firearms.

    The top-level leader of the drug trafficking ring, Jesse Bailey, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 16, 2025, and his wife and co-conspirator Candace Bailey, is scheduled for sentencing on June 13, 2025.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    This investigation was led by the FBI with critical investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Department of Corrections and significant local assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout this investigation the following agencies assisted the primary investigators: Washington State Patrol, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon, Max Shiner, and Jehiel Baer.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Nurse Practitioner to Forfeit over $40 million from Foreign Accounts for Health Care Fraud, Money Laundering

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Trivikram Reddy, 43, a Waxahachie nurse practitioner previously convicted of wire fraud conspiracy and sentenced to 20 years in 2021, will now forfeit over $40 million from foreign accounts into which he moved the funds, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham.  

    Following Mr. Reddy’s conviction, the government filed a civil forfeiture action alleging that Mr. Reddy and others transferred and laundered the fraud proceeds to nearly 200 bank accounts located in India.  Through forensic financial analysis, the government traced the proceeds to these accounts and obtained seizure warrants to forfeit and restrain the funds.  On Monday, March 3, 2025, after Mr. Reddy and two family members stipulated up to $41,237,703.16 of the funds’ return from India, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown issued a judgment ordering the funds to be transferred to U.S. government custody.  

    According to court documents, Mr. Reddy, a licensed nurse practitioner, devised a scheme to defraud Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, and Cigna.  Mr. Reddy and co-conspirators created false patient bills using the provider numbers of six doctors as the treating physicians on the claims.  All the claims were false, as none of the six doctors provided billable services to any of Mr. Reddy’s medical clinics.  In response to federal agents’ investigative inquiries, Mr. Reddy and his staff manufactured fake medical records in a failed attempt to justify the false claims.  Mr. Reddy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in October 2020.  In May 2021, Judge Brown sentenced Mr. Reddy to 20 years imprisonment and ordered over $50 million in restitution to the victims of his offense.

    The civil forfeiture case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dimitri Rocha.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Beverly Chapman is handling the restitution.  The case was investigated by the FBI Dallas Field office and Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). 
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Inside the FBI: Searching for Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (video statements)

    On this episode of Inside the FBI, we’ll discuss this ongoing case and explain how investigators are working to solve this disappearance, 20 years later. We’ll also get to know who Danielle and Richard were before they vanished and detail how you can help the Bureau figure out what happened to them.
    For a full transcript and additional resources, visit fbi.gov/news/podcasts.

    You can also learn more about Danielle and Rich, as well as view their pictures, at fbi.gov/missing. And if you have any information that could help us solve this case and bring closure to the victims’ families—whether you recall seeing Danielle and Rich at a South Philly bar on February 19, 2005, or spotted the couple or their black 2001 Dodge Dakota truck afterwards—we encourage you to call the FBI Philadelphia Field Office at 215-418-4000.

    The FBI is offering a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in the disappearance of Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone.

    —————————————————
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8UJhm4Qcyo

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

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

    BECKLEY, W.Va. – Leondus Whittenburg, 42, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 6, 2023, Whittenburg sold 320 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in the parking lot of a Beckley business near Eisenhower Drive.

    Whittenburg is scheduled to be sentenced on July 3, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.

    Co-defendant John Gray, 39, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty on September 24, 2024, to distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine and awaits sentencing.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Central Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.

    United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Isabell and Brian D. Parsons are prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-31.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Arrested in San Antonio for Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – A Mexican national was arrested in San Antonio on criminal charges related to his alleged possession of a firearm as an illegal alien.

    According to court documents, during a Feb. 25 traffic stop, Rene Garibay-Robledo presented FBI agents and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers a Mexico ID and allegedly stated he lacked legal status to be in the United States. Additionally, the criminal complaint alleges Garibay-Robledo stated that he had one firearm—a pistol—at his house. During the execution of federal search warrant at Garibay-Robledo’s home,  three handguns, a semi-automatic CZ Scorpion EVO 3, approximately 450 rounds of mixed caliber ammunition, and 6.8 grams of a substance that tested positive for cocaine were seized.

    A review of Department of Homeland Security records revealed Garibay-Robledo entered the U.S. illegally on or about Jan. 1, 1994 near Laredo. Law enforcement databases also confirm a prior theft conviction from December 2000 in California.

    Garibay-Robledo is charged with one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    The FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO) are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Parsons is prosecuting the case.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Miami U.S. Attorney Charges Suspected Tren de Aragua Gang Member with Illegal Possession of Loaded 9 Millimeter Handgun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – A Venezuelan national and suspected member of the violent transnational Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang who used the now-disabled Customs and Border Protection (CBP) One Application to enter the United States in 2023, has been charged with possessing a firearm as an illegal alien – a federal crime. 

    Luis Ernesto Veliz Riera, 23, made his initial appearance yesterday before a magistrate judge in the Southern District of Florida. According to the unsealed criminal complaint affidavit, Veliz Riera was allowed to enter the United States at the Mexico-El Paso, Texas border in February 2023, after appearing for an appointment he booked online through the (now inactive) CBP One Application system. Prior to being shut down on January 20, 2025, the online system allowed undocumented aliens to submit information and schedule appointments at eight southwest United States border ports of entry.

    On the day he entered, CBP presented Veliz Riera with a Notice to Appear for a hearing before an immigration judge in Las Vegas, Nevada – where he told officials he was headed. According to the affidavit, Veliz-Ruiz skipped his immigration hearing and stayed in El Paso, waiting for his girlfriend (also a Venezuelan national) to illegally cross from Mexico into the United States in April-May 2023. The couple traveled together from El Paso to Chicago – to New York City – and finally to Homestead, Florida. On April 30, 2024, an immigration judge entered an order to remove Veliz Riera from the United States after he failed to appear in immigration court or otherwise report to immigration authorities.  

    On October 17, 2024, in connection with an investigation into potential TdA illegal activity, local law enforcement stopped a car that Veliz Riera was driving. Records and other checks showed that Veliz Riera was wanted on an open state crime warrant and that he was in the country illegally. Further investigation showed that, despite his illegal status, Veliz Ruiz kept a Taurus, PT609 Pro 9mm, semi-automatic handgun with a 30-round magazine inside the Homestead hotel room he shared with his girlfriend and that he had loaded the gun earlier that day, says the affidavit. 

    On October, 17, 2024, Veliz Ruiz was arrested on state charges.

    On November 16, 2024, based on his illegal status, Veliz Riera went into immigration detention where he was released into the community on electronic monitoring.  

    On February 3, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) administratively arrested Veliz Riera to reexamine the decision to release him from immigration detention.

    On February 14, 2025, Miami federal prosecutors charged Veliz Riera with one count of possessing a firearm as an illegal alien, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5)(A). During his initial appearance in federal court today, Veliz Riera agreed to remain in Bureau of Prisons custody pending trial.

    United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

    HSI-Miami’s Fort Lauderdale office is investigating the case. HSI federal task force officers from Homestead Police Department, City of Miami Police Department, Sweetwater Police Department, and Broward Sheriff’s Office assisted, as did United States Border Patrol-Dania Beach Station, ATF Miami, ICE-ERO Miami, and FBI Miami.

    Assistant United States Attorney Kseniya Smychkouskaya is prosecuting the case.

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

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-mj-02303.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, FBI arrest high-ranking MS-13 leader who controlled gang activities in US, Mexico, Europe

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BALTIMORE — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI apprehended an illegal Salvadoran alien charged in his home country with possession of firearm, extorsion and terrorist affiliation when officers arrested David Alejandro Orellana-Aleman, 27, in Hyattsville, Maryland, Feb. 27.

    “The apprehension of David Alejandro Orellana-Aleman strikes a significant blow to the leadership and organization of the MS-13 terrorist organization,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Field Office Director Matthew Elliston. “This arrest speaks volumes about the cooperation enjoyed between ICE and the FBI. We will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing illegal alien offenders from our communities.”

    Orellana is a high-ranking leader in the MS-13 transnational terrorist organization and controlled the operation of MS-13 cliques in the United States, Mexico, and Europe.

    “Maryland is immediately safer because of this arrest. Working together, we took custody of one of the highest-ranking gang members in the United States,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno. “David Alejandro Orellana-Aleman is no longer in his alleged position of power directing violence. His arrest demonstrates the success we can have when we collectively investigate and disrupt violent criminals seeking to exploit our communities.”

    Authorities in El Salvador arrested Orellana Dec. 1, 2016, and charged him for possession of a firearm, extorsion and terrorist affiliation as a documented member of MS-13.

    Orellana illegally entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location, and without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

    The Prince George’s County Police Department arrested Orellana Dec. 9, 2024, and charged him for driving without a license.

    Orellana remains in ICE custody following his arrest.

    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 Maryland communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROBaltimore.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: SIOS High Availability Software Now Validated for Cimcor’s CimTrak Integrity Suite

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN MATEO, Calif., March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SIOS Technology Corp., a leading provider of application high availability (HA) and disaster recovery (DR) solutions, today announced that SIOS LifeKeeper and SIOS DataKeeper clustering software have been validated for use with Cimcor’s cybersecurity solution, the CimTrak Integrity Suite. This collaboration allows Cimcor customers to seamlessly integrate high availability and disaster recovery into their CimTrak environments, ensuring continuous protection against cyber threats and minimizing downtime in critical cybersecurity operations.

    SIOS LifeKeeper is a high availability solution that ensures critical applications are always available, automatically detecting failures and initiating failover to standby systems to maintain uninterrupted service. SIOS DataKeeper offers synchronous data replication, ensuring that data is consistently mirrored across multiple servers for fast recovery in case of server failure. Together, these solutions provide comprehensive protection for business-critical applications like CimTrak, helping organizations minimize the risk of downtime and data loss while maintaining secure, highly available systems.

    CimTrak is the industry’s leading System Integrity Assurance platform that provides real-time monitoring and protection of critical IT assets – from servers and networks to cloud configurations, containers, databases, and industrial control systems. Its patented real-time detection technology lets CimTrak instantly detect and remediate unwanted and unexpected changes across your infrastructure while maintaining system integrity. The platform helps organizations strengthen their security posture, maintain continuous compliance, and protect against external and internal threats through automated workflows and comprehensive change management.

    “We’re excited to strengthen our partnership with Cimcor and offer SIOS high availability and disaster recovery solutions for their CimTrak customers,” said Masahiro Arai, COO of SIOS Technology. “As cybersecurity becomes even more critical for organizations worldwide, SIOS is committed to helping our joint customers achieve the highest levels of resilience and uptime, ensuring that their security systems remain operational and effective against evolving threats.”

    “Our collaboration with SIOS brings their proven high availability and disaster recovery solutions to our CimTrak customers,” said Robert E. Johnson, III, President and CEO of Cimcor. “As organizations work to protect increasingly large and complex infrastructures, ensuring cybersecurity resilience is more critical than ever. This partnership provides a seamless and reliable HA/DR solution, helping our joint customers stay secure, operational, and prepared for unexpected disruptions.”

    About SIOS Technology Corp.

    SIOS Technology Corp. high availability and disaster recovery solutions ensure availability and eliminate data loss for critical Windows and Linux applications operating across physical, virtual, cloud, and hybrid cloud environments. SIOS clustering software is essential for any IT infrastructure with applications requiring a high degree of resiliency, ensuring uptime without sacrificing performance or data – protecting businesses from local failures and regional outages, planned and unplanned. Founded in 1999, SIOS Technology Corp. (https://us.sios.com) is headquartered in San Mateo, California, with offices worldwide.

    SIOS, SIOS Technology, SIOS DataKeeper, SIOS LifeKeeper and associated logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of SIOS Technology Corp. and/or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

    Media Contact:

    Beth Winkowski
    Winkowski Public Relations, LLC for SIOS
    978-649-7189
    bethwinkowski@US.SIOS.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Senate Judiciary Democrats Press Justice Department On Diversion Of Law Enforcement To Purported Immigration Enforcement Initiative

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    March 03, 2025

    Under the guise of “enhanced immigration enforcement efforts,” Donald Trump and Pam Bondi continue to weaken the Department’s national security and public safety capabilities by reallocating vital resources, reassigning career officials, and purging longtime civil servants

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led all Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in pressing Attorney General Pam Bondi on her reallocation of resources from mission-critical Department of Justice (DOJ) projects to purported “immigration enforcement initiatives.”

    The Justice Department recently issued a directive to take legal action against so-called “sanctuary cities,” demanded an increase in immigration-related prosecutions, and reallocated resources away from critical national security and public safety efforts. The Senators request that Attorney General Bondi rescind this memo.

    The Senators begin by summarizing how the directive undermines our country’s national security and public safety capabilities, writing: “We are alarmed at recent changes within the Department of Justice (DOJ) that have significantly destabilized the agency and made America less safe. The shortsighted removal or reassignment of senior career DOJ and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials with national security expertise have diminished the country’s ability to respond to national security or public safety threats. We ask that you rescind the January 21, 2025, Memorandum and reverse any personnel decisions that diverted resources away from the Department’s critical national security and public safety missions.”

    The Senators then criticize the January 21, 2025, memo’s broad directive to divert resources away from vital law enforcement activities to vague immigration enforcement efforts, writing: “We are deeply disturbed that the Department is redirecting resources from the prosecution of violent crimes to the pursuit of dubious claims against so-called ‘sanctuary’ jurisdictions. Multiple studies have shown that localities that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement do not have higher crime rates.  Reassigning law enforcement officers to ill-defined immigration-focused initiatives, for which they have no expertise, and instructing prosecutors to investigate and potentially pursue charges against sanctuary jurisdictions will not successfully target those who pose an actual threat to public safety. These reassignments drain law enforcement resources from critical missions and create an experience and leadership vacuum in our national security, counterintelligence, and public safety apparatus.”

    The brain drain of the Department’s senior expertise is so severe that all the career officials who attended the daily threats session for years have been removed from their positions, per public reporting. A large number of officials have been reassigned to a newly created “Sanctuary City Enforcement Working Group,” despite the attorneys having no experience in immigration law and the group having no enforcement or litigation authority, which led to forced multiple resignations by veteran attorneys.

    Other reported efforts underway reallocate valuable government resources from critical missions to immigration enforcement matters, including from efforts to fight transnational-organized crime, violent crime, drug trafficking, and terrorism.

    The Senators then outline the disruption caused by the resource reallocation, writing: “The sweeping changes to personnel assignments and resource allocation across DOJ will lead to widespread disruption and delay in prosecutions, investigations, and sensitive operations… It is irresponsible and dangerous to divert DOJ and FBI law enforcement officials from their primary missions and areas of expertise to bolster the Trump Administration’s mass deportation effort.”

    The Senators conclude with a request to rescind the January 21, 2025, memo, before making a series of information requests with a deadline of March 17, 2025, writing: “DOJ’s extensive focus on immigration enforcement, to the detriment of other vital national security and public safety priorities, intentionally diverts the Department’s resources and will fail to actually move the needle on immigration enforcement. Personnel at DOJ, the FBI, and other component agencies are now limited in their ability to combat threats to public safety and national security, and a dedicated and talented workforce is facing a crisis of morale. To that end, we ask that you rescind the January 21, 2025, Memorandum and reverse any personnel decisions that diverted resources away from critical national security and public safety missions.”

    In addition to Durbin, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Alex Padilla (D-CA).

    For a PDF copy of the letter sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi, click here.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, FBI arrest high-ranking MS-13 leader who controlled gang activities in U.S., Mexico, Europe

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BALTIMORE — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI apprehended an illegal Salvadoran alien charged in his home country with possession of firearm, extorsion and terrorist affiliation when officers arrested David Alejandro Orellana-Aleman, 27, in Hyattsville, Maryland, Feb. 27.

    “The apprehension of David Alejandro Orellana-Aleman strikes a significant blow to the leadership and organization of the MS-13 terrorist organization,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Field Office Director Matthew Elliston. “This arrest speaks volumes about the cooperation enjoyed between ICE and the FBI. We will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing illegal alien offenders from our communities.”

    Orellana is a high-ranking leader in the MS-13 transnational terrorist organization and controlled the operation of MS-13 cliques in the United States, Mexico, and Europe.

    “Maryland is immediately safer because of this arrest. Working together, we took custody of one of the highest-ranking gang members in the United States,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno. “David Alejandro Orellana-Aleman is no longer in his alleged position of power directing violence. His arrest demonstrates the success we can have when we collectively investigate and disrupt violent criminals seeking to exploit our communities.”

    Authorities in El Salvador arrested Orellana Dec. 1, 2016, and charged him for possession of a firearm, extorsion and terrorist affiliation as a documented member of MS-13.

    Orellana illegally entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location, and without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

    The Prince George’s County Police Department arrested Orellana Dec. 9, 2024, and charged him for driving without a license.

    Orellana remains in ICE custody following his arrest.

    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 Maryland communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROBaltimore.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Joseph Sanberg, Co-Founder of Aspiration Partners, Arrested for Conspiring to Defraud an Investment Fund of at Least $145 Million

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SANTA ANA, California – Joseph Neal Sanberg, 45, of Orange, the co-founder and largest shareholder of the financial and sustainability services company Aspiration Partners, Inc., was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint alleging that he conspired to defraud two investor funds of at least $145 million.

    Sanberg’s coconspirator, Ibrahim Ameen AlHusseini, 51, of Venice, pleaded guilty today to an information charging him with wire fraud for falsifying documents and information to assist Sanberg. According to his plea agreement, signed on February 7, 2025, and unsealed today, AlHusseini personally received approximately $12.3 million in payments from the scheme. AlHusseini is scheduled for sentencing on September 29, 2025. 

    Sanberg is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana. AlHusseini was arrested on a criminal complaint on October 7, 2024, and has been released on bond since November 13, 2024. That criminal complaint was previously dismissed against AlHusseini to facilitate his cooperation in the prosecution of others, including Sanberg.

    “Our prosecutors and law enforcement partners have worked methodically to secure a guilty plea from one of the main offenders in this case and have now charged another member of the conspiracy,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “We will continue to ensure that markets and businesses receive an honest and level playing field in which to operate.”

    According to the complaint against Sanberg and AlHusseini’s plea agreement, Sanberg obtained $145 million in loans secured by AlHusseini, who Sanberg knew did not have sufficient financial assets to cover those loans if Sanberg defaulted.  Sanberg hid this fact from investors, then defaulted on the loans, which resulted in at least a $145 million in losses.

    In January 2020, Sanberg began negotiating a $55 million loan from Investor Fund A to Sanberg, in which Sanberg pledged 10.3 million shares of Aspiration Partners stock as collateral. Because Aspiration Partners was a non-public company without a liquid market to sell its stock, Investor Fund A required Sanberg to find a buyer for the 10.3 million shares of Aspiration Partners stock as a hedge against the risk that the shares could not be sold on the open market.

    To secure the $55 million loan, Sanberg recruited AlHusseini, who served on Aspiration Partners’ board of directors, to enter into a put option agreement with Investor Fund A that obligated AlHusseini to buy the 10.3 million shares of Aspiration Partners stock in the event of Sanberg’s default. A put option is an investment contract in which the option buyer has the right to require the option seller to buy an asset from the option buyer at a pre-determined price. Under the option, AlHusseini was obligated to purchase the 10.3 million shares in Aspiration Partners for $55 million from Investor Fund A.

    Aware that AlHusseini lacked sufficient assets to cover the put option obligation, as required by the deal, Sanberg and AlHusseini hid that fact and lied to Investor Fund A, court documents state. Among other things, Sanberg and AlHusseini enlisted a graphic designer in Lebanon to create fake brokerage account and bank account statements that falsely inflated AlHusseini’s financial assets by between approximately $80 million and $200 million.

    Unaware of the fraud, Investor Fund A extended the $55 million loan to Sanberg and purchased the put option from AlHusseini. AlHusseini received approximately $6 million of the $55 million loan at the time of the loan’s execution as consideration (also known as a “premium payment”) for guaranteeing Sanberg’s repayment of the loan.

    Unsealed court documents also state that, in November 2021, Sanberg refinanced the $55 million loan against his 10.3 million shares of Aspiration Partners stock with Investor Fund B. Investor Fund B loaned $145 million to Sanberg against the same 10.3 million shares of stock as collateral. Investor Fund B and AlHusseini agreed to a new put option agreement in which AlHusseini was obligated to pay $65 million to Investor Fund B if Sanberg defaulted on the $145 million loan. The terms of the agreement required AlHusseini to have sufficient assets to pay $65 million in the event of Sanberg’s default.

    Because AlHusseini lacked sufficient assets to cover his obligation, Sanberg and AlHusseini again submitted falsified brokerage account and bank account statements to Investor Fund B to secure the $145 million loan. AlHusseini received a premium payment of approximately $6.3 million as consideration for guaranteeing Sanberg’s repayment of the refinanced loan.

    Sanberg thereafter defaulted on the $145 million loan in November 2022 and again in the spring of 2023. Investor Fund B exercised its put option requiring AlHusseini to buy the pledged shares of Aspiration Partners stock, which he has not done. As a result of Sanberg and AlHusseini’s fraud, Investor Fund B has suffered at least $145 million in losses.

    Investor Fund A and Investor Fund B are investment funds that loaned investors’ capital to high-net-worth borrowers. 

    A criminal complaint contains allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    If convicted of the charge in the complaint, Sanberg would face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. AlHusseini faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

    The FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case. 

    Assistant United States Attorneys Brett A. Sagel, Nisha Chandran, and Jenna Williams of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force, along with Theodore M. Kneller and Adam L.D. Stempel for the Fraud Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, are prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Gladwyne Entrepreneur Pleads Guilty to Bilking Dozens of Investors, Employees, and Business Partners Out of Millions of Dollars

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that Josh S. Verne, 47, formerly of Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, now a resident of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge John F. Murphy to three counts of securities fraud, nine counts of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft, charges arising from a series of schemes through which the defendant defrauded dozens of investors, prospective investors, employees, and business partners out of millions of dollars.

    Verne was charged by indictment in August of last year with carrying out the schemes, which took place from in or about 2017 to 2020.

    As detailed in the indictment and admitted by the defendant during today’s guilty plea hearing, Verne held himself out as a wealthy and successful businessman, entrepreneur, and investor, carrying out his fraudulent activities through a series of limited liability companies, of which he was the chief executive and over which he maintained control.

    Among other things, Verne falsely represented his prior business successes, falsely represented his personal net worth, falsely represented his own investments, and falsely represented the financial health of his companies and investments, in order to induce others to invest in or provide loans to him or his companies.

    For instance, Verne admitted to providing an investor with a forged Goldman Sachs statement that showed family investment holdings for Verne of more than $50 million, when, in fact, Verne did not have an investment account at Goldman Sachs in his own name or in his family’s names, much less an account with a market value of more than $50 million.

    Verne also misused business and investor funds to repay prior debts and to finance an affluent lifestyle he could not afford, such as personal expenses related to renovations to his showcase vacation property on the Jersey shore, travel on private jets, contributions to political candidates, personal charitable contributions, and country club payments.

    The defendant admitted that, in order to delay and prevent discovery by law enforcement of his own misconduct, he later sent bank and FedEx confirmations purporting to confirm delivery of funds to investors to whom he had promised repayment; the bank and FedEx confirmations were false and fraudulent.

    Further, Verne stole the identity of a former employee from his company, forging the employee’s signature on a sales agreement to disguise an unauthorized sale of the employee’s shares of stock. Verne obtained $150,000 from the unauthorized sale and used those funds to make payments to himself and to a prior investor.

    The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13 and faces a maximum possible sentence of 242 years’ imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum of two years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $17,500,000 fine, and a $1,300 special assessment. Full restitution also shall be ordered.

    The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul G. Shapiro and Jerome M. Maiatico. The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Philadelphia Regional Office investigated civil securities fraud charges against Verne, which are pending.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Hapeville Police Officer Charged with Excessively Tasing Detainee

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ATLANTA – Shevoy Brown, a former officer with the Hapeville (GA) Police Department, has been arraigned on charges of using unreasonable force by repeatedly tasing a handcuffed detainee who had been arrested for trespassing.                                                                                                                                     

    “Our local law enforcement partners employ dedicated officers who risk their lives and safety every day to help make our district safer.  This indictment alleges conduct by a former officer that runs counter to the culture of professionalism and public service that epitomizes the work performed by police officers in and outside our district,” said Acting United States Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr.

    “People being held under arrest have the right to be treated humanely,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to protect the civil rights of the public and ensure those who abuse their power are held responsible.”

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the indictment, information provided in court, and other publicly available information: On June 3, 2024, Hapeville, Georgia Police Department officers arrested a man for trespassing and transported him to the department’s headquarters.  The man was placed alone in a small holding cell and handcuffed to a stationary bench.  Although the detainee was a threat to no one, former Hapeville Police Officer Shevoy Brown allegedly tased him at least six times without any legal justification. The repeated tasing injured the detainee and required medical attention.  Following the tasing, Brown allegedly wrote a false use of force report to cover up his conduct.  So in addition to the offense of excessive force, Brown is also charged with obstruction of justice.

    Shevoy Brown, of Hampton, Georgia, was arraigned before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard.  He was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 12, 2025.

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

    This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Brent Alan Gray and Bret R. Hobson are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters Reintroduces Bipartisan Legislation to Equip Female DHS Officers with Next Generation Body Armor Technology

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    Published: 02.25.2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, reintroduced bipartisan legislation to provide next generation body armor tailored to best meet the coverage, fit, and functionality needs of female law enforcement personnel at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Recent ballistic testing by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identified that body armor typically used by DHS officers can allow bullets to deflect off the chest of the armor and hit the throat area, leaving female officers vulnerable. The bill would require all agencies under DHS to provide law enforcement personnel with appropriately fitting improved ballistic body armor, ensuring that DHS can better protect all personnel.   
    “The dedicated officers serving in DHS law enforcement roles deserve nothing less than the most effective protective equipment available,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan legislation addresses a safety gap that puts our officers at unnecessary risk. By ensuring access to properly fitted body armor that meets the highest safety standards, we’re fulfilling our duty to protect those who protect us.” 
    In 2022, the FBI conducted ballistic testing using updated procedures and improved body molds that accounted for different body types. The testing found that the commonly used body armor, when tested on a female mold was vulnerable to a bullet, or other projectile, ricocheting off the top center of the front armor panel and into the throat area, which could kill an officer. Since the testing, improved ballistic body armor has been created and is available. This legislation would address the demonstrated safety risks identified in FBI testing and ensure that all DHS law enforcement officers have access to potentially life-saving protection.  
    The bipartisan DHS Better Ballistic Body Armor Act would require all agencies under DHS to provide all their law enforcement personnel, particularly female law enforcement officers, with improved ballistic body armor to better protect them in the line of duty.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican Customs Worker Guilty in Stolen Vehicle Conspiracy

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

    McALLEN, Texas – A 33-year-old former member of the Mexican National Guard has entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to defraud the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Luis Enrique Guzman Pablo was assigned to work at customs in Matamoros, Mexico. As part of his official duties, he would inspect and observe vehicles departing the United States to Mexico. 

    From May to July of 2024, Pablo facilitated the entry of stolen vehicles into Mexico in exchange for compensation.

    As part of the scheme, co-conspirators would provide Pablo a description of the vehicle to be exported. He would then ensure the stolen vehicle would pass through the inspection process without being denied entry into Mexico.

    In one instance in May 2024, Pablo assisted co-conspirators with the exportation of a stolen Chevrolet Trailblazer that was exported via the Veteran’s International Bridge in Brownsville to Matamoros in exchange for payment.

    “No matter what side of the border or what country they represent, we expect all authorities to do their duties and respect the law,” said Ganjei. “Pablo abused his position in order to enrich himself, and The Southern District of Texas will continue to ensure those like him face the appropriate consequences.”

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane will impose sentencing May 13. At that time, Pablo up to five years in prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    Pablo has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

    Homeland Security Investigations and FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection and the Fiscalia General de la Republica in Mexico.

    This case is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roberto Lopez Jr. and Sarina D. DiPiazza are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –