NewzIntel.com

Category: Finance

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fresno Man Sentenced for Embezzling More Than $1.5 Million From His Employer in Nearly Decade-Long Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    FRESNO, Calif. — Gabriel Ruiz De Chavez, 47, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to two years and nine months in prison for a multiyear embezzlement scheme and ordered to pay over $1.5 million in restitution, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

    In July 2024, Ruiz De Chavez pleaded guilty to wire fraud. According to court documents, from 2004 to 2020, Ruiz De Chavez worked as an operations manager for a Fresno-based trucking company. Between 2012 and 2019, Ruiz De Chavez used his position to generate fake invoices, purportedly created by genuine vendors for goods and services. He presented these fake invoices and corresponding checks made out to the real vendors with his employer’s signature. He would then deposit the checks into his own personal bank account.

    Once in his personal bank account, Ruiz De Chavez used the funds to pay for personal expenses including credit card payments, cash withdrawals, mortgage payments, vacations, and car loans. He was able to continue the scheme without notice because of the trusted position he held at the company. Ruiz De Chavez created more than 600 fake invoices and checks, causing $1,561,000 to be transferred into his account from his employer.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Madera Pharmacist Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Illegally Trafficking Hundreds of Thousands of Opiate Pills

    Source: US FBI

    FRESNO, Calif. — Ifeanyi Vincent Ntukogu, 49, of Fresno, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison for illegally distributing oxycodone and hydrocodone, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

    Ntukogu was a pharmacist in Madera who dispensed more than 450,000 oxycodone and hydrocodone pills based on fraudulent prescriptions, all in exchange for cash.

    “This defendant displayed a blatant disregard for public safety and the law,” U.S. Attorney Talbert said. “It took the effort of agents, investigators, undercover officers, and medical professionals to bring an end to this illicit prescription-writing racket. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue our pursuit of those who fuel the opioid epidemic for their own personal benefit.”

    “As a licensed pharmacist, Mr. Ntukogu was trusted to dispense medications safely, supporting positive health outcomes. He intentionally exploited his trusted role, dispensing hundreds of thousands of fraudulently prescribed oxycodone and hydrocodone pills, knowing his greed-fueled actions would put opioids in the hands of drug dealers and could cause grave harm to the public. Working closely with our state and federal law enforcement partners, we dismantled this operation and held those who chose profit over public safety accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel, who leads the FBI Sacramento field office.

    “Ntukogo thought he could outsmart the system by rejecting red flag prescriptions all while conducting drug deals on the side for cash. His illicit scheme led to the distribution of nearly half a million highly addictive opioids in Tennessee, Texas and beyond; fueling the fire of prescription drug misuse and endangering American lives,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris. “This lengthy sentence underscores the serious consequences for medical practitioners who place profits above people. DEA will continue to work with our counterparts to investigate, arrest and prosecute individuals who abuse their positions and threaten public safety.”

    According to court records, from December 2014 through November 2018, Ntukogu dispensed more than 450,000 oxycodone and hydrocodone pills based on fraudulent prescriptions delivered to him by his co-conspirators and co-defendants in the case, Kelo White and Donald Pierre. The prescriptions were from more than 10 different physicians whose signatures were forged.

    Ntukogu reviewed each prescription and rejected the ones that he believed regulators may deem suspicious. For example, he rejected prescriptions that were supposedly written by certain doctors or that were written for individuals who were having prescriptions filled at other pharmacies because he believed those prescriptions may raise red flags.

    Ntukogu dispensed the pills through his New Life Pharmacy in Madera. Upon doing so, he required cash payments from White and Pierre and increased the price that he charged over time. White and Pierre then illegally sold the pills in Tennessee, Texas, and elsewhere.

    Ntukogu received hundreds of thousands of dollars for his participation in the scheme. His sentence was also enhanced because he used his special skills as a pharmacist to help commit the crime.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the California Department of Health Care Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Antonio Pataca and Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.

    The case was investigated under the DOJ’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

    This case was also part of the DOJ’s Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), which is a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers.

    White is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 24, 2025. He faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

    Pierre, the remaining defendant in the case, was previously convicted and sentenced to nine years and four months in prison.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Sacramento Offers 25 Tips to Defend Against Cyber Crime This Holiday Season

    Source: US FBI

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Sacramento Field Office is providing 25 tips to help residents of Northern and Central California stay safe while navigating the online environment this holiday season. The internet conveniently puts the world at our fingertips, but that connectivity can leave us vulnerable to cybercriminals who develop schemes to steal our money.

    “Every person should be aware of how cybercriminals are targeting the American public and have a good defensive plan to stay safe while online,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Our goal is to empower the public to thwart cybercriminals’ attempts but we also encourage the public to get more information and report cybercrime to ic3.gov.”

    In 2023, The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 880,418 complaints, with potential losses exceeding $12.5 billion. This is a nearly 10% increase in complaints received and represents a 22% increase in losses as compared to 2022.

    Awareness and prevention are essential for a good defense against cybercriminals. To keep your holidays happy, the following 25 tips will help you and your family defend against cyber criminals:

    1) There is no substitute for password security. Use unique, complex passwords for each account – using a password management tool, when possible – and secure accounts with multi-factor authentication, when available.

    2) If you receive a device with a factory-set password for the holidays, reset the password with a unique, complex password.

    3) Never store your credit card info online. The convenience is not worth potential compromise of your account.

    4) Scrutinize all URL addresses and email addresses. Criminals often use addresses that are close to legitimate accounts to confuse potential victims.

    5) Ignore unsolicited emails, texts, and calls. Criminals spam multiple accounts and numbers in the hope of hooking victims. When in doubt, contact the known, legitimate creditor, business, bank, or shipper using the numbers on your statements or official websites. Do not call numbers offered during unsolicited communication.

    6) Never post travel plans or photos of tickets online. These posts offer information about your absence from your home and criminals can steal information from the bar codes of tickets. Post comments and photos when you get home.

    7) Cross-check charities prior to donating. To ensure your money serves people truly in need and not someone taking advantage of your goodwill, ensure the charity is a registered nonprofit organization.

    8) Be careful what you click. Clicks can initiate downloads of malware or send you to a false website.

    9) Be cautious about what you download. Some apps may provide a criminal with more access to your device than you may realize.

    10) Beware of too good to be true offers on hard-to-find goods on unfamiliar sites. These sites may be interested in your credit card information, not your business.

    11) Do not buy animals online from distant, unregistered breeders. Cross-check the breeder’s information with breeders’ associations to determine legitimacy. The animal you may think you are purchasing may not exist and may never be delivered.

    12) Never make a large purchase for delivery such as a vehicle sight-unseen on the internet. Criminals may make false claims about a vehicle that may not exist and its alleged delivery to steal your money.

    13) Beware of purchasing online vouchers, gift cards, and tickets through social media or third-party auction sites.

    14) When purchasing gift cards from a rack, carefully inspect the gift card to ensure it has not been tampered with in any way.

    15) Be cautious of work-from-home or secret shopper job offers. In some cases, criminals are using these offers to steal your personal information or trick you into making gift card or banking transactions.

    16) Beware of remote money management jobs that involve receiving and redistributing funds. You may be an unwitting participant in a criminal scheme, acting as a money mule.

    17) Completing a transaction with a gift card is like completing it with cash. It is untraceable, unsecured, and cannot be recovered. Beware of anyone who asks you to obtain gift cards to complete a transaction or pay a fee.

    18) When dating online, never send money to anyone you have not met in real life for any reason. Criminals often leverage dating sites to exploit well-meaning but vulnerable victims.

    19) Be cautious with cryptocurrency investment schemes, especially those requiring an application download promoted by someone you recently met.

    20) Beware of individuals who claim to be located overseas and need your assistance with sending or receiving money on their behalf.

    21) Ignore pop-up messages or unsolicited phone calls from individuals purporting to be law enforcement or tech support. Do not give anyone remote access to your computer.

    22) Locking your credit is free and can prevent someone from opening a credit account in your name without your knowledge.

    23) Always hang up on calls purporting to be law enforcement that involves any form of financial transaction. Law enforcement will not demand fines to be paid over the phone or for you to open accounts to transfer money into.

    24) Scrutinize social media posts before sharing them. Your post may legitimize a criminal’s fake charity or business post for your network.

    25) Always report suspected scams to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov.

    The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) provides a portal for reporting cybercrime, offers public service announcements regarding current cybercrime concerns, and collects data regarding cybercrime. When the individual complaints are combined with other data, the FBI connects complaints, investigates reported crimes, tracks trends and threats, and, in some cases, even freezes stolen funds. The IC3 also shares reports of crime throughout its vast network of FBI field offices and law enforcement partners.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Charged in $1.49 Million Scam Involving Bitcoin ATM Deposits and Bulk Gold Purchases; Victim is Retiree who Lost Life Savings

    Source: US FBI

    NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – April 18, 2024

    SAN DIEGO – Xilin Sun made his first appearance in federal court today to face charges that he participated in a multinational fraud conspiracy that targeted a 70-year-old retiree from Carlsbad who was tricked into handing over $1.335 million. 

    According to the complaint, the San Diego Elder Justice Task Force learned of the fraud scheme after the victim reported to Carlsbad police that she was duped over a period of months by fraudsters posing as government, bank and tech-support employees. Specifically, she said she was using her computer when a pop-up window appeared, advising her to call for help because her computer had been hacked.

    When she made the call, she was transferred through a series of co-conspirators pretending to work in tech support who told her to download software on her computer. She was also told her personal identifying and bank account information were compromised and was subsequently referred to co-conspirators posing as employees from her financial institutions. The victim was then told she needed to “secure” her assets. At the direction of someone posing as a bank employee, she deposited approximately $55,700 into Bitcoin ATMs located in North County San Diego.

    The complaint further describes how once the scammers discovered the victim had substantial savings, they convinced her she could safeguard her funds by obtaining gold bars and sending them to the U.S. treasury, which would create a locker under her name. Over the course of two months, the victim sent approximately $1,335,000 via three separate wire transfers to a precious metal business located in San Marcos, California. Once each of the wire transfers were completed, the victim was instructed to pick up the purchased precious metals—consisting of mostly gold—and to package them. The victim was then directed to hand the package over to an individual under the false pretense that it was being “secured” for safekeeping. In reality, the victim was scammed out of her life savings. 

    According to the complaint, in February 2024, the scammers reached out to the victim yet again and instructed her to purchase $100,000 worth of additional gold. This time, however, the victim contacted the FBI, which set up a controlled delivery of a package made to look like it contained $100,000 in gold.   

    The complaint described how the victim met with one of the conspirators outside a bank in Carlsbad. After handing the package to the conspirator, task force agents followed the first conspirator, who traveled approximately two miles before handing the package to a second conspirator, later identified as defendant Xilin Sun. 

    Sun was stopped by the California Highway Patrol, the complaint said. In Sun’s vehicle, investigators located the fake gold package and the victim’s receipt. Agents also located additional evidence linking Sun to the victim, including photos of the fake gold the victim had sent to the conspirators over the phone, a copy of an invoice, and the receipt for the gold.

    “If you think you may have been scammed, report it immediately,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “These schemes are organized by sophisticated global networks with the ability to fool even the most savvy computer users. But if victims report quickly, we have a better chance of catching the scammers and retrieving stolen money.”

    “Thousands of people fall victim to elder fraud every year. Many do not report the fraud because they are embarrassed or afraid; however, the best course of action is to report scams as early as possible,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge John Kim. “The San Diego Elder Justice Task Force is dedicated to relentlessly pursuing criminals who prey on innocent individuals for personal gain.”

    This case was investigated by the San Diego Elder Justice Task Force and its member agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, Carlsbad Police Department, San Diego Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol.

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). You can also report fraud to any local law enforcement agency or on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

    The FBI requests victims report:

    • The name of the person or company that contacted you.
    • Methods of communication used, including websites, emails, and telephone numbers.
    • Any bank account number(s) to which you wired funds and the recipient name(s).
    • The name and location of the metal dealer company and the account to which you wired funds, if you were instructed to buy precious metals.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari.

    DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 24MJ1502-BLM                               

    Xilin Sun                                                         Age: 35                                   Ontario, California

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349

    Criminal Forfeiture – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 981(a)(1)(C), 982(a)(2)(A), and Title 28, U.S.C., Section 2461(c)

    Maximum Penalties: Thirty years in prison; $1 million fine

    AGENCIES

    Federal Bureau of Investigation

    San Diego Elder Justice Task Force

    Carlsbad Police Department

    California Highway Patrol

    San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
    San Diego Police Department

    *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: High-Ranking MS-13 Leader Arraigned on Terrorism Indictment

    Source: US FBI

    Defendant Directed MS-13’s Transnational Criminal Operations and Coordinated Criminal Activity in the United States

    Earlier today, Fredy Ivan Jandres-Parada, also known as “Lucky de Park View” and “Lacky de Park View,” a high-ranking leader of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, was arraigned at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York by United States Magistrate Judge Steven L. Tiscione.  Jandres-Parada and 13 other high-ranking MS-13 leaders were indicted in December 2020 on terrorism offenses relating to their direction of the transnational criminal organization’s criminal activities in the United States, El Salvador, Mexico and elsewhere over the past two decades.  Specifically, Jandres-Parada is charged with conspiracy to provide and conceal material support to terrorists, conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, conspiracy to finance terrorism and narco-terrorism conspiracy.  For more than three years, Jandres-Parada was a fugitive, but he was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) earlier this month and made an initial appearance in federal court in the Southern District of California, where he was ordered to be transferred in custody to the Eastern District of New York.

    Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY); Mehtab Syed, Acting Assistant Director-in-Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office; and Ivan J. Arvelo, Special Agent-in-Charge, HSI’s New York Field Office announced Jandres-Parada’s arrest and arraignment.

    “As alleged, Jandres-Parada, a high-ranking leader in MS-13, engaged in drug trafficking, public and private displays of violence, and terrorism — all in pursuit of power for the organization,” said United States Attorney Peace.   “This arrest is a monumental achievement for our Office and international partners, highlighting our dedication to dismantling MS-13 and their reign of terror wherever they hide.”

    Mr. Peace expressed his thanks to the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office and Criminal Investigative Division’s Safe Streets Gang Unit, and HSI’s National Gangs and Violent Crime Unit and New York Field Office for spearheading the MS-13 leadership investigations.  Additionally, he thanked the FBI Legal Attachés in Mexico City and San Salvador, FBI and HSI’s San Diego Field Offices, HSI Attaché Mexico City and Assistant Attaché Tijuana, USMS Legal Attaché in Mexico City and the United States Customs and Border Protection Officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry for the critical support provided in connection with the arrest, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the United States Marshals Service for the Southern District of California for coordinating the defendant’s initial appearance in San Diego.  Mr. Peace also thanked the numerous Department of Justice components that contributed to this indictment, including the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Executive Office.

    “The arrest of Jandres Parada demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to protecting the American public by proactively targeting MS-13’s highest ranking leaders in order to dismantle this transnational criminal organization, which is among the most violent in the world,” said Mehtab Syed, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.  “This collaborative effort among many agencies spanned coast to coast and led to this successful capture.”

    “Fredy Ivan Jandres-Parada, (a/k/a “Lucky”) has been a fugitive on HSI’s Most Wanted list since 2021.  As one of the founding members of the MS-13 street gang, Jandres-Parada is alleged to be responsible for ordering acts of violence against gang rivals, law enforcement, and civilians alike.  However, Jandres-Parada’s reign of violence came to an end when he was arrested in a joint operation by HSI and FBI,” said HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo.  “With the apprehension of one of HSI’s most wanted, I commend HSI New York, our Long Island Division, and our law enforcement partners for their steadfast commitment and resolve to securing justice for the countless victims whom have been impacted by MS-13’s violence.”

    As set forth in the indictment and related court filings, Jandres-Parada and his co-defendants are part of MS-13’s command and control structure, consisting of the Ranfla Nacional, Ranfla en Las Calles, and Ranfla en Los Penales. They play significant leadership roles in the organization’s operations in El Salvador, Mexico, the United States, and throughout the world.  In total, 27 of the highest-ranking leaders of MS-13 have been charged in the Eastern District of New York in this indictment and the related indictment of United States v. Arevalo-Chavez, et al.

    As further alleged, in approximately 2002, Jandres-Parada, his co-defendants, and other MS-13 leaders began establishing a highly-organized, hierarchical command and control structure as a means to effectuate their decisions and enforce their orders, even while in prison.  They directed acts of violence and murder in El Salvador, the United States and elsewhere, established military-style training camps for MS-13 members and obtained military weapons such as rifles, handguns, grenades, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and rocket launchers.  Further, beginning in approximately 2012, Jandres-Parada and other members of the Ranfla Nacional negotiated with officials from the government of El Salvador (GOES) to obtain benefits and concessions from the government.  In order to extort those benefits and concessions, MS-13 engaged in public displays of violence to threaten and intimidate civilian populations, target GOES law enforcement and military officials, and manipulate the electoral process in El Salvador.

    Additionally, as alleged, the Ranfla Nacional directed the expansion of MS-13 activities around the world, including the United States and Mexico, where Jandres-Parada and other high-ranking leaders were sent to organize operations, make connections to obtain narcotics and firearms from Mexican drug cartels such as the Zetas, Gulf Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and Sinaloa Cartel, and engage in human trafficking and smuggling. The Ranfla Nacional also directed MS-13’s large membership in the United States to engage in criminal activities, such as drug trafficking and extortion to raise money to support MS-13’s terrorist activities in El Salvador and elsewhere.  Jandres-Parada, who previously resided in the Los Angeles area before being deported to El Salvador, played a key role coordinating communication and criminal activity between the Ranfla Nacional and MS-13 leaders in the United States, Mexico and elsewhere.

    Finally, the Ranfla Nacional and MS-13’s transnational leadership structure is alleged to have directed members in the United States to commit acts of violence to further its goals and implement rules enabling MS-13 to entrench itself in parts of the United States, including within the Eastern District of New York where, under the defendants’ leadership and rules, MS-13 has committed murders, attempted murders, assaults, kidnappings, drug trafficking, extortion of individuals and businesses, and obstruction of justice, and has sent dues and the proceeds of criminal activity by wire transfer to MS-13 leaders in El Salvador.  For example, this Office’s Long Island Criminal Division has prosecuted hundreds of MS-13 leaders, members and associates for carrying out more than 70 murders in the Eastern District of New York between 2009 and the present.

    One of Jandres-Parada’s co-defendants, Cesar Humberto Lopez-Larios, also known as “El Grenas de Stoners” and “Oso de Stoners,” and two related defendants from the Arevalo-Chavez indictment, Jorge Alexander De La Cruz, also known as “Cruger de Peatonales,” and Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, also known as “Veterano de Tribus,” remain at large.  Members of the public with information concerning their whereabouts are strongly encouraged to contact the FBI’s toll-free MS-13 tip line, 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or HSI’s tip line at (866) 347-2423 or https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.  Together, FBI and HSI have offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the fugitives. 

    These charges are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.  If convicted, Jandres-Parada faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

    This case was brought by Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), which was created to combat MS-13, led by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Durham of the EDNY, and comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including the District of New Jersey; the Northern District of Ohio; the District of Utah; the District of Massachusetts; the Eastern District of Texas; the Southern District of New York; the Southern District of Florida; the Eastern District of Virginia; the Southern District of California; the District of Nevada; the District of Alaska; and the District of Columbia, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division.  Additionally, the FBI; HSI; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the USMS; the U.S. Bureau of Prisons; and the United States Agency for International Development, Office of Inspector General have been essential law enforcement partners and spearheaded JTFV’s investigations.

    The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John J. Durham, Paul G. Scotti, Justina L. Geraci, and Megan E. Farrell from the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division.

    Newly Arrested Defendant in U.S. Custody:

    FREDY IVAN JANDRES-PARADA (“Lucky de Park View” and “Lacky de Park View”)
    Age:  47

    Previously Arrested Defendant in U.S. Custody:

    ELMER CANALES-RIVERA (“Crook de Hollywood”)
    Age:  48

    Fugitive Defendants:

    CESAR HUMBERTO LOPEZ-LARIOS (“El Grenas de Stoners” and “Oso de Stoners”)
    Age:   45

    BORROMEO ENRIQUE HENRIQUEZ (“Diablito de Hollywood”)
    Age:  45

    EFRAIN CORTEZ (“Tigre de Park View” and “Viejo Tigre de Park View”)
    Age:  54

    RICARDO ALBERTO DIAZ (“Rata de Leewards” and “Mousey de Leewards”)
    Age:  51

    EDUARDO ERAZO-NOLASCO (“Colocho de Western” and “Mustage de Western”)
    Age:  51

    EDSON SACHARY EUFEMIA (“Speedy de Park View”)
    Age:  49

    JOSE FERNANDEZ FLORES-CUBAS (“Cola de Western”)
    Age:  49

    LEONEL ALEXANDER LEONARDO (“El Necio de San Cocos”)
    Age:  44

    JOSE LUIS MENDOZA-FIGUEROA (“Pavas de 7-11” and “Viejo Pavas de 7-11”)
    Age:  59

    HUGO ARMANDO QUINTEROS-MINEROS (“Flaco de Francis”)
    Age:  51

    SAUL ANTONIO TURCIOS (“Trece de Teclas”)
    Age:  45

    ARISTIDES DIONISIO UMANZOR (“Sirra de Teclas”)
    Age:  46

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 20-CR-577 (JMA)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defendant Charged with Distributing Fentanyl That Resulted in Overdose Deaths of Two People

    Source: US FBI

    NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – April 25, 2024

    SAN DIEGO – Scott Anthony Sargent of San Diego appeared in federal court today to face charges that he distributed the fentanyl that resulted in the deaths of two victims in North Park in 2022. During the same incident, Sargent and another person also overdosed but survived.

    Sargent is also charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. At today’s hearing, Sargent was detained without bond.

    San Diego Police officers along with investigators from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Response Team responded to a 911 call just before 6 a.m. on November 10, 2022. When they arrived, four individuals were found lying on the floor of a bedroom. Two of the individuals, identified in court records by the initials Z.W. and M.L., were pronounced dead at the scene, while Sargent and another individual were treated with Narcan and transported to nearby hospitals where they recovered.

    Sargent allegedly brought and then distributed the fatal mix of fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl (a common fentanyl analogue) to a residence in North Park. Investigators linked Sargent to the overdoses through the fentanyl/para-fluorofentanyl mixture found at the overdose location. The mixture was also found inside Sargent’s backpack and duffel bag recovered from the scene. A subsequent search by investigators of Sargent’s storage unit also turned up additional baggies containing the same combination of fentanyl/para-fluorofentanyl.

    “Fentanyl kills indiscriminately,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Yet as was accomplished in this case investigators will leave no stone unturned in the effort to identify and charge distributors of this poison.”

    “Mr. Sargent’s alleged actions cost two people their lives,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Chrysanthis. “The San Diego DEA and its partners are dedicated to bringing to justice those that sell, traffic, or provide fentanyl in our community.”

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Gordon and Sarah Goldwasser.

    Special Agents and Task Force Officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Response Team (formerly known as Team 10) led the investigation. This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the San Diego Police Department, and the California Department of Health Care Services to investigate and prosecute the distribution of dangerous illegal drugs—fentanyl in particular—that result in overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration created the Overdose Response Team as a response to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County.

    DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 24-CR-807-RSH                                            

    Scott Anthony Sargent                                    Age: 63                                   San Diego, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C)

    Maximum penalty: Life in prison

    Mandatory minimum: Twenty years in prison

    Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine – Title 18, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1), and 846

    Maximum penalty: Life in prison

    Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    Drug Enforcement Administration

    Federal Bureau of Investigation

    Homeland Security Investigations

    San Diego County District Attorney’s Office

    San Diego Police Department

    State of California Department of Health Care Services

    *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Joint Statement of The Special AEM-MOFCOM Consultation

    Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations

    1. The Special AEM-Ministry of Commerce (AEM-MOFCOM) Consultation was held on 20 May 2025 via videoconference. The Consultation was co-chaired by H.E. Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry of Malaysia, and H.E. Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce of China. The Meeting also welcomed the participation of H.E. Filipus Nino Pereira, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste as an observer.
     
    2. The Meeting exchanged views on regional and global economic challenges that could likely impact supply chain resiliency in the region, including the current global trade tensions. These challenges disrupt the global trade order, exacerbate trade
    tensions, and weaken confidence in the rules-based Multilateral Trading System (MTS).
     
    Download the full statement here.
    The post Joint Statement of The Special AEM-MOFCOM Consultation appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Vallejo Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Assaulting Federal Agents with a Firearm and Vehicle

    Source: US FBI

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sean Thomas Delapp, 38, of Vallejo, was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for assaulting federal officers with a deadly weapon, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

    According to court documents, on Aug. 24, 2023, Delapp assaulted two FBI special agents by pursuing them with his car, pulling up alongside them, and aiming a firearm at them through the window, making a recoil motion with the firearm. A subsequent search warrant at his residence resulted in the discovery of a Glock 29 firearm, ammunition, and various firearm parts. Delapp is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he was previously convicted of a felony evasion offense.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Transporting Two Girls for Prostitution

    Source: US FBI

    NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – April 24, 2024

    SAN DIEGO – Deonathan Abdul Gaston of Long Beach, California, was sentenced in federal court Monday to nine years in prison for transporting two girls, ages 15 and 16, to San Diego in August 2023 to engage in prostitution.

    One of the victims had been reported missing from Arizona prior to being transported by Gaston from Arizona to Los Angeles and then to San Diego to engage in prostitution. Gaston had known one of the victims since she was 14.

    The victims were rescued by the National City Police Department on August 13, 2023, when officers conducted a traffic stop on the defendant in a high-crime area known for prostitution. He had no driver’s license on him and was not going to be allowed to drive the car. He called his “girlfriend” to come pick up the car from the traffic stop; the girl turned out to be the missing Arizona teen. Officers then responded to the hotel where the girl said they were staying and found the other victim. The case was turned over to the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force.

    “Selling children for sex is a reprehensible crime that impacts victims for a lifetime,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “We can all play a part in protecting the vulnerable by paying close attention to warning signs and reporting concerns. Our children are not necessarily being grabbed from the street. They are being groomed and recruited online.” Please see https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en/human-trafficking/recognizing-signs

    If you are living or working under threat of violence or extortion, or you suspect someone else may be, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center toll free, 24/7 Hotline: CALL: (888) 373-7888 or TEXT BeFree or 233733.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lyndzie M. Carter and Derek Ko.

    DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 23-cr-1944-AGS                  

    Deonathan Abdul Gaston                                           Age: 26                                   Long Beach, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Transportation for Purpose of Prostitution – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2421(a)

    Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    National City Police Department

    San Diego County District Attorney’s Office

    Homeland Security Investigations

    Federal Bureau of Investigation

    San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brothers Plead Guilty to Hostage-Taking of Unauthorized Immigrants

    Source: US FBI

    NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – April 23, 2024

    SAN DIEGO – Virves Pablo-Francisco, a citizen of Guatemala, pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he and his younger brother, Nicolas Pablo-Francisco, kidnapped three unauthorized immigrants, including a boy from Afghanistan and a father and son from Ecuador, and held them for thousands of dollars in ransom in June 2023. Nicolas Pablo-Francisco pleaded guilty to similar charges in February.

    In his plea agreement, Virves Pablo-Francisco admitted that on June 13, 2023, he, his brother and others abducted a 16-year-old boy from Afghanistan and held him hostage in a residence in Escondido along with two other foreign nationals—the father and son from Ecuador who were kidnapped the day before. The defendants demanded ransom payments ranging from $4,000 to $10,000 per person for their release.

    Additionally, Virves Pablo-Francisco admitted that he provided the Ecuadorian father and son no food and told them they were required to pay extra if they wanted to eat.

    Nicolas Pablo-Francisco, who pleaded guilty in February, admitted holding the boy hostage and demanding ransom from his family.  He also admitted assisting his older brother Virves in the continued detention of the Ecuadorian father and son pending payment of a ransom by their family.

    Federal authorities first learned of the abductions late in the day on June 13, 2023, when the Pablo-Francisco brothers contacted the 16-year-old’s family member in the United States, claiming to have the boy and demanding $4,000 for his release. The family member reported the contact to law enforcement, which led to an overnight, multi-agency effort to locate the boy and identify his kidnappers.

    By morning, agents with the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force – with support from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the San Diego Police Department and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office – had identified a residence in Escondido where they suspected the boy was being held. With assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI agents obtained and executed a federal search warrant for the residence.

    Upon entering the home, agents located Nicolas Pablo-Francisco and the boy, along with the Ecuadorians who agents learned were also being held for ransom. All three migrant hostages entered the United States illegally in the days leading up to their rescue. Virves Pablo-Francisco, who was not present at the Escondido house on the day of the raid, was arrested later pursuant to a warrant.

    “These victims are safe because a family member was brave enough to seek help from law enforcement officials,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Always report crime. We are standing by to hold those accountable who commit crimes, and to support victims and their families. Also, I urge anyone who is considering a dangerous journey into the United States: Please don’t risk your life by trusting smugglers. It could be a very costly mistake.”

    “These guilty pleas demonstrate the FBI’s commitment to bringing kidnapping victims home safely,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge John Kim. “Criminals involved in alien smuggling may think they will get away with taking migrants hostage because of the unique vulnerability of their victims. They are wrong.”

    Nicolas Pablo-Francisco is scheduled to be sentenced on May 6, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Cynthia A. Bashant. Virves Pablo-Francisco’s sentencing hearing is scheduled to take place on July 15, 2024.  

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Miller, Jordan Arakawa, and David Eugene Fawcett.

    DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 23cr01355-BAS                                            

    Virves Pablo-Francisco                                  Age: 22                                   Guatemala/Escondido, CA

    Nicolas Pablo-Francisco                                 Age: 20                                   Guatemala/Escondido, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Hostage Taking – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1203(a)

    Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $250,000 fine

    Harboring Aliens – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(iii)

    Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY

    Federal Bureau of Investigation

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of Sophisticated Sinaloa Cartel Money Laundering Organization Sentenced to 120 Months

    Source: US FBI

    NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 20, 2024

    SAN DIEGO – Luis Reinaldo Ramirez of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced in federal court today to 120 months in prison for his role as a leader in a transnational criminal organization that laundered $16.5 million dollars in narcotics proceeds for the Sinaloa Cartel.  Ramirez was also sentenced for his role in an extortion plot.

    Ramirez was one of 12 people indicted on charges ranging from money laundering, narcotics trafficking, and extortion as part of a two-year investigation by FBI and DEA. The investigation resulted in the takedown of the organization that laundered millions of dollars for the Sinaloa Cartel, and the rescue of two victims of an extortion plot in February of 2021. To date the investigation has resulted in the seizure of more than $1.3 million in illicit assets. 

    According to his plea agreement, Ramirez played a key role in the day-to-day operations of the organization. He created a network of incorporated shell companies in Wyoming that were used to launder illicit bulk cash. Ramirez directed and facilitated employees of the money laundering organization to travel to cities throughout the United States to pick up bulk cash belonging to narcotics traffickers. The employees picked up the bulk cash in Chicago, Omaha, Boston, New York City, Baltimore, Charlotte, and Philadelphia.

    Narcotics traffickers delivered bulk cash in amounts of up to $200,000 to the employees in hotel rooms and parking lots. Following the delivery of the illegal monies, the criminal organization laundered the funds through the shell companies and transferred the monies to bank accounts in Mexico. To demonstrate the drug money connection, in November 2020 the FBI conducted surveillance on a bulk cash delivery from Idsel Valenzuela and Sugey Caro Salazar in Chicago.  The operation led to a subsequent search of Caro and Valenzuela’s home and vehicle, which led to the discovery and seizure of 368 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 10 kilograms of heroin, and $97,390 in bulk cash.   

    Earlier this year, several of Ramirez’s co-defendants were sentenced to prison, including Cristian Amaya Nava, 60 months; Christian Cruz Polanco, 30 months; Sugey Caro Salazar, 48 months; and Idsel Valenzuela, Cheliann Rivera Vazquez and Kimberly Reyes to probationary sentences. Additional co-defendants — Hector Vizcaino Moreno, Ricardo Torres, and Luis Armando Avila — are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months. Three of Ramirez’s indicted co-defendants remain fugitives in Mexico, including the alleged former Mexico-based leader of the organization, Enrique Esparragoza Rosas of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico.  

    The FBI’s investigation, in partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office, pursued an aggressive strategy of asset seizures in order to disrupt the money laundering organization’s activities.  In total, dozens of bank accounts used by the organization were targeted, resulting in the seizure of more than $1 million from U.S.-based bank accounts. Agents also conducted operations that resulted in the seizure of $197,430 in bulk cash and a Volvo tractor-trailer that was purchased with drug money. Agents also seized illicit funds that were used to purchase aircraft and aircraft engines for export to Mexico in several instances.

    The FBI’s efforts also resulted in a successful rescue of two victims who were being extorted by the money laundering organization in February 2021. Prior to the extortion, one of the victims, an employee of the money laundering organization, began stealing illicit funds from a bank account he controlled for the organization. In February 2021, when Esparragoza and Ramirez learned of the theft, they conspired to threaten and extort the pair to repay the funds. Esparragoza sent Cristian Amaya-Nava to threaten the men and their families. Amaya-Nava then drove the two men around Imperial and San Diego counties to collect money from accounts they controlled. Esparragoza also directly threatened the men and their families during several phone conversations that day, telling them that two truckloads of men from Tijuana would “take care of them” if they did anything stupid. 

    Once the FBI learned of the ongoing extortion, they began tracking the victim’s and Amaya Nava’s movements. FBI agents coordinated with the National City Police Department to conduct a traffic stop wherein Amaya Nava was arrested and the two victims were rescued.

    “In cases like this we strike at the life blood of the drug trafficker,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath.  “Money launderers provide the means for cartels to produce and import their deadly poison into the United States.”

    “The sentencing of Mr. Ramirez is a major step toward dismantling the Sinaloa Cartel,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge, Stacey Moy. “We remain committed to working collaboratively with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle organized crime activity not only in San Diego, but wherever our investigations may lead.”

    “There is no place for drug trafficking in San Diego,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Chrysanthis. “Drug trafficking is a violent crime that harms our citizens and weakens our communities. The DEA and our partners will continue to be vigilant in dismantling these operations.”

    This prosecution 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 case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Mellor.

    DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 22cr2185-BAS                           

    Luis Reinaldo Ramirez                                   Age: 41                                   Mesa, Arizona

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)

    Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine

    Hobbs Act Extortion – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1951(a)

    Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    Federal Bureau of Investigation

    Drug Enforcement Administration

    Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

    *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Francisco Man and New York Man Charged in Scheme to Defraud Investors

    Source: US FBI

    OAKLAND – A federal grand jury indicted Avi Fogel, now known as Avi King, and Christos Chrestatos each with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud.  Fogel was also charged with one count of false writings to a government agency and an additional count of wire fraud.

    Fogel, 47, of San Francisco (who was also known as, in addition to Avi King, Aaron Rose, Aaron Rothchild, and Aaron Gilman), self-surrendered on Nov. 7, 2024, and made his initial appearance in federal court in Oakland that same day.  Chrestatos, 45, of Long Island, N.Y., also known as Chris Silverman, was arrested today, and made his initial appearance in federal court in the Eastern District of New York.

    According to the indictment filed Oct. 3, 2024, and unsealed Nov. 7, 2024, defendants allegedly engaged in an investment fraud scheme wherein they purported to be producers in the entertainment industry with close ties to “A-list” actors, directors, and other celebrities.  Fogel allegedly met potential victims in a variety of places, such as dating websites and shared taxi rides.  At various times, defendants claimed to be producers at “Universal.”  The indictment alleges that the men lied to victims about their ability to arrange investment and product integration deals in feature films, documentaries, and television series when they knew they had no actual connection to the productions and no affiliation with Universal.

    Defendants allegedly created entities, including Suzy and the Sock Dragon Media Group, LLC, Rhinoheart Films, LLC, and The Book Media Group, LLC, to entice investors to invest in their fraudulent scheme.  According to the indictment, Fogel and Chrestatos fraudulently obtained investments from multiple victims totaling approximately $167,100, and used the funds for purposes other than as represented to investors.

    Additionally, the indictment alleges that Fogel submitted a fraudulent loan application to the U.S. Small Business Administration through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, ultimately receiving $52,400. Fogel allegedly claimed that his company, Suzy and the Sock Dragon Media Group, LLC, was engaged in “entertainment services,” had $125,000 in gross revenues and sold $20,000 in goods, amounts that were derived from the money obtained through defendants’ investment fraud scheme.

    The announcement was made by United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp.

    Both defendants were released on bond. Fogel’s next scheduled appearance is on Dec. 9, 2024, for a status hearing before the Honorable Araceli Martínez-Olguín, U.S. District Judge.

    An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  If convicted, defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, three years of supervised release, and forfeiture for the charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud in counts one to five.  Additionally, if convicted, Fogel faces a maximum sentence of 30 years of imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, three years of supervised release, and forfeiture for the wire fraud charge in count six, and five years of imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, three years of supervised release, and forfeiture for the false writings to a government agency charge in count seven.  However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin K. Kleinman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kay Konopaske. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.

    Avi Fogel Indictment
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI San Francisco Warns of Holiday Scams Targeting Shoppers and Donors

    Source: US FBI

    With the holiday season in full swing, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is urging the public to remain vigilant against an uptick in scams targeting holiday shoppers and charitable donors. Criminals are exploiting the busy shopping period, using increasingly sophisticated tactics to steal money and personal information.

    “Criminals don’t take holidays off,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp. “We’re seeing scammers employing aggressive and creative schemes to take advantage of the season’s generosity and high online shopping activity.”

    The FBI has identified several prevalent scams this holiday season, including:

    1. Online Shopping Scams

    • Fraudulent websites or ads offering goods at unrealistic discounts.
    • Items purchased through third-party marketplaces using stolen credit cards or accounts.
    • Puppy scams involving fake advertisements for pets, with losses reported at $5.6 million so far this year.

    2. Charity Scams

    • Fake charities soliciting donations through phone calls, emails, crowdfunding platforms, and social media.
    • Copycat organizations mimicking legitimate charities to steal funds.

    3. Cryptocurrency Investment Scams

    • Fraudsters posing as trusted individuals convincing victims to invest in fake cryptocurrency platforms. Losses are often substantial, with victims unable to retrieve their funds.

    4. Gift Card Scams

    • Scammers requesting gift card purchases for alleged emergencies, work-related functions, or as payment.
    • Tampered cards with compromised security stickers or altered barcodes.

    5. Social Media Scams

    • Posts offering fake gift cards or event tickets designed to steal personal information.
    • Fraudsters duplicating ticket barcodes for resale.

    Tips to Protect Yourself

    To avoid becoming a victim, the FBI advises the following precautions:

    • Verify Websites and Offers: If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Avoid clicking on suspicious links or ads.
    • Secure Your Accounts: Use strong, unique passwords for banking, shopping, and rewards accounts.
    • Inspect Gift Cards: Check for signs of tampering, such as misaligned packaging or scratched-off security codes.
    • Donate Wisely: Verify charities through trusted sources and avoid those soliciting donations via gift cards or wire transfers.
    • Be Skeptical of Requests: Government agencies or law enforcement will never demand payments via phone, email, or gift cards.

    Report Fraud

    If you believe you are a victim of a scam, the FBI urges you to:

    • Immediately contact your bank or financial institution.
    • Report the incident to law enforcement.
    • File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov.

    The FBI is committed to protecting the public from fraud and ensuring a safe holiday season. By staying informed and vigilant, shoppers and donors can help stop scammers in their tracks.

    For more information or media inquiries, please contact the FBI San Francisco division at media.sf@fbi.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Multimillion-Dollar Investment Fraud Schemes and Conspiracy to Launder Money

    Source: US FBI

    Defendant Also Admitted to Disaster Relief Loan Fraud and Destroying Evidence to Obstruct Government Investigation

    SAN FRANCISCO – Thomas Aaron Signorelli pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of bank fraud, two counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of theft of government property, one count of destruction of records, and one count of conspiracy to launder money.

    Signorelli, 46, of West Palm Beach, Fla., was charged by information on Sept. 19, 2024.  In pleading guilty to all seven counts in the information, Signorelli admitted that beginning in January 2021 to around December 2023, he falsely claimed he could assist individuals and entities in need of capital by raising funds, obtaining loans, and securing profitable investments through his company WS Capital, which was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  In fact, Signorelli did not raise capital, obtain loans, or secure profitable investments, and instead used the victims’ funds to pay his personal and living expenses, as well as to pay back other victims.

    Signorelli engaged in one of the fraud schemes with his co-conspirator David Scott Cacchione.  As part of that scheme, Signorelli and Cacchione convinced investors that their money would be used to purchase accounts receivables that did not exist.  Rather than use the funds as promised, Signorelli typically shared a portion of the funds with Cacchione and used the remainder to pay personal and living expenses and repay other victims.  Through his various schemes, Signorelli defrauded individuals and entities of more than $2,500,000.  Signorelli further admitted that he conspired with an attorney in Florida to launder fraud proceeds through the attorney’s client trust account in order to disguise the source and nature of the fraud proceeds.

    The plea agreement also describes that, in December 2021, Signorelli was introduced to an individual who claimed to be looking for someone to launder large sums of drug trafficking proceeds.  Signorelli offered to use WS Capital accounts to launder the supposed drug trafficking proceeds and accepted approximately $150,000 in government funds from an undercover government agent.  Instead of laundering those funds, Signorelli stole the money and used it to pay his personal expenses.

    Signorelli further admitted that he caused applications for a Paycheck Protection Program loan and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan to be submitted to the Small Business Administration (SBA) on behalf of a Napa real estate venture that he had formed.  Signorelli made false representations about the venture’s revenues, payroll, and employee count in order to obtain over $50,000 in disaster relief loans.

    Finally, in August 2022, Signorelli learned that the FBI had obtained a warrant to search his mobile phone.  As detailed in his plea agreement, prior to turning in his mobile phone, Signorelli deleted electronic communications on his device in order to obstruct the government’s investigation.

    The announcement was made by United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp, IRS-CI Oakland Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley, and Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) Special Agent in Charge of the Western Region Weston King.

    Signorelli remains free on a $200,000 appearance bond imposed on Sept. 20, 2024.  His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Mar. 24, 2025 before the Honorable James Donato, U.S. District Court Judge.  The maximum statutory penalty for each count is set forth below.

    OFFENSE

    STATUTE

    MAXIMUM PENALTY
    Bank Fraud 18 U.S.C. § 1344 30 years’ imprisonment; $1,000,000 fine; 5 years’ supervised release; $100 special assessment; forfeiture and restitution
    Wire Fraud 18 U.S.C. § 1343 20 years’ imprisonment; $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater; 3 years’ supervised release; $100 special assessment; forfeiture and restitution
    Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud 18 U.S.C. § 1349 20 years’ imprisonment; $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater; 3 years’ supervised release; $100 special assessment; forfeiture and restitution
    Theft of Government Property 18 U.S.C. § 641 10 years’ imprisonment; $250,000; 3 years’ supervised release; $100 special assessment; forfeiture and restitution
    Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in  Federal Investigations 18 U.S.C. § 1519 20 years’ imprisonment; $250,000; 3 years’ supervised release; $100 special assessment; forfeiture and restitution
    Conspiracy to Launder Money 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) 20 years’ imprisonment; $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater; 3 years’ supervised release; $100 special assessment; forfeiture and restitution

    However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    Signorelli’s co-conspirator Cacchione pleaded guilty on Aug. 14, 2024, and was sentenced by Judge Donato on Nov. 4, 2024, to a 40-month term of imprisonment.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Garth Hire is prosecuting the case.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS-CI, and SBA OIG.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bay Area Home Health Agency Owner Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Health Care Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    Defendant Submitted False Claims for Medicare Payment and Attempted to Thwart FBI Investigation

    SAN FRANCISCO – Veronica Katz was sentenced today to two years in federal prison and ordered to pay $543,634.34 in restitution for committing health care fraud.  The sentence was handed down by the Honorable James Donato, U.S. District Judge.

    Katz, 36, of San Francisco, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 17, 2023, along with two co-defendants.  Katz pleaded guilty on Apr. 18, 2024, to one count of health care fraud.  Katz was the owner and operator of HealthNow Home Healthcare and Hospice (HealthNow), a home health agency that provided in-home medical care to patients in the Bay Area.  HealthNow billed Medicare and private insurance companies for in-home medical care.  In the course of operating HealthNow, Katz submitted false documentation to Medicare in order to obtain reimbursements in violation of Medicare’s rules and regulations.

    According to Katz’s plea agreement, she participated in a scheme to defraud Medicare that took a number of forms, including using the identities of licensed medical practitioners on electronic medical records and billing information without the practitioners’ knowledge or consent; directing certain individuals to prepare “Start of Care” (SOC) forms even though the individuals were not Registered Nurses (RNs), as required by Medicare; manipulating electronic patient medical records in order to make it appear as if RNs had completed the patient SOCs; and billing Medicare for physical therapy services that Katz knew had not been provided.

    In addition, Katz admitted that she took steps to thwart law enforcement’s investigation into HealthNow.  In October 2019, Katz met with one of her HealthNow employees, who informed Katz that Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents had questioned the employee regarding the company’s billing practices and SOC assessments.  Katz instructed the employee to lie to the FBI and falsely state that the employee had been trained and supervised by an RN in the course of conducting SOC assessments.

    The announcement was made by United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, and Steven J. Ryan, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG).

    In addition to the term of imprisonment and restitution, Judge Donato also sentenced Katz to a three-year period of supervised release and ordered her to pay a $50,000 fine.  Defendant will begin serving her sentence on Jan. 6, 2025.

    Co-defendant Vennesa Herrera pleaded guilty on Aug. 30, 2021, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and health care fraud, and will be sentenced on Mar. 17, 2025.  Co-defendant Simon Katz’s trial is scheduled for May 12, 2025.

    Assistant United States Attorney Christiaan Highsmith is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Helen Yee and Mark DiCenzo.  The prosecution is the result of a lengthy investigation by the FBI, HHS-OIG, and the California Department of Public Health.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Colorado Man Sentenced to 22 Years for Kidnapping Employee from Michael Bloomberg’s Ranch

    Source: US FBI

    CHEYENNE⎯ U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced Joseph Beecher, 51, of Craig, Colorado to 264 months in federal prison with five years of supervised release to follow, for the kidnapping of a woman from Michael Bloomberg’s ranch in February 2022.

    Beecher was convicted of kidnapping, carjacking, using/carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, and transportation of stolen firearms following a three-day trial that ended on Aug. 28 with a guilty verdict.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Beecher lived and worked at an apartment complex in Craig, Colorado. In the early morning hours of Feb. 2, 2022, Beecher was informed by his employer that his services were no longer needed. Beecher broke into his employer’s home and stole two firearms, including a Bushmaster AR-style rifle. Beecher then drove to a ranch in Colorado owned by Michael Bloomberg, intent on killing Mr. Bloomberg, but finding only a female employee present on the property. Beecher took the woman hostage at gunpoint and forced her to drive him to various locations to locate and kill another media mogul in Colorado. Unable to find his second target, Beecher eventually forced the woman at gunpoint to drive him to the Stage Coach Motel in Cheyenne, where Beecher could rest and figure out his next criminal act. In the early morning hours of February 3, 2022, SWAT officers with the Cheyenne Police Department rescued the woman and arrested Beecher at the motel. The woman was physically unharmed.

    Beecher was indicted on March 17, 2022, and pleaded not guilty on March 21, 2022. The FBI, Cheyenne Police Department, Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, and the Craig Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Vierbuchen prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction

    strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN

    Case No. 22-CR-00028

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Men Charged with Offenses Related to the Sex Trafficking of Minors in Danbury

    Source: US FBI

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Danbury Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour today announced that the following four individuals have been charged by federal criminal complaint with offenses related to the sex trafficking of minors:

    • OSWALDO ORDONEZ-ORTEGA, 39, of Danbury
    • MARCO ROBLES, 40, a citizen of Ecuador residing in Brookfield
    • EDWIN QUILLI-TACURI, 40, a citizen of Ecuador residing in Danbury
    • BRYAN ISMAEL VASQUEZ-SALINAS, 23, a citizen of Ecuador residing in Danbury

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in February 2025, the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force and Danbury Police began investigating a Danbury-based organization believed to be involved in the sex trafficking of minors.  On March 11, 2025, after seeing a communication on a WhatsApp messaging account advertising the sale of two 15-year-old females for sexual encounters, investigators executed a state warrant at a residence in Danbury, found a 15-year-old female victim and a 16-year-old female victim, and arrested Ordonez-Ortega, Robles, Quilli-Tacuri, Vasquez-Salinas, and a fifth individual.  Quilli-Tacuri was located in a locked bedroom with the 15-year-old victim, and the fifth individual was found in a locked bedroom with the 16-year-old victim.  Ordonez-Ortega and Vasquez-Salinas were found together in the kitchen, and Robles was stopped after attempting to leave the area in his vehicle.

    It is alleged that the minor victims were briefly interviewed by law enforcement and Connecticut Department of Children and Families investigators before being transported to a local hospital for medical care and evaluation.  The investigation, which has also included analysis of cell phones seized at the time of the defendants’ arrests, revealed that Ordonez-Ortega coordinated the transportation of the minor victims to Danbury, made appointments with Robles, Quilli-Tacuri, Vasquez-Salinas, and others to engage in sexual activity with the minors, and received payment from the men, a portion of which he returned to the minors.  Ordonez-Ortega scheduled 13 men to engage in sexual activity with the 15-year-old victim, and 11 men to engage in sexual activity with the 16-year-old victim, on March 10 and 11, 2025, in Danbury.

    It is further alleged that Robles caused physical injury to the 15-year-old victim during his sexual encounter on March 11.

    Each of the four defendants is charged with sex trafficking of children, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

    In addition, Ordonez-Ortega and Vasquez-Salinas are charged with attempted sex trafficking of children and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children.  Ordonez-Ortega is also charged with coercion and enticement of minors to engage in sexual activity, and with transportation of minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

    Robles and Quilli-Tacuri were arrested on the federal charges yesterday.  They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and currently are detained.  Ordonez-Ortega, who is in state custody, and Vasquez-Salinas, who is in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, will be presented in federal court at a later date.

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

    This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and the Danbury Police Department, with the assistance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Brookfield Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel E. Cummings and Mary G. Vitale.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Third Member of Multi-State Gas Pump Skimming Device and Fuel Theft Ring Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charges

    Source: US FBI

    Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Deyvis Hernandez (37, Miami) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud. Hernandez faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the wire fraud count, up to 5 years’ imprisonment on the conspiracy count, and payment of restitution to the victims he and his co-defendants defrauded. No sentencing date has been set.

    According to court documents, Hernandez and his co-conspirators worked together to install skimmers on gas pumps, including gas stations in Alabama, Louisiana, and Northern Florida. The conspirators used the skimmers to illegally obtain credit and debit card account numbers involved with the purchase of fuel by customers at the gas pump. Using the account numbers stolen by the skimmers, they subsequently made counterfeit credit and debit cards and then, used them to purchase large amounts of diesel fuel.

    During the conspiracy the conspirators drove vehicles that contained a fuel bladder system. This system allowed the conspirators to fake pumping gas into the vehicle’s gas tank when in fact the diesel fuel was being pumped into the fuel bladder system. Analysis by law enforcement of fuel purchases, vehicle tracker data, gas station video surveillance, and real time surveillance of the conspirators determined that the conspirators drove to multiple gas stations throughout Northern Florida. After obtaining the gas, the conspirators offloaded the stolen fuel into 9,500-gallon tanker trucks at a fuel yard. The tanker trucks were arranged in part by Hernandez who was part owner of a gas station in south Florida. Hernandez coordinated the sale of the stolen diesel fuel to locations designated by him to include in south Florida. 

    Deonelky Tabares Cid (36, Tampa) previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy, four counts of wire fraud, six counts of access device fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Luis Edel Trujillo Pena (29, Miami) previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. No sentencing date has been set for either defendant.

    Co-defendants Luis Ernesto Vigil Ochoa (32, Miami) and Isvaldo Guerra Perdomo (38, Jacksonville) are scheduled for trial in May 2025.

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

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. General Services Administration – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Nevada CPA Sentenced to Three Years in Prison in False Tax Return Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – A Nevada man was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison for willfully aiding and assisting the filing of false tax returns, in connection with a scheme to sell purported investment opportunities to clients that he falsely claimed would entitle them to IRS tax deductions.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Lance K. Bradford, of Henderson, was a certified public accountant and founder and manager of LL Bradford & Company (LLB). LLB performed accounting-related work, including tax preparation, audit and consulting services. Bradford also operated a real estate business that developed office buildings and other real property. In connection with Bradford’s real estate development activities, he operated and controlled a real estate investment partnership entity.

    In 2011, Bradford began offering LLB’s high-net-worth clients an “investment opportunity” through which the clients would make a payment to his partnership entity and, in exchange, receive a large tax deduction of approximately five to seven times the amount of money the client “invested.” Bradford advised that the clients’ payments would entitle them to claim the large tax deduction based on losses derived from the partnership entity, even though he knew the tax laws did not permit the sale of such deductions in exchange for an investment of money, and the partnership did not incur the losses or depreciation in the amounts represented by Bradford. Bradford also did not report the purported investments as losses on the clients’ tax returns as promised. Instead, he caused the clients’ returns to report large false deductions for cost of goods sold, professional and consulting fees or nonpassive losses. In total, Bradford’s scheme caused a tax loss to the IRS of at least $8 million.

    As one example from his investment scheme, in 2014, Bradford asked a client to make a $417,780 “investment” to his partnership entity in exchange for purported depreciation-based losses to be placed on his client’s 2013 corporate tax return (Form 1120S). But instead of reporting depreciation related to the investment, Bradford caused LLB to prepare and file a Form 1120S that falsely inflated the company’s cost of goods sold by $2,110,000, causing a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $860,627.

    In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Gloria M. Navarro ordered Bradford to serve one year of supervised release and pay $6,734,338 in restitution to the United States.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI.

    Trial Attorney Patrick Burns of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Hudson County Convicted Felon Indicted for Possessing a Firearm and an Extended Magazine

    Source: US FBI

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County man has been indicted for a firearms offense, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Richard Sharp, 25, of Bayonne, New Jersey and known on social media as “Famous Richard,” is charged with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. He was arrested earlier today and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court and was detained.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    On July 4, 2024, law enforcement responded to reports of an incident at a gas station in Bayonne, New Jersey. The investigation revealed that during an altercation at the gas station, Sharp had brandished a firearm with an extended magazine and threatened to shoot other people who were at the gas station. Several days later, Sharp posted a video on social media showing him dancing while holding a firearm equipped with an extended magazine.

    Subsequently, on July 12, 2024, following a judicially authorized search of Sharp’s residence and vehicle, law enforcement recovering a loaded Beretta M9 semi-automatic handgun with a defaced serial number and an extended magazine that contained approximately 24 rounds of ammunition.

    The count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition is punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Division under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Driscoll, with the investigation. He also thanked the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez and the Bayonne Police Department under the direction of Police Chief Robert Geisler.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Nadel of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark.

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

                                                                 ###

    Defense counsel: Areeb Salim, Esq. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mercer County Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearms, Fentanyl, and Cocaine

    Source: US FBI

    TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man was arrested and charged with illegally possessing firearms and possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

    Jose Colon-Matos, 33, of Trenton, is charged by complaint with one count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of two firearms, one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He made his initial appearance on January 6, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni in Trenton federal court and was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for January 10, 2025.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    On May 15, 2024, following an investigation into narcotics activity in Hamilton Township in Mercer County, law enforcement officers conducted a court-ordered search of an apartment used by Colon-Matos during which they recovered from a safe in the apartment two loaded firearms, including one with an obliterated serial number, distribution quantities of suspected fentanyl and cocaine, and approximately $9,000.00 in United States currency. The narcotics were subsequently tested by the New Jersey State Police forensic laboratory, which returned positive results for fentanyl and cocaine.

    The charge of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm carries a potential maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, and a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment, and a fine of $250,000.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Driscoll in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Hamilton Township Police Division, under the direction of Chief Kenneth R. DeBoskey, and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, for their assistance in the investigation.

    The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.

    The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    Defense counsel: Andrea G. Aldana, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Office of the Federal Public Defender.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Inmate Sentenced to Additional 10 Years in Prison for Possessing Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    CAMDEN, N.J. – A federal inmate serving a ten-year sentence for possessing child pornography was sentenced today to an additional ten years in prison for possessing images and videos of child sexual abuse while incarcerated on his prior conviction, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Daniel Baldwin, 33, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to an information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography.  U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams imposed the sentence today.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    Baldwin was convicted in 2018 of possessing child pornography and sentenced to ten years imprisonment.  In June 2022, while serving his sentence at a federal correctional institution in New Jersey, corrections officers found a SD card hidden in Daniel Baldwin’s clothing.  A subsequent search of the SD card revealed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography, including depictions of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Williams sentenced Baldwin to seven years of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Driscoll, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.  He also thanked FCI Fort Dix staff for their assistance in the investigation.

    The Government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Announce Five-Count Indictment in Violent Crime Spree on Navajo Nation

    Source: US FBI

    ALBUQUERQUE – A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Rydell Happy for his alleged involvement in a violent crime spree on April 24, 2024. Happy, who was already in custody awaiting trial on a second-degree murder charge, now faces charges for first degree murder, two counts of using and carrying a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence and discharging said firearm, assault with a dangerous weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    According to court documents, on April 24, 2024, Happy, 31, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly shot John Doe in the head with a revolver and then repeatedly beat his head with a baseball bat, resulting in Doe’s death.

    The indictment further alleges that on the same day, Happy assaulted Jane Doe with a revolver and discharged the firearm during the incident.

    The indictment further alleges that Happy, who was previously convicted of domestic violence, is prohibited from possessing firearms.

    If convicted of the current charges, Happy faces a mandatory life sentence or death for the first-degree murder charge, and 10 to 15 years for the other charges.

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

    The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.

    This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners.  The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This prosecution upholds the Department’s mission to the unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of Indigenous victims and their families.  

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Civil Disorder and Assaulting Federal Officers

    Source: US FBI

    ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that JohnMichael Santiago, 25, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of civil disorder and assaulting a federal officer, was sentenced to serve 33 months by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Moynihan, who handled the case, stated that on September 4, 2020, following the release of information by the Rochester Police Department (RPD) regarding the death of Daniel Prude, a group of protesters damaged property and turned over tables at two restaurants in Rochester, causing numerous patrons to leave. During the evening of September 5, 2020, Santiago was part of a group of approximately 1,500 protesters that gathered at Broad Street and Exchange Boulevard, about a block north of RPD headquarters, where they blocked all lanes of traffic on nearby streets. Over the next few hours, some protesters hurled rocks, bottles, lit fireworks, and other objects at police officers in the area. Some also shined flashlights and pointed lasers at officers. Protesters were repeatedly asked to move onto the sidewalks and leave the area or be subject to arrest. Many disregarded the requests, remained in the streets, and continued to block traffic. Santiago threw an ignited firework in the direction of a line of uniformed RPD officers, which detonated in the immediate vicinity of the officers. Santiago was not arrested that night, but was later interviewed by law enforcement about the incident. Santiago admitted that he attended the protests, brought fireworks to the protests, and threw an ignited mortar-style firework at police officers.

    While in custody at the Livingston County Jail, after being charged with civil disorder, Santiago assaulted two corrections officers, throwing a hard plastic cup at one, and striking the other in the face with his fist.  Officers began to wrestle Santiago to secure him, during which one officer suffered contusions and a concussion, and a second suffered a back injury.

    The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the United States Marshall’s Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina.

    # # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Lending Companies Out of Millions of Dollars with Dozens of Stolen Identities

    Source: US FBI

    ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Paul Paredes, 53, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that since 2013, Paredes has owned J&E Business Consulting LLC, which provides services to client businesses, including acting as a broker between the credit card processing companies and smaller retail businesses. Small businesses provide J&E with their financial information, such as the owner’s identifying information, including driver’s license, social security number, and email, as well as bank account information.

    Between April 2019, and August 2023, Paredes submitted hundreds of fraudulent financing applications to dozens of lenders under the identities of his business customers (victims), for goods and services allegedly provided by Paredes, with the funds payable to bank accounts controlled by Paredes. These financing agreements were prepared in the names if victims, using their personal information, and without their knowledge, consent, or authorization. After a financing agreement was approved, money from the victim lender was deposited into one of numerous bank accounts controlled by Paredes, who used the money he obtained from the scheme to fund his personal expenses, pay salaries and operating expenses, or to make payments to victim lenders to avoid detection of the fraudulent loans. By making those payments to the victim lenders, Paredes was able to continue making similar fraudulent financing agreements with multiple victim lenders without discovery. To further avoid detection, on occasions when victims received communications from victim lenders about the fraudulent financing agreements, Paredes misled them about the purpose of the communications and told them he would handle it.

    Paredes used the identity of at least 63 individuals to defraud at least 23 victim lenders, utilizing at least 12 different bank accounts and moving the money he obtained from the scheme throughout different accounts. Paredes submitted false loan applications from Rochester, NY, to the out-of-state lenders located throughout the country, including in New Jersey, Virginia, Illinois, Texas, North Carolina, Florida, Washington, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Colorado, and Minnesota. The total loss amount is at least $3,500,000.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Internal Revenue Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso, and the New York State Department of Financial Services-Criminal Investigation Bureau, under the direction of Superintendent Adrienne A. Harris.

    Sentencing is scheduled for April 29, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. before Judge Wolford.

    # # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts Meeting of the Western District Health Care Fraud Working Group

    Source: US FBI

    Multi-Agency Partnership Continues Efforts to Combat Health Care Fraud and Protect Taxpayer Dollars

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced today the annual meeting of the Western District’s Health Care Fraud Working Group, a partnership of federal and state agencies focused on combating health care fraud and protecting taxpayer dollars in the Western District of North Carolina.

    The working group comprises investigators, analysts, auditors, and attorneys from state and federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the North Carolina Attorney General’s Medicaid Investigations Division, the North Carolina Department of Insurance, the South Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division, and the Office of Personnel Management.

    At today’s meeting, U.S. Attorney King reaffirmed the importance of collaboration among the partner agencies and recognized their contributions.

    “Health care fraud undermines public trust, exploits vulnerable patients, and siphons billions from taxpayer-funded programs,” said U.S. Attorney King. “By combining our expertise and resources we can detect, dismantle, and prosecute health care fraud schemes and protect vital government programs that so many North Carolinians rely upon for their health care needs. I am grateful to our partner agencies for their dedication to protect our health care system and hold perpetrators accountable.”

    The Health Care Fraud Working Group’s mission is to detect health care fraud through coordinated investigations, information sharing, identification of existing and emerging schemes, and case development. This includes uncovering schemes of fraudulent billing, COVID-19-related fraud, kickback schemes, and fraud targeting government health care programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE. The working group also focuses on fraud committed by both corporate entities and individuals, including hospitals, telemedicine companies and providers, nursing home chains, pharmacies and pharmaceutical manufacturers, durable medical equipment suppliers, physicians, therapists, and affiliated health care professionals.

    If you suspect Medicare or Medicaid fraud, please report it by phone at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477), or via email at HHSTips@oig.hhs.gov.

    To report Medicaid fraud in North Carolina, call the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division at 919-881-2320 or fill out an online complaint form.

    TRICARE fraud can be reported here.

    Fraud against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system can be reported at www.vaoig.gov/hotline.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Raleigh Man Who Fled From Police with ‘Ghost Gun’ Sentenced to Eight Years

    Source: US FBI

    RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh man was sentenced to 96 months in prison after fleeing from the police and discarding a “ghost gun”.  On May 22, 2024, Treyvion Maleke Sutton pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, on December 8, 2023, Sutton, 20, fled from Raleigh police officers on foot after officers attempted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which he was a passenger. While running from officers, Sutton discarded a loaded, unserialized “ghost gun” with an extended magazine. Sutton, who has prior felony convictions for common law robbery, assault by strangulation, discharge of a weapon into occupied property, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and battery of an unborn child, was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

    A privately made firearm is often called a “ghost gun” because it is not marked with a serial number and therefore is far more difficult for law enforcement to trace if they are used to commit crimes. These firearms can be made from scratch, or they can be assembled from weapon parts kits, including “buy-build-shoot” kits, which are weapon part kits with pre-manufactured, dissembled, complete firearms (a firearm in a box).

    The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, and interagency coordination and intelligence-led policing.

    Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Nokes  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. 5:24-CR-24-D-RN.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Indiana Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud for Embezzling Nearly $1.2 Million From Employer

    Source: US FBI

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Christina Robinson, 52, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler today, and pleaded guilty to wire fraud for embezzling nearly $1.2 million from her employer, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

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

    According to filed plea documents and the hearing, from September 2013 to April 2023, Robinson engaged in a scheme to defraud a Charlotte-based company by abusing her position as the company’s controller to embezzle nearly $1.2 million in company funds. During the scheme, Robinson misused her position and access to the company’s bank accounts to carry out the scheme by moving the embezzled funds and withdrawing them in cash. To conceal the theft and to remain undetected, Robison made materially false and misleading accounting entries in the company’s books and records. As Robinson admitted in court today, she used some of the embezzled funds to pay for personal expenses, including more than $330,000 in purchases, over $324,000 in credit card payments, more than $80,000 in loan payments, over $40,000 in mortgage payments, and more than $35,000 in car payments.

    Robinson was released on bond following the plea hearing. At sentencing, she faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the wire fraud charge. A sentencing date has not been set.

    The FBI investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bozin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces North Georgia Results of Operation Restore Justice

    Source: US FBI

    ATLANTA – Between April 28, 2025 through May 1, 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort, by all 55 FBI field offices, United States Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division (CEOS), to identify, track, and arrest child sex offenders.  The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 subjects, including six individuals charged in the Northern District of Georgia: Austin Hunter Bedingfield, 27, of Douglasville; Ian Dudar, 26, of Roswell; Kenneth Frazier, 30, of Powder Springs; Eduardo Gardea, 26, of Norcross; Connie Lynn Thompson, 52, of Grantville; and Christopher Welcher, 44, of Grantville.

    “The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims – especially child victims – and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

    “Sex crimes against minors are especially heinous,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We commend our federal and local law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts to hold accountable those who prey on children and achieve a measure of justice for the victims and their families.”

    “Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”

    “Our commitment is resolute. FBI Atlanta remains steadfast in its mission to safeguard children from those who seek to harm society’s most vulnerable,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “However, let there be no confusion – this week’s operation is just one chapter in a relentless, year-round effort that our dedicated agents are fully invested in. We will continue to leverage every tool and resource at our disposal to track down child predators and ensure they face justice.”

    According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court, the following defendants were arrested in connection with the operation, indicted by federal grand juries seated in the Northern District of Georgia, and have now been arraigned before a United States Magistrate Judge:

    • Austin Hunter Bedingfield was charged with distribution of child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material. Bedingfield allegedly distributed graphic videos depicting the abuse of minors to an undercover officer via Kik. FBI agents conducted a search of Bedingfield’s electronic devices and recovered additional images of sexual abuse of minor children. He was arrested on April 30, 2025.
    • Ian Dudar was charged with possession of child sexual abuse material. Dudar allegedly purchased child sexual abuse material using Bitcoin from a commercial child exploitation ring on at least four occasions in 2022.  Later, in January 2024, when FBI agents executed search warrants on his person and home, they found child sexual abuse material on two of his electronic devices. He was arrested on April 29, 2025.
    • Kenneth Frazier was charged with enticement of a minor, receipt of child sexual abuse material, and possession of child sexual abuse material. On November 7, 2024, acting on tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Cobb County, Georgia, Police Department executed a search warrant at Frazier’s residence in Powder Springs. Officers seized Frazier’s cell phones, which contained hundreds of images and videos of children as young as infants and toddlers forced to engage in sex acts. One of Frazier’s phones also contained chat transcripts in which Frazier allegedly described himself as a “pedophile,” enticed a minor to engage in sexual activity, and received a visual depiction of that minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He was arrested on May 2, 2025.
    • Eduardo Gardea was charged with distribution of child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material. Gardea allegedly distributed child sexual abuse material on two internet platforms and possessed thousands of images depicting the sexual abuse of children. He was arrested on April 24, 2025.
    • Connie Lynn Thompson was charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly destroying electronic devices to conceal the alleged child exploitation crimes of Christopher Welcher, who was also arrested during the operation, as is more fully described below. Approximately a week after Welcher’s arrest, he allegedly called Thompson from jail and discussed a plan to destroy electronic devices that contained evidence against him. Although Thompson allegedly executed the concealment plan, the FBI recovered the damaged devices from Thompson’s household trash. She was arrested on May 16, 2025.
    • Christopher Welcher was charged with enticement of a minor, interstate travel to engage in an illicit sex act with a minor, possession of child sexual abuse material, and commission of a felony by a registered sex offender. On March 4, 2025, Welcher, a registered sex offender who previously served more than six years in federal prison for distributing child sex abuse materials, allegedly exchanged sexually explicit text messages with an undercover investigator he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. Welcher then drove from Alabama to the vicinity of a northwest Georgia high school to allegedly meet and molest the girl. Police arrested Welcher upon his arrival at the meeting location and seized his phone, which contained hundreds of images of child sex abuse. He was arrested on May 16, 2025.

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

    United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg and Assistant United States Attorneys James Hwang, Matthew LaGrone, Leanne Marek, and Amy Palumbo are prosecuting these cases.

    These cases are being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance from the Cobb County Police Department, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and Rome/Floyd Metro Drug Task Force.

    This effort follows the Department of Justice’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April 2025, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, investigate and prosecute these crimes every day, April served as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

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

    The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org. The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

    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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Columbus Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Crimes Related to Sexually Exploiting and Sextorting More Than 25 Identified Victims

    Source: US FBI

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 324 months in prison for crimes related to sexually exploiting and sextorting more than 25 known victims in at least four states.

    Lorenzo A. Winfield, 23, persistently and aggressively sought out and collected nude files of high school classmates and minor females he met online.

    “Acts of sextortion are serious and have no place in our society. As we heard in court today from more than a dozen victims, this conduct creates significant harm,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Today’s sentencing reflects that we will hold such perpetrators accountable for their damaging actions.”

    According to court documents, from at least 2016 until 2021, Winfield used extortion tactics to solicit and collect explicit photos of underage girls at his Columbus high school, the Arts and College Preparatory Academy (ACPA), where he was known as the “ACPA Hacker”.

    Winfield would contact students at ACPA and demand nude images and videos of them.  He would also hack into victims’ social media accounts and use the photos he obtained in their private accounts against them as leverage for more content.  Winfield would threaten the victims, letting them know he had nude content depicting them or other students and that he would distribute those images and videos unless the victims complied with his demands. On numerous occasions, Winfield followed through on these threats, distributing sexually explicit photos of his victims to others to prove he was serious with his threats in a bid to contain more content. In addition, Winfield told the victims to send him sexually explicit images or videos in order to regain control of their own social media accounts.

    Winfield used several social media accounts of his own to engage in the exploitation and extortion of the victims. His accounts were active across platforms such as Discord, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Skype and Google Hangouts.

    Winfield was separately investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office for extorting and exploiting at least four victims in Fairfax and Prince William counties in Virginia.

    For example, one identified victim was approximately 11 years old at the time Winfield first contacted her online. During their communications, Winfield obtained nude images of her and videos of her masturbating. Winfield used this content as leverage and eventually sent nude photos of the victim to students at a Virginia middle school to prove he was serious about his sextortion of her. Eventually, as the victim got older, Winfield also sent the images to students at her high school, promising the victim that if she got her friends to help her out by sending him nude images, that he would stop. Winfield threatened to harm the family of the Virginia minor if she did not comply with his requests for sexually explicit photos and videos and continued to exploit and extort her until his arrest.

    Similarly, Winfield exploited at least one victim in College Station, Texas. The investigation revealed that the Texas victim sent approximately 50 pictures and videos to Winfield. Winfield demanded explicit images and videos of her daily. On one occasion, when the victim did not comply with Winfield’s demands, Winfield sent images of the victim’s nude breasts and vagina to the victim’s brother and friend. 

    The defendant pleaded guilty in December 2023 to sexually exploiting minors, possessing child pornography, and communicating interstate with the intent to extort.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. U.S. Attorney Parker and Special Agent in Charge Iatarola commended the cooperative investigation in this case with FBI divisions and state and local law enforcement agencies in Ohio, Virginia and Texas. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.

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