NewzIntel.com

Category: Finance

  • MIL-OSI Security: Couple Sentenced to Prison for $2 Million Bank Loan and Pandemic Relief Fraud Schemes

    Source: US FBI

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Antoine Johnson, 49, and Kimberly Maddox, 44, formerly of Huntersville, N.C., currently residing in Georgia, were sentenced today for fraudulently obtaining approximately $2 million in bank loans and COVID-19 pandemic relief funds, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Johnson was ordered to serve 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Maddox was sentenced to 12 months in prison, with six months of home confinement, followed by three years of supervised release. The couple was also ordered to pay restitution in $3,037,868.10.

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

    According to court documents and today’s court hearings, the defendants owned and operated Pick Up and Go Moving International, Inc. and affiliated businesses (collectively, PUGMI). Johnson was the president of PUGMI and Maddox the vice president. Court documents show that, between 2018 and 2023, the defendants fraudulently applied for and obtained multiple lines of credit, bank loans, Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program loans on behalf of their businesses. Johnson and Maddox applied for loans totaling more than $3.4 million. To secure the loans, the defendants lied on more than 35 loan applications about PUGMI’s income, gross revenues, expenses, and number of employees, and submitted fabricated supporting documents that included fraudulent tax returns and fictitious financial statements. Court documents show that at the time the couple engaged in the fraudulent loan schemes, Johnson was on federal supervised release after he was convicted and sentenced to prison for mortgage fraud.

    Johnson and Maddox previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and making a false statement to a financial institution. They will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

    The FBI handled the investigation.

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: McAlester Resident Sentenced to 11 Years for Maiming in Indian Country

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced Cody Ray McFadden, age 36, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 132 months in prison for one count of Maiming in Indian Country.

    The charge arose from an investigation by the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    On December 16, 2024, McFadden pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on July 16, 2022, McFadden invited a visitor to his residence. Once inside, McFadden beat the victim, forced the victim into a cage, and padlocked the door.  During the next 36 hours, McFadden proceeded to assault and torture the victim, threatening to kill the victim with a cross bow and intentionally striking at the victim with an axe.  The victim, who sustained a head laceration, burns, bruises, and a broken arm, managed to break free, escape through a window, and run to a neighbor’s home.  Law enforcement responding to the neighbor’s emergency call took McFadden into custody after a brief standoff.  The crime occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    “This defendant demonstrated a complete lack of humanity, subjecting the victim to an extended period of violence resulting in unimaginable physical and mental trauma,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater.  “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to rooting out violent offenders through aggressive investigations and prosecutions.”

    “This is the stuff of nightmares, but unfortunately, it was sickeningly real,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “I commend the bravery of this survivor, the quick work of law enforcement in securing an end to this horrifying ordeal, and the steadfastness of investigators and prosecutors who ensured that McFadden spends the next decade in prison answering for his ruthless crimes.”

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  McFadden will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Okmulgee Resident Sentenced to Over 20 Years for Voluntary Manslaughter

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brett Wayne Pigeon, age 45, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 126 months in prison for one count of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, and 120 months in prison for one count of Using, Carrying, Brandishing and Discharging a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence.  The terms will be served consecutively.

    The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okmulgee Police Department, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department.

    On January 6, 2025, Pigeon pleaded guilty to the charges.  According to investigators, on November 27, 2023, law enforcement responding to reports of shots fired discovered the victim deceased from apparent gunshots to the back, head, and hip.  Pigeon was identified as a suspect, and later admitted shooting the victim with a 12-gauge shotgun.    The crimes occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    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.

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Pigeon will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick M. Flanigan and Rachel Geizura represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Adair County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Crime

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jimmy Darrell Porter Jr., age 40, of Westville, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, punishable by a minimum of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.00.

    The Indictment alleged that on August 4, 2024, Porter knowingly used, carried, brandished, and discharged a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

    The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Westville Police Department.

    The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.

    A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Porter will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ecuadorian National Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Production of Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on April 23, 2025, Alvaro Andres Valarezo Sandoval, age 35, an Ecuadorian National residing in Miami, Florida, was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 30 years’ imprisonment on two counts of production of child pornography.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Sandoval sexually exploited six Central Pennsylvania minors by deceiving and threatening them into creating and sending him explicit photos and videos between 2013 and 2019.  As part of the scheme, Valarezo Sandoval would often build a rapport with the minor victims by showing affection and then entice and encourage them to send images or videos of themselves that were sexually provocative and/or sexually explicit. If a minor attempted to cease the relationship, Valarezo Sandoval would extort them by threatening to post their explicit images online unless they complied with his demands to continue providing him with sexually explicit content.

    There were at least six victims in central Pennsylvania and at least 30 others worldwide. One victim gave an impassioned statement to the court explaining the devastating impact this crime had on her and her family.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Farmington Resident Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Minor as Part of DOJ/FBI Operation Restore Justice

    Source: US FBI

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Farmington, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The two-count Indictment named Nathan Fike, 40, as the sole defendant.

    According to the Indictment presented to the Court, on or about October 4, 2023, Fike distributed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. The government further alleges that, on or about February 9, 2024, Fike knowingly possessed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. The Indictment occurred in connection with Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated, nationwide enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators that, as announced today by the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders over a five-day period. The coordinated effort was executed by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorneys’ Offices around the country (read the Operation Restore Justice news release here).

    The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney DeMarr W. Moulton is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

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

    An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Indicted and Arrested for Firearms Violations

    Source: US FBI

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On December 12, 2024, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Ángel Javier Avilés-Monzón, a.k.a. “Chimi/Yovngchimi” with two counts for firearms violations. FBI special agents arrested Avilés-Monzón today at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.

    According to court documents, on or about June 4, 2023, and on or about August 25, 2024, Ángel Javier Avilés-Monzón knowingly possessed a machinegun, that is, a pistol of unknown make and model, modified to fire automatically more than one shot without manually reloading by a single function of the trigger.

    If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico, and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation San Juan Field Office made the announcement.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Alberto López-Rocafort, Chief of the Gang Section, and AUSA Joseph Russell are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arizona Man Receives 22-Year Prison Sentence for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of Child

    Source: US FBI

    ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the prolonged sexual abuse of a minor over nearly a decade in the Navajo Nation.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court documents, between May 16, 2009, and May 15, 2012, Cedric Martinez, 31, engaged in unlawful sexual contact with a minor victim, who was under the age of 12, at a residence in Upper Fruitland, New Mexico, within the Navajo Nation.

    Upon his release from prison, Martinez will be subject to fifteen years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 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 Attorneys Brittany DuChaussee and Meg Tomlinson are prosecuting the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Canadian Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Destruction of Energy Facilities in North and South Dakota

    Source: US FBI

    Cameron Monte Smith, 50, a Canadian citizen, was sentenced today to 150 months in prison per count, to be served consecutively, for two counts of destroying an energy facility — one incident in the District of North Dakota and another in the District of South Dakota.Smith was also ordered to pay $2.1 million in restitution.

    According to court documents, on Sept. 11, 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to the two offenses where he admitted to damaging the Wheelock Substation, located near Ray, North Dakota, in an amount exceeding $100,000, in May 2023. The Wheelock substation is operated by Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative and Basin Electric Power Cooperative.

    Smith also admitted to damaging a transformer and pumpstation of the Keystone Pipeline located near Carpenter, South Dakota, in an amount exceeding $100,000, in July 2022. Smith damaged the Wheelock substation and the Keystone Pipeline equipment by firing multiple rounds from a high-power rifle into the equipment resulting in disruption of electric services to the North Dakota customers and resulting in disruption of the Keystone Pipeline in South Dakota.

    Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl for the District of North Dakota; U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota; and Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division made the announcement.

    The FBI investigated the case with valuable assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Williams County (North Dakota) Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Clark County (South Dakota) Sheriff’s Department, and the Beadle County (South Dakota) Sheriff’s Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys David D. Hagler and Jonathan J. O’Konek for the District of South Dakota, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Jehangiri for the District of North Dakota, and Trial Attorneys Jacob Warren and Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eight Individuals Plead Guilty to Wide-Ranging Scheme to Monopolize Transmigrante Forwarding Industry, Fix Prices, Extort Competitors, and Launder Money

    Source: US FBI

    The U.S. Department of Justice today announced that eight defendants have pleaded guilty for their conduct in a long-running and violent conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante forwarding agency industry in the Los Indios, Texas, border region near Harlingen and Brownsville, Texas. The three remaining defendants to the superseding indictment remain at large as fugitives. Transmigrantes are individuals who transport used vehicles and other goods from the United States through Mexico for resale in Central America. Transmigrante forwarding agencies are U.S.-based businesses that provide services to transmigrante clients, including helping those clients complete the customs paperwork required to export vehicles into Mexico.

    “The Criminal Division is committed to holding violent criminal organizations accountable in whatever markets in which they operate,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Transnational criminal organizations that use violence to dominate industries will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “These guilty pleas bring to justice individuals who used violence and extortion to fix prices and monopolize the market for essential services that Americans rely on to earn a living,” said Director of Criminal Enforcement Emma Burnham of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division will continue to use every tool at its disposal to protect the public by prosecuting violent criminals – including those who aim to corrupt America’s free markets.”

    “Price fixing harms both the public and the business community,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “Schemes like this artificially drive up prices, forcing consumers to pay more than they ordinarily would. At its core, such market collusion is nothing more than theft from consumers.”

    “These defendants tried to rule through fear, using threats, violence and intimidation to eliminate competition,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Their guilty pleas send a clear message that price fixing and market allocation are serious crimes, and we will hold those accountable who put profits over the law and fair commerce.”

    “Today’s pleas reflect the relentlessness of the federal government’s pursuit of transnational criminal organizations that exploit international trade and the U.S. economy,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. “This violent scheme was fueled by greed that undermined the safety and economic security of the border region; HSI has prioritized significant resources to protect the U.S. and our legitimate trade.”

    According to documents filed in the U.S. District Court in Houston, defendants Carlos Martinez also known as “Cuate,” Pedro Antonio Calvillo Hernandez, Roberto Garcia Villareal, Sandra Guerra Medina, and Mireya Miranda pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to fix prices and allocate the market for transmigrante forwarding agency services in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, and one count of conspiracy to monopolize the same market in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act. The conspirators fixed the prices for transmigrante forwarding agency services and created a centralized entity known as the “Pool” to collect and divide revenues among the conspirators, limit competition from other agencies, and increase prices for their services. Market participants who were not part of the conspiracy had to join and pay into the Pool. Pool members enforced the rules of the Pool by monitoring whether forwarding agencies were charging the agreed-upon prices, including by posting prices publicly on social media, and monitoring whether agencies were paying into the Pool as required.

    Martinez, Calvillo, Villareal, and Carlos Yzaguirre pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion. Martinez also pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by extortion. The defendants conspired to force forwarding agencies to pay money to the Pool and to pay other extortion fees, including a “piso” for every transaction processed in the industry as well as a “fine” for operating in the market outside of Pool rules. The conspirators perpetrated acts of intimidation, coercion, and violence in furtherance of the antitrust and extortion conspiracies. Defendant Martinez was responsible for at least $9.5 million in extortion payments.

    Martinez and Jose de Jesus Tapia Fernandez also pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy, through which they laundered extortion proceeds. Cash obtained from the extortion conspiracy was deposited into bank accounts controlled by Martinez and his family, and those deposits were made to conceal and disguise the nature, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds. Juan Hector Ramirez Avila pleaded guilty to one count of structuring a financial transaction to evade reporting requirements.

    Martinez agreed to forfeit four real properties and $375,000 in seized U.S. currency, to pay a fine, and to pay full restitution to extortion victims. Guerra, Miranda, Calvillo, and Villareal have also agreed to pay fines as part of their plea agreements.

    Rigoberto Brown and Miguel Hipolito Caballero Aupart, and Diego Ceballos-Soto were also charged in the superseding indictment and remain fugitives. Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.

    Conspiracies to allocate the market, fix prices, or monopolize in violation of the Sherman Act carry a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum $1 million fine for an individual. Conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion in violation of the Hobbs Act carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum $250,000 fine. Money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum $500,000 fine. Structuring a financial transaction to evade reporting requirements carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, HSI, and the FBI are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Brittany E. McClure, Anne Veldhuis, and Michael G. Lepage of the Antitrust Division, Trial Attorney Christina Taylor of VCRS, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander L. Alum for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Preventing Laser Strikes on Aircraft

    Source: US FBI

    Investigating Laser Strikes 

    The first federal laser law was enacted in 2012, when Congress passed it as part of the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration.  

    Before 2012, the Bureau pursued laser pointer investigations under a law forbidding “destruction of an aircraft,” which Gates likened to “trying to smash a square peg into the round hole.” 

    The 2012 federal statute makes it illegal for people to “knowingly” point a laser pointer’s beam “at an aircraft”—whether private, commercial, or military—or its flight path. Most importantly, it attaches consequences to this action: A monetary fine of up to $250,000 and/or a federal prison sentence of up to five years. On top of that, the FAA’s website notes that it “can impose civil penalties of up to $11,000” each time someone aims a laser beam at an aircraft. 

    “That suddenly gave us real teeth in enforcement,” Gates said of the statute. “It made shining a laser pointer at an aircraft a five-year maximum penalty felony, which is a really big deal.” 

    And, as Gates recalls, it paid off: He opened his first investigation into a laser strike violation within two months of the law’s implementation, which eventually resulted in a conviction. 

    According to the FAA, the profile of individuals responsible for laser strikes differs between different locations of the country. But when it comes to FBI investigations into such incidents, Gates said, “we’re looking for that person who’s intentionally tracking an aircraft, who does it over and over.” 

    He said that red flags for FBI investigators include: 

    • A laser beam that follows an aircraft as it moves 
    • A laser beam that keeps coming at an aircraft, even after its position has changed 
    • Clusters of laser strikes reports from aircraft traversing the same stretch of airspace 

    The FBI commonly catches laser strike offenders in collaboration with federal and local law enforcement partners, Gates explained. 

    The universally accepted procedure is that an air traffic controller notifies local law enforcement dispatch, who will then notify law enforcement air units and ground patrols, if available, the FAA said. 

    From there, if a local police helicopter deploys to the scene and gets lased, they can use technology like infrared cameras to pinpoint the exact location the laser beam came from.

    Helicopter crews can then reach out to their agencies for on-the-ground backup or call the FBI for assistance. An October 2022 laser strike against an Austin Police Department helicopter led to the arrest and conviction of two Texas men, Ventresca noted.  

    Bureau partnerships with local, state, and federal partners—as well as with commercial airlines—are key to ensuring that members of the aviation and law enforcement communities know how to seek the Bureau’s help in addressing laser strikes. This is especially important in states and municipalities that lack laser-strike laws of their own, since local or state authorities can ask the FBI to investigate incidents in those areas as federal crimes. 

    Help Us Protect the Skies 

    We’ve all likely mistaken an airplane for a star or other celestial body at least once in our lives. But pointing out a possible star with a laser could endanger the aircrew if your suspicion is wrong. For this reason, it’s best to keep your laser pointers out of the sky. 

    If you spot someone aiming a laser at the sky in a suspicious manner, you can report it to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or visiting tips.fbi.gov. You can also report laser strikes to the FAA. 

    You should contact the FBI immediately if you see someone playing with lasers near—or otherwise posing a threat to—an airport. 

    Finally, if you’re thinking of gifting a laser pointer to someone—especially if they’re a minor—educate them on the very real dangers of misusing these devices. 

    “If we can prevent one 15-year-old from ending up with federal or state charges or even the large fine, that’s a win,” Ventresca said. “If we can prevent one catastrophe, prevent one pilot from being blinded, that makes it worth it.” 

    Resources: 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Man faces drug trafficking, stealing charges

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Man faces drug trafficking, stealing charges

    Friday, 23 May 2025 – 1:59 pm.

    A 36-year-old Tasmanian man has been charged with drug trafficking and stealing offences following an almost month-long police operation in the state’s south.
    Police co-ordinating Operation Finger allege the man was responsible for a total of 68.6 grams of methamphetamine found in separate searches at two properties, with the combined quantity of drugs seized equivalent to about 680 individual street deals.
    Also seized during the searches was ammunition and a significant quantity of allegedly stolen tools. The tools have been identified by previous reports to police and have since been returned to owners.
    In the first search, of a property at Brighton on April 30, police will allege 35.6 grams of methamphetamine and a quantity of ammunition and power tools were found. The man was not present at the property at the time.
    Further investigations into the man’s activities prompted police to launch a targeted operation to locate him.
    On Wednesday this week, officers from Bridgewater CIB, with support from Glenorchy CIB and specialist resources, conducted a search of a property at Claremont.
    Police will allege the man tried to avoid them by leaving the house and jumping multiple fences of neighbouring properties to escape, before he was located nearby.
    It is alleged the man was responsible for a total of 33 grams of methamphetamine found in his possession and at a Claremont address.
    Police have charged the man with a series of drug and theft-related offences, including trafficking in a controlled substance, possess controlled plant or its products, possess a controlled drug, unlawful possession of property, stealing and two counts of burglary.
    The man is also facing two counts of computer-related fraud.
    Investigations have also resulted in charges against two other people, including an 18-year-old man who is facing charges of burglary, attempted stealing, unlawful possession of property and possess a controlled drug.
    A third man is facing a drugs charge for allegedly being in possession of about 530 grams of cannabis.
    During the course of Operation Finger, support was also provided by Crime Stoppers.
    If you wish to report a crime, call police on 131 444 or dial triple zero (000) in an emergency.You can also provide information anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: President and CEO of Las Vegas-Based Company Pleads Guilty for Role in Investment Fraud Scheme Where He Stole Millions in Victim Investor Funds

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – A Nevada man pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of wire fraud stemming from his role in a years-long fraud scheme, during which he stole more than $6.1 million in victim investor funds.

    According to court documents, Mykalai Kontilai, formerly Michael Contile, 55, of Las Vegas, facilitated an investment fraud scheme involving his company, Collector’s Coffee Inc., doing business as Collector’s Café (Collector’s Coffee), a company incorporated in California and headquartered in Las Vegas. From 2012 to 2018, Kontilai made or caused to be made numerous materially false and misleading representations to induce victims to invest in Collector’s Coffee — a company he claimed was on the verge of launching an online auction house for third-party owned collectibles, such as Hollywood and sport memorabilia. As a result of Kontilai’s numerous false and misleading statements, including that investor funds would be used for legitimate business purposes, that Kontilai had personally invested millions of his own money in the company, and that he did not take a salary, Kontilai successfully raised approximately $23 million from Collector’s Coffee investors. However, rather than using the proceeds as represented, Kontilai stole approximately $6.1 million for his own personal use, including for the purchase of luxury goods, apartments, and vehicles.

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) began investigating Kontilai for misappropriating investor funds in or around 2017. Kontilai obstructed the investigation by forging documents that he caused to be transmitted to the SEC and lied under oath to the SEC. Kontilai was charged in connection with this conduct both in the present case on June 3, 2020, and in a separate case in the District of Colorado on March 10, 2020. While under investigation but prior to charging, Kontilai fled to Russia and was ultimately arrested on an Interpol Red Notice in Germany in 2023. He was extradited back to the United States to face the pending charges in May. As part of the plea agreement in this case, the government will move to dismiss the Colorado case at sentencing.

    Kontilai pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 4 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada; Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans of the FBI Las Vegas Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement.

    The FBI and IRS-CI are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the extradition from Germany of Kontilai.

    Trial Attorneys Brandon Burkart and Sara Hallmark of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section (FRD) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Oliva for the District of Nevada prosecuted this case. Former FRD Trial Attorney Emily Scruggs provided valuable assistance. 

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: President and CEO of Las Vegas-Based Company Sentenced for Role in Investment Fraud Scheme Where He Stole Millions in Victim Investor Funds

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS — A Nevada man was sentenced yesterday to 51 months in prison and was ordered to pay $6.1 million in restitution stemming from his role in a years-long fraud scheme.

    According to court documents, Mykalai Kontilai, formerly Michael Contile, 55, of Las Vegas, facilitated an investment fraud scheme involving his company, Collector’s Coffee Inc., doing business as Collector’s Café (Collector’s Coffee), a company incorporated in California and headquartered in Las Vegas. From 2012 to 2018, Kontilai made or caused to be made numerous materially false and misleading representations to induce victims to invest in Collector’s Coffee — a company he claimed was on the verge of launching an online auction house for third-party owned collectibles, such as Hollywood and sport memorabilia. As a result of Kontilai’s numerous false and misleading statements, including that investor funds would be used for legitimate business purposes, that Kontilai had personally invested millions of his own money in the company, and that he did not take a salary, Kontilai successfully raised approximately $23 million from Collector’s Coffee investors. However, rather than using the proceeds as represented, Kontilai stole approximately $6.1 million for his own personal use, including for the purchase of luxury goods, apartments, and vehicles.

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) began investigating Kontilai for misappropriating investor funds in or around 2017. Kontilai obstructed the investigation by forging documents that he caused to be transmitted to the SEC and lied under oath to the SEC. Kontilai was charged in connection with this conduct both in the present case on June 3, 2020, and in a separate case in the District of Colorado on March 10, 2020. While under investigation but prior to charging, Kontilai fled to Russia and was ultimately arrested on an Interpol Red Notice in Germany in 2023. He was extradited back to the United States to face the pending charges in May.

    On Nov. 21, Kontilai pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. As part of the plea agreement in this case, the government has moved to dismiss the Colorado case.

    Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada; Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans of the FBI Las Vegas Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)’s Phoenix Field Office made the announcement.

    FBI and IRS-CI investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the extradition from Germany of Kontilai.

    Trial Attorneys Brandon Burkart and Sara Hallmark of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Oliva for the District of Nevada prosecuted this case. Former Fraud Section Trial Attorney Emily Scruggs provided valuable assistance.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Schenectady Man Sentenced for Assaulting Trial Witness’s Son

    Source: US FBI

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Patrick Civitello, age 19, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for assaulting a 15-year-old boy in retaliation for the boy’s mother testifying in a federal criminal trial.

    Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

    Patrick Civitello is the son of Jeffrey Civitello Sr. and the younger brother of Jeffrey Civitello Jr., both of whom were convicted of federal drug trafficking charges following a jury trial in Albany in April 2023. A witness, identified in the indictment as V-1, testified at that trial.

    In pleading guilty, Patrick Civitello admitted that on the evening of May 19, 2024, while at a restaurant in Glenville, New York, he observed V-1, who was with her 15-year-old son (“V-2”). At the time he observed V-1, Patrick Civitello was speaking on the phone with Jeffrey Civitello Jr. (who was incarcerated), and Patrick Civitello told his brother that he had just seen V-1 walk into the restaurant. Patrick Civitello then said “I gotta rag this bitch, I gotta call you back,” meaning that he intended to retaliate against V-1 for her trial testimony. Jeffrey Civitello Jr. responded, “Ok run down, but do it away from everyone if you could.”

    V-1 and V-2 then exited the restaurant and headed to their vehicle in the parking lot. Patrick Civitello, who was following V-1 and V-2 out of the restaurant, briefly stopped in the parking lot to remove his watch and a cross-body bag. Having placed those items on the ground of the parking lot, Patrick Civitello charged in the direction of V-1 and V-2. He punched V-2 in the head, and continued to punch and kick V-2 after V-2 fell to the ground. V-2 suffered minor abrasions and bruises, including to his head, neck, and hand. 

    FBI agents arrested Patrick Civitello on June 13, 2024, on a criminal complaint. As he was being transported to the FBI Albany Field Office, he asked agents, “Don’t you think the witness deserved it?” and “What do you expect when you betray family and people you trust?”

    United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino called the assault an “attack on the justice system” that sends “a chilling message to anyone who might be subpoenaed to trial” to testify. She ordered Patrick Civitello to pay a $5,000 fine and to serve a 3-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release.

    The FBI’s Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigated this case, with assistance from the Glenville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Barnett and Dustin Segovia prosecuted this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Timothy Gabriel Imprisoned on Federal Firearms Charge

    Source: US FBI

    Burlington, Vermont –  The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that Timothy Gabriel, 31, who most recently has been living in the Rutland area, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Burlington to 60 months of imprisonment following his guilty plea to a charge that he possessed a firearm as a convicted felon. Senior U.S. District Judge William Sessions III also ordered that Gabriel serve a three-year term of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence. He directed that the federal sentence run concurrently to state sentences that Gabriel is serving on related and unrelated cases. Gabriel has been held in federal custody since his arrest in October 2023.

    According to court records, someone stole a Vermont State Police cruiser from a residence in Rutland where it was parked in the pre-dawn hours of October 17, 2023. A few hours later, the car was found parked behind a downtown Rutland business. Investigators found that a police-issued Sig Sauer rifle had been forcibly removed from a secure locking device in the vehicle. Surveillance camera footage from businesses near where the cruiser was found showed the car enter a parking lot before dawn. The footage depicted a man, later identified as Timothy Gabriel, get out of the car, then leave the area with what appeared to be a rifle in his hand. DNA evidence later connected Gabriel to blood found inside the stolen cruiser. Gabriel is prohibited from possessing any firearms because he has several prior convictions in Vermont for felony offenses. Gabriel was arrested in Burlington on the afternoon of October 18, 2023. Court records show that Gabriel traded the stolen rifle for drugs. Law enforcement recovered the police rifle from a bag abandoned beside U.S. Route 7 near Bennington.

    Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police, the Rutland Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    Gabriel is represented by Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.

    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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rapids Theatre Owner Pleads Guilty to Defrauding COVID Relief Programs Out of More Than $1.8 Million

    Source: US FBI

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that John L. Hutchins, 71, of Lewiston, NY, pleaded guilty before Judge Meredith A. Vacca to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Bonanno and Douglas A. C. Penrose, who are handling the case, stated that between March 2020, and March 2024, Hutchins conspired with co-defendant Roberto Soliman and others to file fraudulent loan applications under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG). The loans available for these programs were designed to provide emergency financial assistance pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES Act). Hutchins and Soliman applied for loans under the following companies, which were owned by Hutchins:

    •           Rapids Theatre Niagara Falls, USA, Inc.

    •           1711 Main, LLC

    •           Bear Creek Entertainment, LLC

    •           Hutch Enterprises, LLC

    •           The Hutchins Agency, LLC

    •           CWE Entertainment, Corp. (owned by defendant Soliman)

    Between March and August 2020, Hutchins and Soliman received five Economic Injury Disaster Loans totaling $779,500.00. In addition, they received SVOG loans totaling $989,905.05, a PPP loan from Bank on Buffalo totaling $74,838, and a PPP loan from Northwest Bank totaling $41,140. In support of each of the loans, Hutchins and Soliman submitted false revenue and expense figures for the businesses on the loan applications.

    Charges remain pending against Roberto Soliman.

    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, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Harry Chavis, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Rose Brophy, Director of Field Operations, and the New York State Office of Professional Discipline. 

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ontario County Woman Sentenced for HIPAA Violation

    Source: US FBI

    ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Tonya D’Agostino, 53, of Farmington, NY, who pleaded guilty to HIPAA: unlawfully obtaining/disclosing individually identifying health information, was sentenced to serve one year probation by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. D’Agostino was also ordered to pay $13,410.42 in restitution.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that on March 23, 2023, D’Agostino mailed a USPS Priority Mail parcel to an individual in Medina, NY, which contained individually identifiable health information of four individuals. D’Agostino did not have authorization to obtain or disclose the individually identifiable health information. She did this in an attempt to obtain $216,000 from the individual who received the parcel.

    The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Naomi Gruchacz.           

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charges

    Source: US FBI

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Alexander J. Weidner, 35, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A.C. Penrose, who is handling the case, stated that on February 28, 2023, a federal search warrant was executed at Weidner’s residence as a result of child pornography uploaded to Snapchat and Instagram accounts, both associated with Weidner. Investigators seized two cellular telephones, which contained approximately 4,843 images and 371 videos of child pornography. Some of the images depicted minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, on two occasions, Weidner used the Session application to upload and share a video file containing child pornography with another Session user.

    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 New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

    Sentencing is scheduled for July 29, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Private Investigator Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Acting as an Illegal Agent of the People’s Republic of China

    Source: US FBI

    Michael McMahon, a Former New York City Police Department Sergeant, Was Convicted at Trial for Participating in a Scheme to Stalk and Coerce a U.S. Resident to Return to the PRC as Part of the PRC’s “Operation Fox Hunt”

    Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Michael McMahon was sentenced by United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen to 18 months in prison for acting as an illegal agent of the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), as well as for interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit such acts in connection with his participation in a scheme to coerce a U.S. resident to return to the PRC as part of its international repatriation effort known as “Operation Fox Hunt.”  McMahon and co-defendants Zhu Yong and Congying Zheng were convicted by a federal jury in June 2023 following a three-week trial.  As part of his sentence, McMahon was also ordered to pay a fine of $11,000.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Terence G. Reilly, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Office (FBI); and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York) announced the sentences. 

    “McMahon, a former law enforcement officer who swore an oath to protect the public, went rogue and dishonorably engaged in a scheme at the direction of the People’s Republic of China, terrorized victims living in the New York metropolitan area, and shattered their sense of safety and security,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “Thanks to the efforts of law enforcement, the defendants’ plan to coerce the victims to return to China failed, and the defendants have instead been brought to justice for their role in China’s insidious Operation Fox Hunt.  My Office remains unwavering in its commitment to exposing and undermining efforts by foreign governments to perpetrate transnational repression schemes that threaten our national security interests and harm individuals living in the United States.” 

    Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the FBI’s New York Field Office for their work on the case. 

    “Most private investigators operate within the bounds of the law and ethical conduct. McMahon knew exactly what he was doing—and at trial, we proved his knowing and willing participation in this scheme,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Reilly.  “His client, the People’s Republic of China, has invested years and millions of dollars trying to silence dissent beyond its borders. When those efforts cross into our country, they threaten our national security.  The PRC needs to understand: we will not tolerate it.”

    “This defendant allowed himself to become a partner in the PRC’s cruel harassment and intimidation campaign,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.  “HSI, together with our federal counterparts, will continue to outfox our adversaries’ attempts to circumvent U.S. regulations, undermine national security, and target the American public.”

    As proven at trial, between approximately 2016 and 2019, McMahon and his co-conspirators participated in an international campaign to threaten, harass, surveil, and intimidate John Doe #1 and his family in order to force him and his wife, Jane Doe #1, to return to the PRC to face purported corruption charges.  Beginning in 2012, John Doe #1 and Jane Doe #1 had been targeted for repatriation as part of the PRC’s transnational repression programs known as “Operation Fox Hunt” and “Operation Sky Net.”  John Doe #1 and his family had accordingly sought to keep their address out of public records.

    Yong hired McMahon, a retired NYPD sergeant working as a private investigator, to locate John Doe #1.  McMahon obtained sensitive information about John Doe #1, which he then reported back to Zhu and others, including a PRC police officer.  McMahon also conducted surveillance outside the New Jersey home of John Doe #1’s relative and provided Zhu and PRC officials with detailed reports of what he observed.  The operation was supervised and directed by several PRC officials, including a PRC police officer and a PRC prosecutor.

    As proven at trial, McMahon knew the operation was intended not only to locate John Doe #1, but to coerce him to return to the PRC by exerting pressure on his family members.  In April 2017, PRC officials threatened to jail John Doe #1’s sister, who lived in the PRC, in order to coerce John Doe #1’s then-82-year-old father to travel from the PRC to their relative’s home in New Jersey.  John Doe #1’s father, who had recently suffered a brain hemorrhage, was so frail that a doctor accompanied him for the trip.  McMahon followed John Doe #1’s father from the relative’s New Jersey home, and, by doing so, was able to learn John Doe #1’s address. McMahon immediately provided this information to a PRC operative. 

    On September 4, 2018, Zheng and another co-conspirator drove to the New Jersey residence of John Doe #1 and Jane Doe #1 – at the address that McMahon had provided – where they pounded on the front door, attempted to enter the house, and then peered through the windows in the back of the home.  They left a note on the front door informing John Doe #1 that his “wife and children will be okay” if John Doe #1 surrendered himself to face a ten-year prison term in the PRC.

    McMahon knew that the subjects of his investigation were wanted by the PRC government, a fact that he texted about with another investigator he hired to help him.  Following his arrest, McMahon acknowledged knowing that his employers wanted to get the victim back to China “so they could prosecute him.”  After providing the victims’ address, McMahon told his surveillance partner that he was “waiting for a call” to find out what to do next.  McMahon’s partner responded, “Yeah.  From NJ State Police about an abduction,” to which McMahon responded “Lol.”  McMahon later suggested to a PRC co-conspirator that they “harass” John Doe #1 by “[p]ark[ing] outside his home and let[ting] him know we are there.”  McMahon took other investigative steps designed to harass the victims, such as researching their daughter’s university residence and college major.

    McMahon was paid more than $19,000 in total for his role in the illegal repatriation scheme.  In an apparent attempt to conceal the source of payments from his PRC clients, McMahon deposited those payments into his son’s bank account, the only time he had done so with client payments.

    Previously, in January 2025, Zhu and Zheng were sentenced respectively to 24 months’ and 16 months’ imprisonment.  Three additional co-defendants pleaded guilty in connection with their roles in the PRC-directed harassment and intimidation campaign.  They are awaiting sentencing.  Five co-defendants in the indictment, Hu Ji, Li Minjun, Tu Lan, Zhu Feng, and Zhai Yongqiang are fugitives.

    The FBI has created a website for victims to report efforts by foreign governments to stalk, intimidate, or assault people in the United States.  If you believe that you are or have been a victim of transnational repression, please visit https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/counterintelligence/transnational-repression.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith A. Arfa and Irisa Chen are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Christine A. Bonomo and Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.  Paralegal Specialist Rebecca Roth also has provided valuable assistance.

    The Defendants:

    MICHAEL MCMAHON
    Age: 57
    Mahwah, New Jersey

    ZHU YONG
    Age: 68
    East Elmhurst, New York

    CONGYING ZHENG
    Age: 29
    Brooklyn, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-265 (S-1) (PKC)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ringleader of COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme Sentenced to Federal Prison

    Source: US FBI

    CINCINNATI – Joseph Lentine III, 55, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 63 months in prison for orchestrating a COVID-19 relief fraud scheme involving millions of dollars.

    According to court documents, Lentine oversaw a fraud scheme in which he prepared and filed fraudulent loan applications and controlled a significant portion of the loan proceeds once obtained. He knowingly and intentionally made false statements to receive funds to which he and other applicants were not entitled. In addition to defrauding Small Business Administration loan programs, Lentine also fraudulently sought unemployment assistance and emergency rental assistance.

    In total, Lentine submitted more than 20 loan applications seeking more than $3 million and obtaining $1.5 million.

    The defendant personally received more than $450,000 in PPP loan proceeds related to this scheme and used the money to buy a yacht and a Mercedes Benz vehicle.

    As part of his sentence, Lentine was ordered to pay $1.2 million in restitution to the Small Business Administration and nearly $33,000 to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

    Lentine pleaded guilty in April 2023 to conspiring to commit bank fraud and making a false statement on a loan or credit application.

    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 yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo is representing the United States in this case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts Two Defendants Who Were Charged with 23 Other Ohioans in Narcotics Distribution Ring

    Source: US FBI

    One defendant also convicted of sex-trafficking victims through use of drug withdrawals, violence

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted two local men for their roles in a narcotics distribution ring involving bulk amounts of fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine & other narcotics. As part of this case, the government has seized more than $1.7 million, 50 firearms, and nine vehicles, including a motorcycle. One of the defendants convicted at trial also sex-trafficked at least three adult victims.

    The jury found David Price, 56, of Columbus, guilty on all counts, and Tavaryyuan Johnson, 25, of Columbus, guilty on drug trafficking counts.

    The verdict was announced on Feb. 5 following a trial that began on January 13, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.

    A multi-agency law enforcement task force initially announced the case in July 2022 after a federal grand jury initially indicted 11 defendants for distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine in central Ohio within 1,000 feet of a Columbus elementary school.

    A superseding indictment returned in October 2022 charged additional co-conspirators with distributing those same drugs in addition to methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, Xanax and Oxycodone.

    Price, who is also known as “DP,” was charged in a third superseding indictment in December 2024 with 11 drug, firearm and sex trafficking crimes. He faces a minimum of 25 years and up to life in prison.

    Johnson is also known as “Gucci” and “TJ,” and was also charged in a third superseding indictment in December 2024. He was convicted of four drug offenses, including using a family residence in Columbus as his stash house for bulk amounts of narcotics. Johnson faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.

    According to court documents and trial testimony, the two men were part of a conspiracy to distribute and possess to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, five kilograms or more of cocaine, 280 grams or more of “crack” cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin, as well as marijuana, oxycodone and alprazolam. The drug trafficking organization operated from January 2008 until it was dismantled by law enforcement in 2022.

    Drug offenses took place at residences on Burgess and Harris avenues, which are within 1,000 feet of Burroughs Elementary School.

    In July 2021, Price distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine that resulted in the overdose death of an adult female.  The testimony at trial indicated he purposefully killed her to get rid of her as she was talking to the police about his drug business.

    The government also proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that Price conspired to commit sex trafficking. From 2016 until 2022, Price and other members of the conspiracy would force and/or coerce adult female drug addicts into performing commercial sex acts by providing, withholding, or threatening to withhold controlled substances and lodging. Law enforcement’s investigation showed that various women engaged in a “rinse and repeat” cycle where they would be allowed to stay at a drug residence associated with Price, receive a front of drugs so they were not in active drug withdrawal, go to Sullivant Avenue, have sex for money, pay the debt from the front drugs, and then be allowed to remain at the house.

    Price was also found guilty of three counts of sex trafficking related to his violence and coercion towards three adult females.  The testimony at trial indicated that he would lock the females inside his residence for days or weeks at a time and refuse to let them leave, forcing them to engage in sex acts.  One victim was locked in a dog cage, shot and stabbed by Price. Another was restrained.  A third was beaten and choked and left with a black eye. Price would refuse to provide them drugs unless or until they engaged in the sex acts, forcing them into withdrawal if they did not comply.

    U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker commended the investigation coordinated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission task force, which includes Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Angie M. Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Other agencies that have assisted the task force with the investigation include the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, HIDTA Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Pickerington Police Department, New Albany Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Prichard and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • Markets open higher; Nifty crosses 24,700 mark on broad-based buying

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Indian equity markets opened on a firm note on Friday, with benchmark indices trading higher amid mixed global cues and strong domestic macroeconomic fundamentals. Early gains were led by buying interest in FMCG, IT, and auto stocks.

    At 9:29 AM, the BSE Sensex was up by 281.75 points, or 0.35%, at 81,233.74, while the NSE Nifty climbed 109.75 points, or 0.45%, to trade at 24,719.45.

    The Nifty Bank index was also in the green, rising 69.85 points, or 0.13%, to 55,011.15. Broader markets mirrored the positive trend, with the Nifty Midcap 100 gaining 258.10 points (0.46%) to 56,582.95 and the Nifty Smallcap 100 advancing 58.30 points (0.33%) to 17,561.40.

    Market experts attributed the upbeat sentiment to India’s robust economic indicators, including steady GDP growth and declining inflation and interest rates.

    Top gainers in the Sensex included ITC, Adani Ports, Infosys, PowerGrid, Tech Mahindra, Tata Steel, SBI, HCL Tech, UltraTech Cement, Tata Motors, and L&T. On the flip side, Sun Pharma, M&M, NTPC, Bajaj Finance, Bharti Airtel, Maruti Suzuki, and ICICI Bank were among the major laggards.

    In Asia, major markets such as China, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Seoul, Jakarta, and Japan were trading in the green, providing a supportive backdrop to Indian equities.

    Overnight in the US, key indices posted a mixed close. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended almost flat at 41,859.09, down 1.35 points. The S&P 500 slipped 2.60 points to 5,842.01, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 53.09 points to 18,925.74.

    Experts noted that US equities were volatile following the retreat of Treasury yields after the passage of tax and spending legislation by the US House of Representatives.

    On the institutional front, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net sellers to the tune of ₹5,045.36 crore on May 22, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought equities worth ₹3,715.00 crore.

    “Even when the market turns weak, domestic demand-driven segments like financials, telecom, and aviation remain resilient. This is evident in the strength of stocks like ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel, and InterGlobe Aviation. The market is sending a clear signal,” said Dr. V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services.

    -IANS

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Woman Loses Life Savings in Cryptocurrency Investment Scam

    Source: US FBI

    CLEVELAND – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio (USAO) has filed a civil complaint in forfeiture against 8,207,578 Tether (USDT) cryptocurrency, valued at more than $8.2 million. USDT is a virtual currency which are digital tokens of value circulated over the internet. Its transactions are publicly recorded on what is known as a blockchain.

    According to court documents, the FBI has identified 33 victims of an investment fraud scheme across the country, including a victim from Northeast Ohio residing in the city of Mentor. In total, victims lost approximately $4.9 million. Five more accounts have also been found to be affected and the FBI is attempting to identify the respective owners. The victims associated with the additional accounts have lost approximately $1,071,086.

    Investigators found that scammers initially contacted the victims through seemingly misdirected, or “wrong number,” text messages. The fraudster then gained the victim’s trust and affection using various manipulative tactics. Once trust was established with the victim, the fraudster would share how much success they, or someone they knew, had with investing in cryptocurrency. This personal testimonial lessened any uncertainties the victims may have had about virtual currencies and eventually had the intended effect to persuade the victim to proceed with the investment.

    The fraudster would then guide the victim, step-by-step, on how to open a legitimate cryptocurrency account, most often with a U.S. based virtual currency exchange such as Crypto.com or Coinbase. The scammer would walk the victim through the entire process of transferring money from their bank to the newly created cryptocurrency account. Next, the victim received instructions on how to transfer the purchased cryptocurrency assets to an online “investment platform,” which would turn out to be a fake site created by the fraudsters to look like a legitimate company. Information on the platforms promised lucrative returns which encouraged victims to invest further. However, once the victim transferred their funds to the “investment platform” they unknowingly handed over complete control and ownership of their funds to the scammer. 

    The complaint also outlines that the perpetrators of such investment fraud schemes often allow victims to withdraw a portion of their “profits” early on in the scheme to build trust and reinforce their belief that the “investment platform” was legitimate. But as the scheme progressed, victims were unable to withdraw their funds and given excuses as to why they could not access their funds. For example, the fraudsters referred to a fake “tax” requirement, stating that taxes must be paid on the proceeds generated from the investment platform. Knowing that the scam would run its course soon, the fraudsters used last-ditch efforts to lie to victims that they had to pay a tax. Ultimately, victims were locked out of their account on the investment platform and lost their funds.

    A woman in Lake County, Ohio became the target of such a scam when she responded to a text on her phone from an unknown number in November 2023. She began sharing information via text with the person and the two bonded over topics such as hobbies and religion. Over a period of time, the victim followed instructions from her new “friend” and opened an account at Crypto.com and then transferred funds into the account. When the victim wanted to withdraw funds, her “friend,” relented and said additional payments were needed and she complied. When the victim no longer had any funds left after making additional payments, her “friend” began to threaten her that he would send his friends to “take care of” her friends and family. Having lost her entire life savings of approximately $663,352, including funds from her Roth IRA, the victim filed a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center to report the losses in June 2024. The FBI Cleveland Division subsequently initiated an investigation.

    Investigators conducted a blockchain analysis and determined that a portion of the funds stolen from victims were converted to USDT cryptocurrency and placed into three cryptocurrency addresses. Law enforcement officers executed a federal seizure warrant to recover 8,207,578 USDT tokens, in November 2024. Tether Limited then transferred these funds to a law-enforcement-controlled virtual currency wallet.

    By the Complaint in Forfeiture filed on Feb. 27, 2025, the United States seeks to forfeit the entire 8,207,578 USDT cryptocurrency. In the complaint, the United States alleges that the cryptocurrency accounts also contained additional funds above the victims’ traceable losses and, as proceeds of fraud, are also subject to forfeiture. Additionally, the complaint alleges that such other funds were involved in money laundering violations.     

    The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only, and the United States must prove these allegations by a preponderance of the evidence at trial.

    If successful in this forfeiture action, the United States would seek to return the stolen funds to the victims.

    The FBI Cleveland Division is actively investigating cryptocurrency fraud schemes perpetrated on victims throughout the United States, including in the Northern District of Ohio. The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant United States Attorney James L. Morford. The USAO would like to acknowledge Tether for its assistance in this matter.

    If you observe something that you believe might be fraudulent conduct involving an older adult, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov to report it.

    View Complaint:

    /usao-ndoh/media/1391461/dl?inline 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: McAlester Resident Sentenced for Felony Assault

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nathaniel Dewayne Meashintubby, age 42, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for one count of Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, and Dating Partner by Strangling, Suffocating, or Attempting to Strangle or Suffocate.

    The charge arose from an investigation by the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    On November 18, 2024, Meashintubby pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on March 10, 2024, Meashintubby assaulted the victim by suffocation, resulting in serious bodily injury.  The crime occurred in LeFlore County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Meashintubby will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pelham Man Sentenced to 80 Years in Prison on Child Exploitation Charges

    Source: US FBI

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Pelham man was sentenced today on charges of sexual exploitation of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Kelly J. Blackmon.

    U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced Neal Richard Goodacre, 54, to 960 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release.  In July, Goodacre pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. These convictions will require Goodacre to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

    According to the plea agreement, in July 2023, the Queensland, Australia, Child Exploitation Task Force discovered images of child pornography on a Russian file-sharing website. Queensland officers connected the account used to post the images to Goodacre at a residence in Pelham, Alabama. On September 13, 2023, HSI executed a search warrant at Goodacre’s residence.  Agents recovered two electronic devices containing 29 images and one video of child pornography. Goodacre produced some of the child pornography he possessed.

    Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case along with the Queensland, Australia, Child Exploitation Task Force and the Pelham Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.

    If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Hope Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking, Extortion, and Production of Child Pornography and Agrees to 40-Year Prison Sentence

    Source: US FBI

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A New Hope man pleaded guilty today to stalking and extorting a woman and producing child pornography involving two minor victims, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples. 

    Donald Wayne Carmody, 30, of New Hope, Alabama, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke to cyberstalking, two counts of extortion, and two counts of production of child pornography. 

    According to the plea agreement, Carmody used anonymous text messages to threaten to release pictures of the victim on the internet if she did not send him intimate photographs. Carmody also obtained the victim’s login credentials for her social media accounts and accessed their contents. After Carmody was arrested on cyberstalking and extortion charges for this conduct, investigators discovered a USB thumb drive belonging to him that contained images of child pornography that involved two victims under the age of twelve. The FBI’s Video Forensic Analysis Unit compared the images from the thumb drive, which showed a person’s hand, to pictures of Carmody’s hands taken during the investigation. The Unit identified similar class and distinguishing characteristics between the images, demonstrating that the hand in the images on the thumb drive belonged to Carmody.     

    As part of the plea agreement, Carmody stipulated to a 480-month sentence of imprisonment for the offenses. If the Court rejects the stipulated sentence, Carmody or the United States could withdraw from the plea agreement. 

    The maximum penalty for cyberstalking is five years imprisonment. The maximum penalty for extortion is two years imprisonment. The maximum penalty for production of child pornography is 30 years imprisonment. Each offense also carries the possibility of a $250,000 fine.

    The FBI investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid is prosecuting the case.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) and the National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC) have partnered and released a digital series to educate parents and caretakers about sextortion and how they can help prevent kids and teens from being victims. This series offers three-to-five-minute videos about current online safety topics and provides essential information about the true dangers of online activities.  These videos titled “Sextortion Prevention” can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/@nationalcac/videos. 

    If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.

    The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. For more resources on cybercrime, visit www.ic3.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Budget 2025 – Oranga Whenua, Oranga Tangata: Hāpai Te Hauora Responds to Budget 2025

    Source: Hapai Te Hauora

    Hāpai Te Hauora says Budget 2025 is not a Budget for whānau – it is a Budget for landlords, corporates, and cuts.
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis promised no lolly scramble; but somehow, the sweet stuff still landed in boardrooms and business accounts, while the pantry stayed locked for whānau.
    “This Budget is a choice – and that choice is clear,” says Jacqui Harema, CEO of Hāpai Te Hauora. “A choice to gut pay equity. A choice to ask rangatahi to prove their poverty. A choice to back the boardroom while gutting community support.”
    Businesses receive a 20% tax write-off on new assets. Meanwhile, whānau get 25-cent KiwiSaver contributions, tighter benefit rules, and income-tested child payments. “A baby’s best start now depends on a parent’s payslip – that’s not equity,” Harema says.
    The wealthy retain their capital gains. Yet rangatahi on Jobseeker now face new restrictions based on their parents’ income. “We’re means-testing the vulnerable while letting privilege off the hook.”
    Health receives funding, but only just. Emergency departments remain overwhelmed. Nurses are still burning out. And while primary care sees a modest boost, there is no targeted investment in Māori health – and prevention is notably missing.
    “If we want to reduce long-term costs and create better outcomes, we must fund prevention,” says Jason Alexander, COO of Hāpai. “That means backing kaupapa Māori solutions before harm happens – not waiting until our people are in crisis.”
    Education receives $2.5 billion, but $614 million of that comes from scrapped initiatives. Programmes like Kāhui Ako are axed, and school lunches (Ka Ora, Ka Ako) are set to expire in 2026. “You do not build brighter futures by cutting kai from classrooms,” says Harema.
    Tax cuts favour business, while low- to middle-income families receive just $14 more a fortnight under Working for Families tweaks – roughly the cost of a pack of nappies.
    This Budget did not prioritise Māori health, wellbeing, or equity. It disestablished Te Aka Whai Ora, clawed back unspent Māori housing funds, and continued the short-term funding cycle.
    Hāpai Te Hauora’s Budget 2025 Wishlist included:
    • Investment in Māori-led housing
    • Protection of school lunch programmes
    • Long-term contracts for Māori health services
    • Increased income support and kaupapa Māori employment pathways
    • Serious investment in prevention
    What we got instead were cuts, exclusions, and short-term gains.
    “This is not the Budget for tamariki. Not for our mokopuna. Not for our taiao,” Harema says. “Whānau deserve better.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Union Official Charged with Bombing Alabama Gas Pipeline

    Source: US FBI

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A West Virginia man has been charged with bombing a methane gas pipeline owned and operated by Warrior Met Coal, Inc., in Brookwood, Alabama, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.

    A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Jerry Gale Kerns, 52, with destruction of property used in interstate commerce by means of fire or explosive. 

    According to the indictment, on March 23, 2022, Kerns bombed a section of a methane gas pipeline near the intersection of Hanna Creek Road and Sandlin Mountain Road in Brookwood, Alabama.  At the time, Kerns was the Region II Director of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) union.  The UMWA represented striking, unionized coal miners employed by Warrior Met Coal, which operated a mine in Brookwood. 

    If convicted, Kerns faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of twenty years in prison.

    FBI and ATF investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan “Jack” Harrington and Lloyd C. Peeples, III are prosecuting the case. 

    An indictment contains only charges.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hoover Man Indicted in Connection with Murder-for-Hire Plot

    Source: US FBI

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury indicted a Hoover man in connection with his solicitation of a murder-for-hire, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples.

    A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Mohammad A.H. Mohammad, 63, of Hoover, with use of a cell phone in attempting to hire someone to murder his selected victim.  The crime allegedly occurred between August 2024 and September 2024 in Jefferson County. 

    The maximum penalty for use of interstate commerce facilities in the attempted commission of murder-for-hire is 10 years in prison.

    The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan S. Cross and William R. McComb are prosecuting the case.

    An indictment contains only charges.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.    

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