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Category: Finance

  • MIL-OSI: SBM Offshore starts EUR141 million share repurchase following successful completion of the 2024 program

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Amsterdam, April 23, 2025

    SBM Offshore announces the completion of its EUR130 million share repurchase program initiated in 2024, and the commencement of a EUR141 million (US$150 million equivalent1) share repurchase program, as announced on February 20, 2025 and effective from April 24, 2025. 

    EUR141 million share repurchase program

    The objective of the EUR141 million share repurchase program is to reduce share capital and, in addition, to provide shares for regular management and employee share programs (maximum US$25 million). The remainder of the repurchased shares will be cancelled. The share repurchase program is expected to be completed by February 26, 2026 and will be executed under the authorization granted by the Annual General Meeting of the Company on April 9, 2025.

    The share repurchase program will be executed under the terms of an engagement letter with a third party, performed in compliance with the safe harbor provisions for share repurchases, and therefore transactions may be carried out during closed periods.

    In accordance with the European Market Abuse Regulation, the Company will inform the market of the progress made in the execution of this program through weekly press releases and updates on its website.

    Completion of the EUR130 million program started in 2024

    From March 1, 2024 to April 23, 2025 a total of 7,978,332 shares were repurchased, at an average price of EUR16.29 per share, representing a total of EUR130 million. Detailed information on the aggregate transactions (calculated on a daily basis) for the period in which the program was executed can be found in the table below. Further details about individual transactions can be accessed via the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website.

    The repurchases were made under the EUR65 million share repurchase program announced on February 29, 2024, effective from March 1, 2024 which was later increased by EUR65 million as announced on and effective from August 8, 2024. The objective of the program was to reduce share capital and, in addition, to provide shares for regular management and employee share programs. 

    Final Period 2024 Share Repurchase Program Transaction Details

    SBM Offshore reports the transaction details related to the repurchases under the program for the period April 17, 2025 through April 23, 2025 in the bottom half of the table below.

    2024 Share Repurchase Program    
           
    Overall progress Share Repurchase Program:  
           
    Total Repurchase Amount   EUR 130,000,000
    Cumulative Repurchase Amount   EUR 129,999,982
    Cumulative Quantity Repurchased   7,978,332
    Cumulative Average Repurchase Price   EUR 16.29
    Start Date     March 1, 2024
    End Date     April 23, 2025
    Percentage of program completed as of April 23, 2025 100%
           
    Overview of details of last 5 trading days:  
           
    Trade Update Quantity Repurchased Average Purchase Price Settlement Amount
    April 17, 2025 46,550 EUR 17.11 EUR 796,675
    April 18, 2025 Stock markets are closed    
    April 21, 2025 Stock markets are closed    
    April 22, 2025 46,700 EUR 17.12 EUR 799,555
    April 23, 2025 43,125 EUR 17.46 EUR 753,113
    Total1 136,375 EUR 17.23 EUR 2,349,344
           
    1All shares purchased via Euronext Amsterdam, CBOE DXE and or Turquoise    

    The table above contains information which is to be made publicly available under the Market Abuse Regulation (nr. 596/2014). The information concerns a regular update of the transactions conducted under SBM Offshore’s share repurchase program, as announced by the Company on February 29, 2024 and August 8, 2024, details of which are available on its website. 

    Corporate Profile

    SBM Offshore is the world’s deepwater ocean-infrastructure expert. Through the design, construction, installation, and operation of offshore floating facilities, we play a pivotal role in a just transition. By advancing our core, we deliver cleaner, more efficient energy production. By pioneering more, we unlock new markets within the blue economy. 
    More than 7,800 SBMers collaborate worldwide to deliver innovative solutions as a responsible partner towards a sustainable future, balancing ocean protection with progress.
    For further information, please visit our website at www.sbmoffshore.com.

    Financial Calendar   Date Year
    First Quarter 2025 Trading Update   May 15 2025
    Half Year 2025 Earnings   August 7 2025
    Third Quarter 2025 Trading Update   November 13 2025
    Full Year 2025 Earnings   February 26 2026
    Annual General Meeting   April 15 2026

    For further information, please contact:

    Investor Relations

    Wouter Holties
    Corporate Finance & Investor Relations Manager

    Media Relations

    Giampaolo Arghittu
    Head of External Relations

    Market Abuse Regulation

    This press release may contain inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

    Disclaimer

    Some of the statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance, or events to differ materially from those in such statements. These statements may be identified by words such as ‘expect’, ‘should’, ‘could’, ‘shall’ and / or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The principal risks which could affect the future operations of SBM Offshore N.V. are described in the ‘Impacts, Risks and Opportunities’ section of the 2024 Annual Report.

    Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and performance of the Company’s business may vary materially and adversely from the forward-looking statements described in this release. SBM Offshore does not intend and does not assume any obligation to update any industry information or forward-looking statements set forth in this release to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise.

    This release contains certain alternative performance measures (APMs) as defined by the ESMA guidelines which are not defined under IFRS. Further information on these APMs is included in the 2024 Annual Report, available on our website Annual Reports – SBM Offshore.

    Nothing in this release shall be deemed an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities. The companies in which SBM Offshore N.V. directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this release “SBM Offshore” and “SBM” are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to SBM Offshore N.V. and its subsidiaries in general. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies.

    “SBM Offshore®“, the SBM logomark, “Fast4Ward®”, “emissionZERO®” and “F4W®” are proprietary marks owned by SBM Offshore.

    1 Based on the foreign exchange rate on February 20, 2025

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Announces He Will Not Seek Re-Election in 2026

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    April 23, 2025

    After serving seven House terms and five Senate terms, Durbin says, “I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch.”

    CHICAGO – In a video message shared with Illinois voters today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that he will not seek re-election in 2026.

    “The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy. I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch. So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term,” Durbin said in the video.

    “The people of Illinois have honored me with this responsibility longer than anyone elected to the Senate in our state’s history. I am truly grateful,” Durbin said. “Right now, the challenges facing our country are historic and unprecedented. The threats to our democracy and way of life are very real, and I can assure you that I will do everything in my power to fight for Illinois and the future of our country every day of my remaining time in the Senate.”

    Durbin concluded, “To the Illinoisans who gave this kid from East St. Louis a chance to serve: Thank you for supporting me—through words and actions—over the years. Now that I have this announcement behind me, I need to get back to work.”

    Senator Durbin is the 47th U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois, the state’s senior Senator, and the longest serving, popularly elected Senator from Illinois. Durbin also serves as the Senate Democratic Whip, the second highest ranking position among Senate Democrats. Durbin has been elected to this leadership post by his Democratic colleagues every two years since 2005 and is the longest serving Whip for either party.

    Senator Durbin served as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee for the 117th and 118th Congresses. During his time as Chair, the committee held 145 full committee hearings, 88 subcommittee hearings, and 86 executive business meetings; advanced 373 executive and judicial nominees out of the committee; and reported 56 bills out of the committee. The Senate also confirmed a record 235 judges, including Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

    Senator Durbin has given more than half of his life to House and Senate Congressional service, having first been elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, representing the Springfield-based 20th congressional district. After serving seven House terms, Durbin was elected to the U.S. Senate on November 5, 1996, and re-elected in 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020. Durbin fills the seat left vacant by the retirement of his long-time friend and mentor, U.S. Senator Paul Simon.

    A video summary of Durbin’s accomplishments as a member of the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate can be found here. Below is a list of some of Durbin’s top legislative accomplishments throughout his career.

    • Judicial Confirmations. During his time as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senate Democrats confirmed 235 judges to lifetime positions. This included the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court. Of the confirmations, two-thirds were women, two-thirds were people of color, and two-fifths were women of color.
    • Curbing Tobacco and E-Cigarette Use. As a Congressman, Durbin was the primary author of legislation that ended smoking on airplanes. Since, he has continued to work to reduce tobacco use—especially by young people—by leading the passage of legislation to increase the tobacco purchase age to 21, pressing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, and repeatedly calling on the FDA to better enforce laws regulating unauthorized e-cigarettes.
    • Dream Act/DACA. Beginning in 2001, Durbin introduced the Dream Act to give young immigrants the chance to earn U.S. citizenship. He has introduced the legislation every Congress since. Durbin has spoken on the Senate Floor 147 times to tell the stories of these young people. In 2012, Durbin worked with President Obama to establish the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to allow these young people to gain temporary status. As of September 2024, roughly 530,000 people had active DACA status. 
    • Criminal Justice Reform. Durbin’s Fair Sentencing Act, enacted in 2010, reduced the federal sentencing disparity for crack/powder cocaine offenses. In 2019, Durbin led bipartisan efforts to enact the First Step Act, the most significant criminal justice reform legislation in a generation. More than 40,000 people had been released under the First Step Act as of January 2024, with a recidivism rate of only 9.7 percent. Durbin continues to work to further these efforts through his Safer Detention Act, Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act, and Smarter Sentencing Act.
    • Infrastructure Investments. Durbin has made strengthening Illinois’ role as a transportation hub a top priority. He has led efforts to secure funding to relieve congestion on Illinois’ roads; modernize O’Hare International Airport; expand air service downstate; improve and expand passenger rail service—including Amtrak, CTA, and Metra; modernize locks and dams; and improve pedestrian safety. Since the return of earmarks from Fiscal Year 2022 – Fiscal Year 2024 alone, Durbin secured $548.1 million for Illinois projects. 
    • Health Care Shortages. Durbin has led efforts to expand health care access, especially in rural areas. Durbin’s bipartisan SIREN Act, first enacted in 2018, provides grants to rural fire and EMS agencies. He secured $1 billion for the National Health Service Corps and Nurse Corps in the American Rescue Plan to recruit more doctors, nurses, dentists, and behavioral health providers. Durbin has also worked to expand oral health care access through Medicaid. 
    • Medical & Scientific Research. Through Durbin’s American Cures and American Innovation Acts, and his America Grows Act, he has led efforts to secure increased funding—with the goal of five percent real growth—for federal medical and scientific research funding, including through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Defense (DoD), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and other agencies. Durbin’s efforts resulted in a 60 percent funding increase for NIH over the past decade.
    • Support for the Baltics. Durbin was a strong supporter of the accession of Poland and the Baltics into NATO. He has been a steadfast Senate champion of the NATO alliance. And he has worked to provide further security support through his bipartisan Baltic Security Initiative Act and by securing funding for Baltic security through defense appropriations. 
    • College Affordability. In 2013, Durbin helped negotiate the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act to lower interest rates on federal student loans. Durbin’s Open Textbooks Pilot program has resulted in more than $250 million in estimated savings for students.  Durbin also led efforts to hold fraudulent for-profit colleges accountable and has pushed the Education Department to discharge the student loans of borrowers who attended these predatory schools. 
    • Gun Violence Prevention. Durbin has prioritized addressing childhood trauma to break the cycle of violence, including through his Chicago HEAL Initiative and his Trauma Support in Schools grant program with Senator Capito. In 2023, the 10 HEAL hospitals provided 4,403 students with employment/training opportunities and provided 2,614 victims of violence with trauma-informed case management. Durbin is working to further these efforts through his bipartisan RISE from Trauma Act.
    • Consumer Protection. In 2008, Durbin first introduced legislation to create an agency focused on consumer protection, which eventually was added to Dodd-Frank and resulted in the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Dodd-Frank also included the Durbin swipe fee amendment to cap debit card swipe fees, estimated to have saved consumers $6 billion in the first year after implementation. Durbin has continued to work to protect consumers through his bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act—and more recently, legislation to protect consumers from crypto ATM fraud and to bring transparency to airline rewards programs.
    • Protecting the Environment. Durbin has led efforts to protect the Great Lakes, including through Army Corps projects like Brandon Road, securing funding for Chicago shoreline restoration, supporting the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and introducing legislation to prohibit the discharge of plastic pellets into waterways. Durbin has worked to reduce emissions and chemical discharges, including to reduce ethylene oxide emissions and more recently, legislation to phase out non-essential uses of PFAS. Durbin has also secured significant funding for electric vehicle production and charging infrastructure in Illinois.
    • Veterans Care. Durbin’s Veteran Servicemember Caregiver Support Act led to a new, national program at the VA, enacted in 2010, to provide financial assistance, health care, and counseling to family caregivers of disabled veterans. In 2023, the VA provided services to more than 74,000 caregivers participating in the program. Durbin also led the effort to establish the Lovell Federal Health Care Facility in North Chicago.
    • Defense Funding. Durbin served as Chairman/Vice Chairman of Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee from the 113th-116th Congresses. As a leader and member of that subcommittee, Durbin secured funding for a range of small defense contractors in Illinois, strengthened manufacturing at Rock Island Arsenal and capabilities at Scott Air Force Base, and led efforts to increase service member pay. Durbin also led the effort to bring a DoD Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute to Illinois (MxD) and has worked to address DoD’s PFAS releases to protect service members and their families.

    Durbin was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, to his father, William Durbin, and his Lithuanian-born mother, Ona (Kutkaite) Durbin. He is married to Loretta Schaefer Durbin. Their family consists of three children—Christine, Paul, and Jennifer—as well as six grandchildren.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Online Marketplace Operator Charged with Trafficking Deadly Synthetic Opioids Stronger Than Fentanyl

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Today, an indictment was unsealed in the District of Columbia charging eWorldTrade LLC (eWorldTrade), a U.S. company, with conspiracy to distribute synthetic opioids for unlawful importation into the United States. Law enforcement authorities also seized eWorldTrade’s website domain, which was allegedly used to operate an online business-to-business marketplace that facilitated the distribution of synthetic opioids such as isotonitazene and carfentanyl, both significantly more potent than fentanyl.

    According to the indictment, from March 2024 through March 2025, eWorldTrade conspired with others to distribute isotonitazene, a Schedule I controlled substance, and carfentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, knowing that the controlled substances would be imported into the United States.

    eWorldTrade is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances for unlawful importation into the United States. If convicted, the company faces a maximum fine of $50,000,000.

    On the same day of the unsealing of the indictment, law enforcement authorities seized eWorldTrade’s website and shut down its operation. The website now displays the following warning messages to the public.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville Office made the announcement.

    The HSI Knoxville Office, in partnership with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Chattanooga Office, investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Jayce Born of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section is prosecuting the case. Former Trial Attorney Ann Daniels and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee provided valuable support.

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

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Stakeholders acknowledge progress with Zimbabwe arrears clearance dialogue, call for more effort and support

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, April 23, 2025/APO Group/ —

    • Challenges should not overshadow the good results achieved so far, says former president Chissano
    • “Zimbabwe has made a lot of progress, against all odds. Now, we all should rally around it to conclude this process,” Adesina
    • Former farm owners welcome compensation payment

    International organisations, creditors, and other stakeholders in the Zimbabwe arrears clearance and debt resolution unanimously acknowledged on Monday that tremendous progress has been made after two years of an extensive Structured Dialogue process but observed several challenges that need to be addressed.

    At a roundtable meeting on Zimbabwe’s Arrears Clearance and Debt Resolution Process held on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Group Spring Meetings in Washington, participants highlighted achievements in two of three reform areas: economic growth and stability, land reforms, and compensation of former farm owners. However, they called for more effort in the governance pillar.

    “The parameters of the dialogue have been set. Most issues have been dealt with. Commitments and targets have been agreed upon. We should all be proud of the dialogue process and what it has achieved,” said Joachim Chissano, former president of Mozambique and facilitator of Zimbabwe’s Arrears Clearance and Debt Resolution Process.

    Other speakers included Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank and champion of the dialogue process; Ndiamé Diop, the World Bank Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa; Abebe Selassie, Director of the African Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who represented the Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva; representatives of the governments of the Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany; and the Southern African Development Community Executive Secretary Elias M. Magosi.

    “Zimbabwe has made a lot of progress, against all odds,” said Adesina, pointing out, however, that recent ascent to the Private Voluntary Organization (PVO) bill is a significant setback and poses a risk to the arrears clearance and debt resolution process.

    Adesina laid out several concrete next steps, including the need for the IMF to approve the Staff Monitored Programme for Zimbabwe at the Spring Meetings, support from potential donors for bridge loan financing, exploration of additional resources from the African Development Fund, and prioritisation of Zimbabwe’s arrears clearance within the G20 Common Framework.

    He said the African Development Bank Group will explore the possibility of mobilising additional resources for Zimbabwe’s arrears clearance within the framework of the 17th replenishment of the African Development Fund coming up towards the end of the year. This will form part of an agreed-upon process for clearing the bridge loan.

    “Similarly, we encourage the World Bank’s International Development Association to do the same to clear arrears,” the Bank Group president said.

    “To move the arrears clearance and debt resolution forward, the African Development Bank Group is financing the Global Sovereign Advisory and legal advisors, Kepler-Karst, to support the arrears clearance and debt resolution process, with clear timelines,” Adesina said.

    Progress across three reform pillars

    Chissano outlined other reforms that the Zimbabwe government undertook within the dialogue process framework, including the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe ceasing its quasi-fiscal operations, with all liabilities transferred to the treasury; the exchange rate system moving closer to market-determined rates; prudent fiscal policy and expenditure rationalisation being pursued; and the ongoing token payments to creditors.

    Under the land tenure reform, Chissano and other speakers welcomed the ongoing compensation for former farm owners and the Farm Title Deed programme launched in December 2024. The programme provides for a 99-year lease agreement that is bankable and transferable.

    Regarding governance reforms, the meeting heard that Zimbabwe had abolished the death penalty and that other significant reforms were underway to improve efficiency in the justice sector, enhance measures to fight corruption, and improve public sector transparency and accountability.

    However, like other speakers, Chissano noted that challenges remain in civil society engagement, democratic elections, judicial processes, freedom of assembly, and freedom of expression.

    “These challenges show that dialogue is still needed for reforms to take root. They also show that political reforms are not a linear process,” he said, urging that these challenges “should mobilise us to redouble our efforts and re-energise the dialogue process.”

    The government of Zimbabwe has proposed a plan to secure bridge financing of $2.6 billion to clear arrears to international financial institutions.

    In his presentation, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion, Mthuli Ncube said the country’s economic outlook shows signs of recovery with expected growth of 6.0% in 2025. This is a remarkable improvement on last year’s 2.0% due to severe drought. The introduction of ZiG currency in April 2024 is helping to restore macroeconomic stability.

    The arrears clearance roadmap aims to secure and implement a Staff Monitored Programme with the IMF in 2025, develop a credible strategy to close the fiscal financing gap, clear arrears with international financial institutions by early 2026, and complete comprehensive debt restructuring under the G20 Common Framework.

    The Southern African Development Community Executive Secretary, Elias M. Magosi, said Zimbabwe should be supported to bounce back, pointing to its strategic role in regional trade, integration, and development.

    Back in Zimbabwe, the former president of the Commercial Farmers Union, Mr. Andrew J. Pascoe, confirmed receipt of payments made to former landowners, describing the development as “another momentous event.”

    “Monday, 24 March 2025, saw the first US Dollar Cash payments due under this plan being paid to the signed-up Former Farm Owners (FFOs),” he said. “After almost 20 years, we, as Zimbabweans had been able to put aside our differences and, in an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust, negotiated an agreement that laid the foundation for the payment of compensation for improvements on farms which the government of Zimbabwe had acquired under the Fast Track Land Reform Programme.”

    “I would like, as a representative of these farmers, to sincerely thank His Excellency, President Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa and his government for standing by the commitment made by His Excellency in 2018 to pay compensation for acquired farms in line with the Constitution of Zimbabwe,” he said.

    Nearly three years ago, President Emmerson Mnangagwa asked Dr Adesina to champion Zimbabwe’s arrears clearance and debt resolution process.

    “I knew the job would be difficult,” Adesina recalled and expressed confidence, saying, “We will succeed in giving Zimbabwe and its people a full arrears clearance and debt resolution so that it can receive critical concessional financing needed to boost its growth and development further.”

    “Now, we all should rally around it to conclude this process,” he added.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Releases Annual Internet Crime Report

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

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has released its latest annual report. The 2024 Internet Crime Report combines information from 859,532 complaints of suspected internet crime and details reported losses exceeding $16 billion—a 33% increase in losses from 2023.

    The top three cyber crimes, by number of complaints reported by victims in 2024, were phishing/spoofing, extortion, and personal data breaches. Victims of investment fraud, specifically those involving cryptocurrency, reported the most losses—totaling over $6.5 billion.

    According to the 2024 report, the most complaints were received from California, Texas, and Florida. As a group, people over the age of 60 suffered the most losses at nearly $5 billion and submitted the greatest number of complaints.

    “Reporting is one of the first and most important steps in fighting crime so law enforcement can use this information to combat a variety of frauds and scams,” said FBI Director, Kash Patel. “The IC3, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, is only as successful as the reports it receives; that’s why it’s imperative that the public immediately report suspected cyber-enabled criminal activity to the FBI.”

    To promote public awareness, the IC3 produces an annual report to aggregate and highlight the data provided by the general public. The quality of the data is a direct reflection of the information the public provides through the IC3 website. The IC3 standardizes the data by categorizing each complaint and analyzes the data to identify and forecast trends in internet crime. The annual report helps the FBI develop effective relationships with industry partners and share information for investigative and intelligence purposes for law enforcement and public awareness.

    The IC3, which was established in May 2000, houses nine million complaints from the public in its database and continues to encourage anyone who thinks they’ve been the victim of a cyber-enabled crime, regardless of dollar loss, to file a complaint through the IC3 website. The more comprehensive complaints the FBI receives, the more effective it will be in helping law enforcement gain a more accurate picture of the extent and nature of internet-facilitated crimes.

    The FBI recommends that everyone frequently review consumer and industry alerts published by the IC3. If you or your business are a victim of an internet crime, immediately notify all financial institutions involved in the relevant transactions, submit a complaint to www.ic3.gov, contact your nearest FBI field office, and contact local law enforcement.

    Learn more about the history of IC3 by listening to this previously released FBI podcast episode: Inside the FBI: IC3 Turns 20.

    The full 2024 Internet Crime Report can be found here: ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024_IC3Report.pdf

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis Man Admits Bank Robbery and Attempted Bank Robbery

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

    ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man admitted robbing a St. Louis bank in 2024 and trying to rob the same bank three months later.

    Isaac Perry, 39, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery. He admitted entering a bank on Loughborough Avenue in south St. Louis on June 25, 2024, and handing a note to a bank employee. The note read, “I nee[d] you to hand over 10,000 in cash if not it aint gone end good please.” Perry drew a red heart around the word “please.” He left the bank with about $340.

    On Oct. 3, 2024, Perry returned, and again handed a note to a bank employee. The note said, “This is a stick up I need you to give me 6,000 dollars in all hundreds in make it quick.” The note had another heart. The bank employee told Perry that she had activated an alarm and police were on the way.  Perry fled the bank but was identified in photos of the robbery that were released to the public.

    Perry is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29. Each charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.

    The FBI and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nichole Frankenberg is prosecuting 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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Albuquerque Man Sentenced in Federal Firearms Case Adopted from Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A previously convicted felon has been sentenced to 84 months in prison after violently assaulting his pregnant partner and threatening her with a loaded rifle during a domestic incident.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court records, on August 13, 2023, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a violent domestic assault at a residence in the South Valley. The victim, who was six months pregnant, reported that Marlando Luis Martinez, 36, had physically assaulted her throughout the night, including punching her, striking her with a whip, choking her multiple times to near unconsciousness, and threatening her with an AR-15 rifle, which he discharged near her face. Deputies observed visible injuries on the victim, including welts, bruising, and a cut lip.

    The victim recounted to responding officers that Martinez threatened to kill her and her unborn child if she contacted law enforcement. After Martinez fell asleep, the victim escaped and sought help from a neighbor. Deputies transported her to safety and documented her injuries. A subsequent search of the residence uncovered multiple firearms, ammunition, and evidence corroborating the victim’s account, including a rifle with a round in the chamber and a bullet hole in the headboard.

    The loaded rifle, ammunition and extended magazine
    Second rifle, ammunition and extended magazine

    Martinez was apprehended later that day with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force. He was arrested without incident and federally charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, having previously been convicted of aggravated battery against a household member.

    Upon his release from prison, Martinez will be subject to three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Haynes is prosecuting this case as part of an agreement with the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

    Through the agreement, Assistant District Attorneys are designated Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) in the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA from the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office screens felony criminal complaints filed in Bernalillo County for federal criminal offenses, prioritizing federal charges against those who drive violence in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Since 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office has reviewed almost 3,000 cases and has charged more than 300 criminal cases pursuant to this program.

    The United States Attorney’s Office has similar agreements with the New Mexico Department of Justice and the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office and plans to expand the program throughout the state. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Director of Kansas City Bureau of Investigation Describes Role of JTTF

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

    Tony Mattivi, director of the Kansas City Bureau of Investigation, describes the role of FBI Kansas City’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.

    More at: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/celebrating-45-years-of-fbi-joint-terrorism-task-forces
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wPMzFd-omU

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Retired Special Agent Describes Role of FBI Kansas City JTTF

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

    Retired Special Agent Dana Kreeger, who served on the Kansas City Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), describes the role of the JTTF.

    More at: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/celebrating-45-years-of-fbi-joint-terrorism-task-forces
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5LMzXMc42c

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Kansas City Detective Describes Role of FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force

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

    Vince Kingston, a detective of the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department and a task force officer on the FBI Kansas City Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), describes the role of the JTTF.

    More at: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/celebrating-45-years-of-fbi-joint-terrorism-task-forces
    —————————————————
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tqHVmnbC4g

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Special Agent Jake Foiles Discusses Role of Joint Terrorism Task Force

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

    Special Agent Jake Foiles, supervisor of the FBI Kansas City Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) discusses the role of the JTTF.

    More at: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/celebrating-45-years-of-fbi-joint-terrorism-task-forces
    —————————————————
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpmQpIoxn2w

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Retired Detective Barry Berglund Describes Role of FBI Kansas City JTTF

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

    Barry Berglund, a retired detective of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and a task force officer on the FBI Kansas City Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), describes the role of the JTTF.

    More at: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/celebrating-45-years-of-fbi-joint-terrorism-task-forces
    —————————————————
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ConL7d3Ukg8

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Online Marketplace Operator Charged with Trafficking Deadly Synthetic Opioids Stronger Than Fentanyl

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    Today, an indictment was unsealed in the District of Columbia charging eWorldTrade LLC (eWorldTrade), a U.S. company, with conspiracy to distribute synthetic opioids for unlawful importation into the United States. Law enforcement authorities also seized eWorldTrade’s website domain, which was allegedly used to operate an online business-to-business marketplace that facilitated the distribution of synthetic opioids such as isotonitazene and carfentanyl, both significantly more potent than fentanyl.

    According to the indictment, from March 2024 through March 2025, eWorldTrade conspired with others to distribute isotonitazene, a Schedule I controlled substance, and carfentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, knowing that the controlled substances would be imported into the United States.

    eWorldTrade is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances for unlawful importation into the United States. If convicted, the company faces a maximum fine of $50,000,000.

    On the same day of the unsealing of the indictment, law enforcement authorities seized eWorldTrade’s website and shut down its operation. The website now displays the following warning messages to the public.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville Office made the announcement.

    The HSI Knoxville Office, in partnership with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Chattanooga Office, investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Jayce Born of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section is prosecuting the case. Former Trial Attorney Ann Daniels and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee provided valuable support.

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal alien sentenced in multimillion-dollar elder fraud ring

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – The second ringleader in an international fraud scheme victimizing the elderly has been ordered to prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX).

    Hardik Jayantilal Patel, 37, illegally resided in Lexington, Kentucky. He pleaded guilty Dec. 1, 2023.

    U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now sentenced Patel to serve 46 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Patel will also pay a combined $3,203,478 in restitution to 85 identified victims. In handing down the sentence, Judge Hanen noted the large number of victims and the significant harm Patel and his conspirators caused. Not a U.S. citizen, Patel is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence.

    “We have an obligation to protect our seniors from the predations of scammers,” said Ganjei. “SDTX will tirelessly pursue those that seek to profit by swindling the elderly.”

    From March through November 2019, Patel led a team of domestic money mules aka “runners.” They laundered money tied to telemarketing fraud schemes originating from call centers in India. Most victims were elderly.

    Scammers pretended to work for the U.S. government and claimed the victims were under investigation. They claimed the only way to clear their name was to send cash by mail. Runners in the United States would then pick up the packages and launder the cash.

    At least three runners worked under Patel in 2019. He also collaborated with an associate, Sohil Usmangani Vahora, who managed his own team of four runners. Together, they coordinated efforts to launder fraud proceeds.

    Runners under both Patel and Vahora picked up hundreds of packages between 2019 and 2020 nationwide. These packages contained millions of dollars in cash that victims in multiple states had sent.

    Patel was the last of seven to be sentenced in related cases in the SDTX. Vahora, 40, Des Plaines, Illinois, received more than 15 years in prison and was ordered to pay over $3.5 million in restitution.

    Zaheen Malvi, 30, Heber Springs, Arkansas, initially worked as a runner in the scheme. He later assisted Vahora in managing two other individuals involved in the operation. He received a 54-month sentence and was ordered to pay more than $1.6 million in restitution.

    Dhirenkumar Patel, 33, Richmond, Kentucky, was a runner who worked for Patel. He was ordered to serve 18 months in prison and pay $225,221 in restitution to his victims.

    Three other runners received sentences ranging from 29-60 months.

    With the exception of Vahora, who was a legal permanent resident, Patel and his co-conspirators were all illegally in the country when they committed their crimes.

    Patel will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI, Kentucky State Police and police departments in Heber Springs, Arkansas, and Frankfort, Kentucky. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman and Kate Suh are prosecuting the case. 

    The SSA and its OIG consistently warns people of similar scams. Protect yourself! 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: OTCQX Best 50 Virtual Investor Conference Agenda Announced for April 24th

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Virtual Investor Conferences, the leading proprietary investor conference series announced the agenda for the OTCQX Best 50 Virtual Investor Conference on April 24th.

    Individual investors, institutional investors, advisors, and analysts are invited to attend.

    REGISTER HERE

    It is recommended that investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates. There is no cost to log-in, attend live presentations, or schedule 1×1 meetings with management.

    “We are excited to highlight companies featured in this year’s OTCQX Best 50 list,” said Jason Paltrowitz, Executive Vice President of Corporate Services at OTC Markets Group. “The OTCQX Best 50 speaks to the diversity of companies that find success on our OTCQX Market, representing various industries and specialties.”

    April 24th

    To facilitate investor relations scheduling and to view a complete calendar of Virtual Investor Conferences, please visit www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

    About Virtual Investor Conferences®

    Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

    Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

    Media Contact: 
    OTC Markets Group Inc. +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com

    Virtual Investor Conferences Contact:
    John M. Viglotti
    SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access
    OTC Markets Group
    (212) 220-2221
    johnv@otcmarkets.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Monongalia County Man Sentenced for Firearms Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Todd Matthew Houston, 36, of Morgantown, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 51 months in federal prison for to conspiring to straw purchase firearms.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, officers were called to a home in Morgantown on a domestic violence incident involving Houston and a firearm. Officers later found Houston attempting to pawn more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition at a pawn shop. The vehicle Houston was driving was searched and officers found a pistol. Investigators determined the firearm had been purchased by someone else for Houston in exchange for heroin. Houston is prohibited from having firearms because of prior felony convictions that include domestic battery, drug trafficking, robbery, and grand larceny.

    Houston will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Rhee prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office investigated.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Establish a United Front Against Fraud by Leveraging Credit Reporting as Your First Line of Defense

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, April 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bectran, Inc., the industry leader in credit, collections and accounts receivable management technology, has introduced a new method to report and track fraudulent customers, crowning its industry-leading fraud suite with a human-led, data-informed reporting system.

    “Credit managers play a critical role in identifying and stopping bad actors,” says Louis Ifeguni, CEO at Bectran. “By embedding their expertise directly into the verification process, we’re not only improving accuracy—we’re elevating the strategic value they bring to their organization.”

    Advanced Fraud Alerting and Analysis

    In today’s AI-driven fraud landscape, gaps in communication channels between departments can significantly increase a business’s risk exposure. When key stakeholders are unaware of potential threats, fraud reporting on applications becomes fragmented—leaving businesses vulnerable and divided.

    To prevent bad actors from slipping through cracks due to miscommunication, inconsistent verification processes, and limited visibility across teams, Bectran has introduced intelligent workflows that seal the gaps in fraud reporting. By surfacing risks as they are flagged, Bectran equips all teams with shared transparency and a fully traceable audit log—while tracking and identifying suspicious applications in real time.

    This capability is powered by Bectran’s AI-driven fraud suite and automated prevention network, which continuously scans and warns of discrepancies and risk signals across applications, applicants, and accounts. Paired with Bectran’s fraud suite, it brings a deeper layer of analysis to reviews—helping credit teams quickly catch and correct false positives caused by human error or incomplete data, without compromising on fraud detection accuracy.

    Alongside enhancements to the verification workflow, Bectran has improved existing reports by including summaries of detected fraudulent activity. These additions provide greater visibility into potential risk, allowing credit managers to quickly assess application status, view comprehensive audit trails and follow the progression of investigations into fraudulent activity.

    Together, these tools enable credit managers to take quicker and more confident action in their reviews—securing cash flow and keeping departments informed of all suspected fraudulent activity.

    “We recognize that it is human ingenuity and analysis working in tandem with automated systems and real-time data that outperforms any other method of fraud prevention. When skilled credit managers are given the tools and the authority to make determinations regarding credit risk, the results are indisputable,” says Ali Kidwai, Bectran’s Director of Product, Implementation & Engineering—Enterprise Portfolio Management.

    About Bectran 

    Bectran is the premier SaaS platform for Finance Departments, akin to CRM for Sales. Trusted by diverse organizations, from SMEs to Fortune 100 companies, we streamline credit processing by over 98%, reducing credit defaults and collection costs. Many businesses rely on Bectran for efficient order to cash management, achieving up to 95% cost savings. With rapid onboarding in days, our platform is hailed by credit professionals as the future of credit management. Visit Bectran.com to learn more about financial solutions for your industry.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Schumer, Wyden, Senate Democrats Demand Social Security Watchdog Investigate Impact of DOGE’s Social Security Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    April 23, 2025
    Text of Letter (PDF) 
    Washington, D.C. – In their latest move to defend Social Security, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), led Senate Democrats in writing to the Acting Inspector General (IG) of Social Security, requesting a report into how the recent cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts have affected Americans who rely on Social Security.
    In the last two months, DOGE has moved to dramatically reduce the workforce of the Social Security Administration, including through laying off staff, pressuring employees to resign, and closing regional offices. This includes staff that work in field offices, who directly support Social Security beneficiaries, and that maintain and protect the SSA’s online systems millions rely on to access their benefits—which have been plagued with technical difficulties and service blackouts since DOGE initiated its takeover of SSA. 
    “These actions have already created a chilling effect among the agency’s workforce, with several senior SSA officials with centuries’ worth of institutional knowledge and experience having already left the agency,” wrote the senators. 
    “Collectively, this will undoubtedly lead to disruption in benefit payments and increasing barriers for Americans to access their Social Security benefits,” the lawmakers continued. 
    The senators requested the IG’s review include the agency’s organizational restructuring, closure of field offices, and moves to reduce its workforce to determine whether it has affected the agency’s ability to provide quality customer service. The senators also requested the IG’s office provide recurring quarterly updates on the impact of the agency’s reorganization and workforce reductions on customer service.
    “We are concerned that this hostile environment will foster burnout, low morale, higher attrition, and worse productivity among employees,” the senators wrote. 
    This call for an investigation is part of Senate Democrats’ Social Security War Room, a coordinated effort launched this month to fight back against the Trump administration’s attack on Americans’ Social Security. The War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders; encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them; and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans’ agenda and their continued cuts to Americans’ Social Security services and benefits.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Construction of New, Larger Yarmouth Emergency Department to Begin

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Construction of the new emergency department at Yarmouth Regional Hospital will start next week, a project that will provide better access to emergency healthcare for people in Yarmouth, Shelburne and Digby counties.

    The new facility will have twice the capacity of the current department – able to care for 30 people at a time, up from the current 14. It will also have space for four ambulances, up from two.

    “Investing in healthcare infrastructure is how we support the healthcare needs of our growing population and recruit and retain the best and brightest healthcare professionals to our communities,” said Nick Hilton, MLA for Yarmouth, on behalf of Public Works Minister Fred Tilley. “A new, modern and larger emergency department will improve care for Nova Scotians in Yarmouth, Shelburne and Digby counties.”

    Some of the other features of the new emergency department will include:

    • two triage spaces
    • a resuscitation/trauma area
    • two virtual-care exam rooms and a dedicated kids’ waiting area
    • mental health facilities
    • a dedicated ear-nose-throat exam room.

    The new facility is scheduled to open in 2027.

    Quotes:

    “Our emergency department team, our patients and our community have been looking forward to work getting started on the Yarmouth Regional Hospital emergency department redevelopment. We will be excited to see boots on the ground and work happening. We are confident it will ultimately allow for better care in a more spacious, modern environment, resulting in an enhanced patient and provider experience. Bring it on.”
    — Dr. Joe Gillis, site medical lead, Yarmouth Regional Hospital

    Quick Facts:

    • during construction, patients will be able to access all hospital services as usual; as work proceeds, there will be some adjustments to things such as parking and patient drop-offs/pickups, but any disruptions will be minimized
    • PCL Constructors Canada Inc. was awarded the construction tender through a competitive process; it is valued at $77.8 million
    • the total cost of the project will be released once it is complete

    Additional Resources:

    News release – Yarmouth Emergency Department Expansion Update: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/02/23/yarmouth-emergency-department-expansion-update

    More, Faster: The Action for Health Build: https://buildns.ca/healthcare/more-faster-the-action-for-health-build/

    Department of Public Works on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/NS_PublicWorks

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Amundi: Ordinary and Extraordinary general meeting of shareholders, 27th May 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Amundi : Ordinary and Extraordinary general meeting of shareholders, 27th May 2025

    Arrangements for making preparatory documents

    available and consulting them

    The Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders of Amundi will be held at 2.30 p.m. Paris time on Friday, 27th May 2025 at 54 Rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris.

    The notice of meeting, including the agenda and the draft resolutions, was published in the Bulletin des Annonces Légales et Obligatoires (BALO, French gazette for compulsory legal announcements) of 18th April 2025 and may be accessed on the company’s website (https://about.amundi.com/general-meetings). The convening notice will be published in the BALO of 12th May 2025 and will also be made available on the company’s website.

    The documents and information relating to the general meeting, including those listed in article R. 225-83 of the French Commercial Code, are included in the notice of meeting and in the company’s 2024 Universal Registration Document, also available on the company’s website (http://about.amundi.com).

    Other documents and information relating to the general meeting will be kept available to shareholders in accordance with the applicable regulatory provisions at the company’s head office at 91-93, boulevard Pasteur, 75015 Paris.

    For more information, please contact the financial communication department at investor.relations@amundi.com

    About Amundi

    As Europe’s leading asset manager among the world’s top 10 players1, Amundi offers its 100m clients – individuals, institutions and corporates – a full range of savings and investment solutions in active and passive management, in traditional and real assets. This offer is enriched with services and technological tools that cover the entire savings value chain. A subsidiary of the Crédit Agricole group, Amundi is listed on the stock exchange and currently manages more than €2.2tn in assets under management2.

    Its six international management platforms3, its financial and extra-financial research capacity, as well as its long-standing commitment to responsible investment make it a leading player in the asset management landscape.

    Amundi’s clients benefit from the expertise and advice of 5,700 professionals in 35 countries.

    Amundi, a trusted partner that acts every day in the interest of its clients and society.

    www.amundi.com  

    Press contacts:        
    Natacha Andermahr 
    Tel. +33 1 76 37 86 05
    natacha.andermahr@amundi.com 

    Corentin Henry
    Tel. +33 1 76 36 26 96
    corentin.henry@amundi.com

    Investor contacts:
    Cyril Meilland, CFA
    Tel. +33 1 76 32 62 67
    cyril.meilland@amundi.com 

    Thomas Lapeyre
    Tel. +33 1 76 33 70 54
    thomas.lapeyre@amundi.com 

    Annabelle Wiriath

    Tel. + 33 1 76 32 43 92

    annabelle.wiriath@amundi.com

    1Source: IPE “Top 500 Asset Managers” published in June 2024 based on assets under management as of 31/12/2023
    2Amundi data as of 31/12/2024
    3Boston, Dublin, London, Milan, Paris and Tokyo

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Companies and President Operating Oregon Wood Treatment Facility to Pay $1.5M in Criminal Fines for Hazardous Waste and Air Pollution Charges

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    A federal judge in Oregon yesterday sentenced the two companies responsible for the operation of the J.H. Baxter wood treatment facility in Eugene, Oregon, and their president, for hazardous waste and Clean Air Act violations. Collectively, they were ordered to pay a total of $1.5 million in criminal fines. In addition, the court ordered the companies to serve five years of probation and the companies’ president, Georgia Baxter-Krause, of Deschutes, Oregon, to serve 90 days in prison and one year of supervised release.

    Both companies — J.H. Baxter & Co. Inc. and J.H. Baxter & Co., A California Limited Partnership (collectively J.H. Baxter) — previously pleaded guilty to charges of illegally treating hazardous waste and knowingly violating the Clean Air Act’s regulations for hazardous air pollutants. Georgia Baxter-Krause previously pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements in violation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the federal statute governing hazardous waste management.

    “On more than 100 different days, J.H. Baxter knowingly and illegally boiled off hazardous waste, emitting the discharge into the air,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “J.H. Baxter’s President, Georgia Baxter-Krause, then made false statements about the unlawful practice. Protecting the public’s health is among our highest priorities, and we will prosecute those who violate environmental laws.”

    “The J.H. Baxter companies knowingly mishandled hazardous waste and repeatedly violated the Clean Air Act by venting hazardous substances directly into the air, right across the street from people’s homes. The company president then lied to cover up these crimes,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Jeffrey Hall for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s sentencing highlights the significant penalties that Congress has provided for illegally treating or disposing of hazardous waste as well as the Agency’s continued efforts to ensure that Americans have clean air, land, and water.”

    “The defendant companies boiled hazardous waste into our community’s air instead of properly dealing with it and Georgia Baxter-Krause lied when confronted about it,” said Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Chief of the Eugene and Medford Branches of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to investigate and prosecute those who put Oregonians at risk in violation of federal law.”

    According to court documents, J.H. Baxter used hazardous chemicals to treat and preserve wood at its Eugene facility. The wastewater from the wood preserving processes was hazardous waste.

    To properly treat wastewater from its wood treatment process, J.H. Baxter operated a legal wastewater treatment unit to treat and evaporate the waste. For years, however, when J.H. Baxter had too much water on site, including process wastewater and precipitation, J.H. Baxter’s employees at the facility would transfer hazardous process wastewater to an available wood treatment retort to “boil it off,” greatly reducing its volume. J.H. Baxter would then remove the remaining waste from the retort, label it as hazardous waste and ship it offsite for disposal.

    J.H. Baxter did not have a permit to treat its hazardous waste in this manner, as required by RCRA. Additionally, J.H. Baxter’s facility was subject to certain Clean Air Act emissions standards for hazardous air pollutants, which required it to minimize air pollution emissions. However, during the illegal treatment, employees were directed to open all vents on the retorts, allowing discharge to the surrounding air.

    After Oregon inspectors discovered this activity, they requested information about the companies’ practice of boiling off hazardous wastewater. On two separate occasions, Georgia Baxter-Krause gave false information in response, which included information about the dates the practice took place and which retorts were used.

    The investigation determined that Georgia Baxter-Krause knew J.H. Baxter maintained detailed daily production logs for each retort. From approximately January to October 2019, J.H. Baxter boiled off hazardous process wastewater in its wood treatment retorts on 136 known days. Georgia Baxter-Krause was also aware that during this time J.H. Baxter used four of its five retorts to boil off wastewater.

    This case was investigated by the EPA Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Lane Regional Air Protection Agency, EPAs Pacific Northwest (Region 10) office, and the Oregon State Police.

    This case was an Environmental Crimes Task Force (ECTF) investigation. ECTF is an initiative in the District of Oregon that identifies, investigates, and prosecutes significant environmental, public lands, and wildlife crimes. ECTF leverages the resources and effort of federal, state and local regulatory agencies and law enforcement to protect human health, safeguard natural resources and wildlife and hold violators accountable.

    Trial Attorneys Rachel Roberts and Stephen J. Foster of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. McLaren for the District of Oregon and EPA Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel Karla G. Perrin prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Marathon County Woman Sentenced to Six Years for Conspiring to Traffic Methamphetamine

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

    Mercadys A. Perkins is the first defendant sentenced from trafficking organization

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Mercadys A. Perkins, 32, Weston, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 6 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Perkins pleaded guilty to this charge on January 21, 2025.

    In early 2024, investigators with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force began investigating a group of individuals who were distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in the Marathon County area. Perkins was identified as a distributor for the group.

    In March and April of 2024, Perkins sold methamphetamine three times to an informant, the largest sale being 230 grams. On April 16, 2024, task force officers executed a search warrant at Perkins’s residence in Weston. Officers found over 300 grams of methamphetamine, over $2,000 in cash, drug ledgers, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia during the search. Perkins later admitted to trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine.

    Further investigation revealed that between February 18, 2024, and April 12, 2024, a co-conspirator provided Perkins and another individual approximately 16 pounds of methamphetamine and 6 ounces of cocaine intended for further distribution.

    At the time of these events, Perkins was serving a term of state probation for a methamphetamine possession conviction and was out on bond on four open state cases, three of which involved methamphetamine trafficking. Her state probation was revoked, and she was sentenced to 2 years in state prison, which she is currently serving. Judge Conley ordered the federal sentence to run concurrently with the remainder of Perkins’ state prison sentence.

    At sentencing, Judge Conley said Perkins participated with her co-defendants to distribute significant quantities of methamphetamine in an around Marathon County. He said he weighed this serious conduct against some mitigating factors including her profound drug addiction.

    Three others were charged in connection with this drug trafficking conspiracy. Co-defendants Joshua Lake, Jessica Colby, and Dustin Brunker have all pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming weeks.

    The charge against Perkins was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and the Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Companies and President Operating Oregon Wood Treatment Facility to Pay $1.5M in Criminal Fines for Hazardous Waste and Air Pollution Charges

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A federal judge in Oregon yesterday sentenced the two companies responsible for the operation of the J.H. Baxter wood treatment facility in Eugene, Oregon, and their president, for hazardous waste and Clean Air Act violations. Collectively, they were ordered to pay a total of $1.5 million in criminal fines. In addition, the court ordered the companies to serve five years of probation and the companies’ president, Georgia Baxter-Krause, of Deschutes, Oregon, to serve 90 days in prison and one year of supervised release.

    Both companies — J.H. Baxter & Co. Inc. and J.H. Baxter & Co., A California Limited Partnership (collectively J.H. Baxter) — previously pleaded guilty to charges of illegally treating hazardous waste and knowingly violating the Clean Air Act’s regulations for hazardous air pollutants. Georgia Baxter-Krause previously pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements in violation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the federal statute governing hazardous waste management.

    “On more than 100 different days, J.H. Baxter knowingly and illegally boiled off hazardous waste, emitting the discharge into the air,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “J.H. Baxter’s President, Georgia Baxter-Krause, then made false statements about the unlawful practice. Protecting the public’s health is among our highest priorities, and we will prosecute those who violate environmental laws.”

    “The J.H. Baxter companies knowingly mishandled hazardous waste and repeatedly violated the Clean Air Act by venting hazardous substances directly into the air, right across the street from people’s homes. The company president then lied to cover up these crimes,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Jeffrey Hall for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s sentencing highlights the significant penalties that Congress has provided for illegally treating or disposing of hazardous waste as well as the Agency’s continued efforts to ensure that Americans have clean air, land, and water.”

    “The defendant companies boiled hazardous waste into our community’s air instead of properly dealing with it and Georgia Baxter-Krause lied when confronted about it,” said Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Chief of the Eugene and Medford Branches of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to investigate and prosecute those who put Oregonians at risk in violation of federal law.”

    According to court documents, J.H. Baxter used hazardous chemicals to treat and preserve wood at its Eugene facility. The wastewater from the wood preserving processes was hazardous waste.

    To properly treat wastewater from its wood treatment process, J.H. Baxter operated a legal wastewater treatment unit to treat and evaporate the waste. For years, however, when J.H. Baxter had too much water on site, including process wastewater and precipitation, J.H. Baxter’s employees at the facility would transfer hazardous process wastewater to an available wood treatment retort to “boil it off,” greatly reducing its volume. J.H. Baxter would then remove the remaining waste from the retort, label it as hazardous waste and ship it offsite for disposal.

    J.H. Baxter did not have a permit to treat its hazardous waste in this manner, as required by RCRA. Additionally, J.H. Baxter’s facility was subject to certain Clean Air Act emissions standards for hazardous air pollutants, which required it to minimize air pollution emissions. However, during the illegal treatment, employees were directed to open all vents on the retorts, allowing discharge to the surrounding air.

    After Oregon inspectors discovered this activity, they requested information about the companies’ practice of boiling off hazardous wastewater. On two separate occasions, Georgia Baxter-Krause gave false information in response, which included information about the dates the practice took place and which retorts were used.

    The investigation determined that Georgia Baxter-Krause knew J.H. Baxter maintained detailed daily production logs for each retort. From approximately January to October 2019, J.H. Baxter boiled off hazardous process wastewater in its wood treatment retorts on 136 known days. Georgia Baxter-Krause was also aware that during this time J.H. Baxter used four of its five retorts to boil off wastewater.

    This case was investigated by the EPA Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Lane Regional Air Protection Agency, EPAs Pacific Northwest (Region 10) office, and the Oregon State Police.

    This case was an Environmental Crimes Task Force (ECTF) investigation. ECTF is an initiative in the District of Oregon that identifies, investigates, and prosecutes significant environmental, public lands, and wildlife crimes. ECTF leverages the resources and effort of federal, state and local regulatory agencies and law enforcement to protect human health, safeguard natural resources and wildlife and hold violators accountable.

    Trial Attorneys Rachel Roberts and Stephen J. Foster of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. McLaren for the District of Oregon and EPA Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel Karla G. Perrin prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Serhat Gumrukcu Convicted of Murder-for-Hire

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

    Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that earlier today, after a five-week trial before Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss, a federal jury convicted Serhat Gumrukcu, 42, of Los Angeles, California, of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Gumrukcu remains in jail pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. Gumrukcu has been held in custody since his arrest in May of 2022.

    According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Gumrukcu solicited the murder of Gregory Davis due to Davis’s threats of legal action related to Gumrukcu’s role in a failed oil commodities transaction.  Gumrukcu’s conviction for wire fraud stemmed from his fraudulent activities in relation to this failed oil deal.  Gumrukcu was particularly motivated to silence Davis due to his negotiations of a multi-million-dollar biotech merger involving Gumrukcu’s alleged discovery of a cure for HIV.  Gumrukcu relied on his close friend, Berk Eratay, to arrange through a second intermediary, Aaron Ethridge, the hiring of a hitman to kill Davis.  Ethridge recruited Jerry Banks for the hitman role, who on January 6, 2018, posed as a Deputy U.S. Marshal, and abducted Davis from his Danville, Vermont home.  On January 7, 2018, Davis’s deceased body was located in a snowbank a short distance from his home.  Investigators quickly discovered emails and messaging indicating the tension between Gumrukcu and Davis over the failed oil deal, resulting in Gumrukcu being interviewed twice by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Gumrukcu made false statements during each interview.  Cellphone location information, purchase records, banking documentation, emails, and messaging discovered during the investigation led to the identification of the four conspirators who caused the kidnapping and death of Davis.
      
    Based on the jury’s verdict, Gumrukcu faces a statutorily mandated sentence of life imprisonment.
     
    “Serhat Gumrukcu tried to hide his role in the murder of Greg Davis by paying one man to pay another man to pay the hitman, who shot and killed Greg Davis on a January night in Vermont. Uncovering Gumrukcu’s responsibility for this murder involved years of determined investigation by the men and women of Vermont’s United States Attorney’s Office, working closely with the FBI and the Vermont State Police,” stated Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher. “Holding Gumrukcu responsible for this murder also required the work of an extraordinarily talented trial team, consisting of Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Van de Graaf and Zachary Stendig, with tremendous courtroom support from Erin Thompson-Moran and Karen Arena-Leene.” Drescher also thanked the numerous law enforcement entities across the country who worked to identify Banks as the hired hitman, Ethridge and Eratay as middlemen, and Gumrukcu as the financier and benefactor of the murder scheme.

    FBI Special Agent in Charge, Craig L. Tremaroli stated, “Serhat Gumrukcu is a ruthless criminal whose greed drove him to order the death of his own business partner. Today, our thoughts are with Gregory Davis’s family. We are proud to have brought them justice and are incredibly grateful to our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office, and all our law enforcement partners across the country who assisted with this complex investigation.”

    “We join our federal partners in thanking the members of the jury for their careful deliberations and verdict convicting Serhat Gumrukcu of all charges,” said Col. Matthew T. Birmingham, director of the Vermont State Police. “The jury’s determination of guilt reflects the diligent police work and the copious evidence collected during what would become one of the most sweeping, comprehensive and complex investigations in Vermont State Police history. Starting on the day more than seven years ago that Gregory Davis’s body was discovered on a snowy, remote road in Barnet, the state police, along with our investigative partners including the FBI, focused on identifying those responsible for his senseless killing and bringing them to justice. We hope that with today’s verdict, Mr. Davis’s family may be able to find a small measure of comfort knowing the person who bore ultimate responsibility has been held accountable.”

    At trial, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul J. Van de Graaf and Zachary Stendig represented the government, with supported from Karen Arena-Leene and Erin Thompson-Moran.  Gumrukcu was represented by Susan K. Marcus, Esq., and Ethan A. Balogh, Esq. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ellwood City Resident Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Coercing Minor to Produce and Send Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on April 22, 2025, to 252 months of incarceration, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, on his conviction of coercion and enticement of a minor, and production and receipt of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Shayne A. Clapper, 31.

    According to information presented to the Court, in January 2023 through February 2023, Clapper initiated a sexual relationship with a minor known to him. Clapper provided the minor with a cell phone that he used to communicate with the minor, including requesting and receiving nude images from the minor. Clapper also induced the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct.

    Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Ellwood City Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Clapper.

    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.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Pittsburgh Residents Charged in Superseding Indictment with Conspiracy, Defacing and Damaging Religious Property, Making False Statements, and Possession of Destructive Devices

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh returned a Superseding Indictment against three residents of the Pittsburgh area on charges of conspiracy, defacing and damaging a religious building, making false statements in a matter within the jurisdiction of the Executive branch of the United States, and possession of destructive devices, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The nine-count Superseding Indictment named Mohamad Hamad, 23, of Coraopolis, Tayla A. Lubit, 24, of Pittsburgh, and Micaiah Collins, 22, of Pittsburgh, as defendants. Hamad and Lubit were previously indicted for their roles in defacing Jewish religious property with pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist graffiti (read the Indictment news release here).

    According to the Superseding Indictment, Hamad enlisted with the United States Air Force, Pennsylvania Air National Guard (PAANG) in 2023. Hamad was assigned to the 171st Maintenance Squadron of the PAANG, stationed in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, near the Pittsburgh International Airport. The 171st Maintenance Squadron is a part of the 171st Air Refueling Wing, the primary mission of which is to provide in-flight refueling to Department of Defense (DoD) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) aircraft.

    In connection with his enlistment, Hamad sought a Top-Secret security clearance. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) investigated Hamad to determine if he should be granted that clearance. Hamad had three in-person interviews as part of his background investigation and, as alleged in the Superseding Indictment, made a series of false statements as part of that process.

    The Superseding Indictment also alleges that, during this same time period, Collins conspired with Hamad to manufacture and possess a destructive device, and discussed the potential uses for the devices that they were building and testing. After Hamad and Collins detonated a device, Hamad built additional destructive devices, including two pipe bombs, and detonated those as well.

    “As alleged in the Superseding Indictment, Mohamad Hamad lied about his loyalty to the United States, among other false statements, in an attempt to obtain a Top-Secret security clearance,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rivetti. “During that time, he openly expressed support for Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Hamas. In addition to his previously charged role in defacing Jewish religious property, he also conspired with others named in this Superseding Indictment to manufacture and detonate destructive devices. Our office remains resolute in its commitment to working alongside federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to investigate crimes like these and to safeguard both the Jewish community and the public at large.”

    “Protecting the American people is spelled out in the Mission of the FBI. That includes all our communities,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The FBI and our partners are committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who reportedly choose to lie about being loyal to this country and instead engage in dangerous, menacing, and illegal activities.”

    The law provides for a maximum total sentence of, for Hamad, 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; for Collins, five years in prison and a $250,000 fine; and for Lubit, one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. 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 Attorneys Nicole Vasquez Schmitt and Carolyn J. Bloch are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government, with assistance from the Department of Justice National Security Division, Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment.

    A Superseding Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Toyota Invests Additional $88 Million its U.S. West Virginia Plant

    Source: Toyota

    Headline: Toyota Invests Additional $88 Million its U.S. West Virginia Plant

    Toyota’s North American subsidiary Toyota North America, Inc, announced today an additional investment of $88 million in its West Virginia plant to assemble the next generation of hybrid transaxles. This brings the total investment in this plant to more than $2.8 billion.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Botswana Vice President Lauds African Development Bank’s 60-Year Legacy, Urges Economic Resilient Africa

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    GABORONE, Botswana, April 23, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Botswana’s Vice President and Finance Minister Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe has urged African leaders to build an economically viable and resilient continent amid global funding challenges, geopolitical tensions, and increased tariff regimes.

    Speaking at an event marking the African Development Bank Group’s 60 years of transformative impact across Africa and 53 years of its operations in Botswana,  Gaolathe envisioned a new Africa as a “value definer” rather than a “price taker” in finance, energy, minerals, and technology.

    He highlighted the African Development Bank Group’s development impact, noting it has remained the continent’s partner of choice not merely as an institution but “a beacon of Africa’s own dream.”

    “We have seen the Bank not only as a builder of roads and dams, but also as a partner in thinking, reforming, and reimagining. Whether through technical assistance in procurement reforms, lines of credit to our development institutions, or policy advisory during our most difficult transitions, the African Development Bank has walked quietly, consistently, and strategically with us,” Gaolathe stated.

    “From the construction of the Lobatse-Kanye Road in the 1970s to the Nata-Maun Road, the Gaborone-Lobatse Water Supply, and the Morupule B Power Plant, this Bank’s footprint is woven into the story of our progress,” he said. “As we celebrate these past six decades, I am especially inspired by the bold and courageous conversations that the African Development Bank is leading today, which challenge the world to rethink Africa, not as a continent of scarcity, but as the richest cradle of life on earth.”

    Gaolathe expressed concern about the “systematic undervaluation of Africa’s natural resources.” “When African carbon credits are traded for a fraction of their true value, that is not commerce; it is quiet violence,” he stated, echoing African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina’s call to stop “carbon grabs” across the continent.

    Since 1972, the Bank Group has supported transformative projects in Botswana across multiple sectors, including agriculture, finance, power, transport, and industry, with investments exceeding $2.6 billion across 67 projects.

    Gaolathe praised a proposal by the Bank for a Critical Minerals-Backed African Currency, and its push to include natural capital in national balance sheets as “unapologetically African, innovative, and sovereign” leadership. “Africa holds over 30% of the world’s critical minerals. From lithium to cobalt, we power the world’s batteries, yet all too often, we are still exporting dust while importing debt. That must end,” he emphasized.

    Leila Mokaddem, the Bank’s Director General for Southern Africa, highlighted the impact of the Bank’s work in Southern Africa, including the Kazungula Bridge connecting Botswana and Zambia, which she described as “a gateway of integration across SADC.” She also cited the Pandamatenga Agriculture Infrastructure Project that transformed 40,000 hectares of farmland and increased cereal production by 46%.

    “As we mark this Diamond Jubilee, we do so to honor the past and embrace the future. Let us build the next decade of partnership with purpose, optimism, and shared commitment,” she said.

    Angola’s Ambassador to Botswana and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Beatriz Morais, took the audience on a memory lane to September 1964, when 25 countries converged in Khartoum with a singular vision—to create a financial institution by Africans for Africans. “Today, 61 years later, we take pride in what that vision has become.”

    Mothobi Matila, a retiree who joined the Bank from Botswana’s Ministry of Finance in 2005, delivered an emotional speech. He described the Bank as an “equal opportunity place” that became his employer and second home.

    Moono Mupotola, the Bank’s Country Manager for Botswana and Deputy Director General for Southern Africa emphasized its five-decade partnership with Botswana, which began in 1972 with the first loan extended in November 1973 to support telecommunications infrastructure.

    She outlined the Bank’s 2022-2026 strategy for Botswana, which focuses on building economic resilience through improved economic governance, private sector development, and infrastructure development to enhance competitiveness and productivity.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) Hydrocarbons Minister to Speak at Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 Amid Renewed Exploration Drive

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    PARIS, France, April 23, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) Minister of Hydrocarbons, Aimé Sakombi Molendo, is confirmed to speak at Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 in Paris next month. His participation underscores the DRC’s commitment to revitalizing its hydrocarbons sector through strategic reforms, regional partnerships and renewed investor engagement, following recent exploration breakthroughs and cross-border agreements.

    With an estimated 5 to 22 billion barrels of oil reserves, the DRC is advancing a pro-investment agenda focused on enhancing transparency, improving operational efficiency and accelerating upstream activity – efforts that are already yielding results. In May 2024, Perenco’s subsidiary, Muanda International Oil Company, achieved the DRC’s first offshore oil discovery in nearly three decades with the Moke-East well in the Coastal Basin. To fast-track exploration and strengthen national participation, the government also recently approved a decree granting state-owned Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures du Congo the rights to Blocks 1 and 2 in the Albertine Basin, one of the country’s most promising zones for oil exploration.

    IAE 2025 (https://apo-opa.co/4cHC9it) is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 13-14, 2025 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

    In a key regional development, the DRC and Angola signed new terms for the co-development of offshore Block 14 during the Angola Oil & Gas 2024 conference. Straddling the maritime border between the two nations, Block 14 boasts a production capacity of 3.29 million barrels per year and is operated by Chevron’s local subsidiary, Cabinda Gulf Oil Company, alongside partners Eni, etu energias and Sonangol. The agreement, formalizing nearly two decades of negotiations, is poised to encourage further investment and strengthen cross-border petroleum trade.

    Minister Molendo’s presence at IAE 2025 will offer delegates valuable insights into the DRC’s evolving energy landscape – spanning hydrocarbons, energy and mining – and the government’s integrated approach to sustainable resource development. As the DRC strengthens linkages across its extractive industries, the Minister is expected to outline emerging opportunities in exploration, infrastructure and local content development. He joins a high-level lineup of African energy leaders, including ministers from Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Mauritania, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau and Liberia, underscoring the summit’s role as a premier platform for pan-African energy dialogue and investment.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI: The arbitral tribunal has confirmed Onni Bidco Oy’s redemption right over the minority shares in Innofactor Plc, and trading in the Innofactor Plc shares has been suspended

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Innofactor Plc | Stock Exchange Release | April 23, 2025 at 18:00 EEST

    The arbitral tribunal has confirmed Onni Bidco Oy’s redemption right over the minority shares in Innofactor Plc, and trading in the Innofactor Plc shares has been suspended

    The arbitral tribunal appointed by the Redemption Board of the Finland Chamber of Commerce in connection with the redemption proceedings concerning the minority shares in Innofactor Plc (“Innofactor”) has in its interim decision issued today confirmed that Onni Bidco Oy (“Onni Bidco”) has the right to redeem the minority shares in Innofactor, and that Onni Bidco has the right to obtain title to the minority shares by posting a security approved by the arbitral tribunal for the payment of the redemption price and the interest accruing thereon.

    Innofactor announced on March 31, 2025 that the Board of Directors of Innofactor has resolved to apply for the termination of public trading in the shares of Innofactor and for the delisting of its shares from the official list of Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd (“Nasdaq Helsinki”) so that the delisting in respect of the Innofactor shares admitted to trading on the official list of Nasdaq Helsinki would become effective as soon as possible upon Onni Bidco having gained title to all the shares in Innofactor in the pending redemption proceedings under Chapter 18 of the Finnish Companies Act.

    Following the confirmation of Onni Bidco’s redemption right, Nasdaq Helsinki has suspended trading in the Innofactor shares today on April 23, 2025 at 17:16 (EEST). The possible posting of the security and the delisting of the Innofactor shares will be announced separately.

    Investor and media enquiries:

    Veera Vitie (Innofactor), ir@innofactor.com, +358 44 331 0207
    Lasse Lautsuo (Innofactor), ir@innofactor.com, +358 50 480 1597

    Distribution:
    NASDAQ Helsinki
    Main media

    ABOUT INNOFACTOR

    Innofactor is the leading promoter of the modern digital organization in the Nordic countries for its approximately 1,000 customers in the commercial and public sectors. Innofactor has the widest solution offering and leading know-how in the Microsoft ecosystem in the Nordics. Innofactor’s offering includes planning services for business-critical IT solutions, project deliveries, implementation support and maintenance services, as well as own software and services. Innofactor employs nearly 600 experts in Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Innofactor’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki with the ticker symbol IFA1V.

    The MIL Network –