NewzIntel.com

Category: Intelligence Agencies

  • MIL-OSI Security: JACKSON COUNTY MAN PLEADS GUILTY EXTORTING STATE PROBATIONERS AND WITNESS TAMPERING

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Gulfport, MS – An Ocean Springs, Mississippi man pleaded guilty today to extortion by official right and witness tampering.

    According to court documents, Steven Wood, 64, used his position as a Mississippi Probation and Parole officer to extort drugs, sexual photos, and sexual services from multiples state probationers.  The investigation was initiated when a probationer reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) that Wood was having her bring him methamphetamine.  Subsequent investigation including additional witness interviews, and the forensic examination of Wood’s phone revealed that he solicited methamphetamine, sexual photos, and videos from multiple probationers.  Wood took official action on those probationer’s behalf by not reporting their use, possession, or transfer of illegal drugs, not requiring them to report for their probation visits, not requiring some of them to pay their probation fees and writing at least one letter to be submitted by a probationer in a child custody dispute.

    During the course of the investigation, Wood contacted multiple probationers, and he told one probationer to lie about her relationship with Wood and to hide evidence.

    Wood pleaded guilty to one count of extortion by official right in violation of the Hobbs Act and one count of witness tampering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2025.  He faces not more than 20 years of imprisonment for both the Hobbs Act and Witness Tampering offenses. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and FBI Special Agent in Charge, Rob Eikhoff, made the announcement.

    The FBI, with assistance of the Mississippi Department of Corrections and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lexington Attorney Agrees to Plead Guilty to Embezzling More Than $3 Million From Companies and Relatives

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant allegedly embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from relatives with disabilities

    BOSTON – A Lexington, Mass. attorney has been charged and agreed to plead guilty in connection with alleged schemes to defraud Massachusetts victims, including two of his own relatives.

    David Smerling, 75, has agreed to plead guilty to a Superseding Information charging him with four counts of wire fraud, two counts of money laundering and one count of aggravated identity theft. Smerling was previously indicted in January 2025 on charges of embezzling from a business partner.  

    “The alleged multi-million-dollar embezzlement that Mr. Smerling was originally charged with was, unfortunately, just the tip of the iceberg. Today’s charges allege that Mr. Smerling also preyed on a family member with special needs and another with dementia, allegedly stealing money these victims needed for their own care,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley.

    “For anyone with elderly and vulnerable loved ones, these are frightening allegations,” said Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “David Smerling allegedly betrayed the trust of his victims and took full advantage – embezzling from them to line his own pockets while trying to cover up his crimes. The FBI will never stop working to protect the public from criminals like this, and we’re gratified to see him brought to justice.”

    According to court filings, between January 2016 and May 2020, Smerling embezzled more than $2.5 million from three Massachusetts companies for whom he worked as a bookkeeper. Specifically, it is alleged that Smerling transferred funds from the victim companies into a separate bank account that he controlled, before moving the money to bank accounts in his own name or directly from the companies’ accounts to bank accounts in his own name. Smerling allegedly concealed his scheme by changing the mailing address on victims’ bank statements to his home address and refusing to share the online banking password for the victims’ accounts.  

    Court filings further allege that, between May 2020 and August 2021, Smerling embezzled more than $470,000 from a trust established for the benefit of a relative with special needs for which Smerling served as the trustee. Smerling allegedly transferred trust funds to bank accounts he controlled before sending the funds to bank accounts in his wife’s name or using the funds to pay for personal expenses. It is alleged that Smerling concealed his scheme by making lulling payments to the beneficiary so he would not discover the trust had been depleted.  

    Court filings also allege that, between May 2023 and April 2025, Smerling embezzled more than $150,000 from a relative with dementia for whom Smerling served as the financial power of attorney. Specifically, Smerling allegedly transferred funds from the victim’s accounts to accounts he controlled, used a credit card in the victim’s name for personal purchases and took out a loan in the victim’s name. To conceal this scheme, Smerling allegedly misrepresented the purpose of the transfers to the financial institutions in which the victim’s accounts were held.  

    The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any sentence imposed on the wire fraud and money laundering charges. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and FBI Acting SAC Milka made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Indian National Pleads Guilty to Visa Fraud Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant staged armed robberies so that “victims” could apply for immigration benefits in exchange for thousands of dollars

    BOSTON – An Indian national, residing in New York, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to staging armed robberies in furtherance of a visa fraud conspiracy.  

    Rambhai Patel, 37, pleaded guilty to on one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for Aug. 20, 2025. In December 2023, Patel was charged along with a co-conspirator.

    Beginning in March 2023, Patel and his alleged co-conspirator set up and carried out staged armed robberies of at least nine convenience/liquor stores and fast-food restaurants across the United States – including at least five in Massachusetts. The purpose of the staged robberies was to allow the store clerks to claim that they were victims of a violent crime on an application for U nonimmigrant status (U Visa). A U Visa is available to victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and who have been helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.  

    During the staged robberies, the “robber” would threaten store clerks and/or owners with an apparent firearm before taking cash from the register and fleeing, while the interaction was captured on store surveillance video. The clerks and/or owners would then wait five or more minutes until the “robber” had escaped before calling police to report the “crime.” The “victims” paid Patel to participate in the scheme. One purported victim paid $20,000 to participate as a victim in one of the staged armed robberies. In turn, Patel paid the store owners for the use of their stores for the staged robbery.

    At least two purported victim co-conspirators submitted U Visa applications based on being victims of the staged armed robberies.

    Singh is scheduled to plead guilty on May 22, 2025.

    The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of New York and the Western District of Washington; FBI’s New York and Seattle Field Offices; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; Massachusetts State Police; Worcester County District Attorney’s Office; and the Hingham, Marshfield, Randolph, Weymouth, Worcester, Upper Darby, (Pa.), West Pittston (Pa.), Louisville, (Ky.) and Bean Station (Tenn.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna J. Nuzum and Jessica L. Soto of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Troy Man Arraigned on Gun and Drug Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Zyjee Lind, a/k/a “Fredo,” age 30, of Troy, New York, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with possession of firearms as a previously convicted felon, possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.  United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

    If convicted on all charges, Lind would face at least 5 years and up to life in prison, and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

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

    The FBI is investigating the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Delta Airline Stowaway Sentenced to a Felony Conviction

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Wicliff Yves Fleurizard, 27, of Leander, Texas, was sentenced today on a felony conviction to time-served (approximately six months’ imprisonment), after he unlawfully boarded a Delta Airlines flight in 2024 and hid in a lavatory for a flight to Austin, Texas, from Salt Lake City International Airport.

    The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow, comes after Fleurizard pleaded guilty on March 11, 2025, to being a stowaway on an aircraft. Fleurizard was also sentenced to three years’ supervised release and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.

    According to court documents and statements made at Fleurizard’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on March 17, 2024, he intentionally boarded Delta Airlines flight #1683 at Gate 2 of the Salt Lake City International Airport, which was destined for Austin, Texas. Fleurizard intended to board the aircraft without purchasing a ticket and he hid in the lavatory to avoid getting caught, but was confronted by flight crew. Prior to boarding, Fleurizard was captured on surveillance footage in the boarding area taking photos of multiple passengers’ personal information on his cell phone. He then used that information to obtain electronic boarding passes in their names and successfully boarded airplanes in both Austin and Salt Lake City. See prior release: Texas Man Admits to Stowaway Charge Onboard a Delta Airlines Flight.

    “Today’s sentence sends a clear message to would-be offenders that the District of Utah will not tolerate crimes committed in and around our vital airports,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “Airport crimes will be prosecuted.”

    “Mr. Fleurizard’s actions were not only disruptive to passengers, it also compromised the safety and security for all on board,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The sentence holds him accountable for trespassing, theft, and fraud.”

    “This was a deliberate breach of security that put passengers and crew, at risk,” said Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd. “The security measures we have in place are to keep everyone safe and this reminds us that we must regularly work to strengthen those aviation security measures. I want to thank our officers and FBI task force detectives who responded to investigate this incident alongside our federal partners, and the flight crew whose attentiveness on board helped protect the safety of our traveling community.”

    The case was investigated jointly by an FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan N. Reeves and Michael Kennedy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. 
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: KC Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud in Stolen U.S. Treasury Check Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty to bank fraud involving a scheme to alter and forge stolen United States Treasury checks. 

    According to court documents, Jevon P. Crudup, Jr., 28, schemed to defraud financial institutions by passing stolen United States Treasury checks that had been altered and forged. The defendant deposited the altered and forged Treasury checks at ATMs using the bank accounts of other persons he met online. These persons provided the defendant with their account information including debit cards and PIN numbers because they believed Crudup would help them make money.

    Crudup would then use these individuals’ debit cards to withdraw funds from the account or the defendant would require these individuals to make cash withdrawals and electronic funds transfers to him using various online payment systems.

    On April 12, 2023, Crudup made an ATM deposit on a Treasury check worth $18,348.72 that had been altered and forged into the bank account of an individual he met online.  Approximately one week after the deposit, the account holder withdrew $5,550 cash from his account and provided the defendant with $5,050. Over the next two months, proceeds from the altered and forged check were disbursed to Crudup in cash withdrawals and transfers via various online payment systems.

    In this manner, Crudup passed at least fifteen stolen and forged United States Treasury checks resulting in a loss in excess of $95,000.

    Crudup faces up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentence of the defendant will be determined by the court based upon the advisory sentencing guidelines and other factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: KC Man Sentenced to 30 years for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin and for possession of firearms in furtherance of that conspiracy.

    Codi J. Monteer, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge D. Greg Kays to 30 years in federal prison without parole.

    On Oct. 8, 2024, Monteer pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana; one count of maintaining a drug involved premises; one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of the drug conspiracy; and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.

    Monteer’s participation in the drug trafficking conspiracy lasted approximately one year and he was responsible for conspiring with others to distribute at least 124 kilograms of methamphetamine; 700 grams of fentanyl (powder and pills); and 1.58 kilograms of heroin.  He was also in possession of several firearms used in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

    On one occasion, in March 2021, Monteer led members of the Kansas Highway Patrol on a high-speed pursuit that reached speeds of approximately 145 miles per hour.  The pursuit did not conclude until two of the tires came off Monteer’s vehicle.  During the pursuit, drugs were thrown from the vehicle.     

    Monteer was an associate of Autumn Dicks, Ian Hazel, They Kelley, Marc Downs, and Jamison Hopson-Stephens.  Those individuals have already been sentenced for their roles within the conspiracy.  Monteer was also an associate of Davion Williams, Curtis Lewis, Daniel Anderson, and Aaron Dorsey in this conspiracy.  Those individuals have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner.  It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department, FBI, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Kansas State Highway Patrol.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Starvation of Gaza – a distressing continuation of a decades-old plan

    SPECIAL REPORT: By Jeremy Rose

    Reading an NBC News report a couple of days ago about a Trump administration plan to relocate 1 million Gazans to Libya reminded me of a conversation between the legendary Warsaw Ghetto leader Marek Edelman and fellow fighter and survivor Simcha Rotem that took place more than quarter of a century ago.

    In the conversation, first reported in Haaretz in 2023, Rotem said the Jews who walked into the gas chambers without a fight did so only because they were hungry.

    Edelman disagreed, but Rotem insisted. “Listen, man. Marek, I’m surprised by your attitude. They only went because they were hungry. Even if they’d known what awaited them they would have walked into the gas chambers. You and I would have done the same.”

    Edelman cut him off. “You would never have gone” [to the gas chamber.] Rotem replied, “I’m not so sure. I was never that hungry.”

    Edelman agreed, saying: “I also wasn’t that hungry,” to which Rotem said, “That’s why you didn’t go.”

    The NBC report claims that Israeli officials are aware of the plan and talks have been held with the Libyan leadership about taking in 1 million ethnically cleansed Palestinians.. The carrot being offered is the unfreezing of billions of dollars of Libya’s own money seized by the US more than a decade ago.

    The Arabic word Sumud — or steadfastness — is synonymous with the Palestinian people. The idea that 1 million Gazans would agree to walk off the 1.4 percent of historic Palestine that is Gaza is inconceivable.

    Equally incomprehensible
    But then the idea that my great grandmother and other relatives walked into the gas chambers is equally incomprehensible. But we’ve never been that hungry.

    The people of Gaza are. No food has entered Gaza for 76 days. Half a million Gazans are facing starvation and the rest of the population (more than 1.5 million people) are suffering from high levels of acute food insecurity, according to the UN.

    Last year, Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was widely condemned when he suggested starving Gaza might be “justified and moral”.

    The lack of outrage and urgency being expressed by world leaders — particularly Western leaders — after nearly 11 weeks of Israel actually starving the inhabitants of what retired IDF general Giora Eiland has called a giant concentration camp — is an outrage.

    As far as I’m aware there’s been no talk of cutting off diplomatic relations, trade embargos or even cultural boycotts.

    Israel — which last time I looked wasn’t in Europe — just placed second in Eurovision. “I’m happy,” an Israeli friend messaged me, “that my old genocidal homeland (Austria) won and not my current genocidal nation.”

    A third generation Israeli, she’s one of a tiny minority protesting the war crimes being committed less than 100km from her apartment.

    Honourable exceptions
    Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Irish President Michael Higgins are honourable exceptions to the muted criticism being expressed by Western leaders, although this criticism has finally been stepped up with the threatened “concrete actions” by the UK, France and Canada, and the condemnation of Israel by 22 other countries — including New Zealand.

    Sanchez had declared Israel a genocidal state and said Spain won’t do business with such a nation.

    And peaking at a national famine commemoration held over the weekend Higgens said the UN Security Council had failed again and again by not dealing with famines and the current “forced starvation of the people of Gaza”.

    He cited UN Secretary-General António Guterres saying “as aid dries up, the floodgates of horror have re-opened. Gaza is a killing field — and civilians are in an endless death loop.”

    Nobel Prize winning economist Amartya Sen argued in his 1981 book Poverty and Famines that famines are man-made and not natural disasters.

    Unlike Gaza, the famines he wrote about were caused by either callous disregard by the ruling elites for the populations left to starve or the disastrous results of following the whims of an all-powerful leader like Chairman Mao.

    He argued that a famine had never occurred in a functioning democracy.

    A horrifying fact
    It’s a horrifying fact that a self-described democracy, funded and abetted by the world’s most powerful democracy, has been allowed by the international community to starve two million people with no let-up in its bombing of barely functioning hospitals and killing of more than 2000 Gazans since the ban on food entering the strip was put in place. (Many more will have died due to a lack of medicine, food, and access to clean water.)

    After more than two months of denying any food or medicine to enter Gaza Israel is now saying it will allow limited amounts of food in to avoid a full-scale famine.

    “Due to the need to expand the fighting, we will introduce a basic amount of food to the residents of Gaza to ensure no famine occurs,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained.

    “A famine might jeopardise the continuation of Operation Gideon’s Chariots aimed at eliminating Hamas.”

    If 19-months of indiscriminate bombardment, the razing to the ground of whole cities, the displacement of virtually the entire population, and more than 50,000 recorded deaths (the Lancet estimated the true figure is likely to be four times that) hasn’t destroyed Hamas to Israel’s satisfaction it’s hard to conceive of what will.

    But accepting that that is the real aim of the ongoing genocide would be naïve.

    Shamefully indifferent Western world
    In the first cabinet meeting following the Six Day War, long before Hamas came into existence, ridding Gaza of its Palestinian inhabitants was top of the agenda.

    “If we can evict 300,000 refugees from Gaza to other places . . .  we can annex Gaza without a problem,” Defence Minister Moshe Dayan said.

    The population of Gaza was 400,000 at the time.

    “We should take them to the East Bank [Jordan] by the scruff of their necks and throw them there,” Minister Yosef Sapir said.

    Fifty-eight years later the possible destinations may have changed but the aim remains the same. And a shamefully indifferent Western world combined with a malnourished and desperate population may be paving the way to a mass expulsion.

    If the US, Europe and their allies demanded that Israel stop, the killing would end tomorrow.

    Jeremy Rose is a Wellington-based journalist and his Towards Democracy blog is at Substack.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Foreign National Sentenced for $3.2 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A foreign national was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare of more than $3.2 million through a sham durable medical equipment company.

    According to court documents, Julian Lopez, 55, a citizen of Cuba who resides in Miami-Dade County, Florida, obtained Medicare beneficiary identification cards and sold Medicare beneficiaries’ personal information to a durable medical equipment company, One Medical Services. Lopez knew the Medicare identification cards he obtained would be used to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare. One Medical Services used the information from Lopez to bill Medicare for orthotic braces that were never provided to the Medicare beneficiaries. In connection with the scheme, One Medical Services submitted and caused the submission of over $3.2 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary DME.

    Lopez pleaded guilty to two counts of health care fraud in February 2025. At sentencing, he was also ordered to pay $1,496,412 in restitution.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.

    Assistant Chief Emily Gurskis and Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Societe Generale_ Combined General Meeting and Board of Directors dated 20 May 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COMBINED GENERAL MEETING AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS DATED 20 MAY 2025

    Press release

    Paris, 20 May 2025

    Combined General Meeting

    The General Meeting of shareholders of Societe Generale was held on 20 May 2025 at CNIT Forest, 2, Place de la Défense, 92092 Puteaux and was chaired by Mr. Lorenzo Bini Smaghi.

    Quorum was established at 64,34% (vs 55.61% in 2024):

    • 687 shareholders participated by attending the General Meeting in person at the place where it was held on 20 May 2025;
    • 1,057 shareholders were represented at the General Meeting by a person other than the Chairman;
    • 13,140 shareholders voted online;
    • 2,400 shareholders voted by post;
    • 8,767 shareholders, including 2,500 online, representing 1.07% of the share capital, gave proxy to the Chairman;
    • A total of 26 051 shareholders were present or represented and participated in the vote.

    The agenda item, with no vote, was an opportunity to present and discuss with shareholders the Group’s climate strategy and social and environmental responsibility.

    In addition, 9 shareholders sent 56 written questions prior to the General Meeting. The answers were made public before the General Meeting on the institutional website.

    All the resolutions put forward by the Board of Directors were adopted, in particular:

    • The 2024 annual company accounts and annual consolidated accounts;
    • The dividend per share was set at EUR 1.09. It shall traded ex-dividend on 26 May 2025 and will be paid from 28 May 2025;
    • The renewal of two independent directors for 4 years: Mr. William Connelly and Mr. Henri Poupart-Lafarge;
    • The appointment of two independent directors for 4 years: Mr. Olivier Klein and Mrs. Ingrid-Helen Arnold;
    • The renewal of Mr. Sébastien Wetter’s mandate as Director representing the employee shareholders;
    • The compensation policy for the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, the Deputy Chief Executive Officers and the Directors;
    • The components composing the total compensation and the benefits of any kind paid or awarded for the 2024 financial year to the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer and the Deputy Chief Executive Officers;
    • The authorisation granted to the Board of Directors to purchase ordinary shares of the Company was renewed for 18 months up to 10% of the share capital;
    • The authorisation for capital increases, enabling the issue of shares in favour of employees under a company or group saving plan, was renewed for 26 months;
    • The amendments to the Articles of Association to take account of the entry into force of the “Loi Attractivité” (no. 2024-537 dated 13 June 2024).

    The detailed voting result is available this day on the Company’s website in the item “Annual General Meeting”.

    Board of Directors

    Following the renewals and appointments of directors, the Board of Directors is composed of 15 directors, including (i) 2 directors re-elected by the employees in March 2024 and (ii) 1 director representing employee shareholders appointed by the General Meeting and one non-voting director.

    Accordingly, the Board of Directors is composed as follows:

    • Mr. Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, Chairman;
    • Mr. Slawomir Krupa, Director;
    • Mrs. Ingrid-Helen Arnold, Director;
    • Mr. William Connelly, Director;
    • Mr. Jérôme Contamine, Director;
    • Mrs. Béatrice Cossa-Dumurgier, Director;
    • Mrs. Diane Côté, Director;
    • Mrs. Ulrika Ekman, Director;
    • Mrs. France Houssaye, Director elected by employees;
    • Mr. Olivier Klein, Director;
    • Mrs. Annette Messemer, Director;
    • Mr. Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Director;
    • Mr Johan Praud, Director elected by employees;
    • Mr. Benoît de Ruffray, Director;
    • Mr. Sébastien Wetter, Director representing employees shareholders;
    • Mr. Jean-Bernard Lévy, Non-voting Director (“censeur”).

    The Board of Directors is made up of 41,7% women (5/12) and 91,7% independent directors (11/12) if we exclude from the calculations the three directors representing the employees in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article L. 225-23 of the Commercial Code, paragraph 2 of Article L. 225-27 of the Commercial Code and the AFEP-MEDEF code. In order to ensure compliance with a forthcoming legislative change scheduled for mid-2026, the Board of Directors has already decided, for the General Meeting of May 2026, that shareholders will be invited to replace a man director, whose term of office will expire, by a woman director.

    The Board of Directors held after the General Meeting has decided that, as of 20 May 2025, the Board committees will be composed as follows:

    • Audit and Internal Control Committee: Mr. Jérôme Contamine (chairman), Mrs. Diane Côté, Mrs. Ulrika Ekman, Mr. Olivier Klein and Mr. Sébastien Wetter;
    • Risk Committee: Mr. William Connelly (chairman), Mrs. Ingrid-Helen Arnold, Mrs. Béatrice Cossa Dumurgier, Mrs. Diane Côté, Mrs. Ulrika Ekman, Mr. Olivier Klein and Mrs. Annette Messemer;
    • Compensation Committee: Mrs. Annette Messemer (chairwoman), Mr. Jerome Contamine, Mr. Benoit de Ruffray and Mrs. France Houssaye;
    • Nomination and Corporate Governance Committee: Mr. Henri Poupart-Lafarge (chairman), Mr. William Connelly, Mme Diane Côté and Mr. Benoit de Ruffray.

    Biographies

    Mr. William Connelly is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington (US). He began his career in 1980 at Chase Manhattan Bank, where he worked for 10 years, before joining Baring Brothers from 1990 to 1995. He then held various executive positions within ING Group NV from 1995 until he became a member of The Management Board, where he was responsible for Wholesale Banking from 2011 to 2016. He was also the CEO of ING Real Estate from 2009 to 2015. In addition to his mandate as an independent director of Societe Generale since 2017, he currently is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Amadeus IT Group and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Aegon until the second half of 2025. He also served as an independent director of Singular Bank from February 2019 to April 2023. During its session on 10 April 2025, the Societe Generale Board of Directors selected William Connelly for the Chairmanship as of the General Meeting which will be held on 27 May 2026. He will succeed Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, who has been Chairman since 2015, and will have completed his third term.

    Mr. Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Graduate of École polytechnique, the École nationale des ponts et chaussées and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He began his career in 1992 at the World Bank in Washington D.C. before moving to the French Ministry of the Economy and Finance in 1994. He joined Alstom in 1998 as Head of Investor Relations and was in charge of Management Control. In 2000, he was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Transmission and Distribution at Alstom, a position he held until 2004. He was Chief Financial Officer of Alstom from 2004 until 2010 and became President of Alstom Grid from 2010 to 2011. On 4 July 2011, he became Chairman of Alstom Transport, before being appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in February 2016, a position he held until June 2024. Since then, he has been Chief Executive Officer and Director of Alstom.

    Mr. Olivier Klein, Graduated from the Panthéon‑Sorbonne University in 1978 with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, from the National School of Statistics and Economic Administration (ENSAE) in 1980, and from HEC’s graduate course in Finance in 1985. He began his career at the BFCE in 1985 and served as manager of the Foreign Exchange and Rate Risk Management Advisory Department, then as Director of the BFCE’s Investment Bank, and finally as Regional Director of its corporate bank. He joined the Caisse d’Epargne group in 1998 and was Chairman of the Executive Board of the Caisse d’Epargne Ile‑de‑France Ouest from 2000 to 2007 and then of the Caisse d’Epargne Rhône‑Alpes from 2007 to 2009. In January 2010, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Banking and Insurance of the BPCE group until September 2012. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the BRED group from October 2012 to May 2023. He was a Member of the Supervisory Board of BPCE and its Risk Committee between 2019 and May 2023. He is Chief Executive Officer of Lazard Frères Banque SA and Managing Partner since September 2023. Since 1986, He is teaching macroeconomics and monetary policy at HEC. He is a director of Rexécode since 2018.

    Mrs. Ingrid-Helen Arnold, Graduated from the University of Applied Sciences Ludwigshafen in 1997 with a master’s degree in economics. She began her career at SAP SE in 1996, where she held various responsibilities related to innovation and digital transformation. In 2014, she was appointed Chief Information Officer and Business
    Processes and extended Member of the SAPExecutiveCommittee. From 2016 to April 2021, she was President of SAP Business Data Network group in Palo Alto (United States) and SAP SE Walldorf (Germany). In 2021, she joined the Südzucker group as Chief Digital Officer and Information tehcnology and member of the Group’s Executive Committee. She is Chief Executive Officer of KAKO GmbH since June 2024. She was a member of the Supervisory Board and a member of the Heineken group Audit Committee from 2019 to 2023. She is a member of the TUI group Supervisory Board since 2020.

    Mr. Sébastien Wetter holds a Master degree in Fundamental Physics and graduated from the Lyons Business School (EM Lyon). He began his career at Societe Generale in 1997 in the Strategy and Marketing Division of Societe Generale’s retail bank. Working in the Group’s Organisation Consulting Department from 2002, he performed a range of roles in the Corporate & Investment Banking arm and helped roll out the Group-wide participatory Innovation programme. As of the end of 2005, he joined the Commodities Market Department as Chief Operating Officer holding a global remit, before becoming Head of Business Development in 2008. From 2010 until 2014, he served as General Secretary in the Group’s General Inspection and Audit Division. In 2014, he joined the Sales Division of the Corporate & Investment Bank arm where he held a number of positions: Head of marketing for major French and international clients, then in 2016, Global Chief Operating Officer responsible for the sales teams covering financial institutions. From 2020 to December 2022, he has been a banker managing Societe Generale’s relationship with international financial institutions. He has been a member of the of the Supervisory Board of the Fonds Commun de Placement d’Entreprise (FCPE) since May 2024.

    The regulatory declarations on the absence of conflicts of interest and the absence of convictions mentioned on page 140 of the Universal Registration Document filed by Societe Generale on 12 March 2025 with the French market authority (AMF) under number D.25-00088, relating notably to the three directors whose terms of office are renewed remain valid and the two new directors appointed with effect from the General Meeting of 20 May 2025 have made the same regulatory declarations.

    Press contacts:
    Jean-Baptiste Froville_+33 1 58 98 68 00_ jean-baptiste.froville@socgen.com
    Fanny Rouby_+33 1 57 29 11 12_ fanny.rouby@socgen.com

    Societe Generale

    Societe Generale is a top tier European Bank with around 119,000 employees serving more than 26 million clients in 62 countries across the world. We have been supporting the development of our economies for 160 years, providing our corporate, institutional, and individual clients with a wide array of value-added advisory and financial solutions. Our long-lasting and trusted relationships with the clients, our cutting-edge expertise, our unique innovation, our ESG capabilities and leading franchises are part of our DNA and serve our most essential objective – to deliver sustainable value creation for all our stakeholders.

    The Group runs three complementary sets of businesses, embedding ESG offerings for all its clients:

    • French Retail, Private Banking and Insurance, with leading retail bank SG and insurance franchise, premium private banking services, and the leading digital bank BoursoBank.
    • Global Banking and Investor Solutions, a top tier wholesale bank offering tailored-made solutions with distinctive global leadership in equity derivatives, structured finance and ESG.
    • Mobility, International Retail Banking and Financial Services, comprising well-established universal banks (in Czech Republic, Romania and several African countries), Ayvens (the new ALD I LeasePlan brand), a global player in sustainable mobility, as well as specialized financing activities.

    Committed to building together with its clients a better and sustainable future, Societe Generale aims to be a leading partner in the environmental transition and sustainability overall. The Group is included in the principal socially responsible investment indices: DJSI (Europe), FTSE4Good (Global and Europe), Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, Refinitiv Diversity and Inclusion Index, Euronext Vigeo (Europe and Eurozone), STOXX Global ESG Leaders indexes, and the MSCI Low Carbon Leaders Index (World and Europe).

    In case of doubt regarding the authenticity of this press release, please go to the end of the Group News page on societegenerale.com website where official Press Releases sent by Societe Generale can be certified using blockchain technology. A link will allow you to check the document’s legitimacy directly on the web page.

    For more information, you can follow us on Twitter/X @societegenerale or visit our website societegenerale.com.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ESET Research APT Report: Russian cyberattacks in Ukraine intensify; Sandworm unleashes new destructive wiper

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • ESET has released its latest advanced persistent threat (APT) report.
    • Russian APT groups intensified attacks against Ukraine and the EU, exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities and deploying wipers.
    • China-aligned groups like Mustang Panda and DigitalRecyclers continued their espionage campaigns targeting the EU government and maritime sectors.
    • North Korea-aligned groups expanded their financially motivated campaigns using fake job listings and social engineering.

    BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ESET Research has released its latest APT Activity Report, which highlights activities of select APT groups that were documented by ESET researchers from October 2024 through March 2025. During the monitored period, Russia-aligned threat actors, notably Sednit and Gamaredon, maintained aggressive campaigns primarily targeting Ukraine and EU countries. Ukraine was subjected to the greatest intensity of cyberattacks against the country’s critical infrastructure and governmental institutions. The Russia-aligned Sandworm group intensified destructive operations against Ukrainian energy companies, deploying a new wiper named ZEROLOT. China-aligned threat actors continued engaging in persistent espionage campaigns with a focus on European organizations.

    Gamaredon remained the most prolific actor targeting Ukraine, enhancing malware obfuscation and introducing PteroBox, a file stealer leveraging Dropbox. “The infamous Sandworm group concentrated heavily on compromising Ukrainian energy infrastructure. In recent cases, it deployed the ZEROLOT wiper in Ukraine. For this, the attackers abused Active Directory Group Policy in the affected organizations,” says ESET Director of Threat Research Jean-Ian Boutin.

    Sednit refined its exploitation of cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in webmail services, expanding Operation RoundPress from Roundcube to include Horde, MDaemon, and Zimbra. ESET discovered that the group successfully leveraged a zero-day vulnerability in MDaemon Email Server (CVE-2024-11182) against Ukrainian companies. Several Sednit attacks against defense companies located in Bulgaria and Ukraine used spearphishing email campaigns as a lure. Another Russia-aligned group, RomCom, demonstrated advanced capabilities by deploying zero-day exploits against Mozilla Firefox (CVE 2024 9680) and Microsoft Windows (CVE 2024 49039).

    In Asia, China-aligned APT groups continued their campaigns against governmental and academic institutions. At the same time, North Korea-aligned threat actors significantly increased their operations directed at South Korea, placing particular emphasis on individuals, private companies, embassies, and diplomatic personnel. Mustang Panda remained the most active, targeting governmental institutions and maritime transportation companies via Korplug loaders and malicious USB drives. DigitalRecyclers continued targeting EU governmental entities, employing the KMA VPN anonymization network and deploying the RClient, HydroRShell, and GiftBox backdoors. PerplexedGoblin used its new espionage backdoor, which ESET named NanoSlate, against a Central European government entity, while Webworm targeted a Serbian government organization using SoftEther VPN, emphasizing the continued popularity of this tool among China-aligned groups.

    Elsewhere in Asia, North Korea-aligned threat actors were particularly active in financially motivated campaigns. DeceptiveDevelopment significantly broadened its targeting, using fake job listings primarily within the cryptocurrency, blockchain, and finance sectors. The group employed innovative social engineering techniques to distribute the multiplatform WeaselStore malware. The Bybit cryptocurrency theft, attributed by the FBI to TraderTraitor APT group, involved a supply-chain compromise of Safe{Wallet} that caused losses of approximately USD 1.5 billion. Meanwhile, other North Korea-aligned groups saw fluctuations in their operational tempo: In early 2025, Kimsuky and Konni returned to their usual activity levels after a noticeable decline at the end of 2024, shifting their targeting away from English-speaking think tanks, NGOs, and North Korea experts to focus primarily on South Korean entities and diplomatic personnel; and Andariel resurfaced, after a year of inactivity, with a sophisticated attack against a South Korean industrial software company.

    Iran-aligned APT groups maintained their primary focus on the Middle East region, predominantly targeting governmental organizations and entities within the manufacturing and engineering sectors in Israel. Additionally, ESET observed a significant global uptick in cyberattacks against technology companies, largely attributed to increased activity by North Korea-aligned DeceptiveDevelopment.

    “The highlighted operations are representative of the broader threat landscape that we investigated during this period. They illustrate the key trends and developments, and contain only a small fraction of the cybersecurity intelligence data provided to customers of ESET APT reports,” adds Boutin.

    Intelligence shared in the private reports is primarily based on proprietary ESET telemetry data and has been verified by ESET researchers, who prepare in-depth technical reports and frequent activity updates detailing activities of specific APT groups. These threat intelligence analyses, known as ESET APT Reports PREMIUM, assist organizations tasked with protecting citizens, critical national infrastructure, and high-value assets from criminal and nation-state-directed cyberattacks. More information about ESET APT Reports PREMIUM and its delivery of high-quality, actionable tactical and strategic cybersecurity threat intelligence is available at the ESET Threat Intelligence page.

    Make sure to follow ESET Research on Twitter (today known as X), BlueSky, and Mastodon for the latest news from ESET Research.

    About ESET

    ESET® provides cutting-edge digital security to prevent attacks before they happen. By combining the power of AI and human expertise, ESET stays ahead of emerging global cyberthreats, both known and unknown — securing businesses, critical infrastructure, and individuals. Whether it’s endpoint, cloud, or mobile protection, our AI-native, cloud-first solutions and services remain highly effective and easy to use. ESET technology includes robust detection and response, ultra-secure encryption, and multifactor authentication. With 24/7 real-time defense and strong local support, we keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. The ever-evolving digital landscape demands a progressive approach to security: ESET is committed to world-class research and powerful threat intelligence, backed by R&D centers and a strong global partner network. For more information, visit www.eset.com or follow our social media, podcasts and blogs.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/916569c8-b3c1-41ce-bc7a-dfd407156187

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ESET Research uncovers Operation RoundPress: Russia-aligned Sednit targets entities linked to the Ukraine war to steal confidential data

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • ESET researchers uncovered the Operation RoundPress espionage campaign, with Russia-aligned Sednit group most likely behind it.
    • In Operation RoundPress, the compromise vector is a spearphishing email leveraging an XSS vulnerability to inject malicious JavaScript code into the victim’s webmail page. It targets Roundcube, Horde, MDaemon, and Zimbra webmail software.
    • Most victims are governmental entities and defense companies in Eastern Europe, although ESET has observed governments in Africa, Europe, and South America being targeted as well.
    • The payloads are able to steal webmail credentials, and exfiltrate contacts and email messages from the victim’s mailbox.
    • Additionally, SpyPress.MDAEMON is able to set up a bypass for two-factor authentication.

    MONTREAL and BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ESET researchers have uncovered a Russia-aligned espionage operation, which ESET named RoundPress, targeting webmail servers via XSS vulnerabilities. Behind it is most likely the Russia-aligned Sednit (also known as Fancy Bear or APT28) cyberespionage group, holding the ultimate goal of stealing confidential data from specific email accounts. Most of the targets are related to the current war in Ukraine; they are either Ukrainian governmental entities or defense companies in Bulgaria and Romania. Notably, some of these defense companies are producing Soviet-era weapons to be sent to Ukraine. Other targets include African, EU, and South American governments.

    “Last year, we observed different XSS vulnerabilities being used to target additional webmail software: Horde, MDaemon, and Zimbra. Sednit also started to use a more recent vulnerability in Roundcube, CVE-2023-43770. The MDaemon vulnerability — CVE-2024-11182, now patched — was a zero day, most likely discovered by Sednit, while the ones for Horde, Roundcube, and Zimbra were already known and patched,” says ESET researcher Matthieu Faou, who discovered and investigated Operation RoundPress. Sednit sends these XSS exploits by email; the exploits lead to the execution of malicious JavaScript code in the context of the webmail client web page running in a browser window. Therefore, only data accessible from the target’s account can be read and exfiltrated.

    In order for the exploit to work, the target must be convinced to open the email message in the vulnerable webmail portal. This means that the email needs to bypass any spam filtering, and the subject line needs to be convincing enough to entice the target into reading the email message — abusing well-known news media such as Ukrainian news outlet Kyiv Post or Bulgarian news portal News.bg. Among the headlines used as spearphishing were: “SBU arrested a banker who worked for enemy military intelligence in Kharkiv” and “Putin seeks Trump’s acceptance of Russian conditions in bilateral relations”.

    The attackers unleash JavaScript payloads SpyPress.HORDE, SpyPress.MDAEMON, SpyPress.ROUNDCUBE, and SpyPress.ZIMBRA upon the targets. Those are capable of credential stealing; exfiltration of the address book, contacts, and log-in history; and exfiltration of email messages. SpyPress.MDAEMON is able to set up a bypass for two-factor authentication protection; it exfiltrates the two-factor authentication secret and creates an app password, which enables the attackers to access the mailbox from a mail application.

    “Over the past two years, webmail servers such as Roundcube and Zimbra have been a major target for several espionage groups, including Sednit, GreenCube, and Winter Vivern. Because many organizations don’t keep their webmail servers up to date, and because the vulnerabilities can be triggered remotely by sending an email message, it is very convenient for attackers to target such servers for email theft,” explains Faou.

    The Sednit group — also known as APT28, Fancy Bear, Forest Blizzard, or Sofacy — has been operating since at least 2004. The U.S. Department of Justice named the group as one of those responsible for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) hack just before the 2016 U.S. elections and linked the group to the GRU. The group is also presumed to be behind the hacking of global television network TV5Monde, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) email leak, and many other incidents.

    For a more detailed analysis and technical breakdown of Sednit’s tools used in Operation RoundPress, check out the latest ESET Research blogpost “Operation RoundPress” on WeLiveSecurity.com. Make sure to follow ESET Research on Twitter (today known as X), BlueSky, and Mastodon for the latest news from ESET Research.

    Map of operation RoundPress targets, according to ESET telemetry

    About ESET

    ESET® provides cutting-edge digital security to prevent attacks before they happen. By combining the power of AI and human expertise, ESET stays ahead of emerging global cyberthreats, both known and unknown — securing businesses, critical infrastructure, and individuals. Whether it’s endpoint, cloud, or mobile protection, our AI-native, cloud-first solutions and services remain highly effective and easy to use. ESET technology includes robust detection and response, ultra-secure encryption, and multifactor authentication. With 24/7 real-time defense and strong local support, we keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. The ever-evolving digital landscape demands a progressive approach to security: ESET is committed to world-class research and powerful threat intelligence, backed by R&D centers and a strong global partner network. For more information, visit www.eset.com or follow our social media, podcasts and blogs.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eee3ee68-80dc-4136-a11d-6f498092f7d1

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 21 illegal aliens arrested in Bay, Leon County targeted operation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    PANAMA CITY, Fla. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement joined the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies held a joint press conference May 16 to announce the results of a two-day joint-agency operation that resulted in the arrest of 21 illegal aliens.

    The operation with BCSO, ICE Homeland Security Investigations Panama City, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Miami-Tallahassee field office, the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Panama City Beach Police Department, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Panama City Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, mainly targeted those who overstayed a visa. During the operation, 18 were arrested in Bay County, and three in Leon County, Florida. Those arrested were from India, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Mexico, Guatemala, and Jamaica. Most illegal aliens arrested overstayed temporary visas for tourism and recreation.

    “These people came on legit visas and abused that, which takes away from other people trying to obtain these visas. It’s also a federal crime to enter illegally, and a federal crime to overstay and set up residence when these visas expire,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “You can see a group of great people here that have gotten together to meet Sheriff Ford’s priorities, to meet the (Florida) governor’s priorities, and to meet the White House priorities.”

    “Our partnership with ICE strengthens our efforts to keep Bay County safe,” said Sheriff Tommy Ford. “By working alongside federal, state, and local agencies, we’re better equipped to address illegal immigration tied to criminal activity. We look forward to expanding this cooperation through the 287(g) Task Force and Warrant Service Officer programs, giving us more tools to protect our community”

    Four of the illegal aliens arrested entered the United States without inspection by a U.S. immigration official and one has been charged with felony illegal reentry after being previously removed. Sixteen of the illegal aliens arrested entered the county legally under a work, travel, or other visa program with a date assigned to leave the country, but they remained after the expiration date, violating the terms of their visa. Overstaying a visa is an abuse of the immigration system and a violation of federal law.

    Ingegno pointed out the importance of removing people who abused the visa system by reminding everyone, “if you remember, a majority of the hijackers on 9/11 were visa overstays. This means the United States let them into the country and they did not leave when they were supposed to. Then they murdered 3,000 Americans.”

    According to Ford, since Jan. 1, 2025, 178 illegal aliens have been arrested by Bay County law enforcement and had ICE detainers placed on them.

    ICE officials have continually emphasized the agency’s continued focus to identifying public safety and national security threats. Individuals unlawfully present in the United States who are encountered during enforcement operations may be taken into custody and processed for removal in accordance with federal law.

    Members of the public with information about suspected immigration violations or related criminal activity are encouraged to contact the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or submit information online via the ICE Tip Form.

    For more information about ICE HSI Tampa and ICE ERO Miami and their efforts to enhance public safety in Florida, follow them on X at @HSITampa and ERO Miami.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Members of a Drug Trafficking Organization Run by Murder Convict at the Spokane County Jail Sentenced to Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Alexandro Aguilar 33, to 30 years in prison, Kassandra M. Montelongo, 27, to 10 years in prison, and Luis Lara, 25, to 10 years in prison on drug trafficking charges. 

    According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in August 2022, Aguilar was being held at the Spokane County Jail, following state court conviction for murder. Deputies with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office developed information Aguilar was regularly communicating from jail with Montelongo, who was acting as his agent for a drug trafficking operation on the outside.  Investigators also developed information that Lara and another man, Jose Garcia, were also involved in the drug operation.

    Between December 2022 and January 2023, agents conducted several controlled drug purchases in Spokane Valley, from Aguilar’s drug operation totaling 7,700 fentanyl pills and more than 7 pounds of methamphetamine. Federal law enforcement additionally obtained cocaine through these controlled purchases, which involved convert purchases under law enforcement supervision of illegal drugs to use as evidence against the defendants.

    On June 7, 2023, federal agents executed a search warrant at Montelongo’s home in Sunnyside, Washington. During the search, agents located approximately 11 pounds of methamphetamine, a small scale, and ziplock bags. Additionally, agents located multiple high-capacity magazines, bulk ammunition in various calibers, one AR-15 style rifle, two pistols, and cash.

    On January 24, 2025, Garcia was sentenced to 10 years in prison on one count of methamphetamine distribution.

    “Drug trafficking continues to devastate families and communities across Eastern Washington, especially in our most vulnerable and underserved areas,” stated Acting United States Attorney Rich Barker. “Our office will continue to pursue those who profit of off addiction and violence, and we will continue to support law enforcement efforts to stop the flow of deadly narcotics like fentanyl and protect the people we serve.”

    This case was investigated by the FBI Spokane Regional Safe Streets Task Force and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nowles H. Heinrich and Patrick J. Cashman.

    1:23-cr-02039-MKD

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Duo Sentenced to 17 Years Each for Violent Armed Carjackings

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    INDIANAPOLIS— Bryant Hoskins, 20, and Samuel Fancher, Jr., 19, of Indianapolis, have each been sentenced to 17 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of carjacking, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

    According to court documents, in late May of 2024, Fancher Jr. and Hoskins committed two violent carjackings in less than one week, targeting Uber drivers during the late-night hours.

    On May 24, 2024, at 4:30 in the morning, the duo called an Uber to pick them up near East 21st street in Indianapolis. Once they reached their drop off location, they held the driver at gunpoint and ordered him to get out of the car. When the driver did not immediately comply, one of the defendants dragged the driver out of the car and punched him in the head. They took the driver’s wallet and then drove away in his Toyota Rav 4. After fleeing the scene, they took videos of themselves driving the stolen vehicle and bragging, “I told you we was gone get one… we got one.”

    Just five days later on May 29, the duo called another Uber to pick them up near Franklin Road, this time targeting a luxury vehicle so they could sell the stolen vehicle for profit. Once they reached their drop off location, they held the female driver at gunpoint and ordered her to get out of her Mercedes GLA. She did not immediately comply, and during the ensuing struggle Hoskins fired his weapon. The victim suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder and received treatment at a local hospital.

    “Uber drivers frequently work alone during late hours, putting their safety at risk just to earn a living. The defendants exploited this vulnerability, leaving both victims deeply traumatized and showing no signs of remorse. Instead, they became emboldened—committing additional crimes and boasting about their actions,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Gig workers have the right to feel safe, especially as they provide vital transportation services. Our office remains committed to working with federal and local partners to ensure that violent offenders are held accountable for their reckless actions.”

    “No one should fear becoming a victim of violence simply while driving their car in an effort to support themselves,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy O’Malley. “This sentence sends a clear message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will pursue violent offenders relentlessly and work tirelessly to restore a sense of safety and justice to our neighborhoods.”

    FBI and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey L. Massa and Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this 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 USA: SPC May 20, 2025 1630 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    SPC AC 201615

    Day 1 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1115 AM CDT Tue May 20 2025

    Valid 201630Z – 211200Z

    …THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON
    AND TONIGHT FROM EASTERN ARKANSAS INTO MUCH OF THE TENNESSEE VALLEY
    AND THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS…

    …SUMMARY…
    Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms are expected today through
    this evening, centered on the Mid/Deep South, Tennessee/Lower Ohio
    Valleys, and Cumberland Plateau. Tornadoes, some of which could be
    strong, along with scattered to widespread damaging winds, and large
    to isolated significant severe hail will be possible.

    …KY/TN…
    Thunderstorms are ongoing across central KY/middle TN. These storms
    will progress eastward through the afternoon into a moist and
    increasingly unstable air mass over eastern KY/TN and eventually
    into western WV/VA. Most model guidance suggests that storms will
    intensify through the day, with an increasing risk of damaging wind
    gusts and a few tornadoes. Refer to MCD #902 for further details.

    …AR into the TN Valley this afternoon/evening…
    In the wake of the aforementioned convection, rapid heating is
    occurring across eastern AR/west TN/northern MS. Surface dewpoints
    in the upper 60s to 70s and steep mid level lapse rates will yield
    afternoon MLCAPE values around 3000 J/kg and only a weak cap. This
    will lead to the development of multiple clusters of intense
    thunderstorms (including supercells) that will track eastward
    through the afternoon and evening hours. The initial storms will
    pose a risk of very large hail and a few tornadoes. As the activity
    progresses eastward, the risk of damaging winds will increase with a
    persistent risk of tornadoes. Strong tornadoes will be possible.
    Storms are expected to get as far east as northwest GA tonight
    before slowly weakening.

    …MO/IL…
    Satellite imagery shows a well-defined shortwave trough and
    associated surface low over IA/MO. Ahead of this feature, southerly
    low-level winds have transported mid 60s dewpoints into central IL,
    where strong heating is now occurring. This will result in moderate
    CAPE across the region and encourage rapid thunderstorm development
    over northeast and east-central MO by mid-afternoon. Steep lapse
    rates aloft and favorable deep-layer shear will support supercell
    structures capable of large hail, damaging winds, and a few
    tornadoes. Storms will track across IL and into central IN this
    evening.

    ..Hart/Moore.. 05/20/2025

    CLICK TO GET WUUS01 PTSDY1 PRODUCT

    NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 1 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 2000Z

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Head of Commercial Real Estate Investment Firm Sentenced to 87 Months for $62.8M Investment Fraud Scheme

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    A New York man was sentenced yesterday in the Northern District of Georgia to 87 months in prison and ordered to pay over $45 million in restitution for his role in a scheme to defraud investors in connection with commercial real estate investments in Atlanta, Georgia and Miami, Florida.

    According to court documents, beginning in May 2022, Elchonon “Elie” Schwartz, 46, of New York City, engaged in a scheme to defraud commercial real estate investors that invested through the crowdfunding investment website, CrowdStreet Marketplace. Schwartz raised over $62.8 million from hundreds of investors through CrowdStreet, including approximately $54 million for a large commercial real estate complex in Atlanta, Georgia, and approximately $8.8 million for a mixed-use building in Miami Beach, Florida. When soliciting investments, Schwartz represented to CrowdStreet investors that he would safeguard their funds in segregated bank accounts, not commingle the investors’ money, and only use it to fund the investment in each property.

    Over the course of the scheme, however, Schwartz directed substantially all the CrowdStreet investor money into his personal bank account, personal brokerage account, and accounts for unrelated commercial real estate investments he controlled. He used the CrowdStreet investor funds to purchase luxury watches, invest in stocks and options in his brokerage account, and cover payroll expenses for his unrelated commercial real estate businesses. Ultimately, in mid-July 2023, the two corporate entities that Schwartz had formed to receive funds from CrowdStreet investors both filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

    “Yesterday a federal judge sentenced Elchonon Schwartz to 87 months for defrauding investors out of more than 60 million dollars through lies and deceit as part of a real estate scheme,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Criminal Division. “The defendant made fraudulent representations to investors and misappropriated their money to buy luxury watches and to deposit into his brokerage and bank accounts instead of investing it as promised. The Criminal Division remains dedicated to prosecuting fraudsters who steal investors’ hard-earned savings to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “Schwartz’s greed was boundless,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “He callously abused the trust of hundreds of investors to line his own bank accounts, purchase expensive watches, and buy additional luxury items. Schwartz’s sentence reflects our office’s commitment to hold fraudsters accountable for exploiting investors who innocently rely on their false representations.”

    “This sentencing underscores that those who exploit the trust of investors for personal gain will be held accountable,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Atlanta Field Office. “Mr. Schwartz’s actions caused significant financial harm to hundreds of individuals, and hopefully today’s outcome delivers a measure of justice for the victims.”

    In February 2025, Schwartz pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

    The FBI Atlanta Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department appreciates the valuable assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement.

    Trial Attorney Matthew F. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Connors for the Northern District of Georgia prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Florida Ophthalmology Practice Agrees to Pay $615,000 to Resolve Allegations of Fraudulent Claims to Medicare and Medicaid for Cranial Ultrasounds

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    Pinellas Eye Care, P.A. doing business as Gulfcoast Eye Care (“Gulfcoast Eye”), an ophthalmology practice with offices in Pinellas Park, Palm Harbor, and St. Petersburg, Florida, has agreed to pay $615,000 to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act and an analogous Florida statute arising from its billing for trans-cranial doppler ultrasounds (“TCDs”) provided through a kickback arrangement with a third party. Gulfcoast Eye has agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s ongoing investigations of other participants in the alleged scheme.

    The settlement resolves allegations that Gulfcoast Eye knowingly submitted, and caused the submission of, false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for medically unnecessary TCDs. Gulfcoast Eye and a third-party provider of TCD services performed TCDs on thousands of patients and billed Medicare and Medicaid hundreds of dollars per test. Before the patients received the results of the test, Gulfcoast Eye and the third-party provider identified the patients as having received a serious diagnosis — most commonly of occlusion and stenosis of their cerebral arteries — that could qualify the patient for reimbursement of a TCD by Medicare or Medicaid. However, nearly all patients who received TCDs never had occlusion and stenosis of cerebral arteries, and that diagnosis was accordingly not reflected in the patient’s medical history or in the TCD results. Gulfcoast Eye paid the third-party TCD provider based on the volume or value of tests ordered and referred the patients to the TCD provider’s preferred radiology group for the TCD’s professional component. 

    The United States alleged that, as a result of this scheme, Gulfcoast Eye submitted, or caused the submission of, false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for TCDs that were medically unnecessary, that were premised on false diagnoses, and that resulted from violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law. Of the $615,000 total settlement amount, $602,046 is to be paid to the United States, and $12,953 is to be paid to the State of Florida for its share of Medicaid, which is a jointly funded federal and state program.

    “Patients trust their healthcare providers to administer reliable and competent care consistent with their medical needs and ethical standards,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “When this relationship is exploited for personal gain or greed, the integrity of our healthcare system is compromised. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect patients from potential harm and maintain the integrity of our federal programs.”

    “Kickback schemes will always be an investigative priority for the FBI,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor of the FBI Tampa Field Office. “Our mission is to protect the American people which includes safeguarding them from deceitful actions threatening our nation’s federal healthcare system.”

    “Kickback arrangements can corrupt legitimate medical decision-making and undermine the integrity of federal healthcare programs,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan P. Lynch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, working with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate improper billing and kickback schemes to protect both Medicare and Medicaid as well as those served by these programs.”

    The civil settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the Government’s recovery. The qui tam was filed by a whistleblower who will receive $116,850 in connection with the settlement.

    The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from HHS-OIG and the FBI. The United States previously resolved allegations that another ophthalmology practice in Florida engaged in a similar scheme with the same third-party TCD provider.

    The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

    Trial Attorney Nelson Wagner in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Mamie Wise for the Middle District of Florida handled the matter.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: FBI Seattle Police Week Message 2025

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

    FBI Seattle Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington delivers a message in honor of Police Week 2025.
    —————————————————
    Subscribe to Inside the FBI wherever you get your podcasts:
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4H2d3cg…
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av_QNgzug6M

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Head of Commercial Real Estate Investment Firm Sentenced to 87 Months for $62.8M Investment Fraud Scheme

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    A New York man was sentenced yesterday in the Northern District of Georgia to 87 months in prison and ordered to pay over $45 million in restitution for his role in a scheme to defraud investors in connection with commercial real estate investments in Atlanta, Georgia and Miami, Florida.

    According to court documents, beginning in May 2022, Elchonon “Elie” Schwartz, 46, of New York City, engaged in a scheme to defraud commercial real estate investors that invested through the crowdfunding investment website, CrowdStreet Marketplace. Schwartz raised over $62.8 million from hundreds of investors through CrowdStreet, including approximately $54 million for a large commercial real estate complex in Atlanta, Georgia, and approximately $8.8 million for a mixed-use building in Miami Beach, Florida. When soliciting investments, Schwartz represented to CrowdStreet investors that he would safeguard their funds in segregated bank accounts, not commingle the investors’ money, and only use it to fund the investment in each property.

    Over the course of the scheme, however, Schwartz directed substantially all the CrowdStreet investor money into his personal bank account, personal brokerage account, and accounts for unrelated commercial real estate investments he controlled. He used the CrowdStreet investor funds to purchase luxury watches, invest in stocks and options in his brokerage account, and cover payroll expenses for his unrelated commercial real estate businesses. Ultimately, in mid-July 2023, the two corporate entities that Schwartz had formed to receive funds from CrowdStreet investors both filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

    “Yesterday a federal judge sentenced Elchonon Schwartz to 87 months for defrauding investors out of more than 60 million dollars through lies and deceit as part of a real estate scheme,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Criminal Division. “The defendant made fraudulent representations to investors and misappropriated their money to buy luxury watches and to deposit into his brokerage and bank accounts instead of investing it as promised. The Criminal Division remains dedicated to prosecuting fraudsters who steal investors’ hard-earned savings to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “Schwartz’s greed was boundless,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “He callously abused the trust of hundreds of investors to line his own bank accounts, purchase expensive watches, and buy additional luxury items. Schwartz’s sentence reflects our office’s commitment to hold fraudsters accountable for exploiting investors who innocently rely on their false representations.”

    “This sentencing underscores that those who exploit the trust of investors for personal gain will be held accountable,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Atlanta Field Office. “Mr. Schwartz’s actions caused significant financial harm to hundreds of individuals, and hopefully today’s outcome delivers a measure of justice for the victims.”

    In February 2025, Schwartz pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

    The FBI Atlanta Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department appreciates the valuable assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement.

    Trial Attorney Matthew F. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Connors for the Northern District of Georgia prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Ophthalmology Practice Agrees to Pay $615,000 to Resolve Allegations of Fraudulent Claims to Medicare and Medicaid for Cranial Ultrasounds

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    Pinellas Eye Care, P.A. doing business as Gulfcoast Eye Care (“Gulfcoast Eye”), an ophthalmology practice with offices in Pinellas Park, Palm Harbor, and St. Petersburg, Florida, has agreed to pay $615,000 to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act and an analogous Florida statute arising from its billing for trans-cranial doppler ultrasounds (“TCDs”) provided through a kickback arrangement with a third party. Gulfcoast Eye has agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s ongoing investigations of other participants in the alleged scheme.

    The settlement resolves allegations that Gulfcoast Eye knowingly submitted, and caused the submission of, false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for medically unnecessary TCDs. Gulfcoast Eye and a third-party provider of TCD services performed TCDs on thousands of patients and billed Medicare and Medicaid hundreds of dollars per test. Before the patients received the results of the test, Gulfcoast Eye and the third-party provider identified the patients as having received a serious diagnosis — most commonly of occlusion and stenosis of their cerebral arteries — that could qualify the patient for reimbursement of a TCD by Medicare or Medicaid. However, nearly all patients who received TCDs never had occlusion and stenosis of cerebral arteries, and that diagnosis was accordingly not reflected in the patient’s medical history or in the TCD results. Gulfcoast Eye paid the third-party TCD provider based on the volume or value of tests ordered and referred the patients to the TCD provider’s preferred radiology group for the TCD’s professional component. 

    The United States alleged that, as a result of this scheme, Gulfcoast Eye submitted, or caused the submission of, false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for TCDs that were medically unnecessary, that were premised on false diagnoses, and that resulted from violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law. Of the $615,000 total settlement amount, $602,046 is to be paid to the United States, and $12,953 is to be paid to the State of Florida for its share of Medicaid, which is a jointly funded federal and state program.

    “Patients trust their healthcare providers to administer reliable and competent care consistent with their medical needs and ethical standards,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “When this relationship is exploited for personal gain or greed, the integrity of our healthcare system is compromised. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect patients from potential harm and maintain the integrity of our federal programs.”

    “Kickback schemes will always be an investigative priority for the FBI,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor of the FBI Tampa Field Office. “Our mission is to protect the American people which includes safeguarding them from deceitful actions threatening our nation’s federal healthcare system.”

    “Kickback arrangements can corrupt legitimate medical decision-making and undermine the integrity of federal healthcare programs,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan P. Lynch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, working with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate improper billing and kickback schemes to protect both Medicare and Medicaid as well as those served by these programs.”

    The civil settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the Government’s recovery. The qui tam was filed by a whistleblower who will receive $116,850 in connection with the settlement.

    The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from HHS-OIG and the FBI. The United States previously resolved allegations that another ophthalmology practice in Florida engaged in a similar scheme with the same third-party TCD provider.

    The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

    Trial Attorney Nelson Wagner in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Mamie Wise for the Middle District of Florida handled the matter.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Thomas Financial Group Closes Over $34 Million in Bridge Loans for USDA Takeout in Under 40 Days

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATLANTA, May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a powerful demonstration of speed and strategic execution, Thomas Financial Group (TFG), a wholly owned subsidiary of Community Bankshares Inc., in partnership with Siguler Guff, Phoenix Lender Services (PHX), and Community Bank & Trust, successfully originated, underwrote, and closed three hospitality bridge loans totaling over $34 million in less than 40 days. All loans are structured for USDA Business & Industry (B&I) program takeout, reinforcing the firm’s capacity to deliver complex, time-sensitive financing solutions.

    • $11.335MM Bridge Loan (USDA B&I Takeout Pending)
    • $12.19MM Bridge Loan (USDA B&I Takeout Pending)
    • $10.545MM Bridge Loan (USDA B&I Takeout Pending)

    While USDA lending is traditionally known for its thorough but lengthy approval process, TFG is redefining what’s possible. Through creative structuring and seamless collaboration across its lending ecosystem, TFG and its partners provide rapid bridge loan execution to fill the timing gap – giving borrowers immediate access to capital while finalizing their long-term USDA financing. The recently closed projects will create and retain nearly 50 jobs across key rural markets.

    “These transactions prove that USDA lending doesn’t have to be slow or complicated,” said Zach Chandler, SVP, Government Guaranteed Lending of Thomas Financial Group. “When you work with TFG, PHX, and Community Bank & Trust, you’re getting a team that understands how to move at the speed of business – without compromising the long-term benefits of USDA-backed financing.”

    TFG’s USDA bridge-to-permanent platform is available in all 50 states and every U.S. territory, providing borrowers in rural communities with access to flexible financing structures tailored to their timing and growth needs. In a market climate defined by rate uncertainty and capital constraints, borrowers value the security of a 30-year fully amortizing loan with no balloons or call provisions – exactly what USDA lending can provide.

    “Peace of mind in today’s economy is priceless,” added Chandler. “Our ability to deliver both speed and long-term stability makes us a trusted partner for developers, business owners, and project sponsors across the country.”

    If you’re seeking fast, creative financing for your rural project – with the peace of mind that comes from a long-term USDA solution – now is the time to act.

    Contact TFG today to explore our USDA bridge-to-permanent platform and discover what’s possible when you partner with a team built for execution.

    TFG Contact
    Email: Zach@thomasfinancialgroup.com
    Phone: (770) 655-1569

    About Thomas Financial Group

    Thomas Financial Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Community Bankshares Inc., is a nationally recognized leader in USDA and SBA lending. In partnership with Phoenix Lender Services and Community Bank & Trust, TFG specializes in complex capital solutions that support rural economic development, small business growth, and infrastructure expansion.

    About Community Bankshares Inc.

    Community Bankshares Inc. is a privately held financial holding company headquartered in LaGrange, Georgia, with subsidiaries including Community Bank & Trust, Thomas Financial Group, and Phoenix Lender Services. Through its network of specialized financial institutions, Community Bankshares Inc. delivers innovative, relationship-driven banking and lending services across the United States, with a strong emphasis on rural development, government-guaranteed lending, and community reinvestment.

    About Community Bank & Trust

    Community Bank & Trust is a full-service commercial bank and a subsidiary of Community Bankshares Inc. Based in LaGrange, Georgia, CB&T is an SBA Preferred Lender with a growing national footprint in USDA and small business lending. Known for its personalized service and deep lending expertise, CB&T partners with businesses and communities to deliver flexible, dependable financing solutions that support long-term growth across rural and underserved markets.

    About Phoenix Lender Services

    Phoenix Lender Services is the operational engine behind the USDA and SBA lending platform and wholly owned subsidiary of Community Bankshares Inc. Specializing in origination, underwriting, processing, closing, and servicing, Phoenix provides seamless back-end support and strategic oversight for government-guaranteed loans. With a team of seasoned professionals and a nationwide reach, Phoenix empowers lenders and borrowers with the tools and expertise needed to deliver consistent, compliant, and efficient results.

    Media Contact
    Abigail Davison
    Uproar by Moburst for Community Bankshares, Inc.
    abigail.davison@moburst.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Notice of changes to shareholding and share capital of Northern Horizon Capital AS

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Northern Horizon Capital AS, the management company of Baltic Horizon Fund, hereby notifies of a change to its shareholdings and a decrease in its share capital and the related amendments to the articles of association.

    The shareholders decided to decrease the share capital from EUR 138,899 to EUR 125,000 by cancelling all 13,899 B-class shares held by the shareholder Northern Horizon Capital JIC OÜ (total nominal value of EUR 13,899).

    As a result of the foregoing, Northern Horizon Capital A/S (registered in Denmark under registration number CVR 27599397) increases its direct shareholding from 90% to 100% of the shares, remaining the sole shareholder of Northern Horizon Capital AS.

    For additional information, please contact:

    Tarmo Karotam
    Baltic Horizon Fund manager
    E-mail tarmo.karotam@nh-cap.com
    www.baltichorizon.com

    The Fund is a registered contractual public closed-end real estate fund that is managed by Alternative Investment Fund Manager license holder Northern Horizon Capital AS. 

    Distribution: GlobeNewswire, Nasdaq Tallinn, Nasdaq Stockholm, www.baltichorizon.com

    To receive Nasdaq announcements and news from Baltic Horizon Fund about its projects, plans and more, register on www.baltichorizon.com. You can also follow Baltic Horizon Fund on www.baltichorizon.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and YouTube.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: NANO Nuclear and MIT’s Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering Launch Advanced Irradiation Study to Investigate Salt-Based Thermal Storage for Nuclear Applications

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, N.Y., May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or the “Company”), a leading advanced nuclear technology and energy company, today announced the launch of a major irradiation testing program in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering. The two-year collaboration will investigate the thermal and radiolytic behavior of nitrate molten salts, commonly referred to as “solar salts”, to assess their viability in advanced nuclear energy systems for thermal energy storage and cooling applications.

    Funded by NANO Nuclear through over $500,000 of research and development investment, the work will be conducted under the supervision of Prof. Koroush Shirvan, Principal Investigator and a leading expert in nuclear systems engineering. The research will focus on the of salt materials subjected to gamma irradiation using MIT’s Gammacell 220F Co-60 irradiator—ensuring a safe, precisely controlled, and highly instrumented test environment.

    “We are proud to support this world-class irradiation study at MIT,” said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear. “Understanding how molten salts perform under radiation is essential to unlocking next-generation reactor designs, and this facility gives us the capabilities to do that without the use of any nuclear materials.”

    While molten nitrate salts are widely used in solar thermal energy systems, the knowledge of these materials’ behavior under the ionizing radiation conditions representative of nuclear environments is relatively scarce. This collaboration aims to fill that critical knowledge gap by assessing both the chemical and thermophysical performance of the salts during and after irradiation.

    Using a suite of cutting-edge diagnostics, including a magnetic sector residual gas analyzer (RGA), laser flash analysis, and post-irradiation spectroscopic techniques, MIT researchers will measure off-gassing behavior, thermal degradation, and long-term material stability. The results will inform system design for microreactors that utilize molten salts for heat transfer or energy storage, improving the accuracy and reliability of safety and performance models.

    “This project offers an exciting opportunity to characterize molten nitrate salts in radiation environments with a level of precision not previously achieved,” said Dr. Koroush Shirvan, Principal Investigator at MIT. “We’re using real-time diagnostics, high-temperature test rigs, and modern analytical techniques to generate data that can have immediate impact on next-generation reactor development.”

    The results of this study will feed directly into the engineering and design processes and could also prove useful for other clean energy applications, including industrial process heat and off-grid energy storage.

    “We are thrilled to see this groundbreaking research move forward with MIT,” said Professor Ian Farnan, Lead of Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Radiation and Materials of NANO Nuclear. “The ability to assess salt performance in radiation fields without reliance on operating reactor gives us unprecedented flexibility and speed in advancing the development of our reactor systems.”

    The project is expected to conclude in 2027, with quarterly updates and final data delivery coordinated between MIT and NANO Nuclear’s engineering teams. As NANO Nuclear continues to expand its operations, the Company remains committed to developing cutting-edge nuclear solutions that redefine the global energy landscape.

    About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.

    NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is an advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel fabrication, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services. NANO Nuclear believes it is the first portable nuclear microreactor company to be listed publicly in the U.S.

    Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear’s reactor products in development include patented KRONOS MMR™Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that is in construction permit pre-application engagement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.), “ZEUS”, a solid core battery reactor, and “ODIN”, a low-pressure coolant reactor, and the space focused, portable LOKI MMR™, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors.

    Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world aiming to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and DOE programs. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy. Assuming development and commercialization, AFT is expected to form part of the only vertically integrated nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.

    HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear’s own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.

    NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon’s surface.

    For more corporate information please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/

    For further NANO Nuclear information, please contact:

    Email: IR@NANONuclearEnergy.com
    Business Tel: (212) 634-9206

    PLEASE FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES HERE:

    NANO Nuclear Energy LINKEDIN
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    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

    This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management in connection with this news release contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. In this press release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the anticipated benefits to NANO Nuclear of its collaboration with MIT, as well as the nature and timing of the research described herein. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) or related state or non-U.S. nuclear fuel licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complimentary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating an early stage business a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Bilibili Inc. Announces First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHANGHAI, May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bilibili Inc. (“Bilibili” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: BILI and HKEX: 9626), an iconic brand and a leading video community for young generations in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

    First Quarter 2025 Highlights:

    • Total net revenues were RMB7.00 billion (US$965.1 million), representing an increase of 24% year over year.
      • Advertising revenues were RMB2.00 billion (US$275.3 million), representing an increase of 20% year over year.
      • Mobile games revenues were RMB1.73 billion (US$238.6 million), representing an increase of 76% year over year.
    • Gross profit was RMB2.54 billion (US$349.9 million), representing an increase of 58% year over year. Gross profit margin reached 36.3%, improving from 28.3% in the same period of 2024.
    • Net loss was RMB10.7 million (US$1.5 million), narrowing by 99% year over year.
    • Adjusted net profit1 was RMB361.5 million (US$49.8 million), compared with an adjusted net loss of RMB455.9 million in the same period of 2024.
    • Operating cash flow was RMB1.30 billion (US$179.4 million), compared with RMB637.7 million in the same period of 2024.
    • Average daily active users (DAUs) were 106.7 million, compared with 102.4 million in the same period of 2024.

    “We kicked off 2025 with strong financial results and healthy community metrics in the first quarter,” said Mr. Rui Chen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bilibili. “Our DAUs reached 107 million, while MAUs hit a new high of 368 million. As our user base matured—with the average age rising to 26 in 2025—users remained highly engaged and demonstrated growing spending power. Average daily time spent per user hit a record of 108 minutes, and our monthly paying users reached an all-time high of 32 million. With the increasing value of our users and improved monetization efficiency, our total net revenues for the first quarter grew 24% year over year to RMB7.0 billion. Building on this strong momentum, we will continue to unlock the potential of our community by offering more efficient and enhanced commercial solutions. As the go-to video platform for premium content and a vibrant creative culture, Bilibili is uniquely positioned to capture emerging opportunities and sustain long-term growth.”

    Mr. Sam Fan, Chief Financial Officer of Bilibili, said, “In the first quarter, we accelerated revenue growth and expanded our margins. This was driven by outstanding performances from our high-margin advertising and games businesses, which grew by 20% and 76% year over year, respectively. Gross profit increased by 58% year over year, with our gross profit margin rising to 36.3%, up from 28.3% in the same period last year. Supported by our robust topline and margin gains, we sustained an adjusted net profit of RMB361.5 million. Our virtuous operating cycle continues to drive robust operating cash flow, generating RMB1.30 billion in the quarter. Moving forward, we will continue to focus on profitable growth by scaling our business and community through efficient, sustainable operations, and delivering long-term value to our shareholders.”

    First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

    Total net revenues. Total net revenues were RMB7.00 billion (US$965.1 million), representing an increase of 24% from the same period of 2024.

    Value-added services (VAS). Revenues from VAS were RMB2.81 billion (US$386.9 million), representing an increase of 11% from the same period of 2024, mainly attributable to increased revenues from live broadcasting and other value-added services.

    Advertising. Revenues from advertising were RMB2.00 billion (US$275.3 million), representing an increase of 20% from the same period of 2024, mainly attributable to strong revenue growth in performance-based advertising.

    Mobile games. Revenues from mobile games were RMB1.73 billion (US$238.6 million), representing an increase of 76% from the same period of 2024, mainly attributable to the strong performance of the Company’s exclusively licensed game, San Guo: Mou Ding Tian Xia.

    IP derivatives and others. Revenues from IP derivatives and others were RMB467.1 million (US$64.4 million), representing a decrease of 4% from the same period of 2024.

    Cost of revenues. Cost of revenues was RMB4.46 billion (US$615.2 million), representing an increase of 10% from the same period of 2024. The increase was mainly due to higher revenue-sharing costs and was partially offset by lower content costs. Revenue-sharing costs, a key component of cost of revenues, were RMB2.67 billion (US$368.1 million), representing an increase of 19% from the same period of 2024, mainly due to an increase in mobile games-related revenue-sharing costs.

    Gross profit. Gross profit was RMB2.54 billion (US$349.9 million), representing an increase of 58% from the same period of 2024, mainly attributable to the growth in total net revenues and relatively stable costs related to platform operations as the Company enhanced its monetization efficiency.

    Total operating expenses. Total operating expenses were RMB2.52 billion (US$347.8 million), representing an increase of 4% from the same period of 2024.

    Sales and marketing expenses. Sales and marketing expenses were RMB1.17 billion (US$160.8 million), representing a 26% increase from the same period of 2024. The increase was primarily attributable to one-off marketing expenses related to the Company’s partnership with CCTV for the 2025 Spring Festival Gala as the exclusive bullet chat live broadcasting and content platform, as well as higher year-over-year promotion expenses for the Company’s exclusively licensed game, San Guo: Mou Ding Tian Xia.

    General and administrative expenses. General and administrative expenses were RMB515.6 million (US$71.1 million), representing a decrease of 3% compared with the same period of 2024.

    Research and development expenses. Research and development expenses were RMB841.5 million (US$116.0 million), representing a 13% decrease from the same period of 2024. The decrease was mainly attributable to improved research and development efficiency.

    Profit/(loss) from operations. Profit from operations was RMB15.0 million (US$2.1 million), compared with a loss of RMB818.6 million from the same period of 2024.

    Adjusted profit/(loss) from operations1. Adjusted profit from operations was RMB342.5 million (US$47.2 million), compared with an adjusted loss from operations of RMB512.2 million from the same period of 2024.

    Total other (expenses)/income, net. Total other expenses were RMB14.1 million (US$1.9 million), compared with total other income of RMB55.5 million in the same period of 2024.

    Income tax expense. Income tax expense was RMB11.6 million (US$1.6 million), compared with RMB1.6 million in the same period of 2024.

    Net loss. Net loss was RMB10.7 million (US$1.5 million), narrowing by 99% year over year.

    Adjusted net profit/(loss)1. Adjusted net profit was RMB361.5 million (US$49.8 million), compared with an adjusted loss of RMB455.9 million in the same period of 2024.

    Basic and diluted EPS and adjusted basic and diluted EPS1. Basic and diluted net loss per share were RMB0.02 (US$0.00) each, compared with basic and diluted net loss per share of RMB1.80 each in the same period of 2024. Adjusted basic and diluted net profit per share were RMB0.86 (US$0.12) and RMB0.85 (US$0.12), respectively, compared with an adjusted basic and diluted net loss per share of RMB1.06 each in the same period of 2024.

    Net cash provided by operating activities. Net cash provided by operating activities was RMB1.30 billion (US$179.4 million), compared with RMB637.7 million in the same period of 2024.

    Cash and cash equivalents, time deposits and short-term investments. As of March 31, 2025, the Company had cash and cash equivalents, time deposits and short-term investments of RMB17.40 billion (US$2.40 billion).

    Convertible Senior Notes. As of March 31, 2025, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of April 2026 Notes, 2027 Notes and December 2026 Notes was US$13.4 million (RMB96.2 million).

    Changes in Board Committees

    The Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) approved the separation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee into two distinct committees. Effective from May 20, 2025, the Nomination Committee and the Corporate Governance Committee will each operate under separate charters with defined functions and responsibilities. The Nomination Committee will comprise Mr. JP Gan, Mr. Eric He, Mr. Feng Li and Ms. Ni Li, with Mr. JP Gan serving as chairperson. The Corporate Governance Committee will comprise Mr. JP Gan, Mr. Eric He and Mr. Feng Li, with Mr. JP Gan serving as chairperson. Charters of each communitee will be published on the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.bilibili.com and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited website at www.hkexnews.hk.

    1 Adjusted profit/(loss) from operations, adjusted net profit/(loss), and adjusted basic and diluted EPS are non-GAAP financial measures. For more information on non-GAAP financial measures, please see the section “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and the table captioned “Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results.”

    Conference Call

    The Company’s management will host an earnings conference call at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time on May 20, 2025 (8:00 PM Beijing/Hong Kong Time on May 20, 2025). Details for the conference call are as follows:

    All participants must use the link provided above to complete the online registration process in advance of the conference call. Upon registering, each participant will receive a set of participant dial-in numbers and a personal PIN, which will be used to join the conference call.

    Additionally, a live webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.bilibili.com, and a replay of the webcast will be available following the session.

    About Bilibili Inc.

    Bilibili is an iconic brand and a leading video community with a mission to enrich the everyday lives of young generations in China. Bilibili offers a wide array of video-based content with All the Videos You Like as its value proposition. Bilibili builds its community around aspiring users, high-quality content, talented content creators and the strong emotional bonds among them. Bilibili pioneered the “bullet chatting” feature, a live comment function that has transformed our users’ viewing experience by displaying the thoughts and feelings of audience members viewing the same video. The Company has now become the welcoming home of diverse interests among young generations in China and the frontier for promoting Chinese culture across the world.

    For more information, please visit: http://ir.bilibili.com.

    Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    The Company uses non-GAAP measures, such as adjusted profit/(loss) from operations, adjusted net profit/(loss), adjusted net profit/(loss) per share and per ADS, basic and diluted and adjusted net profit/(loss) attributable to the Bilibili Inc.’s shareholders in evaluating its operating results and for financial and operational decision-making purposes. The Company believes that the non-GAAP financial measures help identify underlying trends in its business by excluding the impact of share-based compensation expenses, amortization expense related to intangible assets acquired through business acquisitions, income tax related to intangible assets acquired through business acquisitions, gain/loss on fair value change in investments in publicly traded companies, and gain/loss on repurchase of convertible senior notes. The Company believes that the non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information about the Company’s results of operations, enhance the overall understanding of the Company’s past performance and future prospects and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by the Company’s management in its financial and operational decision-making.

    The non-GAAP financial measures are not defined under U.S. GAAP and are not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP and therefore, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. The non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools, and when assessing the Company’s operating performance, cash flows or liquidity, investors should not consider them in isolation, or as a substitute for net loss, cash flows provided by operating activities or other consolidated statements of operations and cash flows data prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

    The Company mitigates these limitations by reconciling the non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable U.S. GAAP performance measures, all of which should be considered when evaluating the Company’s performance.

    For more information on the non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned “Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results.”

    Exchange Rate Information

    This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars (“US$”) at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise stated, all translations from RMB to US$ were made at the rate of RMB7.2567 to US$1.00, the exchange rate on March 31, 2025 set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board. The Company makes no representation that the RMB or US$ amounts referred to could be converted into US$ or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “confident,” “potential,” “continue,” or other similar expressions. Among other things, outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Bilibili’s strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Bilibili may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its interim and annual reports to shareholders, in announcements, circulars or other publications made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “Hong Kong Stock Exchange”), in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not limited to statements about Bilibili’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: results of operations, financial condition, and stock price; Bilibili’s strategies; Bilibili’s future business development, financial condition and results of operations; Bilibili’s ability to retain and increase the number of users, members and advertising customers, provide quality content, products and services, and expand its product and service offerings; competition in the online entertainment industry; Bilibili’s ability to maintain its culture and brand image within its addressable user communities; Bilibili’s ability to manage its costs and expenses; PRC governmental policies and regulations relating to the online entertainment industry, general economic and business conditions globally and in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this announcement and in the attachments is as of the date of the announcement, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

    For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

    In China:

    Bilibili Inc.
    Juliet Yang
    Tel: +86-21-2509-9255 Ext. 8523
    E-mail: ir@bilibili.com

    Piacente Financial Communications 
    Helen Wu
    Tel: +86-10-6508-0677
    E-mail: bilibili@tpg-ir.com

    In the United States:

    Piacente Financial Communications 
    Brandi Piacente
    Tel: +1-212-481-2050
    E-mail: bilibili@tpg-ir.com

    BILIBILI INC.
    Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
    (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
     
      For the Three Months Ended
      March
    31,    		   December
    31,    		   March
    31,
      2024    2024    2025 
      RMB   RMB   RMB
               
    Net revenues:          
    Value-added services (VAS) 2,528,909     3,083,071     2,807,340  
    Advertising 1,668,584     2,388,673     1,997,635  
    Mobile games 982,810     1,797,537     1,731,155  
    IP derivatives and others 484,297     464,880     467,118  
    Total net revenues 5,664,600     7,734,161     7,003,248  
    Cost of revenues (4,059,240 )   (4,945,945 )   (4,464,150 )
    Gross profit 1,605,360     2,788,216     2,539,098  
               
    Operating expenses:          
    Sales and marketing expenses (927,059 )   (1,236,593 )   (1,166,975 )
    General and administrative expenses (531,777 )   (505,861 )   (515,638 )
    Research and development expenses (965,120 )   (919,321 )   (841,477 )
    Total operating expenses (2,423,956 )   (2,661,775 )   (2,524,090 )
    (Loss)/profit from operations (818,596 )   126,441     15,008  
               
    Other income/(expenses):          
    Investment loss, net (including impairments) (21,249 )   (283,191 )   (62,203 )
    Interest income 133,207     110,150     94,173  
    Interest expense (31,574 )   (19,986 )   (32,571 )
    Exchange (losses)/gains (58,060 )   10,529     (11,659 )
    Debt extinguishment loss (20,980 )   (17,649 )   –  
    Others, net 54,183     139,107     (1,837 )
    Total other income/(expenses), net 55,527     (61,040 )   (14,097 )
    (Loss)/profit before income tax expenses (763,069 )   65,401     911  
    Income tax (expense)/benefit (1,562 )   23,533     (11,588 )
    Net (loss)/profit (764,631 )   88,934     (10,677 )
    Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 16,086     1,026     1,575  
    Net (loss)/profit attributable to the Bilibili Inc.’s shareholders (748,545 )   89,960     (9,102 )
    Net (loss)/profit per share, basic (1.80 )         0.22     (0.02 )
    Net (loss)/profit per ADS, basic (1.80 )   0.22     (0.02 )
    Net (loss)/profit per share, diluted (1.80 )   0.21     (0.02 )
    Net (loss)/profit per ADS, diluted (1.80 )   0.21     (0.02 )
    Weighted average number of ordinary shares, basic 415,274,340     417,829,038     420,086,397  
    Weighted average number of ADS, basic 415,274,340     417,829,038     420,086,397  
    Weighted average number of ordinary shares, diluted 415,274,340     424,208,294     420,086,397  
    Weighted average number of ADS, diluted 415,274,340     424,208,294     420,086,397  
               

    The accompanying notes are an integral part of press release.

    BILIBILI INC.
    NOTES TO UNAUDITED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
    (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
     
      For the Three Months Ended
      March
    31,    		   December
    31,    		   March
    31,
      2024   2024   2025
      RMB   RMB   RMB
               
    Share-based compensation expenses included in:          
    Cost of revenues 13,677   25,350   23,996
    Sales and marketing expenses 12,560   18,524   16,417
    General and administrative expenses 157,824   137,513   144,497
    Research and development expenses 80,525   113,649   105,855
    Total 264,586   295,036   290,765
     
    BILIBILI INC.
    Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
     
      December
    31,    		   March
    31,
      2024    2025 
      RMB   RMB
           
    Assets      
    Current assets:      
    Cash and cash equivalents 10,249,382     9,601,900  
    Time deposits 3,588,475     3,937,921  
    Restricted cash 50,000     50,950  
    Accounts receivable, net 1,226,875     1,007,515  
    Prepayments and other current assets 1,934,788     2,124,271  
    Short-term investments 2,706,535     3,856,835  
    Total current assets 19,756,055     20,579,392  
    Non-current assets:      
    Property and equipment, net 589,227     522,109  
    Production cost, net 1,851,207     1,753,344  
    Intangible assets, net 3,201,012     3,199,545  
    Goodwill 2,725,130     2,725,130  
    Long-term investments, net 3,911,592     3,919,494  
    Other long-term assets 664,277     581,476  
    Total non-current assets 12,942,445     12,701,098  
    Total assets 32,698,500     33,280,490  
    Liabilities      
    Current liabilities:      
    Accounts payable 4,801,416     4,983,062  
    Salary and welfare payables 1,599,482     1,200,571  
    Taxes payable 428,932     376,961  
    Short-term loan and current portion of long-term debt 1,571,836     1,818,124  
    Deferred revenue 3,802,307     3,848,682  
    Accrued liabilities and other payables 2,558,830     2,877,377  
    Total current liabilities 14,762,803     15,104,777  
    Non-current liabilities:      
    Long-term debt 3,264,153     3,264,089  
    Other long-term liabilities 567,631     531,276  
         Total non-current liabilities 3,831,784     3,795,365  
    Total liabilities 18,594,587     18,900,142  
           
    Total Bilibili Inc.’s shareholders’ equity 14,108,397     14,386,407  
    Noncontrolling interests (4,484 )   (6,059 )
    Total shareholders’ equity 14,103,913     14,380,348  
           
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity 32,698,500     33,280,490  
           
    BILIBILI INC.  
    Unaudited Selected Condensed Consolidated Cash Flows Data  
    (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)  
       
      For the Three Months Ended  
      March
    31,    		   December
    31,    		   March
    31,    		  
      2024   2024   2025  
      RMB   RMB   RMB  
                 
    Net cash provided by operating activities 637,697   1,400,988   1,302,095  
     
    BILIBILI INC.
    Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results
    (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
     
      For the Three Months Ended
      March
    31,    		   December
    31,    		   March
    31,
      2024    2024    2025 
      RMB   RMB   RMB
    (Loss)/profit from operations (818,596 )   126,441     15,008  
    Add:          
    Share-based compensation expenses 264,586     295,036     290,765  
    Amortization expense related to intangible assets acquired through business acquisitions 41,776     41,581     36,692  
    Adjusted (loss)/profit from operations (512,234 )   463,058     342,465  
               
    Net (loss)/profit (764,631 )   88,934     (10,677 )
    Add:          
    Share-based compensation expenses 264,586     295,036     290,765  
    Amortization expense related to intangible assets acquired through business acquisitions 41,776     41,581     36,692  
    Income tax related to intangible assets acquired through business acquisitions (5,407 )   (5,358 )   (4,136 )
    (Gain)/loss on fair value change in investments in publicly traded companies (13,186 )   14,177     48,869  
    Loss on repurchase of convertible senior notes 20,980     17,649     –  
    Adjusted net (loss)/profit (455,882 )   452,019     361,513  
               
    Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 16,086     1,026     1,575  
    Adjusted net (loss)/profit attributable to the Bilibili Inc.’s shareholders (439,796 )   453,045     363,088  
    Adjusted net (loss)/profit per share, basic (1.06 )   1.08     0.86  
    Adjusted net (loss)/profit per ADS, basic (1.06 )   1.08     0.86  
    Adjusted net (loss)/profit per share, diluted (1.06 )   1.07     0.85  
    Adjusted net (loss)/profit per ADS, diluted (1.06 )   1.07     0.85  
    Weighted average number of ordinary shares, basic 415,274,340     417,829,038     420,086,397  
    Weighted average number of ADS, basic 415,274,340     417,829,038     420,086,397  
    Weighted average number of ordinary shares, diluted 415,274,340     424,208,294     425,602,954  
    Weighted average number of ADS, diluted 415,274,340     424,208,294     425,602,954  

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gunnison Man Sentenced to 110 Months in Prison for Being Felon in Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Scott Oldenberg, 36, of Gunnison, was sentenced to 110 months in federal prison, plus three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

    On June 6, 2023, the defendant was identified as a possible burglary suspect in Mount Crested Butte.  Officers later searched his vehicle and found two firearms (a .40 caliber with an obliterated serial number and a 9MM), as well as additional firearm parts, including a firearm silencer.  The .40 caliber handgun recovered from the defendant’s vehicle was fitted with a “Glock switch,” a conversion device that caused the handgun to function as a machine gun.

    On June 25, 2023, law enforcement officers in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, searched another vehicle in the defendant’s possession—this time, a Hertz rental car that had been reported stolen.  They recovered a 12-gauge shotgun and an AR-15; additional firearm parts, including two suppressors; and magazines and ammunition.

    Before June 6, 2023, the defendant had been convicted of a felony that was punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.  He was therefore barred from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

    “Mr. Oldenberg has forfeited his right to own firearms,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado J. Bishop Grewell.  “Our office will continue to prioritize punishing felons in possession of weapons outfitted with machine gun conversion devices.”

    “Coordinated law enforcement efforts leave no place for violent offenders to hide,” said ATF Denver Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers.  “We are grateful for our local and federal law enforcement partners in this investigation.  Together we ensured he will no longer present the danger of bringing violent crime into our communities.”

    “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their dedication to this investigation and prosecution,” said Mt. Crested Butte Police Chief Nate Stepanek.  “This sentence reflects our continued commitment to ensuring public safety and holding offenders accountable for their actions.”

    “It is a testament to Colorado law enforcement that our teamwork and collaboration results in the removal of so many dangerous individuals from our streets.  I am proud of the members of the Wheat Ridge Police Department for the role they played in this multijurisdictional effort and the results,” said Wheat Ridge Police Chief Christopher Murtha.

    United States District Judge Gordon P. Gallagher presided over the sentencing.  The Denver Field Office of the ATF, the Denver Field Office of the FBI, the Mount Crested Butte Police Department, and the Wheat Ridge Police Department handled the investigation.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Springer and Kurt Bohn handled the prosecution.

    Case Number: 24-cr-00022-GPG

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Ruiz Delivers Remarks on the House Floor on Palm Springs IVF Facility Terrorist Attack

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

    Washington, D.C. –  Today, Raul Ruiz (CA-25) delivered remarks on the Floor of the House of Representatives regarding the devastating Palm Springs IVF Facility Explosion. 

    To see the full remarks, click here.

    “Mr. Speaker, despite the deliberate and targeted domestic terrorist bomb attack at the American Reproductive Centers IVF facility in Palm Springs, thank God Dr. Abdullah, his staff, and all eggs and embryos are safe.

    “Palm Springs is strong. The people are beautiful, resilient, inclusive, accepting, and cherish their community. All law enforcement and first responders acted with courage, professionalism, and excellence.

    “I, along with all the people in Palm Springs and the surrounding communities, thank Police Chief Andy Mills, Fire Chief Paul Alvarado, FBI Assistant Director Akil Davis, and all law enforcement officers, first responders, and health care professionals who responded swiftly and effectively. Thanks to their rapid response, all those injured in the bombing have been released from the hospital, and Palm Springs is safe.

    “To the people of Palm Springs: my heart is with you, and I stand by you. Thank you, and I yield back.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Tornado Watch 298

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL8

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Tornado Watch Number 298
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    825 PM CDT Mon May 19 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Tornado Watch for portions of
    West-Central and Southern Illinois
    Southern into Central and Eastern Missouri

    * Effective this Monday night and Tuesday morning from 825 PM
    until 300 AM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    A few tornadoes likely with a couple intense tornadoes possible
    Widespread damaging winds likely with isolated significant gusts
    to 80 mph possible
    Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2
    inches in diameter possible

    SUMMARY…Multiple clusters and supercells will spread northeastward
    this evening and overnight while posing a threat for both tornadoes
    and severe/damaging winds. An intense/bowing line of thunderstorms
    will likely develop later this evening and pose a greater threat for
    widespread severe winds, with peak gusts potentially reaching up to
    70-80 mph on an isolated basis. Occasional large hail up to 1-2
    inches in diameter may also occur with any semi-discrete supercells.

    The tornado watch area is approximately along and 110 statute miles
    east and west of a line from 45 miles north northwest of Saint Louis
    MO to 20 miles southeast of West Plains MO. For a complete depiction
    of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS
    WOU8).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
    tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
    area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
    threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
    and possible warnings.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 294…WW 295…WW
    296…WW 297…

    AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
    surface and aloft to 2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
    gusts to 70 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 550. Mean
    storm motion vector 24035.

    …Gleason

    SEL8

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Tornado Watch Number 298
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    825 PM CDT Mon May 19 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Tornado Watch for portions of
    West-Central and Southern Illinois
    Southern into Central and Eastern Missouri

    * Effective this Monday night and Tuesday morning from 825 PM
    until 300 AM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    A few tornadoes likely with a couple intense tornadoes possible
    Widespread damaging winds likely with isolated significant gusts
    to 80 mph possible
    Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2
    inches in diameter possible

    SUMMARY…Multiple clusters and supercells will spread northeastward
    this evening and overnight while posing a threat for both tornadoes
    and severe/damaging winds. An intense/bowing line of thunderstorms
    will likely develop later this evening and pose a greater threat for
    widespread severe winds, with peak gusts potentially reaching up to
    70-80 mph on an isolated basis. Occasional large hail up to 1-2
    inches in diameter may also occur with any semi-discrete supercells.

    The tornado watch area is approximately along and 110 statute miles
    east and west of a line from 45 miles north northwest of Saint Louis
    MO to 20 miles southeast of West Plains MO. For a complete depiction
    of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS
    WOU8).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
    tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
    area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
    threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
    and possible warnings.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 294…WW 295…WW
    296…WW 297…

    AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
    surface and aloft to 2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
    gusts to 70 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 550. Mean
    storm motion vector 24035.

    …Gleason

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW8
    WW 298 TORNADO IL MO 200125Z – 200800Z
    AXIS..110 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    45NNW STL/SAINT LOUIS MO/ – 20SE UNO/WEST PLAINS MO/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 95NM E/W /31NNW STL – 41NW ARG/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..2 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..70 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 550. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24035.

    LAT…LON 39338863 36538963 36539360 39339275

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU8.

    Watch 298 Status Report Messages:

    STATUS REPORT #1 ON WW 298

    VALID 200130Z – 200240Z

    THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES ACROSS THE ENTIRE WATCH AREA.

    ..BROYLES..05/20/25

    ATTN…WFO…PAH…LSX…SGF…

    &&

    STATUS REPORT FOR WT 298

    SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

    ILC003-005-013-027-051-055-061-077-081-083-087-117-119-121-133-
    135-145-153-157-163-181-189-199-200240-

    IL
    . ILLINOIS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

    ALEXANDER BOND CALHOUN
    CLINTON FAYETTE FRANKLIN
    GREENE JACKSON JEFFERSON
    JERSEY JOHNSON MACOUPIN
    MADISON MARION MONROE
    MONTGOMERY PERRY PULASKI
    RANDOLPH ST. CLAIR UNION
    WASHINGTON WILLIAMSON
    $$

    MOC007-009-017-019-023-027-029-031-035-043-051-055-059-065-067-
    071-073-077-091-093-099-105-113-123-125-131-133-135-137-139-141-
    143-149-151-153-157-161-163-169-173-179-181-183-186-187-189-201-
    203-207-209-213-215-219-221-223-225-229-510-200240-

    MO
    . MISSOURI COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

    AUDRAIN BARRY BOLLINGER
    BOONE BUTLER CALLAWAY
    CAMDEN CAPE GIRARDEAU CARTER
    CHRISTIAN COLE CRAWFORD
    DALLAS DENT DOUGLAS
    FRANKLIN GASCONADE GREENE
    HOWELL IRON JEFFERSON
    LACLEDE LINCOLN MADISON
    MARIES MILLER MISSISSIPPI
    MONITEAU MONROE MONTGOMERY
    MORGAN NEW MADRID OREGON
    OSAGE OZARK PERRY
    PHELPS PIKE PULASKI
    RALLS REYNOLDS RIPLEY
    ST. CHARLES STE. GENEVIEVE ST. FRANCOIS
    ST. LOUIS SCOTT SHANNON
    STODDARD STONE TANEY
    TEXAS WARREN WASHINGTON
    WAYNE WEBSTER WRIGHT

    MISSOURI INDEPENDENT CITIES INCLUDED ARE

    ST. LOUIS CITY
    $$

    THE WATCH STATUS MESSAGE IS FOR GUIDANCE PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE
    REFER TO WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATION STATEMENTS FOR OFFICIAL
    INFORMATION ON COUNTIES…INDEPENDENT CITIES AND MARINE ZONES
    CLEARED FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO WATCHES.
    $$

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    High (70%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Mod (40%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    High (80%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Mod (50%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Mod (40%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Mod (30%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (>95%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Energy Secretary Chris Wright Delivers Keynote Remarks on Completion of First B61-13 Production Unit at Pantex Plant

    Source: US Department of Energy

    AMARILLO— U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright delivered keynote remarks today at the Department of Energy’s Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, marking the completion of the first production unit of the B61-13 nuclear gravity bomb.

    The B61-13 is the latest modification to the B61 family of nuclear weapons and was completed nearly a year ahead of schedule and less than two years after the program was first announced, making it one of the most rapidly developed and fielded weapons since the Cold War. Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department is modernizing America’s nuclear stockpile to deliver peace through strength. The B61-13 builds on proven B61-12 production capabilities and incorporates modern safety, security, and accuracy features, with a yield tailored for hardened and large-area military targets. The B61-13 is one of seven warhead modernization programs NNSA is executing to ensure the long-term performance and credibility of the U.S. deterrent.

    Secretary Wright’s full remarks:

    It’s an honor to be here on this special day. Every time I hear our national anthem performed, I feel strong emotions. I feel first a sense of gratitude—gratitude for those that came before us and created this nation against all odds, that put their lives on the line and stuck to their principles, no matter what the pressure was. I also feel a sense of pride to be born in this country and to have the great luck to live as an American. The ideas of freedom, liberty, and justice for all—but freedom isn’t free. Freedom isn’t free.

    That national anthem was written over 200 years ago, the last time there were foreign troops on our soil. Most ideas or nations get taken over and they get snuffed out; they lose their way. We’re unique in history, and our nation has not. And that’s only because of the men and women in our country that have stood strong, both on the principles and with the might to defend our borders and to defend our ideals.

    And Pantex and the people of Amarillo have been central to that mission. And I’ll come back to that in a second.

    I bring regards from President Trump, who is incredibly committed to this mission of modernizing our nuclear stockpile as quickly and as efficiently—but as robustly and strongly—as we can.

    He got elected on really a simple principle: that prosperity at home and peace abroad are what America and the world needed. And those go together. A prosperous, strong America is the best way to guarantee peace abroad. A strong, principled America is central to world peace and to the lives of all of us—all our friends, all our families, and all our fellow Americans across the country.

    I have the incredible honor to be in this role. I’ve been an entrepreneur my whole life. The last time I had a boss, I was 19 years old. And then I met a new guy a little more than a year ago at dinner and a very candid dialogue about energy and about our country. And right away, he said, “You should be Secretary of Energy.”

    And then he came to me after the dinner and said, “Would you do it?” I said, if I’m asked to serve my country, there’s only one answer. I didn’t have to think about that one. I did look at my wife that night and she said, “Absolutely, we’re moving to DC. You know, I’m willing.”

    And my wife has been this lifelong partner for me, up for every adventure. So, I’ve been a very, very lucky guy.

    As an entrepreneur, I started a number of businesses, mostly around energy—technology and energy. That’s why I am an energy tech nerd. But I started—I named the last company Liberty Energy, two of my favorite words.

    We have 30-year life expectancy throughout all of human history. 20,000 years ago, before the invention of agriculture, and 200 years ago— there was 30 years of global life expectancy at birth. Today, it’s 73 years. Just a few generations back. Just an incredible transformation.

    What happened? There’s all sorts of history before 200 years ago. What happened? And to me, two fundamental things changed:

    The growth of bottom-up social organization—human liberty. Societies were top-down. Women were property of their husbands, of their fathers. Slavery was endemic across every major society throughout all of history. We didn’t start perfect in those ideals, but America started with a North Star—to bring liberty, not just to our country, to the world. That mission has been not complete, but remarkably, remarkably successful in making the lives we all have.

    And the partner in making that happen was energy. It was this explosion in available energy—from wood. Mostly wood, a little bit of wind, a little bit of water flowing. That’s what powered the world throughout all of human history. And then the arrival of coal and oil and natural gas. And then these derivative energy sources that are only possible because of coal, oil, and natural gas, like nuclear, large-scale hydro, wind, solar—everything else is really derivative of hydrocarbons.

    But those two things changed our world: liberty and energy.

    And I think President Trump realized that both of those were under some threat. We saw a growing movement in our country that maybe free speech and free interchange of ideas—maybe those were out of fashion. They didn’t fit with the world today.

    I think we saw—as we heard from the General earlier—we saw growing threats to our liberty around the world. To us, a rapidly rising China. It’s a huge, huge global threat we haven’t seen in our lifetimes. We’ve seen Russia’s activities and where Russia stands today. And, as we heard, the world has gotten more dangerous.

    We need very much today a strong America. We need a prosperous America to keep peace for our shores and peace abroad, to the extent we can achieve it.

    This community—the Pantex community and the broader Amarillo community—have been central to that for over 80 years. In World War II, much to our surprise with the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Within a few months, this facility was built and started quickly to build armaments to win the war. A war we fought in the Pacific. We fought in the Atlantic—by far the largest conflict in human history.

    You’re a ways away from any danger here from foreign enemies, but they’re there. This community rose up and cranked out armaments to allow our troops around the globe to win that war.

    In that war, we also had a very unique effort for science. That wartime mobilization meant creativity, meant patriotism, and a rushed effort—literally in two and a half years in Los Alamos—we developed nuclear weapons under the gun of both war and the knowledge that Nazi Germany also had a nuclear weapons program. Getting second wasn’t an option.

    But America rose to that challenge. And we developed nuclear weapons, which you learn in school are horrific and terrifying—and they are terrifying. I would say they’re not horrific. They and American strength and resolve have probably been the biggest bringers of peace in the world for 80 years, without any live conflict between major powers.

    There are plenty of wars around the world, and President Trump’s agenda is to bring as many of those conflicts as possible to an end. But your chance of dying from violent death in our generation—and our children’s generation—is the lowest it’s ever been.

    We have the news and we hear about all the conflicts around the world, but because of a strong America, because of an unbowed resolve, we have a much safer—not completely safe—but a much safer and more peaceful world that’s allowed ourselves, our children, our grandchildren to pursue wonderful, dreamy lives.

    But to maintain that, our biggest risk is complacency. That risk is there. And that risk has been mostly at bay because of the strength of our military and the commitment of American leadership, American citizens, and American resolve.

    Pantex is absolutely central to that.

    And there was a brief break from ’45 to ’51, where we won the war, but of course, the Cold War rose quickly. And we understood this feeling of security was very brief.

    The only way we could ensure security was to be the strongest, the most powerful, the most technologically advanced, and the most committed to our values of any nation on Earth.

    Pantex was reinvented as the final assembler, where all roads lead to our nuclear stockpile. This nuclear stockpile has had unbelievably positive effects—not just on the lives of Americans—but on the lives today of 8 billion people in the world that benefit from American strength and American security.

    But the backbone of that strength and security—the ultimate guarantor of the sovereignty of our nation—is our nuclear stockpile.

    You built that stockpile in the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Then we went into a more peaceful period. We disassembled some of those weapons—also done by you. We maintained that stockpile and those weapons throughout all that time period.

    And now, with age on those weapons and rising security risks around the world, we’re called to action to modernize multiple weapons systems in our stockpile. Who’s going to lead that effort? The people looking at me in the room right now, and your more than 4,000 other colleagues that are working hard right now to make our country safe and secure.

    I was honored—and a little bit emotional as well—to stamp that B61-13 today. That’s the cutting edge of this weapons stockpile. And amazingly—have you heard of anything today that’s done a year early? Anybody built a house or had a major project or done anything else—showed up to your contractors and they said, “good news is, we’re a year ahead of schedule?”

    I’m not sure I’ve ever heard that in my life. And I know this year in the broader program here, we’re 107% ahead of plan. That’s out of fashion the last few years—everything’s late, over budget, and delayed. But not here. Not in this community. Not in this complex.

    So, I end with a thanks— a thanks from me personally. I’m so proud to be on your team now. I’m here for the count. They’ll take me out in a few years, but I’m pretty motivated to be here and to be in this role.

    A thanks from President Trump. We got him to bring back common sense, strength in America. Resolve in America. We can do big things—and we can do them on time and on budget—because we are responsible to spend the taxpayer money of 340 million Americans.

    Your delivery—early, on budget—and the whole modernization program so far ahead of schedule, a huge warm thank you from President Trump.

    And I’ll end with a thank you for the American people—all the American people. They go to sleep more secure at night, not worried about foreign invaders. They’ve got worries, indeed, but it’s a luxury to worry about other things.

    If you’re worried about your physical security—of you and your kids—nothing else matters. Well, because of your tireless efforts here for generations, you give all Americans a feeling of security. I’ve got things to worry about, but my foreign enemies aren’t one of them.

    God bless you all. Thank you for your tremendous work. I’m proud to be your partner.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Charged in Connection with Fraudulent COVID-19 Relief Loan Applications Totaling More than $3.39M

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    A Georgia man was arrested today in connection with his role in 15 fraudulent COVID-19 relief loan applications administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, totaling more than $3.39 million in fraudulent loan proceeds.

    According to court documents, Ian Patrick Jackson, 37, of Atlanta, conspired with another Atlanta man to solicit, recruit, and direct at least nine business owners to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications using fabricated tax documents. Jackson and his co-conspirator allegedly directed the business owners to falsely claim in the loan applications that each business employed 16 individuals and paid monthly wages of $120,000. After receiving the funds, the business owners wrote “payroll” checks to individuals who did not work for their companies and then either kept the money for themselves or gave the money to the co-conspirator, who in turn provided a share to Jackson. 

    Jackson is the 12th defendant to be charged in connection with the Atlanta-based PPP fraud ring that allegedly fraudulently obtained millions in PPP loans. All eleven previously charged defendants, including the nine business owners, have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial related to $2.7 million in fraudulent PPP loans. To date, authorities have recovered nearly $1.2 million of the stolen money.

    In addition to the charged conspiracy, Jackson is alleged to have participated in three other schemes to submit fraudulent PPP or EIDL applications: (1) He applied for a fraudulent $237,500 PPP loan on behalf of Parkway Media Group LLC using fabricated tax forms and a doctored bank statement; (2) He used a forged driver’s license to fraudulently apply for approximately $100,000 in PPP and EIDL program loans using false revenue statements; and (3) He fraudulently obtained a $240,035 PPP loan and $125,000 in EIDL program loans and grants on behalf of Express Xchange LLC. As alleged in the indictment, he wrote checks made payable to individuals who did not work for the businesses using the loan proceeds. He also allegedly used the loan proceeds to pay for personal expenses, including restaurant dining, spa services, phone and credit card payments, and a vacation in Aruba. 

    Jackson is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, two counts of bank fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and two counts of money laundering. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on each of the conspiracy and bank fraud counts and 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud and money laundering counts.  

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia, Deputy Inspector General Sheldon Shoemaker of the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General and Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.

    The SBA Office of Inspector General and FBI Atlanta Field Office are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Matthew Reilly of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane C. Schulman for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.

    Since the inception of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.

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

    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 –