NewzIntel.com

Category: Intelligence Agencies

  • MIL-OSI Security: NEWARK EXPEDITER ADMITS CONSPIRING TO GIVE BRIBES TO NEWARK OFFICIALS AND OTHER FRAUD

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark-based expediter today admitted to conspiring to give bribes to Newark public officials, including then-Newark Councilmember Joseph A. McCallum, Jr., in connection with real estate development and construction-related transactions and conspiring with others to create and sell falsified documents supposedly issued by the City of Newark in connection with development, construction, rental or sale of such properties in Newark. Baxter also admitted to feigning the need to pay a bribe to a Newark official to fraudulently obtain money for himself and participating in a separate scheme to fraudulently obtain federal COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced.

    Lamont Baxter, 49, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to seven counts in an information charging him with conspiring to give bribes to Newark officials, giving bribes to McCallum in connection with a developer’s real estate transactions, committing wire fraud in connection with a purported cash bribe payment, conspiring to commit wire fraud in connection with falsifying documents purportedly issued by the City of Newark, and committing wire fraud to obtain PPP loans.  

    According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court:

    As an expediter on real estate and construction matters in Newark, from 2017 through August 2022, Baxter served as a liaison between Newark officials and agencies and individuals seeking permits, Certificates of Continued Occupancy (CCO), Certificates of Code Compliance (CCC), approvals and other actions on an expedited basis. To provide these expediting services, for years, Baxter conspired with others, including developers, to pay cash bribes to various Newark officials so that these officials completed the official acts that Baxter requested on behalf of the developers and others.  Baxter would often use the term “taking care of” a Newark official to indicate to a developer when additional cash or extra payment was needed to be added to official fees charged by Newark so that Baxter could use the extra money to bribe a Newark official, such as an official handling the issuance of a CCC.

    In addition to paying bribes to Newark officials on behalf of others, Baxter also once fraudulently obtained a $10,000 cash payment for himself by falsely indicating to his developer client that the cash was needed to pay a bribe to a Newark official. In that instance, Baxter kept the entire payment for himself and simply pretended that he had given the payment to a Newark Official.

    Part of Baxter’s participation in the bribery schemes included delivering cash bribes exceeding $5,000 from 2019 to 2020 to then-Councilmember McCallum on behalf of a Newark developer who sought and obtained McCallum’s official assistance in obtaining approvals for real estate projects in Newark. On March 15, 2022, before Judge William J. Martini, McCallum admitted receiving bribes while serving as a Councilmember and a director of the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation, as part of his guilty plea to wire fraud for devising a scheme to defraud Newark and of the right to McCallum’s honest services and subscribing to a false personal tax return for calendar year 2018.

    Part of Baxter’s expediting services from 2017 to August 2022, included conspiring with others to create and deliver falsified and fraudulent CCOs, CCCs, and certificates of approval issued by the City of Newark notifying a utility that was to provide electricity for a property that the required inspection had been conducted at the property (known as “cut-in cards”) to individuals who needed these official documents in relation to the development, construction, rental or sale of properties in Newark.  Baxter and others used this scheme to fraudulently obtain payments from the individuals who required these official documents from the City of Newark.

    Baxter also used the various entities he incorporated to obtain payments as an expediter to facilitate a scheme to fraudulently obtain PPP loans during the COVID-19 pandemic.  In 2020 and 2021, Baxter participated in preparing and submitting fraudulent PPP loan applications that included false tax forms and documents and contained false information on the application forms, concerning, among other things, the companies’ gross revenue.  As part of this scheme, Baxter even attempted to obtain a PPP loan for a lounge that he did not actually own and control, pretending to be its owner. As a result of his fraudulent scheme, Baxter obtained over $40,000 in PPP loan funds.  

    The conspiracy to commit bribery charge in Count 1 of the information to which Baxter pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and the bribery charge in Count 2 to which Baxter pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy charges in Counts 3 through 7 to which Baxter pleaded guilty each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. All of the charges carry a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant or loss to the victims, whichever is greater. Sentencing for Baxter is scheduled for August 12, 2025 at 11 a.m.

    U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge in Newark Terence G. Reilly in Newark; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, and special agents of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea by Baxter.

    The government is represented by Deputy Chief Jihee G. Suh and Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division and Chief Katherine Calle of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Opioid Unit.

    All other co-conspirators identified in the Information are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

                                                     ###

    Defense counsel: John A. McMahon, Esq. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Minister Rishworth interview on ABC Afternoon Briefing

    Source: Government of Victoria 3

    E&OE TRANSCRIPT

    TOM LOWREY, HOST: Can I take you first to those comments from shadow minister for finance, Jane Hume. What did you make of them and is there room to trim the NDIS further?

    AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: Firstly, I would say Jane Hume has her numbers incorrect. The last year the Liberals were in government there was a 22 per cent growth rate of the NDIS. So, we’ve been working very hard to make this scheme sustainable. We’ve been working with people with disability, getting it back on track. And I have to say Jane Hume is also wrong to say that we are not meeting our targets that we set. National Cabinet set the target of eight per cent growth by 1 July 2026 and this year we had predicted that we would be at a 12 per cent growth rate. Actually, we’re doing better than that. The most recent figures coming out from the NDIA year to date is we are down to 10 per cent. So, we’re working very diligently but importantly we’re working with people with disability. Now, Jane Hume does have to be honest about what she would cut. We’ve been very clear about what our pathway is for reform. She has not been clear about what her cuts would be. Some of the suggestions about where growth should track at would suggest that no new participants could enter the scheme next year if she was to follow some of the comments that she has thrown around. So, this would be deeply concerning if no new participants could enter the scheme in the next financial year. Unfortunately I think Jane Hume hasn’t actually looked back at the record of the Liberal Party when they were in government a 22 per cent growth rate. We have got it down to 10 per cent. We’re on track to reach our eight per cent target. We will keep doing that, but in a way that has equity, fairness and transparency at its heart.

    TOM LOWREY: To be clear, Jane Hume said the first priority has to be hitting that eight per cent target. Are you confident that eight per cent target will be hit by the middle of next year?

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: I am very reassured about the progress that we’ve made. As I said, part of the way to meet that growth target was to reach 12 per cent this financial year. The most recent data has suggested that we would be hitting 10 per cent this year. So, that is significant progress that we’ve been making. But we’ve been making it by going back to the intent of the scheme, not just random cuts to people, but actually going back to the intent of the scheme, which is clearly outlining what are NDIS supports and what are not and working with people, to work within the budget of their plan. These are some of the changes we’ve made and we will continue to make progress. I’m very confident of us meeting that target.

    TOM LOWREY: Yeah, the Grattan Institute had some analysis out, I think earlier this week or last week that suggested that hitting that eight per cent target won’t be easy. But keeping growth below that eight per cent into the future would be particularly challenging. How do you constrain the growth of the NDIS into the future?

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: What we’re doing is making sure that we go back to the original intent of the scheme and that’s reasonable and necessary supports. I mean some of the behaviour that we saw while the previous government was in office that they did let a lot of fraud flourish. So, we have been very much focused on cracking down on fraud and dodgy providers as just one example. But it’s also been being clear about what is a NDIS support and what is not a NDIS support. How do we make sure that we have effective use of budgets and plans so that we have contained intra plan growth and that is making sure that people are getting supports that they need within their plan that they have received. So, we’re doing a lot of work there. That is how we have been able to achieve the reduction from 22 per cent growth under the coalition. That’s where we’re making progress. But we know it’s a challenge. We will continue to work with people with disability to ensure that we get the settings right, not make just gross cuts like it’s that the coalition is planning to do.

    TOM LOWREY: Part of that agreement at National Cabinet that you mentioned earlier was for the states to do more of the heavy lifting, to start to put in those services that perhaps had been in place before the NDIS was introduced that have since been removed. Have you seen any progress on that front? Are the states pulling their weight the way you’d like?

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, what was in that agreement was joint funding between the states and territories and the Commonwealth for supports outside the NDIS. I’ve been having very good conversations with my state colleagues and we continue to work and talk about what are some of the gaps, what are the some of these services that they could deliver, what are some of the services that are needed. It’s different in each state and territory. So, that work is progressing, but it is not conditional on the progress that we’ve made. The progress that we’ve made around, for example, what is and isn’t a NDIS support has been done separate to the work being done on foundational support. So, we’ll continue that work with our states and territories. I need to be clear that we offered co-funding with the states and territories and we’ll keep working with them.

    TOM LOWREY: I just want to briefly touch on some figures that came out today. You’ve suggested that withdrawing superannuation for housing could wind up adding a $1.4 billion hit to the age pension down the track. What were the assumptions you made to get there? How did you get to that figure?

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: These were assumptions made by the PBO. It took a pretty conservative case of someone around the age of 40 withdrawing the $50,000 that the Coalition would allow them to do. What we already know from analysis done last week was that would potentially add more than $70,000 to a house price. But what this evidence and the modelling shows is that having a situation where you can withdraw superannuation for housing would mean more people having to rely on the pension in their older age and that would cost the taxpayer approximately $1.4 billion annually. So, this is just bad policy all around. It’s bad for taxpayers, it’s bad for people who want to have a secure retirement and don’t necessarily, after they’ve paid into super, want to rely on a full pension or a part pension. But it’s also bad at pushing up housing prices, making it more out of reach for more Australians to get into the housing market. So, it’s lose, lose.

    TOM LOWREY: Amanda Rishworth, out of Time. Thanks so much for joining me.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS, ICE, and interagency enforcement arrest and extradite Honduran criminal alien

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    WASHINGTON – A Honduran criminal alien, Eswin Mejia, 28, wanted in connection with a tragic 2016 motor vehicle homicide in Douglas County, Nebraska, was arrested and extradited to the United States, March 21 following an extensive U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement joint partner investigation.

    In January 2016, prior to the conclusion of his immigration proceedings, Mejia crashed his car and killed a 21-year-old woman. Following the incident, it was determined that his blood alcohol content was three times over the legal limit.

    Despite the severity of the charges, on Feb. 5, 2016, Mejia was granted bond and released back into the community. He later fled to Honduras to escape prosecution.

    “The extradition and arrest of this criminal alien is the culmination of a nearly decade-long battle for justice for Sarah Root and her family. Thanks to the hard work of our Homeland Security Investigation and our interagency law enforcement partners, Eswin Mejia, who fled the U.S. to evade prosecution, will finally face justice for the killing of Sarah Root. Sarah should still be here today, and this illegal alien should have never been in our country in the first place,” said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “Senator Joni Ernst has been a champion for Sarah and her family, and her efforts and leadership were crucial in Mejia’s extradition. President Trump is putting the safety of Americans first — no longer will murderers and criminal illegal aliens be released into American communities.”

    “For over nine years, I have called for justice on behalf of Sarah Root, and today President Trump and his administration are delivering,” said Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). “Sarah should still be alive today, and for too long Michelle, Scott, and the rest of her loved ones have been forced to live with the fact that her killer was running free. Finally, Edwin Mejia will face the long overdue consequences after breaking our laws and taking an innocent life. I am incredibly thankful for President Trump’s strong action, his hardworking administration, and steadfast partnership to right this wrong on behalf of Iowa families.”

    “This arrest is a crucial step in our relentless pursuit of justice for the victim and her grieving family,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito. “This case highlights the vital role ICE plays in relentlessly pursuing dangerous fugitives and criminal aliens. No matter how much time has passed or where they try to flee, ICE is working to bring them to justice.”

    “I want to express my appreciation and gratitude to the men and women of the Marshals Service, as well as our partner agencies who worked tirelessly to bring Mr. Mejia back to the U.S. to face justice,” said Scott Kracl, U.S. Marshal for the District of Nebraska. “I hope this arrest and extradition brings some measure of comfort to the Root family and will serve as a reminder to all fugitives from justice that there is no place to hide.”

    In February 2016, the Douglas County Nebraska County Court issued an arrest warrant for the fugitive on charges of motor vehicular homicide, after Mejia failed to appear at his court proceedings.

    Mejia was first encountered by immigration officials in May 2013 after entering the United States at an unknown date, location and without inspection or parole. U.S. Border Patrol him a notice to appear, and he was released on his own recognizance, pending immigration proceedings.

    Mejia failed to attend his immigration proceedings and in April 2016, an immigration judge with the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review ordered his removal from the U.S. in absentia.

    Mejia’s capture is the direct result of an ICE HSI-led joint investigation, with significant assistance from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Marshals Service, FBI, Department of State, U.S. Embassy of Honduras, HSI Tegucigalpa Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit, Honduran National Police Directorate for Police Investigations, Honduran National Police Directorate for Police Intelligence, Honduran Special Forces, Omaha Police Department, Douglas County Attorney, and Omaha United States Attorney’s Office.

    Mejia is currently in local custody at Douglas County Corrections, and ICE has lodged an immigration detainer with the jail.

    Members of the public can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eden Prairie Man Charged with Coercion, Enticement of a Minor, and Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material

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

    MINNEAPOLIS – Michael Bruce Gillis, an Eden Prairie man, has been charged via federal criminal complaint with coercion and enticement of a minor and production of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to the criminal complaint, on March 2, 2025, the Mounds View Police Department received a report of a missing 15-year-old male. In an effort to locate the missing juvenile, his family members reviewed his personal electronic devices and discovered recent chat communications between Minor Victim A and an individual identified as “Nick Miller.” In their chat thread, Minor Victim A specifically identified himself as being “young” and still in high school, to which “Nick Miller” responded that he “like[s] younger guys” and that he was “okay with it.” From there, the chat transitioned to Minor Victim A and “Nick Miller” exchanging sexually explicit messages and graphic photos. The pair then made plans to meet, but because Minor Victim A was too young to drive, “Nick Miller” ordered an Uber to pick him up and drive him to the meetup location.

    A few hours after the electronic communications between “Nick Miller” and Minor Victim A, law enforcement conducted a welfare check at the address “Nick Miller” had provided.  Law enforcement officers discovered Minor Victim A walking on foot a short distance from the indicated residence. Minor Victim A reported that “Nick Miller” had sexually assaulted him, and that he had escaped from the house after “Nick Miller” had fallen asleep. Law enforcement officers subsequently apprehended “Nick Miller” at the address he had provided, and positively identified him as Michael Bruce Gillis, 35. A subsequent records check revealed two other pending matters involving allegations of child exploitation, one in Hennepin County, Minnesota, and the other in Polk County, Florida.

    “As this case demonstrates, child predators are clear and present dangers to the children of Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.  “We have federal tools at our disposal—including significant mandatory minimum sentences—that appropriately take predators like this off the street for decades.  As Acting U.S. Attorney, I have directed my office to continue to prioritize these abhorrent crimes—to send a strong deterrent message and to protect our community.”

    “The allegations in this case are horrific. His deliberate, predatory behavior led to the sexual assault of a child, causing significant harm and trauma” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will use every resource available to ensure those who prey on the most vulnerable are brought to justice.”

    Gillis was charged by criminal complaint today in U.S. District Court with one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of production of child pornography.  He is currently detained.  

    This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, Eden Prairie Police Department, Mounds View Police Department, and the Bloomington Police Department.

    “I am glad we are working with our federal partners to get these child predators off the street,” said Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges. “I am confident this partnership will help keep our communities safe.”

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing is prosecuting the case.  

    A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Washakie Man Sentenced to 29 Years of Imprisonment for Second-Degree Murder

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Conrad Troy Tillman, 38, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, was sentenced to 348 months and 23 days in federal prison with five years of supervised release for second-degree murder. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on March 21, 2025, in Casper. The federal sentence considered the fact Tillman had been serving a related tribal sentence for nearly a year. The court also ordered Tillman to pay $6,998.10 in restitution and a $100 special assessment.

    On April 14, 2024, the Wind River Police Department was dispatched to a vehicle located on Highway 287 within the Wind River Indian Reservation. The 911 call indicated that a man had shot his wife. According to court documents and witness testimony, Tillman, his wife, and their adolescent daughter were traveling on Highway 287 when an argument ensued between the couple. It culminated in Tillman firing a semi-automatic pistol, striking his wife in the head, and killing her. Tillman flagged down a passing motorist to call 911. EMS and law enforcement officers arrived on the scene and pronounced the victim deceased.

    The Bureau of Indian Affairs Wind River Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.

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

    Case No. 24-CR-00086

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arizona Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Mailing Methamphetamine to Northern Alabama

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – An Arizona man has been sentenced to prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Birmingham Division. 

    United States District Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Jeremiah Warren, 42, of Vail, Arizona, to 180 months in prison. On October 4, 2023, Warren pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or More of Methamphetamine. 

    According to the plea agreement, Warren supplied Isaiah Oneal Rice, who lived in Athens, Alabama, with controlled substances for several years. Warren would send Rice drugs—including crystal methamphetamine—through the United States mail. From February to May 2022, Warren mailed over 34 pounds of packages containing controlled substances into the Northern District of Alabama.

    Rice was also prosecuted and sentenced to 176 months in prison on January 10, 2024. On July 27, 2022, Rice pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or More of Methamphetamine, two counts of Unlawful Distribution of Methamphetamine, Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or More of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

    The FBI’s North Alabama Safe Streets Task Force investigated the cases. The Limestone County Sheriff’s Office and Athens Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant United States Attorney John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the cases.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Belgium National and Utah Business Owner Charged After Allegedly Running a $5 Million Ponzi Scheme

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

    $3M of investor funds allegedly used on real estate, a personal chef, Chevrolet Corvette & more

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –A Belgium national and the owner of K & K Strategies is facing federal charges after he allegedly operated a $5 million Ponzi scheme.  The Utah investment owner, who was not licensed to sell securities, allegedly defrauded approximately 75 investors, and used at least $3 million on real estate purchases, investor payouts, a personal chef, a 2002 Chevrolet Corvette, and other personal expenses.

    Kenny Dirk Van Der Spek, aka Kenny Vanderspek, 35, of South Jordan, Utah, was charged by complaint on March 12, 2025. He was charged by way of felony information on March 19, 2025.

    According to court documents, Van Der Spek, who was the owner and manager of K & K Strategies, LLC, defrauded at least 75 investors in his company between December 2017 and December 2023. K & K Strategies was a Utah limited liability company with a principal address in Salt Lake County and had investors in Utah and across the country. The stated purpose of the business was to help people who were not wealthy invest and teach about stock trading. However, Van Der Spek was not licensed to sell securities.

    As part of the scheme to defraud, Van Der Spek lied and manipulated clients to convince them to invest with K & K Strategies. He told them that K & K Strategies was legally operating a hedge fund and that he was licensed to do so. He represented to investors that their investments with K & K Strategies LLC were succeeding, showing them fabricated financial records, when in reality, investors were suffering losses. He also displayed an alleged “live stream” of trades on knkstrategies.com so that investors could “watch [their] money grow.”

    Van Der Spek is charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. His initial appearance on the felony information is scheduled for March 20, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. in courtroom 7.1 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

    Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

    The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Phoenix Field Office, and the Utah Division of Securities.

    Special Assistant United States Attorney Sachiko J. Jepson and Assistant United States Attorney Mark Y. Hirata, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Measures to protect the 2025 General Election

    Source: Government of Canada News

    All democratic countries around the world face foreign interference in their electoral processes. Safeguarding the integrity of our elections is central to Canada’s national security and to the protection of our democracy.

    The Government of Canada has robust measures in place to protect our democracy and Canadians from foreign interference so that Canada’s democracy remains one of the strongest in the world. This includes measures established under the Plan to Protect Canada’s Democracy, and several new and updated measures implemented since the last general election in 2021.

    Security and intelligence

    Canada’s security and intelligence organizations are at the frontline of Canada’s effort to combat foreign interference campaigns against our democratic institutions.

    The Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force, comprised of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), which is currently serving as Chair, the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSE), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), provides enhanced monitoring and assessment of foreign interference threats during the election period. The SITE Task Force is Canada’s principal mechanism to monitor the threat of foreign interference during elections. Since the 44th General Election, the scope of SITE was expanded to include monitoring domestic and violent extremism threats directed at elections, as well as electoral security.

    Each SITE Task Force member agency works within their respective mandate to monitor and address election threats. During a general election, the SITE Task Force briefs the Panel administering the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol (CEIPP) on a regular basis.

    The SITE Task Force assessments and advice are based on classified and unclassified intelligence collected on the threat environment around democratic processes and institutions. This includes intelligence about foreign threat actors’ intentions and activities relating to foreign interference, as well as any observations of threats of violent extremism directed at elections or by-elections.

    Critical Election Incident Public Protocol (CEIPP)

    During a federal general election, the CEIPP (the Protocol) outlines the process to notify Canadians of an incident or an accumulation of separate incidents impacting the election. The Protocol is limited to incidents that occur during the writ period and that do not fall within the mandate of the Chief Electoral Officer.

    The Protocol is administered by a group of experienced senior Canadian public servants (the Panel) who, working with the information provided by national security agencies, jointly determine whether the threshold for informing Canadians has been met.

    During the election period, the Panel is briefed regularly by the SITE Task Force. A public announcement would only take place if the Panel determines that an incident or an accumulation of incidents threatens Canada’s ability to have a free and fair election.

    There are several considerations when making this determination:

    • the degree to which the incident(s) undermine(s) Canadians’ ability to have a free and fair election;
    • the potential of the incident(s) to undermine the credibility of the election; and
    • the degree of confidence officials have in the intelligence or information.

    The threshold is high to ensure that communication about an incident does not in and of itself disrupt or influence the election.

    If the Panel decides to inform Canadians, the announcement would focus on:

    1. the notification of the incident;
    2. what is known about the incident (as deemed appropriate); and
    3. steps Canadians should take to protect themselves if relevant.

    The Panel began to prepare for this election in early 2024, and has been meeting on a regular basis to: 

    Informed and engaged citizens

    An informed and resilient public is the strongest defence against disinformation. The Government of Canada has tools and resources to help recognize and resist disinformation and foreign interference.  

    Disinformation is a global issue that affects all democracies, and requires a response from all areas of society—governments, industry, civil society and citizens. The Government of Canada funds and supports Canadian research and civil society organizations to promote a healthy information ecosystem and help Canadians and the government understand online disinformation and its impact on Canadian society. For example, the government has contributed $38 million to more than 165 projects through the Digital Citizen Initiative (DCI) to build a base of evidence to identify potential action and develop future policy. Programs under the DCI support democracy and social inclusion in Canada by enhancing and supporting efforts to counter online disinformation and other online threats.

    Open and ongoing communication

    In accordance with a Ministerial Directive issued in May 2023, CSIS must advise members of Parliament (MPs) of credible threats against them or their families. This commitment aims to ensure the safety and security of parliamentarians in light of emerging risks. MPs may also receive security awareness or resiliency briefings from agencies including the RCMP, CSIS and CSE or threat-specific briefings, for example, on foreign interference or violent extremism under the Integrated Threat Assessment Center (ITAC)’s mandate on threats to public officials.

    All of the major parties have identified points of contact who have been provided a clearance to receive threat information. At the drop of the writ, SITE members will provide baseline threat briefings to all of the parties. Throughout the general election, periodic updates will be provided, and if necessary, specific threat briefings can be provided.

    Protecting voters

    Voters may be targeted by foreign actors to overtly or covertly influence their vote. 

    Foreign states can use deceptive, covert, and/or illegal methods to advance their interests in Canada to our detriment. These state activities can range from harassment and intimidation to direct threats against individuals or their loved ones. 

    It is important for all individuals and groups living in Canada, regardless of their nationality and eligibility to vote in federal elections, to know that there are support mechanisms in place to help them when experiencing potential foreign interference or state-backed harassment and intimidation.

    The RCMP and police of jurisdiction provide outreach and engagement to groups who may be at a higher risk of being targeted and will work together to maintain situational awareness of any threats targeting voters.

    The public must remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity or information to local police or the RCMP.

    Protecting candidates

    Election candidates can be targets of cyber or physical threats during an election campaign. This can stem from foreign state actors who are trying to interfere in the election, or from those who might not agree with the candidate’s platform. Individuals who are the target of a physical threat should contact their local police of jurisdiction.

    The government is committed to keeping candidates, their campaigns, and their personnel safe throughout the electoral process. With an increased risk of threats of violence and intimidation directed at Canadian public figures, security services are available to the Leaders of the Political Parties recognized in the House of Commons during the general election period and immediately following the election period.

    Ahead of the general election, the SITE Task Force has provided general briefings, and will provide further briefings on foreign interference to security-cleared representatives of political parties represented in the House of Commons to help educate, increase awareness, and open two-way communication between SITE and the political parties. These briefings identified the tactics used by actors that engage in foreign interference, specific issues or trends, and how to protect against threats.

    Anyone who feels threatened online or in person, should report these incidents to their local police. If there is a fear of an immediate threat, they should call 9-1-1 immediately.

    Visit the Democratic Institutions website for more information on additional measures implemented by the Government of Canada to protect the general election.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Detecting and reporting disinformation

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Disinformation is false information that is deliberately intended to mislead. Once a disinformation narrative is introduced into the information ecosystem, the goal is for it to be spread virally and unwittingly by others.

    Disinformation is a constantly evolving threat that affects all democracies and impacts all parts of society in different ways. Countering disinformation is a global issue and requires a response from all areas of society—governments, industry, independent election administrators, civil society and citizens.

    Successful democracies rely on:

    • confidence in key institutions;
    • trust and cooperation between citizens; and
    • a shared understanding of basic facts.

    Disinformation can damage each of these by attacking, polarizing, and misinforming people. At its worst, disinformation can lead to hate, violence and political harassment. Disinformation is also used by foreign states seeking to threaten the integrity of our elections, attack our sovereignty and undermine confidence in the results.

    During this election, it is even more important for people living in Canada to be resilient to disinformation. Everyone is susceptible to disinformation. Think critically about the information you consume and take steps to make sure the information that you share is accurate and reliable.

    Spotting disinformation

    Disinformation can be hard to spot. Look for content that:

    • Provokes an emotional response, particularly with negative or frightening claims.
    • Exaggerates or distorts valid information.
    • Manipulates photos or images by altering them or using them out of context.
    • Makes bold or extreme statements on a controversial issue.
    • Has been shared widely on platforms with a track record of spreading disinformation.
    • Contains “clickbait”— sensational and purposefully misleading headlines, images, and videos meant to entice viewers to click on specific links.
    • Makes claims that seem too good to be true.

    Confirming it is disinformation

    Confirm the original story

    • Pause to consider the accuracy of content before drawing conclusions or sharing.
    • Check to make sure that that the authors and sources are credible.
    • Check to see if the source is real and if it has a good reputation.

    Compare information from multiple sources

    • Do a search to see if other news outlets are reporting the same story.
    • Is the information current?
    • Is the information relevant to current events?

    Use fact-checking tools and services

    See if the story has already debunked. Fact-checking tools:

    Look at the design elements

    • Does the design look out of place?
    • Look for unprofessional logos, unusual colours, or odd spacing.

    Use online search engines to verify information

    • It helps to use key words such as “hoax,” “scam,” or “fake” in your search.
    • Do a reverse image search to reveal if an image has been altered or copied from elsewhere on the internet.
      • To reverse search an image, copy the image, or the image’s URL into the search bar of an image search tool.

    Validate domain names

    • Check the link to see who is publishing the information.
    • Does the link address match the official name of the organization?
    • Are there typos in the link address?
    • Do a search for the organization and follow the link. Does it direct you to the same place?

    Spot fake social media accounts

    • Check the profile photo: Do a reverse image search to see if the profile photo has been copied from somewhere else online.
    • Look for recycled images: Fake accounts often rely on stock images and memes.
    • Look for typos: Many spelling or grammar mistakes can be signs of a fake account.
    • Look at the account profile: Is it new? Does it contain details about the person? If not, be wary.
    • Look at the account engagements: Account owners can pay for fake engagement. If the comments seem random, contain only emojis, or all come from one person, the engagement may not be legitimate.
    • Look at the follower-to-engagement ratio: Account owners can also pay for followers. If an account has thousands of followers but very little engagement, it’s likely fake.

    Best Practices to Counter Online Disinformation   

    1. Don’t share disinformation: The best thing you can do is nothing at all. By not sharing false content you are helping to stop the spread of online disinformation.
    2. Promote a culture of accuracy: Demonstrate that you value the accuracy of information and encourage others to do the same. If you see information and have verified it is false, you can:
      1. Ask questions: Questioning content is almost as effective as correcting false information. If you don’t want to do this publicly, you can send a private message to ask “Are you sure?” or “Is that source reliable?”.
      2. Correct it: You can correct false information with accurate information from a reliable source. Be sure to show where it came from. You don’t have to repeat the bad information or tell anyone they are wrong, but instead share accurate information that shows the facts.
      3. Debunk it: If you can clearly show that the information is false, you can debunk it by saying it’s wrong and showing why. Don’t link to the false information or the original social media post. Use a screenshot instead.
    3. Be aware and understand it: Equip yourself with the tools to identify disinformation. Understand how the internet and social media platforms work and possible efforts to manipulate the information you consume. Be vigilant when receiving information. Watch for the common signs of disinformation, including content that: makes an extraordinary claim; seems too good to be true; and has been shared widely on platforms with a track record of spreading disinformation.
    4. Report it:
      1. All social media platforms give users a way to report disinformation, usually by clicking on the 3 dots and selecting “Report post”.
      2. Suspicious activities and any incidents of intimidation, harassment, coercion, or threats should be reported to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP) National Security Information Network or local police jurisdiction:1-800-420-5805 / online form.
      3. Other suspicious incidents should be reported to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS): 613-993-9620 or 1-800-267-7685 / online form.
      4. Reduce the risks associated with cyber threats to elections by reporting a cyber incident to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. Your information will enable the Cyber Centre cyber security advice, guidance and services.
      5. Report an offence committed under the Canada Elections Act to the Commissioner of Canada Elections, who is responsible for ensuring compliance with, and enforcement of, the Canada Elections Act. You can do so by completing an online form.

    Resources

    Government of Canada resources

    Elections Canada resource

    Non-government resources from across Canada

    International resources

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, law enforcement partners arrest 370 alien offenders during enhanced operation in Massachusetts

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BOSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal law enforcement partners apprehended 370 illegal aliens in Massachusetts during an enhanced targeted enforcement operation focusing on transnational organized crime, gangs, and egregious illegal alien offenders March 18-23.

    “The Commonwealth is a safer place for our residents to live and work because ICE and our federal law enforcement partners arrested hundreds of alien offenders and removed them from the streets of Massachusetts,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “Throughout this enhanced enforcement operation, we targeted the most dangerous alien offenders in some of the most crime-infested neighborhoods in and around Boston. Our efforts resulted in 370 arrests throughout the commonwealth. ICE and our federal law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the homeland through the eradication of transnational criminal organizations, dismantling dangerous criminal gangs preying on the American public, locating and arresting criminal alien offenders, and making our communities a safer place to live.”

    During the six-day enhanced operation, ICE and federal law enforcement partners targeted egregious criminal alien offenders including transnational criminal organizations known to operate in and around Boston and throughout Massachusetts. These organizations include the notorious MS-13, Tren de Aragua, Trinitarios, and 18th Street gangs.

    “This week’s enhanced enforcement operations with our partners from the FBI, DEA, ATF, DSS and CBP prove that we are taking a whole of government approach to protecting our communities from foreign nationals involved in transnational gangs, drug traffickers, child predators, violent criminals and dangerous individuals living in New England,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. “ICE will use every resource and authority we have to prioritize the safety and security of our communities.”

    “Everyone should agree that we cannot and will not tolerate individuals who not only violate our immigration laws but then commit crimes that endanger our communities. Those who enter and remain in this country unlawfully are breaking the law,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Leah B. Foley. “My office remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure that dangerous individuals are identified, prosecuted, and removed, so that the people of Massachusetts can live and work in safe and secure communities.”

    205 of those arrested had significant criminal convictions or charges. Six were foreign fugitives currently facing charges or convictions for murder, drug trafficking, organized crime, and money laundering

    “Safeguarding the integrity of the immigration and citizenship process is critical. We simply can’t permit violent and dangerous criminals to enter or remain in the United States under false pretenses, with unknown allegiances and intentions. It’s a direct threat to public safety and our national security,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Jodi Cohen. “There’s no question our communities are safer today because of this enhanced, targeted operation. FBI Boston, like all our federal partners, will continue to support ICE with these efforts.”

    Law enforcement officials seized approximately 44 kilograms of methamphetamines, 5 kilograms of fentanyl, 1.2 kilograms of cocaine, three firearms and ammunition from illegal alien offenders during the operation.

    “DEA is proud to have worked with our federal partners in this successful enforcement effort using all of the resources of the federal government to remove violent criminal aliens from our communities, said DEA New England Field Division acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau. “DEA has prioritized investigations on those involving violent, illegal criminal aliens responsible for flooding our communities with deadly and dangerous drugs. DEA’s core mission is to keep the American public safe by seizing deadly and dangerous drugs before they get into our communities, and to bring justice to the criminals responsible for manufacturing, distributing, and supplying these drugs.”

    ICE and their federal law enforcement partners made many of the apprehensions after local jurisdictions refused to honor immigration detainer requests to turn over the offenders and instead chose to release aliens from custody, forcing officers and agents to make at-large arrests in Massachusetts communities.

    “The successful outcome of this immigration enforcement operation demonstrates the dedication and collaboration of our law enforcement partners,” said Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division James M. Ferguson. “By targeting individuals who pose a threat to public safety, we are reinforcing our commitment to protecting our communities and upholding the integrity of our nation’s immigration laws.”

    “The Diplomatic Security Service is fully committed to supporting the Administration’s priority to reduce illegal immigration and root out those who endeavor to exploit the U.S. travel system,” said Diplomatic Security Service Boston Field Office Special Agent in Charge Matthew O’Brien. “This enhanced operation definitively made our communities safer. DSS proudly coordinates with our U.S. and international law enforcement partners to conduct passport, visa fraud, and human trafficking investigations and assist in apprehending fugitives to protect the integrity of U.S. borders and prevent illegal immigration.”

    Among those arrested during the enhanced targeted operation include:

    • A Dominican alien who illegally re-entered the U.S. after removal charged with multiple drug distribution crimes, arrested in Boston.
    • A Dominican alien who illegally re-entered the U.S. after removal charged with trafficking fentanyl, arrested in Boston.
    • A Chilean alien convicted of 4 counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years old, arrested in Marlborough.
    • A Brazilian alien charged with manslaughter, homicide by a motor vehicle, homicide while under the influence of liquor, breaking and entering in the nighttime with intent to commit a crime, and larceny, arrested in Worcester.
    • A Honduran alien who illegally re-entered the U.S. after removal convicted of rape of a child, assault and battery of a person over 14 and failure to register as a sex offender, arrested in Salem.
    • A Brazilian alien wanted for murder and convicted for firearms trafficking in his native country, arrested in Milford.
    • A Brazilian alien wanted for homicide in in his home country, arrested in Lowell.
    • A Russian alien charged with unlawful possession of ammunition and wanted in his native country for armed robbery and membership in a criminal organization, arrested in Medford.
    • A Dominican alien wanted for homicide in his native country, arrested in Dorchester.
    • A Brazilian alien wanted in his native county for failure to serve a sentence after his convictions for homicide and illegal possession of a firearm arrested in Marlborough.
    • A Salvadoran alien previously deported from the U.S. and documented 18th Street gang member convicted of assault and battery and sentenced to two and a half years committed arrested in Wakefield.
    • A Guatemalan alien charged with rape and convicted of enticing a minor under the age of 16, released by the New Bedford District Court without the ICE detainer being honored, arrested in New Bedford.
    • A Jamaican alien previously deported from the U.S. convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, armed robbery, possession of a firearm, and assault arrested in Pittsfield.
    • A Brazilian alien wanted for in his native country for drug trafficking, money laundering, membership in a criminal organization arrested in West Yarmouth.

    Partner law enforcement participating in the operation were the Boston offices of the FBI, DEA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service and DSS, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X: @EROBoston and @HSINewEngland.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, law enforcement partners arrest more than 370 alien offenders during enhanced operation in Massachusetts

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BOSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal law enforcement partners apprehended 370 illegal aliens in Massachusetts during an enhanced targeted enforcement operation focusing on transnational organized crime, gangs, and egregious illegal alien offenders March 18-23.

    “The Commonwealth is a safer place for our residents to live and work because ICE and our federal law enforcement partners arrested hundreds of alien offenders and removed them from the streets of Massachusetts,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “Throughout this enhanced enforcement operation, we targeted the most dangerous alien offenders in some of the most crime-infested neighborhoods in and around Boston. Our efforts resulted in 370 arrests throughout the commonwealth. ICE and our federal law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the homeland through the eradication of transnational criminal organizations, dismantling dangerous criminal gangs preying on the American public, locating and arresting criminal alien offenders, and making our communities a safer place to live.”

    During the six-day enhanced operation, ICE and federal law enforcement partners targeted egregious criminal alien offenders including transnational criminal organizations known to operate in and around Boston and throughout Massachusetts. These organizations include the notorious MS-13, Tren de Aragua, Trinitarios, and 18th Street gangs.

    “This week’s enhanced enforcement operations with our partners from the FBI, DEA, ATF, DSS and CBP prove that we are taking a whole of government approach to protecting our communities from foreign nationals involved in transnational gangs, drug traffickers, child predators, violent criminals and dangerous individuals living in New England,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. “ICE will use every resource and authority we have to prioritize the safety and security of our communities.”

    “Everyone should agree that we cannot and will not tolerate individuals who not only violate our immigration laws but then commit crimes that endanger our communities. Those who enter and remain in this country unlawfully are breaking the law,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Leah B. Foley. “My office remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure that dangerous individuals are identified, prosecuted, and removed, so that the people of Massachusetts can live and work in safe and secure communities.”

    205 of those arrested had significant criminal convictions or charges. Six were foreign fugitives currently facing charges or convictions for murder, drug trafficking, organized crime, and money laundering

    “Safeguarding the integrity of the immigration and citizenship process is critical. We simply can’t permit violent and dangerous criminals to enter or remain in the United States under false pretenses, with unknown allegiances and intentions. It’s a direct threat to public safety and our national security,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Jodi Cohen. “There’s no question our communities are safer today because of this enhanced, targeted operation. FBI Boston, like all our federal partners, will continue to support ICE with these efforts.”

    Law enforcement officials seized approximately 44 kilograms of methamphetamines, 5 kilograms of fentanyl, 1.2 kilograms of cocaine, three firearms and ammunition from illegal alien offenders during the operation.

    “DEA is proud to have worked with our federal partners in this successful enforcement effort using all of the resources of the federal government to remove violent criminal aliens from our communities, said DEA New England Field Division acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau. “DEA has prioritized investigations on those involving violent, illegal criminal aliens responsible for flooding our communities with deadly and dangerous drugs. DEA’s core mission is to keep the American public safe by seizing deadly and dangerous drugs before they get into our communities, and to bring justice to the criminals responsible for manufacturing, distributing, and supplying these drugs.”

    ICE and their federal law enforcement partners made many of the apprehensions after local jurisdictions refused to honor immigration detainer requests to turn over the offenders and instead chose to release aliens from custody, forcing officers and agents to make at-large arrests in Massachusetts communities.

    “The successful outcome of this immigration enforcement operation demonstrates the dedication and collaboration of our law enforcement partners,” said Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division James M. Ferguson. “By targeting individuals who pose a threat to public safety, we are reinforcing our commitment to protecting our communities and upholding the integrity of our nation’s immigration laws.”

    “The Diplomatic Security Service is fully committed to supporting the Administration’s priority to reduce illegal immigration and root out those who endeavor to exploit the U.S. travel system,” said Diplomatic Security Service Boston Field Office Special Agent in Charge Matthew O’Brien. “This enhanced operation definitively made our communities safer. DSS proudly coordinates with our U.S. and international law enforcement partners to conduct passport, visa fraud, and human trafficking investigations and assist in apprehending fugitives to protect the integrity of U.S. borders and prevent illegal immigration.”

    Among those arrested during the enhanced targeted operation include:

    • A Dominican alien who illegally re-entered the U.S. after removal charged with multiple drug distribution crimes, arrested in Boston.
    • A Dominican alien who illegally re-entered the U.S. after removal charged with trafficking fentanyl, arrested in Boston.
    • A Chilean alien convicted of 4 counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years old, arrested in Marlborough.
    • A Brazilian alien charged with manslaughter, homicide by a motor vehicle, homicide while under the influence of liquor, breaking and entering in the nighttime with intent to commit a crime, and larceny, arrested in Worcester.
    • A Honduran alien who illegally re-entered the U.S. after removal convicted of rape of a child, assault and battery of a person over 14 and failure to register as a sex offender, arrested in Salem.
    • A Brazilian alien wanted for murder and convicted for firearms trafficking in his native country, arrested in Milford.
    • A Brazilian alien wanted for homicide in in his home country, arrested in Lowell.
    • A Russian alien charged with unlawful possession of ammunition and wanted in his native country for armed robbery and membership in a criminal organization, arrested in Medford.
    • A Dominican alien wanted for homicide in his native country, arrested in Dorchester.
    • A Brazilian alien wanted in his native county for failure to serve a sentence after his convictions for homicide and illegal possession of a firearm arrested in Marlborough.
    • A Salvadoran alien previously deported from the U.S. and documented 18th Street gang member convicted of assault and battery and sentenced to two and a half years committed arrested in Wakefield.
    • A Guatemalan alien charged with rape and convicted of enticing a minor under the age of 16, released by the New Bedford District Court without the ICE detainer being honored, arrested in New Bedford.
    • A Jamaican alien previously deported from the U.S. convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, armed robbery, possession of a firearm, and assault arrested in Pittsfield.
    • A Brazilian alien wanted for in his native country for drug trafficking, money laundering, membership in a criminal organization arrested in West Yarmouth.

    Partner law enforcement participating in the operation were the Boston offices of the FBI, DEA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service and DSS, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X: @EROBoston and @HSINewEngland.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty; Forty-Fifth Conviction in the $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – Abdihakim Ali Ahmed, a Minneapolis man, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering for his role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, from September 2020 through January 2022, Abdihakim Ali Ahmed, 40, claimed to be operating a child nutrition site in St. Paul, Minnesota. As part of the scheme, on or about September 4, 2020, Ahmed registered ASA Limited LLC with the Minnesota Secretary of State. Four days later, Ahmed applied for ASA Limited to operate a purported food site in the Federal Children Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future at the Gurey Deli, a small market located in a St. Paul strip mall.  Ahmed submitted his application together with Aimee Bock, Feeding Our Future’s executive director. Within just three weeks of creating the ASA Limited site, Ahmed and his co-conspirators falsely claimed to be serving meals to 2,000 or 3,000 children each day, seven days a week. During the one-year period from September 2020 to September 2021, Ahmed his co-conspirators fraudulently claimed to have served more than 1.6 million meals at the ASA Limited site.

    To accomplish his scheme, Ahmed submitted multiple fake attendance rosters that purported to identify both the names and ages of approximately 2,000 children who attended the ASA Limited site’s “after-school program” in September through December 2021. The lists of names and ages were fake, and Ahmed’s roster spreadsheets contained a formula that inserted a random number between 7 and 17 in the age column for each “child” on the list.

    According to court documents, rather than use fraudulently obtained money to serve meals or feed children, Ahmed and his co-conspirators misappropriated much of it. Ahmed transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to himself and other co-conspirators, which included transferring fraud proceeds to a shell company he created called 1130 Holdings Inc. He and his co-conspirators also created another shell company called Five A’s Projects LLC, where they transferred more than $1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Ahmed used these proceeds to purchase the former location of Kelly’s 19th Hole, a bar and restaurant in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, which will be now forfeited to the United States. Ahmed used more fraudulent proceeds to purchase a 2022 Mini Cooper vehicle, which has been seized and will be forfeited to the United States.

    According to court documents, Ahmed paid more than $49,000 in bribes and kickbacks to Abdikerm Eidleh, a Feeding Our Future employee, in exchange for sponsoring and facilitating ASA Limited’s fraudulent participation in the Federal Child Nutrition Program. In exchange, Feeding Our Future received nearly $400,000 in administrative fees for sponsoring ASA Limited’s participation in the program.  

    In total, Ahmed and his co-conspirators caused a loss of $7.3 million to Federal Child Nutrition Programs based on fraudulent claims submitted through Feeding Our Future.  

    “I am proud of the unrelenting efforts of our prosecution team to hold the defendants—who engaged in a massive pay-to-play fraud scheme that exploited Minnesota and the Federal Child Nutrition Program—accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.  

    Ahmed pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

    The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Matthew S. Ebert, Harry M. Jacobs, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Georgia Man Charged in Danbury Kidnapping Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Danbury Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour today announced that JAMES SCHWAB, 22, of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, has been federally charged for his alleged involvement in a kidnapping in Danbury in August 2024.

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on August 25, 2024, Danbury Police arrested six Florida men who were involved in a violent carjacking of a Lamborghini Urus and the kidnapping of two occupants of the vehicle on that date.  The investigation revealed that the kidnapping victims are the parents of an individual who is suspected of participating in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.  Schwab, who had an altercation with the victims’ son in a Miami nightclub in July 2024, was in regular communication with certain of the kidnappers in the days before the crime, provided funding for it, and helped arrange the participants’ transportation and lodging.

    Schwab was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on January 29, 2025, at Los Angeles International Airport after he returned to the U.S. from a trip to Bali.  On February 25, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Schwab with one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of life.  Schwab appeared in Bridgeport federal court on March 12, 2025, and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.

    Schwab has been detained since his arrest.

    Five of the six individuals charged with offenses related to the carjacking and kidnapping have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

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

    This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force and the Danbury Police Department.  The Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police and several local police departments.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed More than 90 Border-Related Cases This Week

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

    SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed more than 90 border-related cases this week, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, deported alien found in the United States, and importation of controlled substances.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).

    In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.

    A sample of border-related arrests this week, includes:

    • Mexican nationals Eleazar Mozqueda Simental and Manuel Antonio Mozqueda Simental were arrested and charged on March 20, 2025, in connection with a maritime smuggling incident. They were accused of illegally transporting 14 undocumented immigrants from Mexico, Vietnam and China – all of whom were forced to wear large black trash bags over their heads and bodies during the four-hour trip. They were brought into the United States on a panga boat traveling at high speed across rough seas. According to interviews with the undocumented immigrants on the boat, at one point, the panga caught air, broke apart and capsized, sending terrified passengers into the water. The passengers, including a deaf/mute woman, were rescued.
    • Mexican national Osvaldo Reyes-Virgen was arrested on March 17, 2025, by San Diego- based U.S. Border Patrol agents and charged after he was found in the United States hiding behind brush near Imperial Beach after agents observed a jet ski traveling north.  Reyes-Virgen was previously deported on March 6, 2025, after entering the United States illegally.
    • On March 17, 2025, Sarah Beth Schatz, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with alien smuggling after she was caught attempting to smuggle two citizens of China into the United States in the trunk of the vehicle she was driving.  The two Chinese citizens she was arrested with admitted that they are citizens of China without lawful documents allowing them to enter the United States and that they were going to pay $30,000 and $15,000 if successfully smuggled into the United States.
    • Joshua Nicolas Sanchez Lopez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested on March 15, 2025, when he attempted to cross into the U.S. from Mexico at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry on drug importation charges. According to a federal complaint, he was the driver and registered owner of a vehicle where Customs and Border Protection officials found 108 packages consisting of over 100 pounds of methamphetamine, 22 pounds of fentanyl, and more than four pounds of heroin hidden in the doors, quarters panels, and seats of his vehicle.
    • On March 16, 2025, Baudelio Escalante-Orozco, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested after he was found by San Diego-based U.S. Border Patrol Agents attempting to hide in brush seven miles north of the U.S./Mexico International Boundary Line and charged with being a deported alien found in the United States.  He is currently on probation in the District of Oregon for the same crime.   

    Federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.

    The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Oglala Man Sentenced to 17 and One Half Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Pornography

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

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced an Oglala, South Dakota, man following his conviction for two counts of Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on March 17, 2025.

    Johnathan Morrison, 34, was sentenced to eight years and nine months in federal prison on each count for a total of 210 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release on each count with the time to run concurrently, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count. Morrison was also ordered to pay $95 in restitution to the South Dakota Internet Crimes Investigation Fund and to forfeit his interest in a smartphone. He will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

    A federal grand jury indicted Morrison in February of 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 8, 2025.

    In August 2023, Morrison solicited a 10-year old female to engage in sexually explicit conduct over social media. Shortly thereafter, an adult learned that Morrison had enticed the child and reported Morrison’s criminal actions to the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Morrison was immediately apprehended and arrested. His smartphone was seized as evidence. An extraction of his smartphone revealed that prior to August 2023, Morrison downloaded and installed multiple social media platforms, including KIK, Telegram, and Snapchat onto his cellular device. Through these platforms, Morrison solicited, sent, and received images and videos containing child pornography. Some of the images recovered involved prepubescent females engaged in sexual acts. Through his chats, investigators learned that Morrison had an interest in 10-14 year old females. The search also revealed that Morrison had made sexual advances to his girlfriend’s teenage daughter and that he had covertly photographed her over 130 times with his smartphone.

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

    This case was investigated by the FBI, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.

    Morrison was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Convicts Arapahoe Man of Abusive Sexual Contact

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

    Kendall Joseph Moss III, 35, of Arapahoe Wyoming, was convicted by a federal jury on March 20, of abusive sexual contact with a minor. The trial lasted four days and was held before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl in Casper. 

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, an investigation began in connection with a minor witness’s disclosure to a student advocate and school resource officer at her elementary school of sexual abuse by the defendant in 2021. Dr. Gail S. Goodman, PH.D., a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Davis testified at trial on the dynamics of child sexual abuse, including that victims often delay disclosing the sexual abuse or make piecemeal disclosures of the abuse over time. The victim was interviewed twice over two years and provided more details of the sexual abuse in her second interview. The defendant made statements to law enforcement indicating the victim was not lying in her allegations against him. The jury’s verdict found the defendant guilty of touching the minor victim in her genital area over her clothing with the intent of sexual gratification.

    Sentencing has been set for June 10, 2025. Moss faces a term of any number of years up to life in prison with no less than five years and no more than life of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.

    The Bureau of Indian Affairs Wind River Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case.

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

    Case No. 24-CR-00165

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Six Defendants Charged with Attempting to Steal Approximately $80 Million in Government Check Fraud Scheme

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

    The Defendants Deposited Approximately $50 Million Using Stolen and Fake Identities During Their Years-Long Check Fraud Scheme

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Leslie R. Backschies, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); and Harry T. Chavez, Jr., the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (“IRS-CI”), announced the unsealing of a four-count criminal Indictment charging SHAN ANAND, NOSAKHARE NOBORE, NICHOLAS PAPPAS, LEONARD UJKIC, SOLOMON ALUKO, a/k/a “D1 ReallyRich,” and JORGE GONZALEZ with a scheme to fraudulently obtain checks and launder the proceeds. Many of the checks were funds provided by the government for COVID-19 relief that the defendants stole before depositing into bank accounts opened using sham businesses or stolen or fake identities. In total, the defendants attempted to steal approximately $80 million and succeeded in depositing approximately $50 million.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “We allege that the defendants stole tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief and other checks, and even used a ‘Fraud Bible’ containing instructions for committing fraud. This Office will not tolerate the exploitation of programs designed to support the public in times of crisis, and we and our law enforcement partners will hold those responsible to full account.” 

    FBI Acting Assistant Director Leslie R. Backschies said: “These six defendants allegedly used sham businesses, stolen, and fake identities to operate a multi-year check fraud scheme, resulting in $50 million in illicit funds being deposited into their accounts. The defendants brazenly attempted to exploit multiple United States government programs in their attempts to illegally enrich themselves. The FBI will continue to ensure fraudsters attempting to lie, cheat, and steal from the Government answer for their crimes in the criminal justice system.”

    IRS Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. said: “This group of suspects openly communicated about their fraud, taking pride in the multiple schemes that stole nearly $50 million from the American public. They lied and cheated a benefits system meant to help struggling businesses that need it, all while stealing checks from agencies who assist the elderly and veterans. This gang of ‘bag hunters’ will now face justice for multiple charges.  This time, the U.S. government were the hunters, and the arrests in this massive fraud case are ‘in the bag.’”

    As alleged in the Indictment:[1]

    From 2021 to 2025, the six defendants worked together to steal money from the U.S. government, banks, and individuals. The defendants opened bank accounts using fake or stolen identity information for individuals or businesses, and were assisted in doing so by one of the defendants who was a teller at a major bank. From the inside, he worked to open or alter bank accounts to advance the defendants’ fraud.

    The defendants then deposited fraudulently obtained or counterfeit checks into the  accounts. Many of the checks were issued by the U.S. Treasury (the “Treasury”) based on false and fraudulent filings with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) in connection with the Employee Retention Credit (“ERC”) and Qualified Sick Leave Wages (“QSLW”) credit. The ERC is a refundable tax credit for businesses and tax-exempt organizations that had employees during and were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Employers must have paid qualified wages to claim the credit. The QSLW credit is a related credit that was also established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The defendants did not operate businesses that would have qualified for these credits. The businesses they used to open bank accounts and apply for the credits were fake or sham businesses.

    Other Treasury checks passed as part of the defendants’ scheme were payments for different tax refunds, including personal and corporate income tax refunds. Still other Treasury checks were associated with programs at other government agencies such as the Department of Veterans of Affairs and the Social Security Administration. Some of the checks involved in the scheme—both Treasury checks and other business or individual checks—were stolen from the mail or elsewhere. Other checks were partially or completely forged.

    Once the checks were deposited, the defendants withdrew the fraudulently obtained funds in cash or transferred them to other banks accounts under their control. Over the course of their scheme, the defendants attempted to obtain approximately $80 million in total. They succeeded in depositing approximately $50 million.

    The defendants communicated openly about their fraud. One defendant sent another a video of a screen recording of a document or documents titled “✅ 2021 Fraud Bible ✅”, shown in the following image:

    This “Fraud Bible” contained instructions on how to engage in various forms of fraud, including credit card fraud, ATM fraud, and mobile cash transfer fraud.

    Since at least 2021, some members of the conspiracy have worn clothing items bearing a logo depicting a sack of money running along with the phrase “Bag Hunter.”

    Certain members of the conspiracy wore this logo while engaging in criminal conduct. For example, the following image shows NOBORE withdrawing fraudulently obtained funds while prominently displaying the Bag Hunters logo:

    *               *                *

    ANAND, 34, of Queens, New York; NOBORE, 29, of Edgewater, New Jersey; PAPPAS, 28, of Miami, Florida; UJKIC, 44, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; ALUKO, 29, of Hackensack, New Jersey; and GONZALEZ, 28, of North Bergen, New Jersey, are each charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; conspiracy to commit money laundering and engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specific unlawful activity, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; conspiracy to defraud the government, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison. 

    The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the FBI and IRS-CI. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the New York City Police Department for their assistance.

    The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime and Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Units. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maggie Lynaugh, Steven J. Kochevar, and Qais Ghafary are in charge of the prosecution.

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eleven Defendants Sentenced in Connection with Cleveland Drug Trafficking Organization

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

    Eleven defendants were charged in connection with a drug trafficking organization that transported suitcases stuffed with illegal drugs from California to Ohio.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Office Manager of Senior Assisted Living Facility Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for $1.5 Million Embezzlement Scheme

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

    ASHEVILLE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today that Amy Elizabeth Curry, 48, Waynesville, N.C., was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for embezzling at least $1.5 million from a senior assisted living facility. In addition to the prison term imposed, Curry was ordered to pay the facility $1,469,407.24 in restitution.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, and Sheriff William Wilke of the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.

    According to court records and proceedings, Curry worked as an office manager and bookkeeper at Silver Bluff, LLC (Silver Bluff), a senior living and care facility in Canton, N.C. As part of her duties, Curry had access to and control over Silver Bluff’s bank accounts and accounting records. From December 2022 to April 2023, Curry made at least 154 unauthorized bank transfers totaling over $1.5 million from the facility’s bank accounts to bank accounts controlled by Curry and her then-boyfriend, J.C. To avoid detection, Curry deleted the wire transfer history from Senior Bluff’s bank accounts and altered the notification settings to prevent Silver Bluff employees and management from receiving alerts. Curry also made handwritten notes on Senior Bluff’s bank statements, falsely noting that the fraudulent transfers were for payroll. Court records show that Curry used the embezzled funds to pay for personal expenses, including to purchase a pick-up truck. Curry and J.C. also spent over $700,000 of the embezzled funds gambling at casinos.

    On December 11, 2023, Curry pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Curry will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving her sentence upon designation of a federal facility.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI and the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Detroit Man Arrested, Charged for Multiple Bank Robberies, Incidental Crimes

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

    Dorian Trevor Sykes, 41, of Detroit, was arrested on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, and charged with bank robbery and incidental crimes in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and Lathrup Village, Michigan, announced Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI in Michigan.

    Joining Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson in the announcement is Sterling Heights Police Department Captain Mario Bastianelli and Lathrup Village Police Department Chief Scott Mckee.

    “Bank robberies are serious federal violent crimes that endanger and often traumatize the patrons and the employees of the bank,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Mr. Sykes allegedly threatened force against employees if his demands were not met, and it goes without saying that the FBI will not tolerate this level of violence in our community. With the help of our law enforcement partners, we hope that Mr. Sykes will face the appropriate consequences for his actions.”

    According to court records, on March 6, 2025, at approximately 11:50 A.M., Sykes allegedly entered Credit Union One in Sterling Heights, Michigan, approached the teller counter and retrieved a piece of paper from a folder and handed it to the teller. After the teller was not able to read the note, the subject stated, “This is a robbery,” and demanded that the teller give him “big bills”. The teller handed the robber approximately $10,169.00. The robber grabbed the money and the note and fled the bank.

    On March 12, 2025, at approximately 4:40 p.m. Sykes allegedly entered the Chase Bank in Lathrup Village, Michigan. He approached the teller and provided her a withdrawal slip, which stated, “Give me all the money… I have a gun… I will kill everyone in here.” The robber also pointed to his right side, implying that he had a weapon. The teller handed the robber approximately $3,400. The robber took the money and left the bank.

    Witness statements and surveillance camera footage suggest the March 12 robber’s physical description matches that of the March 6.

    “This arrest is a testament to the dedication and collaboration of our law enforcement partners,” said Sterling Heights Police Department, Captain Mario Bastianelli. “Through diligent investigative work and coordinated intelligence sharing, we were able to bring this suspect to justice and prevent further criminal activity.”

    Sykes is on federal supervised release since February 2024, arising out of a conviction associated with a bank robbery in 2020. Sykes appeared in federal court on March 18, 2025. If convicted, Sykes faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for bank robbery.

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    This investigation is part of the collaborative efforts of the FBI Macomb County Gang and Violent Crime Task Force, Sterling Heights PD, Clinton Township PD, Macomb County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Border Patrol, Utica PD, Eastpointe PD, Michigan State Police, Livonia PD, Detroit PD, Redford PD, and Lathrup Village PD.

    This case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Army collaborates with ride-share companies to improve transportation

    Source: United States Army

    WASHINGTON – The U.S. Army launched a pilot ride-share access program to improve installation access for over 600,000 military members, their families, retirees and civilians living at six Army installations. Over the next two months, ride-share access will be re-envisioned at Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; Fort Shafter, Hawaii; and Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii.

    “This program demonstrates our commitment to addressing the challenges faced by our military communities,” said Dan Driscoll, Secretary of the Army. “Through collaboration with the ride-share industry, we’re able to provide our Soldiers and their families with safe, reliable and convenient transportation options that support their unique needs and enhance their overall quality of life.”

    The ride-share access pilot will standardize access procedures and requirements to safely increase ridership and promote additional transportation options. If successful, the Army plans to expand the program to additional installations across the country.

    In accordance with the Army’s strict security standards, all visitors, including taxi and ride-sharing vehicle drivers, will undergo identity proofing and vetting through the FBI’s National Crime Information Center and Terrorist Screening Database. In addition to this credential vetting, drivers will also be required to establish their purpose for each visit by showing the ride-sharing hail on their smartphones and/or identifying the person and building for the pickup.

    “This pilot is our response to see if we can safely collaborate with the ride-share industry to simplify transportation options for everyone living on, working on or even visiting our camps, posts and installations,” said Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer. “We heard you and agree, it shouldn’t be so hard to coordinate transportation onto our installations, but also in and around some of our larger ones.”

    For more information, please contact U.S. Army Public Affairs at usarmy.pentagon.hqda-ocpa.mbx.mrd-press-desk@army.mil.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Massachusetts Man Admits to Robbing a Rhode Island Bank

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

     

    PROVIDENCE – A Springfield, MA, man has admitted to a federal judge that he robbed a Smithfield, RI, bank branch of more than $2,400, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Radelle Hubbard, 47, admitted that on March 23, 2023, he entered a bank branch located inside a supermarket in Smithfield, RI, and proclaimed to bank tellers, “I have a gun, give me all the large bills from your drawer.” The tellers handed over $2,420 in cash after which Hubbard fled the bank. The tellers told police they did not see a firearm.

    According to information presented to the court, a private citizen followed Hubbard after he left the bank and provided law enforcement with a vehicle description and license plate number. Massachusetts State Police observed the vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, at which time the vehicle accelerated. The vehicle was ultimately stopped after spike trips, devices used to stop or impede the movement of vehicles by puncturing their tires, were deployed. Law enforcement seized $2,341 in cash and a high-capacity firearm from inside the vehicle.

    Appearing in U.S. District Court on Friday, Hubbard pleaded guilty to a charge of bank robbery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White.

    The matter was investigated by the FBI, Smithfield Police Department, and Massachusetts State Police.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: SafeCard Reviews [Consumer Reports]: Does It Work As Claimed?

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WOODHAVEN, N.Y., March 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In 2025, searches for “SafeCard reviews”, “SafeCard consumer reports”, and “best RFID & NFC blockers” are skyrocketing as consumers seek answers about SafeCard’s effectiveness, safety, and value. With increasing digital threats, many wonder: Is SafeCard worth buying? Does it really prevent RFID and NFC skimming? In this comprehensive SafeCard review, we’ll explore its features, benefits, and real-world performance.

    SafeCard: My Experiences with the Game-Changer RFID Protection by:

    My wallet was full of credit and debit cards, with me being very anxious about the possibility of RFID skimming and digital theft. But then came SafeCard, and it completely changed my outlook on data security. These compact, lightweight RFID-blocking cards make it a breeze to enjoy unparalleled protection of sensitive financial and personal information in style.

    It includes such advanced features as sophisticated RFID-blocking technology, which makes it different from its competitors and just does not allow unauthorized scanning of contactless cards. Well, in order to test it, I went to the busiest shopping mall, which was just full of contactless payment terminals everywhere, and really was surprised: zero interference. SafeCard really shielded my data like never before.

    SafeCard Reviews: Why It’s the Best RFID & NFC Blocker in 2025

    All over Canada, The Uk, Australia, New Zealand and the United States, customers have consistently praised SafeCard for its top-tier RFID protection.

    Its ease of use and affordability is another driving force behind its numerous 4.95 star rating, SafeCard is recognized as one of the most reliable RFID protective device on the market.

    Many SafeCard reviews highlight:

    • Superior RFID & NFC blocking technology
    • Affordable pricing compared to competitors
    • Compact, travel-friendly design
    • Trusted by thousands across the US, UK, Canada & Australia

    SafeCard Consumer Reports: The #1 RFID & NFC Blocker in the US, UK & Canada

    According to online surveys and various polls, SafeCard is the top-rated RFID & NFC blocker of 2025 in multiple countries, including the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

    If you’re searching for a proven, reliable, and hassle-free way to protect your credit cards, debit cards, and IDs from digital theft, SafeCard is a must-have. After a month of consistent use, I can confidently say: I won’t go anywhere without it.

    Looking for the best RFID & NFC blocker in 2025? SafeCard is the ultimate solution.

    What Is SafeCard? (SafeCard Reviews)

    SafeCard is a device, the shape of a credit card that is designed to fit into your wallet.
    It is made of a special material that blocks Rfid scanners, essentially acting like a shield for your credit cards in your wallet.

    This innovative technology makes it almost impossible for digital thieves or skimming devices to steal your sensitive information and with the rise of contactless payments and smart cards, this risk has never been higher.

    Equipped with **advanced RFID and NFC blocking technology**, SafeCard shields your credit cards, debit cards, ID cards, and even hotel key cards from unauthorized scanners.

    Users praise Safe Card for its durability, ease of use and sleek design. Better yet, Safecard doesn’t require batteries, charging or maintenance.

    It is hassle free and reliable and fits right into your daily life.

    Why SafeCard Stands Out (SafeCard Customer Reviews)

    In today’s digital age, electronic theft is on the rise, with thieves using increasingly sophisticated tools to target unsuspecting individuals. SafeCard acts as your 24/7 silent protector, offering peace of mind whether you’re shopping, traveling, or simply going about your day.
    The lightweight and slim profile ensures it doesn’t take up unnecessary space in your wallet, making it a practical choice for anyone concerned about privacy and security.

    Many SafeCard user reviews describe it as a very effective device in blocking unauthorized scans and keeping personal information private. They are pleased with its innovative design, affordability, and reliability; it’s a must-have for anyone looking to secure their digital life. With ever-evolving digital threats, SafeCard has remained a trusted defense against identity theft, financial fraud, and unauthorized data access.

    The Growing Need for SafeCard

    Every minute without SafeCard is a gamble. Thieves are everywhere-subways, malls, airports-just waiting for that perfect moment to steal all your money, identity, and peace of mind.

    SafeCard protects not just your financial information but your privacy and security in this ever-connected world. Don’t wait until it’s too late; take responsibility for your safety today with SafeCard.

    What Are the Features of SafeCard? (SafeCard Reviews)

    SafeCard is one advanced security solution, including advanced technologies and a modern design, to present you with exceptionally protective personal details. Filled with innovative features inside, the SafeCard changes how you do your data security from modern digital threats. That said, let’s further review what customers consider special with the SafeCard, according to the SafeCard customer reviews that follow:

    1. Advanced RFID-Blocking Technology
    With state-of-the-art RFID-blocking technology in place, SafeCard will deny any attempt to scan sensitive data wirelessly. SafeCard protects credit card information, ID cards, and other RFID-enabled items from the most prevalent skimmers employed by identity thieves. Be it a busy subway or a shopping mall full of people, SafeCard will never let your data get compromised.

    2. Slim and Lightweight Design
    Probably the most raved-about feature of SafeCard users is that it is slim and lightweight. SafeCard is seamlessly integrated into your current card collection, never taking up additional space in either a wallet or purse. This slim profile keeps this device thin to provide comfort with no loss in protection. That makes this product perfect for daily use.

    3. Durability and High-Quality Materials
    SafeCard is built to last. Made from high-quality materials, it is durable and long-lasting, even when used frequently. Unlike flimsy alternatives, SafeCard will not degrade over time but will provide reliable protection for years to come. This assurance of quality is a recurring highlight in the feedback and testimonials about SafeCard.

    4. Effortless Protection
    SafeCard made it easy with regard to security-no batteries, no charging, or complicated setup required. Just put SafeCard in your wallet and instantly block RFID signals. Immediate plug-and-play functionality allows 24/7 protection, taking zero extra effort from you.

    5. Universal Compatibility
    Whether you’re talking about credit card information, debit cards, an ID card, or even a hotel key card, SafeCard is compatible with most RFID-enabled cards and secures all of your personal information wherever you go. From shopping to travel to the daily commute, SafeCard has got you covered to keep your data out of harm’s way from any unwanted electronic intrusions.

    Why SafeCard’s Features Matter (SafeCard Reviews)

    In a world of increasingly sophisticated digital theft, the features of SafeCard offer a comprehensive solution to keeping your information safe.

    Combining the most advanced technologies with sleek design and ease of use, it stands out as a prime choice for those who want to enhance their personal security. This device is not just a protecting tool but an essential accessory, as many SafeCard reviews say, for modern life.

    How Does SafeCard Actually Work? (SafeCard Reviews)

    The SafeCard is designed to provide seamless protection against unauthorized RFID and NFC scanning, a tactic common among criminals to steal personal data from your credit, debit, or ID cards. But how does it achieve this? Let’s break it down based on SafeCard customer reviews and its innovative technology.

    The Science Behind SafeCard Protection
    Core in the way SafeCard works is advanced RFID-blocking technology. RFID means Radio Frequency Identification: the technology that provides contactless interaction between devices, your cards, and scanners. That’s good when it comes to things like contactless payments or fast data access, but then again, your information becomes accessible for literally everyone. The thieves will easily steal card data without your knowledge with the help of a portable RFID scanner.

    SafeCard solves this problem by creating a protective shield around your cards. Each SafeCard comes with a specialized material that interferes with RFID signals, blocking your cards from talking with external scanners. This effectively blocks criminals from accessing your sensitive information, even if they’re standing nearby with a skimming device.

    NFC Protection for Modern Threats
    But besides RFID, SafeCard also blocks NFC or Near Field Communication signals used in newer systems such as Apple Pay and Google Wallet. This way, it neutralizes these signals for assured protection against all forms of electronic pickpocketing.

    Ease of Use – Hassle-Free Security
    Some high points noted by the users from the reviews for SafeCard were its simplicity: The SafeCard requires no batteries, setup, or maintenance. Just pop it into your wallet or cardholder, and it will start working right away. Its slim, lightweight design ensures that it will not take extra space and work as a really practical and handy addition to the everyday carry.

    Silent, Reliable Protection
    SafeCard works silently in the background, providing 24/7 protection without any effort on your part. Whether you’re traveling, shopping, or commuting, SafeCard ensures your data remains safe from unauthorized scans and potential theft. This seamless integration of security and convenience is why SafeCard has earned such positive feedback and testimonials from users worldwide.

    CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR SAFECARD FROM THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE AT A MASSIVE DISCOUNT TODAY

    Why SafeCard’s Technology Matters (SafeCard Reviews)

    Within this digital era of theft, the innovative approach that SafeCard provides toward security will give you reliability in safeguarding your personal information. Its capability for blocking RFID and NFC signals alike makes it a must-have device for anyone who takes his or her privacy and security seriously. As many SafeCard reviews will prove, this device is not just a protective accessory but also a silent guardian that keeps your data safe wherever you go.

    How to Use SafeCard (SafeCard Consumer reports)

    Using SafeCard to protect your personal details is as easy as ABC.
    You don’t need to be a tech expert or have any extra knowledge to protect yourself form RFID skimming scams.
    In fact, Safecard is so ridiculously simple to use that you might be surprised.

    Here is how it works.
    Step 1 – Place SafeCard in your wallet or Card holder
            Simply insert your SafeCard into your wallet, cardholder or purse. Due to its slim and light weight design, it can easily fit into most wallets and purses.

    Step 2 – Enjoy peace of mind
            That’s basically it, enjoy peace of mind and know your cards are protected from RFID skimming events.
    You see, SafeCard works passively, its basically like a helmet for your cards, so once its in your wallet, it will shield your contact less credit cards.

    For a limited time only, SafeCard is currently being offered at a special discount price for customers here.

    Why SafeCard’s Ease of Use Stands Out (SafeCard Reviews)

    One of the most praised aspects in SafeCard user reviews is its simplicity and effectiveness Unlike other security solutions that require setup, batteries, or maintenance, SafeCard offers plug-and-play protection.

    Its sleek design and hassle-free functionality make it a favorite among users who value both convenience and security.

    As highlighted in countless customer testimonials, this device is a must-have for anyone looking to protect their personal information in today’s digital world.

    (Big Discount) Click Here to Get SafeCard For Up To 50% Off The Original Price

    Pros (SafeCard Reviews)

    SafeCard has been taking over the internet lately because of the amount of positive reviews it has been able to garner, its boasts a slew of pros which we will discuss below;

    Effective RFID blocking tech – Compared to other options on the market, SafeCard is affordable and offers superb personal protection.

    Affordable Price point – Priced appropriately so it is easily accessible to all, more info on the pricing is further down below.

    Easy to use and Hassle-Free – Very easy and straightforward to use, just insert it in your wallet and you’re good to go.

    Compact and slim design – Its sleek, lightweight profile fits seamlessly into your wallet or purse without adding bulk.

    Provides peace of mind against identity theft – It gives you 24/7 protection, ensuring your personal information stays safe even in crowded or high risk areas

    Lightweight and portable for daily use – Its portable design makes it easy to carry everywhere you go.

    Cons (SafeCard Reviews)

    Requires Careful handling – If the SafeCard gets damaged and has it integrity compromised, this may reduce its ability to effectively protect your cards from Rfid skimming

    Limited protection – It is designed to work well protecting you from RFID and NFC skimming and threats, however it does not offer protection against other forms of online threats such as phishing scams.

    Limited Availability – Can only be purchased from its online website.

    Where to Buy the Original SafeCard (SafeCard Reviews)

    You should only purchase SafeCard from their official website, to prevent accidentally purchasing a counterfeit product.
    Avoid purchasing from third party platforms or resellers, counterfeit products do not offer the highest form of protection.

    As an additional bonus we have partnered with the official site and will be able to offer you some discounts there directly, just click on any of the links in this article to take advantage of these discounts.

    SafeCards Pricing: (SafeCards Reviews)

    How much is your peace of mind and how much is your funds security worth to you?
    That is the main question you need to ask yourself before thinking about the price.
    If you have $10,000 in your bank account, would it be out of place to spend $500 protecting it?

    Luckily you don’t have to cough up anywhere close to $500 to protect your self from RFID skimming.

    The SafeCard comes in packs of 3 and initially cost $102.

    However if you buy through any of our discount links provided throughout this article you will be able to get a pack of 3 for just $45.99!

    That boils down to just $15.33 for one SafeCard.

    Our discount expires soon, so take advantage of it while it lasts.

    For a limited time only, SafeCard is currently being offered at a special discount price for customers here.

    Each purchase comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to try the SafeCard risk-free. If you’re not fully satisfied within the first month, you can return it for a full refund, making it a no-risk investment for enhancing your security.

    SafeCard Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (SafeCard Reviews)

    What is SafeCard used for?
    SafeCard is intended to give you peace of mind and an extra degree of security. Due to the rising incidence of credit card skimming and other forms of cybertheft, having a SafeCard device has become a no-brainer in recent times.

    Rfid skimmers are devices that work the same way as contactless point of sale device when you go shopping, meaning you can have your funds stolen from you, all the perpetrator needs to do is stay close enough to you for a few seconds.

    This is more common in busy venues, queues etc, however, having a SafeCard in your wallet acts as a protect shield as this device scrambles Rfid devices when they try to skim information off your card.

    Can I reuse my safecard?
    Of course, all you need to do is insert the SafeCard into your wallet and you’re golden. No other action is needed on your part and it can be used for up to 5 years

    How does an RFID protector work?
    An RFID protector, such as SafeCard works by creating a passive barrier (due to the special materials it is made from ) that block or scramble the radio waves emitted by RFID tags, preventing unauthorized readers from accessing the information stored on the contactless cards next to it, so for it to work effectively, you just need to place it in your wallet with your other cards.
            
    Are SafeCards difficult to use
    No they are not, all you need to do is have it in your wallet with your other cards and it does its job of shielding them from RFID skimmers

    Can Safecards be used internationally
    Yes, they can be used anywhere in the globe, there is no geographical restrictions.

    How long does SafeCard last?
    5 years

    Are there any subscription fees?
    No there is none

    SafeCard Reviews Consumer Reports
    While traveling through Rio, I discovered my bank account had been drained by scammers. I was devastated. A fellow traveler recommended SafeCard, and it’s been a lifesaver ever since. No more stolen data, no more stress. Now I can travel with confidence knowing my wallet is secure.”

    Melissa H – I love going to holiday markets, but after watching my friend lose hundreds to a scammer, I knew I needed protection. SafeCard blocks thieves silently, and I haven’t had an issue since. It’s the best purchase I’ve made for my security!”

    Hannah – I’ve had my cards skimmed in airports twice, and it was terrifying. Since using SafeCard, I finally feel safe while traveling. It’s lightweight, discreet, and has stopped several attempted scans already.”

    Conclusion For SafeCard Review

    Safecard is a newer and more effective to improve your online privacy and security.
    The risk of falling victim to cybercriminals is so great in today’s day and age.
    With SafeCard you can ameliorate that risk and rest easy at night knowing your funds are safe.

    However, should you get it?

    Is it a right fit for you?

    If you want to eliminate the possibility of cybertheft through credit card skimming and other kinds of cybertheft then SafeCard is your best bet.

    For a limited time only, SafeCard is currently being offered at a special discount price for customers here.

    Media Contact:
    Name: Peter Johnson
    Email: info@safecardshield.com

    Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/44028647-579d-4c60-998b-f37a0212e053

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/476974f0-84e7-4eec-ab83-a07ac6a7fd07

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fc1b6391-a4d2-4a10-a699-dd62521fe004

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e4843dc5-8674-4725-ba06-3cc722ecec68

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Pro-Palestinian protesters challenge Peters at state of the nation speech

    SPECIAL REPORT: By Saige England in Christchurch

    Like a relentless ocean, wave after wave of pro-Palestinian pro-human rights protesters disrupted New Zealand deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters’ state of the nation speech at the Christchurch Town Hall yesterday.

    A clarion call to Trumpism and Australia’s One Nation Party, the speech was accompanied by the background music of about 250 protesters outside the Town Hall, chanting: “Complicity in genocide is a crime.”

    Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) co-chair John Minto described Peters’ attitude to Palestinians as “sickening”.

    Inside the James Hay Theatre, protester after protester stood and spoke loudly and clearly against the deputy Prime Minister’s failure to support those still dying in Gaza, and his failure to denounce the ongoing genocide.

    Ben Vorderegger was the first of nine protesters who appealed on behalf of people who have lost their voices in the dust of blood and bones, bombs and sniper guns.

    Before he and others were hauled out, they spoke for the tens of thousands of Palestinians who have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza — women, men, doctors, aid workers, journalists, and children.

    Gazan health authorities have reported that the official death toll is now more than 50,000 — but that is the confirmed deaths with thousands more buried under the rubble.

    Real death toll
    The real death toll from the genocide in Gaza has been estimated by a reputed medical journal, The Lancet, at more than 63,000. A third of those are children. Each day more children are killed.

    One by one the protesters who challenged Peters were manhandled by security guards to a frenzied crowd screaming “out, out”.

    The deputy Prime Minister’s response was to deride and mock the conscientious objectors. He did not stop there. He lambasted the media.

    At this point, several members of his audience turned on me as a journalist and demanded my removal.

    Pro-Palestine protesters at the Christchurch Town Hall yesterday to picket Foreign Minister Winston Peters at his state of the nation speech. Image: Saige England/APR

    This means that not only is the right to free speech at stake, the right or freedom to report is also being eroded. (I was later trespassed by security guards and police from the Town Hall although no reason was supplied for the ban).

    Inside the Christchurch Town Hall the call by Peters, who is also Foreign Minister, to “Make New Zealand Great Again” continued in the vein of a speech written by a MAGA leader.

    He whitewashed human rights, failed to address climate change, and demonstrated loathing for a media that has rarely challenged him.

    Ben Vorderegger in keffiyeh was the first of nine protesters who appealed on behalf of Palestinans before
    being thrown out of the Christchurch Town Hall meeting. Image: Saige England/APR

    Condemned movement
    Slamming the PSNA as “Marxist fascists” for calling out genocide, he condemned the movement for failing to talk with those who have a record of kowtowing to violent colonisation.

    This tactic is Colonial Invasion 101. It sees the invader rewarding and only dealing with those who sell out. This strategy demands that the colonised people should bow to the oppressor — an oppressor who threatens them with losing everything if they do not accept the scraps.

    Peters showed no support for the Treaty of Waitangi but rather, endorsed the government’s challenge to the founding document of the nation – Te Tiriti o Waitangi. In his dismissal of the founding and legally binding partnership, he repeated the “One Nation” catch-cry. Ad nauseum.

    Besides slamming Palestinians, the Scots (he managed to squeeze in a racist joke against Scottish people), and the woke, Peters’ speech promoted continued mining, showing some amnesia over the Pike River disaster. He did not reference the environment or climate change.

    After the speech, outside the Town Hall police donned black gloves — a sign they were prepared to use pepper-spray.

    PSNA co-chair John Minto described Peters’ failure to stand against the ongoing genocide of Palestinians as “bloody disgraceful”.

    The police arrested one protester, claiming he put his hand on a car transporting NZ First officials. A witness said this was not the case.

    PSNA co-chair John Minto (in hat behind fellow protester) . . . the failure of Foreign Minister Winston Peters to stand against the ongoing genocide of Palestinians is “bloody disgraceful”. Image; Saige England/APR

    Protester released
     The protester was later released without any charges being laid.

    A defiant New Zealand First MP Shane Jones marched out of the Town Hall after the event. He raised his arms defensively at protesters crying, “what if it was your grandchildren being slaughtered?”

    I was trespassed from the Christchurch Town Hall for re-entering the Town Hall for Winston Peters’ media conference. No reason was supplied by police or the Town Hall security personnel for that trespass order..

    “The words Winston is terrified to say . . . ” poster at the Christchurch pro-Palestinian protest. Image: Saige England/APR

    It is well known that Peters loathes the media — he said so enough times during his state of the nation speech.

    He referenced former US President Bill Clinton during his speech, an interesting reference given that Clinton did not receive the protection from the media that Peters has received.

    From the over zealous security personnel who manhandled and dragged out hecklers, to the banning of a journalist, to the arrest of someone for “touching a car” when witnesses report otherwise, the state of the nation speech held some uncomfortable echoes — the actions of a fascist dictatorship.

    Populist threats
    The atmosphere was reminiscent of a Jorg Haider press conference I attended many years ago in Vienna. That “rechtspopulist” Austrian politician had threatened journalists with defamation suits if they called him out on his support for Nazis.

    Yet he was on record for doing so.

    I was reminded of this yesterday when the audience called ‘out out’ at hecklers, and demanded the removal of this journalist. These New Zealand First supporters demand adoration for their leader or a media black-out.

    Perhaps they cannot be blamed given that the state of the nation speech could well have been written by US President Donald Trump or one of his minions.

    The protesters were courageous and conscientious in contrast to Peters, said PSNA’s John Minto.

    He likened Peters to Neville Chamberlain — Britain’s Prime Minister from 1937 to 1940. His name is synonymous with the policy of “appeasement” because he conceded territorial concessions to Nazi Germany in the late 1930s, fruitlessly hoping to avoid war.

    “He has refused to condemn any of Israel’s war crimes against Palestinians, including the total humanitarian aid blockade of Gaza.”

    Refusal ‘unprecedented’
    “It’s unprecedented in New Zealand history that a government would refuse to condemn Israel breaking its ceasefire agreement and resuming industrial-scale slaughter of civilians,” Minto said.

    “That is what Israel is doing today in Gaza, with full backing from the White House.

    “Chamberlain went to meet Hitler in Munich in 1938 to whitewash Nazi Germany’s takeovers of its neighbours’ lands.

    “Peters has been in Washington to agree to US approval of the occupation of southern Syria, more attacks on Lebanon, resumption of the land grab genocide in Gaza and get a heads-up on US plans to ‘give’ the Occupied West Bank to Israel later this year.

    “If Peters disagrees with any of this, he’s had plenty of chances to say so.

    “New Zealanders are calling for sanctions on Israel but Mr Peters and the National-led government are looking the other way.”

    New Zealand First MP Shane Jones marched out of the Town Hall after the event, dismissing protesters crying, “what if it was your grandchildren being slaughtered?” Image: Saige England/APR

    Only staged questions
    The conscientious objectors who rise against the oppression of human rights are people Winston Peters regards as his enemies. He will only answer questions in a press conference staged for him.

    He warms to journalists who warm to him.

    The state of the nation speech in the Town Hall was familiar.

    Seeking to erase conscientiousness will not make New Zealand great, it will render this country very small, almost miniscule, like the people who are being destroyed for daring to demand their right to their own land.

    Saige England is a journalist and author, and a member of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA). She is a frequent contributor to Asia Pacific Report.

    Part of the crowd at the state of the nation speech by Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters at the Christchurch Town Hall yesterday. Image: Saige England/APR

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Calls on Bondi, Patel to Restore Security Clearances and Undo Retaliatory Personnel Actions Against Whistleblowers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – As Sunshine Week draws to a close, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) wrote Attorney General Pam Bondi and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel requesting the Department of Justice and FBI take corrective action to restore the security clearances of DOJ and FBI whistleblowers who’ve suffered retaliation.
    “My office has been told that, in many of these cases, the suspension of their security clearances resulted in immediate, indefinite suspensions without pay while the FBI improperly and intentionally delayed the process for these individuals to contest the adverse action,” Grassley wrote. “This tyrannical government conduct caused significant financial hardship. The retaliatory government action also placed them in the impossible situation to either resign their position without completing their legal challenge or continue challenging the suspension or revocation of their clearance while suspended without pay with no prospect of obtaining new employment.”  
    “The Biden administration’s political weaponization of the Justice Department and FBI has caused significant damage to these institutions and its employees, but you’re in the position to right the ship,” Grassley continued. “Accordingly, I request that you personally review the adverse personnel matters for these individuals, which I will send under separate cover, and take all appropriate corrective actions, including restoring their security clearances and employment and firing or otherwise disciplining those who retaliated against them, if warranted.”
    Grassley last year called on the DOJ to reform its security clearance review process, after receiving initial reports the agency had unlawfully used it to retaliate against whistleblowers. Ahead of the Judiciary Committee’s vote to advance Patel’s nomination as FBI Director, Grassley highlighted the cases of various FBI whistleblowers who have been retaliated against, including through the wrongful suspension or revocation of their security clearances. 
    Read Grassley’s full letter HERE.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Way, Washington woman indicted for bank and wire fraud for fake investment scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Preyed on members of the Korean community falsely claiming status as an investment advisor

    Seattle – A 52-year-old Federal Way, Washington woman was indicted this week by a federal grand jury for three counts of wire fraud and two counts of bank fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Jenni Yoon Jeong Lee allegedly held herself out to elderly members of the Korean community as an investment advisor. In reality, the investments went into accounts controlled by Lee and were used for her personal expenses. Lee allegedly defrauded at least 28 victims of over $3 million that was used for her expenses, her family’s expenses or to pay off earlier investors in the style of a Ponzi scheme.

    “Ms. Lee held herself out as an experienced investment advisor offering her victims a guaranteed return on the funds they placed with her,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “However, the indictment notes that none of the money was invested and in fact, nearly $1 million of investor funds were accessed and spent at area casinos.”

    According to the indictment, Lee created various business entities with names that made it seem they were financial investment companies. Lee opened and controlled bank accounts for these shell companies.

    Lee held herself out as a financial advisor employed at the shell companies. She claimed both orally and in writing that she would place victim investments in funds that would guarantee a safe return, sometimes as high as 10%.  She often represented that the principal was fully guaranteed so there was no risk associated with the investment.

    Lee allegedly got the victims to write checks to one of the shell companies for ‘investment,’ or she induced the client to fund a self-directed IRA at a legitimate financial services company and give Lee access to manage the account. Lee would sometimes provide the financial services company with a promissory note to make it appear the client was loaning money to one of Lee’s shell companies. In this way she gained control of the investor funds.

    In all Lee took in at least $3 million. Some money was paid back to investors making the full loss amount approximately $2.2 million. Of that, over $900,000 was withdrawn and spent at casinos.

    The three counts of wire fraud are for specific transfers of funds from self-directed IRA accounts. The two counts of bank fraud are for depositing client checks into one of the shell corporation accounts. These counts are representative acts of the alleged scheme.

    The charges in the indictment are punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

    The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    The case is being investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean H. Waite

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Convicted for Fraudulently Billing Over $8 Million to Medicare and Medicaid Through Opioid Addiction Treatment Clinics in Kentucky

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A federal jury convicted a Kentucky doctor, a Texas businessman, and a Kentucky woman yesterday for their roles operating a scheme out of a series of addiction treatment facilities in Kentucky that fraudulently billed Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid for over $8 million.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dr. José Alzadon, 61, of Paintsville, Kentucky; Michael Bregenzer, 52, of Richmond, Texas; and Barbie Vanhoose, 62, of West Van Lear, Kentucky, orchestrated their health care fraud scheme through Kentucky Addiction Centers (KAC), which operated in Winchester, Paducah, Paintsville, and London, Kentucky. As part of his role as KAC’s medical director, Alzadon prescribed Suboxone, a controlled substance that can be used to treat opioid addiction when properly prescribed under regulations issued by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Bregenzer served as KAC’s CEO and Vanhoose as KAC’s billing manager.

    Together, Alzadon, Bregenzer, and Vanhoose ran a scheme that falsely billed taxpayer-funded health programs like Medicare and Medicaid for medical services that were not performed or were falsely represented as more complex than the services provided. They also conspired to falsely bill for services in the name of Alzadon’s elderly father, using Alzadon’s father’s identity to bypass insurance credentialing issues that Alzadon had, and to use Alzadon’s father’s DEA prescribing credentials to prescribe Suboxone, even though Alzadon’s father had not seen the patients for whom he was supposedly issuing prescriptions.

    Alzadon, Bregenzer, and Vanhoose were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, eight counts of health care fraud, and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances using the DEA registration number of another person. They face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison on each health care fraud conspiracy and substantive health care fraud count and four years in prison on the conspiracy to distribute controlled substances count. Alzadon and Vanhoose were also each convicted of two counts of aggravated identity theft and face a consecutive mandatory minimum of two years in prison. Alzadon and Bregenzer are scheduled to be sentenced on June 25 and Vanhoose is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Division; Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Regional Director Joe Rivers of the Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration (DOL-EBSA); and Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman made the announcement.

    The DEA, FBI, HHS-OIG, DOL-EBSA, and the Kentucky Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated this case.

    Trial Attorneys Dermot Lynch, Sarah Edwards, and Samad Pardesi of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting 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 the 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 Security: Federal jury convicts Virginia Beach man for auto loan scheme and identity theft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Virginia Beach man today on 19 charges of bank fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and false representation of a social security number.

    According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Dion Lamont Camp, 40, spent years conning numerous women into romantic relationships and then leveraging those relationships to obtain fraudulent loans and credit cards.  He would show the women fake tax documents and ask for their help, claiming that the IRS had frozen his accounts and promising to repay the money when the matter was cleared up. Camp caused six fraudulent loans from a national credit union in 2020 through 2022 for cars that were either ghost purchased, meaning the car was never purchased at all and there was never any collateral securing the loan, or double financed, meaning Camp procured financing both from the credit union and from the car dealership for the same car, thereby obtaining the credit union loan proceeds and the car.

    As part of the scheme, Camp opened shell businesses with names closely resembling that of actual used car dealerships in Hampton Roads. He then persuaded two women, identified as Jane Doe (JD) 2 and JD5, to open corresponding business bank accounts. Once those accounts were open, Camp persuaded JD2, JD5, as well as four other women, JD3, JD4, JD6, and JD7, to apply for automobile loans in their own names at the credit union. Camp convinced the women he could not obtain a loan himself because his accounts were erroneously frozen and promised to pay them back.

    After the credit union approved the loan applications and provided checks to the women for the dealerships, they gave the checks to Camp. Camp, using a call spoofing service to make it appear as if he were calling from the legitimate car dealership, called the credit union, impersonated employees at the dealership, and pretended that the loan was being used for various luxury vehicles.  Providing the vehicle identification numbers (VINs) for those cars, he successfully obtained the code from the credit union necessary to release the check, which he then negotiated and funneled through the business accounts. JD2 and JD5 withdrew the loan proceeds from those accounts and gave the money to Camp.

    The four ghost-purchased cars were located across the country and never at the businesses in Hampton Roads. They were never purchased by Camp or the women using the credit union checks, depriving the credit union of its collateral to secure the loans. Camp also conned JD4 and JD7, who had already gotten loan checks from the credit union, to purchase two other luxury cars at a dealership in northern Virginia using in-house financing for over $100,000.  Again, Camp cashed the credit union checks, and the credit union was deprived of having the cars as collateral for the loan as the cars were double financed.

    For two of these fraudulent automobile loans, Camp obtained not only the money from the loan check, but also induced the women to trade in their own cars to help fund the credit union loans. He then sold their cars at local dealerships and kept that money as well.

    As part of his fraud, Camp also purchased a car in his own name from CarMax as repayment for a friend of the family who gave him money for a car years earlier. To obtain financing, Camp used false information, including that he had been a UPS employee for more than a decade. After Camp was arrested in this case and housed at Western Tidewater Regional Jail, the family friend feared the BMW would be repossessed. Camp called the finance company on a recorded jail call, using another inmate’s account to avoid detection, and convinced the finance company to give him a payment extension on the loan so long as he was still employed at UPS, which he falsely affirmed that he was.

    Camp also defrauded banks to give personal loans.  In 2019, JD8 and JD11 each had little income, so Camp provided them with fraudulent paystubs with inflated income to support personal loan applications to another local credit union. JD8 and JD11 each gave the loan proceeds to Camp, which again he had falsely promised to repay.

    Camp obtained an American Express credit card using JD3’s personal identifying information without her knowledge. He also obtained supplemental American Express credit cards from the accounts of JD5, JD3, and JD10 using the Social Security number of an individual identified as R.D. R.D., who testified at trial, has never met or had any relationship with Camp.

    The final charge for which Camp was convicted involved his application for a property rental in Virginia Beach using a false Social Security number, a fake credit report with a highly inflated credit score, and a false IRS business tax filing that showed that his alleged house flipping business, Camp Investments LLC, made hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. In truth, Camp’s business bank account rarely had any significant balance, and Camp never filed taxes for Camp Investments.

    The evidence at trial revealed that, during the scheme, Camp defrauded both women and banks out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

    Camp faces a minimum of two years and up to 392 years in prison when sentenced on Sept. 12. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Michael Feinberg, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen accepted the verdict.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca Gantt and Elizabeth M. Yusi are prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-63.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Philadelphia Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle Suboxone Into Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Talia Hicks, 32, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty yesterday before United States District Court Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge to a one-count information charging Hicks with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.

    As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, from at least December 2019 through November of 2024, Hicks conspired with multiple individuals, including T.T., to smuggle Suboxone into the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility (“CFCF”).

    A review of video tablet calls, a recorded form of communication available to inmates at CFCF, showed that T.T., on various occasions, discussed inmates sending CashApp and Apple payments to both T.T. and Hicks. A review of CashApp and Green Dot records showed that T.T. and Hicks sent and received CashApp payments on behalf of T.T. from and to various individuals. There were multiple transactions for which Hicks either facilitated the payment for Suboxone or provided the drugs to an unidentified co-conspirator to smuggle the substance into CFCF.

    Hicks is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8 and faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.

    The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason D. Grenell.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Finds Physician Guilty of Operating a Pill Mill from His D.C. Medical Practice

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, M.D., 65, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was found guilty today by a federal jury in U.S. District Court in connection with illegally distributing prescriptions for narcotics in exchange for cash from his Northwest Washington D.C. medical clinic.

                The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia, and DEA Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division.

                The jury found Okafor guilty of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (outside the practice of medicine), maintaining a drug-involved premises, and 23 counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances (oxycodone and promethazine with codeine). U.S. District Judge John D. Bates scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 20, 2025. 

               According to court documents and evidence at trial, between May 2021 and April of 2023, Okafor was the sole practitioner and owner of Okafor Medical Associates, an internal medicine clinic in Northwest, Washington, D.C. The USAO and FBI began investigating Okafor for illegal distribution of controlled substances after it received information from law enforcement agencies nationwide regarding prescriptions from Okafor being connected to local drug trafficking networks.

                Between February 18, 2022, and November 30, 2022, the FBI sent confidential sources and undercover agents into Okafor’s medical practice for walk-in appointments. Each individual was prescribed opioids by Okafor after minimal examination. Further investigation revealed that Okafor was operating a nationwide drug distribution scheme, whereby he would prescribe opioids to numerous individuals using false identities, whom Okafor knew to be diverting the medication.

                Okafor’s conduct spanned at least 45 states and resulted in hundreds of thousands of units of oxycodone and promethazine with codeine liquid prescribed nationwide. Okafor was convicted of distribution of opioids to undercover sources, numerous uncharged co-conspirators, and to a civilian patient J.V. Okafor was also convicted of conspiracy and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Evidence at trial further established that, after Okafor was notified by the D.C. Board of Health that J.V.’s family member filed a complaint against him, he created backdated medical records for J.V. in an attempt to justify his prescribing.

                The investigation also resulted in the immediate suspension of Okafor’s DEA registration number in September 2023 as he was deemed to be a threat to public health and safety.

                The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations with valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division.

                The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Justice Department gratefully acknowledge the Apex, North Carolina Police Department, the Warsaw, New York, Police Department, the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Pennsylvania State Police, State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy, and the Noble County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office for their extraordinary efforts, support, and cooperation during the investigation and trial.

                The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey, Trial Attorney Kathryn Furtado and paralegals Rebecca Walton, Dillon Clark, and Matthew McClarnon of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section. The team also extends its deep appreciation to Michael Goodrich, Lead Travel Analyst of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section. 

    23cr116

    MIL Security OSI –