NewzIntel.com

Category: Intelligence Agencies

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of Violent Armed Robbery Crew Sentenced to 32 Years’ Imprisonment for String of Six Store Holdups in February 2021

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

    Last of Five Defendants to Be Sentenced; Others Received Prison Terms Ranging From 50 Months to 30 Years

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Lawrence McKay, 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Gerald A. McHugh to 32 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for leading six violent armed robberies in the city and surrounding counties in February 2021, all targeting cell phone stores. Judge McHugh also ordered McKay to pay restitution to victims, including money toward medical bills, of more than $100,000.

    In February of last year, McKay pleaded guilty to all six robberies with which he was charged and two counts of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

    At each robbery, McKay had at least one co-conspirator with him, and together they would force employees at gunpoint to turn over the store’s merchandise and cash. During one of these robberies, McKay shot a store employee in the stomach, and in another, codefendant Brenton Holmes shot a store employee in the leg. Both employees survived.

    Holmes pleaded guilty to participating in five of the robberies with McKay and was sentenced in May of last year to 30 years in prison.

    Dana Toby pleaded guilty to participating in two of the robberies and was sentenced in September 2023 to 15 years in prison.

    Demon McNeil and Dashonna Hoskins each pleaded guilty to participating in one robbery, with McNeil sentenced in June 2024 to eight years in prison and Hoskins in May 2024 to 50 months in prison.

    “Lawrence McKay and his crew were a crime spree unto themselves, racking up six armed robberies in less than three weeks,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “In these holdups, they made store employees fear for their lives, threatening them at gunpoint, bringing them into back rooms, tying some up, and even shooting two victims. It was imperative to get McKay off the street before anyone else was harmed, or worse, at his behest. This sentence keeps him behind bars for decades and holds him accountable for the crimes he led. My office and our partners are committed to making our communities safer by focusing on the most violent offenders and bringing them to justice.”

    “The brazen acts committed in this case instilled fear in our community and put our citizens at risk,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to working alongside our local, state, and federal partners to combat violent crime, protect our city, and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”

    This case was investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Lower Merion Township Police Department, Bristol Township Police Department, Norristown Police Department, and Warminster Township Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda R. Reinitz, Amanda McCool, and Anthony Carissimi.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Chief and Captain of Bethany Beach Police Department Plead Guilty to Federal Offense Related to Theft of Overtime Funds

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Wilmington, Del. – Two men, the former Chief and Captain of the Bethany Beach Police Department, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud related to their theft of overtime funds from the Department, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Shannon T. Hanson. The Honorable Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly accepted the pleas.

    According to court documents, Michael Redmon, 58, of Selbyville, and Darin Cathell, 49, of Frankford, spent years claiming to work overtime shifts that they did not, in fact, work.  Redmon, the former Chief of the Department, falsely claimed at least 174 shifts, totaling at least 760 hours and at least $81,890.  Cathell, the former second-in-command of the Department, falsely claimed at least 185 shifts, totaling at least 800 hours and at least $67,970.  Some of the funds Redmon and Cathell received were federal grant funds. 

    Acting U.S. Attorney Hanson stated, “Taking the oath to protect and serve is a sacred trust.  Those that take the oath must follow the law themselves.  These officers failed to do that, thereby damaging public trust and confidence in law enforcement as a whole, including the scores of officers who do the right thing each and every day.  Just as my Office will always proudly stand with the best of law enforcement, we will not hesitate to hold to account those officers who betray the badge by breaking the law.  We thank both the FBI and the investigators at the Delaware Attorney General’s Office, who have been dogged in investigating this abuse of authority.” 

    “The defendants profited handsomely by abusing their positions and taking advantage of the trust placed in law enforcement. The FBI is committed to rooting out corruption and holding bad actors accountable for violating the oath they swore to uphold,” said FBI Baltimore SAC William J. DelBagno.

    “Nobody is above the law or beneath justice. Police officers — and especially police leaders — who commit crimes of dishonesty are not just harming the community and taxpayers they serve; they harm every peace officer and every public servant whose work and reputation are undermined when the public’s trust is violated. I’m grateful to the investigators in our office and to the prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office who took on this case and who brought these officials to justice,” said Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings.

    Redmon and Cathell each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and both are scheduled for sentencing on August 12, 2025.  Chief Judge Connolly will determine the defendants’ sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI and the Delaware Attorney General’s Office are investigating the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace is prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 25-CR-01-CFC and 25-CR-02-CFC.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: MS-13 member sentenced to 50 years in prison for his participation in three murders

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Salvadoran national and member of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) was sentenced today to 50 years in prison for conspiracy relating to his participation in the gang’s criminal enterprise, including three murders.

    According to court documents, on Aug. 25, 2018, Henry Leonel Barrera Ayala, aka Cusuco, Centinela, and Lil Player, 26, Elmer De Jesus Alas Candray, 27, and other members of MS-13’s Uniones Locos Salvatrucha (ULS) clique met in New Bedford, Massachusetts, to murder an associate of MS-13’s Directos Locos Salvatrucha clique, identified in court records as K.A.C. MS-13 leadership in El Salvador had approved the murder because they believed K.A.C. had betrayed MS-13. That evening, they met K.A.C. at the residence of an MS-13 member in New Bedford. After the group ate dinner together, Barrera Ayala and several co-conspirators beat and strangled K.A.C. to death. The co-conspirators then dismembered K.A.C.’s body, placed his remains in trash bags, and buried the remains in a wooded area near New Bedford.

    In June 2019, Barrera Ayala, Alas Candray, and other ULS members conspired to murder individuals who frequently gathered to drink in a wooded area in the clique’s perceived territory in Reston. On June 23, 2019, Barrera Ayala, Alas Candray and other ULS members armed themselves with a 9mm firearm, a .45 caliber firearm, and two machetes and traveled to the Hunters Woods area of Reston. The group murdered an individual, identified as J.L.G.M., shooting him and slashing him with a machete.

    On Sept. 17, 2020, Barrera Ayala, Alas Candray, and others devised a plan to lure a young woman, identified as I.J.P.G., to Colts Neck Road in Reston under false pretenses and kill her because they believed she was associated with a rival gang and had disparaged MS-13 on social media. Barrera Ayala exchanged messages with I.J.P.G. via Snapchat, pretending to be a member of MS-13’s rival gang. Barrera Ayala and a co-conspirator later picked up I.J.P.G. from her home and drove her to Colts Neck Road, where Alas Candray and another MS-13 member were waiting for them. The four co-conspirators killed I.J.P.G. by taking turns shooting her, primarily in the face.

    In addition to the murders, Barrera Ayala also conspired with his fellow MS-13 members to distribute marijuana and cocaine. On multiple occasions, Barrera Ayala sent drug profits to individuals in other states and in Central American countries via money transfer services to benefit the MS-13 enterprise.

    On Sept. 18, 2024, Barrera Ayala pled guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. A federal jury convicted Alas Candray on Oct. 21, 2024, on charges relating to his participation in the gang’s criminal enterprise, including six murders and additional murder conspiracies. On Jan. 30, Alas Candray was sentenced to six concurrent life sentences.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Sean Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Blanchard, Megan Braun, and Natasha Smalky prosecuted the case.

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

    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. 1:22-cr-178.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Monmouth County Man Charged With Aiming Beam Of A Laser At Federal Law Enforcement Aircraft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Monmouth County man was charged with aiming the beam of a laser at an aircraft, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    James M. Pedone, 27, of Colts Neck, New Jersey, was charged by complaint with knowingly aiming the beam of a laser at an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.  Pedone had an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court on February 13, 2025.

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

    On or about December 12, 2024, Pedone pointed the beam of a laser on three separate occasions, striking an aircraft operated by federal law enforcement personnel in or near the vicinity of Colts Neck, New Jersey, erroneously believing the aircraft to be a drone.

    Knowingly aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft in the special jurisdiction of the United States carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents and Joint Terrorism Task Force Officers of the FBI Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, as well as the Colts Neck Police Department, under the direction of Chief Daniel DeVito, with the investigation leading to the charge.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent D. Romano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Unit in Newark.

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

                                                                           ###

    Defense counsel: Michael Thomas, Esq. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Violent Bridgeport Gang Member Sentenced to More Than 22 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KEISHAWN DONALD, 23, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 270 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang and his murder of a rival gang member in 2018. 

    Today’s announcement by Marc. H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.

    According to court documents, statements made in court, and the evidence presented during a month-long trial, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence.  Donald has been a member of the “East End gang,” which began as a local street gang based in the East End of Bridgeport, but currently has members and associates who are either incarcerated or living throughout Bridgeport and surrounding towns.  The East End gang has been aligned with other groups, including the PT Barnum Gang, the East Side gang and 150, which is a geographic gang based on the West Side of Bridgeport.  These groups were aligned against rival organizations in Bridgeport, including the “Original North End” (“O.N.E.”) and the “Greene Homes Boyz,” (“GHB/Hotz”), based in the Charles F. Greene Homes Housing Complex in Bridgeport’s North End.

    Due to the level of gun violence Bridgeport was experiencing, the investigation commenced shortly before East End members shot and killed Myreke Kenion and shot and attempted to kill D’Andre Brown, both members and associates of the GHB/Hotz gang, on January 26, 2020.  The next day, in retaliation for these shootings, GHB/Hotz and O.N.E. members attempted to kill East End gang members and associates in a brazen afternoon shooting in front of a state courthouse on Golden Hill Street in Bridgeport that resulted in four victims being shot while sitting inside a car.

    Donald and other East End members distributed heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana and Percocet pills; used and shared firearms; and committed at least six murders and other acts of violence against rival gang members and other individuals.  East End members celebrated their criminal conduct on social media websites such as Facebook and YouTube, and committed acts of intimidation and made threats to deter potential witnesses to their crimes and to protect gang members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities.

    On January 30, 2018, Donald shot and killed Eric Heard, also known as “Fetti,” a member and associate of the GHB/Hotz gang.  On October 17, 2019, Donald and others attempted to kill Joshua Gilbert, a member and associate of the O.N.E. gang, in a drive-by shooting.

    On December 5, 2023, a jury found Donald and three associates guilty of conspiring to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity.

    Donald has been detained since October 17, 2019, when he was arrested on state charges after being found with a firearm shortly after the attempted murder of Joshua Gilbert.

    Approximately 47 members and associates of the East End, O.N.E. and the GHB/Hotz gangs have been convicted of federal offenses stemming from this investigation, which has and solved eight murders and approximately 20 attempted murders.

    This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Waterbury Police Department.  These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Stephanie T. Levick, and Karen L. Peck.

    This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.

    PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

    Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities.  Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.  If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.

    OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Illinois Speaker of the House Michael J. Madigan Convicted on Federal Conspiracy and Bribery Charges

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

    CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago today convicted former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives MICHAEL J. MADIGAN on conspiracy and bribery charges for using his official position to corruptly solicit and receive personal financial rewards for himself and his associates.

    Madigan, 82, of Chicago, was convicted on ten counts against him, including one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, four counts of using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity, three counts of wire fraud, and two counts of bribery.  The jury acquitted Madigan on four counts of using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity, two bribery counts, and an attempted extortion count.  U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey declared a mistrial on six other counts for which the jury did not reach a unanimous verdict – one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, one count of bribery, one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, and one count of using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity.

    The jury returned its verdicts against Madigan after a four-month trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.  Each wire fraud count is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, while each bribery count is punishable by up to ten years.  The maximum for conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and each count of using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity is five years.

    Judge Blakey also declared a mistrial as to all six deadlocked counts against a co-defendant, MICHAEL F. MCCLAIN, 77, of Quincy, Ill.  McClain was charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, one count of bribery, one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, and one count of using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity.

    Evidence at trial revealed that Madigan, who served as House Speaker and occupied a number of other political roles, conspired with others to cause the utility company Commonwealth Edison to make monetary payments to Madigan’s associates as a reward for their loyalty to Madigan, in return for performing little or no legitimate work for the business.  The true nature of the payments was to influence and reward Madigan in connection with specific legislation ComEd sought in the Illinois General Assembly.

    Madigan was also convicted of scheming to accept legal work unlawfully steered to his private law firm and his son by an Alderman of the Chicago City Council, in exchange for Madigan’s assistance in inducing the Governor of Illinois to appoint the Alderman to a compensated State Board position.

    The verdicts were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amarjeet S. Bhachu, Diane MacArthur, Sarah E. Streicker, and Julia Schwartz.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two East Bay Residents, One Of Whom Was A Bank Teller, Indicted On Charges Of Cashing Stolen U.S. Treasury Checks

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OAKLAND – A federal grand jury has indicted Franchesca Calagui, 25, and Dondre Gray, 27, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud, and also charged Calagui with receipt of U.S. Treasury check with forged endorsement or signature.

    According to the indictment unsealed yesterday, from around May 2022 through March 2023, Calagui and Gray, both of Emeryville, Calif., conspired to obtain stolen U.S. Treasury checks, recruit others to fraudulently endorse or sign the stolen U.S. Treasury checks, and give the checks to Calagui to cash for the defendants’ personal benefit.  At the time, Calagui was a part-time associate banker at JP Morgan Chase Bank.

    The indictment describes text messages between Gray and Calagui discussing the ongoing scheme in which Gray stated “I definitely don’t wanna scam with chase since you work there,” and Calagui responded “I do not care if u scam us lmao.”  Gray allegedly explained how he operated the scheme using runners, individuals who gets paid to enter a bank with a fraudulent check, cash it, and return the proceeds to the person who employed the runner.  In all, the defendants are charged with devising and executing a scheme to cash at least 339 stolen U.S. Treasury checks totaling more than $850,000.

    Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Dan Costin, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) Acting Special Agent in Charge Brandon Knarr, Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Los Angeles Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Ryan Korner from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Stephen M. Sherwood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s (VA OIG) Northwest Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Dean Lake of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG) made the announcement.

    Both defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1349 and five counts of bank fraud under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1344(1), (2).  Calagui is also charged with five counts of receipt of U.S. Treasury check with forged endorsement or signature under 18 U.S.C. § 510(b).  Calagui and Gray were arrested and made their initial appearances in federal district court yesterday.  Defendants are next scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on April 3, 2025, for a status conference.

    An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000 on each charged count.  Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    Special Assistant United States Attorney Cynthia Johnson is prosecuting this case with the assistance of Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, TIGTA, IRS-CI, FDIC-OIG, USPIS, VA OIG, and SSA OIG.

    Franchesca Calagui Indictment
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Sales Executives Charged in Connection With Pre-IPO Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendants Lied to Investors Regarding Hidden Markups and Fees and Stole Millions of Dollars in Investor Funds for Themselves

    Earlier today, at the federal court in Brooklyn, a superseding indictment was unsealed charging Robert Cassino, also known as “Bobby Cassino,” Joseph Passalaqua and Joseph Rivera with securities fraud conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy and securities fraud.  The defendants were arrested today and are being arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge James R. Cho.  Raymond John Pirrello, Jr., also known as “Ray John,” was previously indicted for his involvement in the scheme.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the charges.

    “The defendants repeatedly lied to investors about the costs associated with their investments and diverted millions of dollars in undisclosed mark-up fees to their sales offices,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “My Office will vigorously prosecute those who seek to take advantage of individual investors for their own greed.”

    Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), New York Regional Office, for its significant cooperation and assistance during the investigation.

    “At the behest of the company’s leadership, three defendants allegedly enticed investors with material misinformation to steal millions of their dollars through undisclosed upfront fees. This alleged scheme allowed the defendants’ respective sales offices to unlawfully profit at the expense of their clients’ trust and money. The FBI will never permit any individual to engage in hypocritical financial practices to covertly divert investments for personal enrichment,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.

    As detailed in the superseding indictment, Pirrello, Cassino, Passalaqua and Rivera engaged in a scheme to defraud investors and prospective investors in securities offered by the company Late Stage Management, LLC (Late Stage). Late Stage was a New Jersey based manager of investment funds that offered investors “no fee” opportunities to invest in “Pre IPO” stocks, i.e., shares of stock in companies that anticipated an initial public offering (“IPO”) in the near term.  Late Stage worked with several sales offices throughout New Jersey, New York and Florida to promote the investments, including Pre IPO Marketing, Inc. (“Pre IPO Marketing”), Prior2IPO and B4IPO.

    Pirrello worked as the partner to the leadership of Late Stage, and Cassino, Passalaqua and Rivera led operations at Pre IPO Marketing, Prior2IPO and B4IPO, respectively.  Pirrello and co-conspirators communicated with Cassino, Passalaqua, Rivera and others about how to market Late Stage to investors.  Cassino, Passalaqua and Rivera then made material misrepresentations and omissions to investors and potential investors in Late Stage relating to, among other things, the existence and amount of fees paid by investors in stock offered by Late Stage.  For example, they claimed that the only time Late Stage profited was on exit, when the company made its IPO or sold to a larger company, in which case it would be entitled to a 20% share of the investor’s profits.  In reality, however, Late Stage charged fees in the form of upfront markups ranging from 10-50% of each investment.  In total, between approximately March 2019 and July 2022, sales offices working on behalf of Late Stage raised approximately $528 million from investors and diverted approximately $88.6 million in undisclosed upfront markups to Pirrello, Cassino, Passalaqua, Rivera and their co-conspirators.   

    The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    If you believe that you or someone you know was victimized by Pirrello, Cassino, Passalaqua, Rivera or their co-conspirators, please inform the FBI at the following website: www.fbi.gov/Pirrello or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section.  Assistant United States  Attorney Jessica K. Weigel is in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Special Agent Martin Sullivan and Paralegal Specialist Sarah Burn.

    The Defendants:

    ROBERT CASSINO (also known as “Bobby Cassino”)
    Age: 62
    Long Beach, New York

    JOSEPH PASSALAQUA
    Age:  36
    Sparta, New Jersey

    JOSEPH RIVERA
    Age: 45
    Elmont, New York

    Previously Indicted Defendant:

    RAYMOND JOHN PIRRELLO, JR. (also known as “Ray John”)
    Age: 48
    Sparta, New Jersey

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-499 (S-1) (KAM)

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  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Los Angeles Field Office Warns of Romance Scams Ahead of Valentine’s Day

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

    LOS ANGELES—The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is working to raise awareness about online romance scams, also called confidence fraud. In this type of fraud, scammers take advantage of people looking for romantic partners on dating websites, apps, or social media by obtaining access to their financial or personal identifying information. Romance scams are prevalent, especially during this time of year.

    Romance scams occur when a criminal uses a fake online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust. These scammers are present on most dating and social media sites. They look to establish a relationship as quickly as possible and endear themselves to the victim. Many may propose marriage and make plans to meet in person. Eventually, they will ask for money.

    “Confidence fraud, or romance scams, can happen to anyone at any time. The criminals who carry out romance scams are experts at what they do” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “Individuals who are looking for love and companionship are the target victims of this online fraud. The FBI cautions everyone who may be romantically involved with a person online to proceed carefully and stay alert to warning signs. If you suspect an online relationship is a scam, stop all contact immediately.”

    To avoid meeting in person, romance scammers often claim to live or work in other parts of the country or world. Eventually, when they feel they have gained the trust of their victims, these criminals will request money from them, oftentimes for a medical emergency, an unexpected legal fee, or some other false purpose.

    Romance scams/confidence schemes have resulted in one of the highest amounts of financial losses when compared to other Internet-facilitated crimes. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, roughly 18,000 victims reported nearly $700,000,000 in losses in 2023, the most recent statistical year available.

    That same year, over 2000 victims in California reported more than $100,000,000 in losses.

    While anyone can fall victim to these schemes, bad actors are known to target women over age 40 who are widowed, divorced, elderly, or disabled.

    If you develop a relationship with someone you meet online, please consider the following tips and beware of the red flags:

    • Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the image, name, or details have been used elsewhere.
    • Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or social media site to go “offline.”
    • The individual professes love quickly.
    • The individual tries to isolate you from friends and family.
    • The individual makes plans to visit you, but always cancels because of some emergency. If you haven’t met the person after a few months, for whatever reason, you have good reason to be suspicious.
    • Go slowly and ask lots of questions.
    • Be careful what you post and make public online. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you.
    • Never send money to anyone you have only communicated with online or by phone.

    If you suspect an online relationship is a scam, stop all contact immediately. If you are the victim of a romance scam, file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov).

    Resources:

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Whistleblowers’ Accounts Expose Dark Reality of Yearslong Weaponization and Political Infection at FBI

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today during an executive business meeting highlighted whistleblowers’ first-person accounts of the retaliation and abuse they have suffered at the hands of current and former top FBI officials. Grassley’s comments came shortly before voting to advance Kash Patel’s nomination to be FBI Director. While reading the whistleblowers’ accounts into the congressional record, Chairman Grassley noted:
    “I’d like to have the White House and my Republican colleagues take note of this, because I think some of these people should be reinstated because of how [un]justly they’ve been treated. And like you’ve heard me so many times say, whistleblowers are treated like a skunk at a picnic. And I hope my Democrat colleagues will learn a lesson about how the FBI has previously treated whistleblowers, both under Republican administrations and Democrat administrations. So that we don’t have this happening again.”
    In a story this morning, RealClearInvestigations further detailed the plight of FBI whistleblowers.
    A Weaponized FBI: It’s Real, Whistleblowers Testify, Boasting Scars to Prove It
    By Ben Weingarten
    November 13, 2025
    Democrats have cast the Trump administration’s ouster of eight senior FBI leaders as a “purge” and act of “retribution” from a weaponized Justice Department, some likening it to President Nixon’s “Saturday Night Massacre.” 
    But former colleagues of the terminated “G-men” say this narrative is backward. FBI officials, past and present, have marshaled significant evidence via whistleblower complaints and testimony indicating that several terminated leaders routinely used their offices for partisan purposes.
    These include allegations that at least two of the fired officials, Jeffrey Veltri and Dena Perkins, manipulated the security clearance review process to personally and professionally punish conservatives, COVID-19 vaccine skeptics, and Jan. 6 whistleblowers who reported suspected bureau malfeasance, and retaliated against those who came to the whistleblowers’ defense. 
    A third, Timothy Dunham, is also alleged to have improperly suspended security clearances.
    Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) read numerous accounts of alleged misconduct perpetrated by these and other officials into the record this morning as the committee considered the nomination of Kash Patel for FBI Director…
    Read the full RealClearInvestigations story HERE. Read Grassley’s full opening statement HERE.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Votes ‘No’ On Advancing President Trump’s Pick To Be FBI Director, Kash Patel

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    February 13, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today voted against advancing President Donald Trump’s pick to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kash Patel, in the Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting this morning. The Committee voted to advance his nomination on a party-line vote of 12-10.
    Key Quotes:
    “After reviewing Kash Patel’s record, meeting with him, and questioning him at his hearing, I am even more convinced that he has neither the experience, the judgment, nor the temperament to lead the FBI.”
    “I have served on this Committee during the consideration of four FBI Director nominations before this one. Each one was a Republican, and I voted for all of them.”
    “It turns out that Mr. Patel is already seeking retribution on behalf of President Trump, despite his status as a private citizen. As I revealed earlier this week, multiple whistleblowers have disclosed to my staff highly credible information indicating that Mr. Patel, a civilian, is personally directing the ongoing purge of senior law enforcement officials at the FBI. The ramifications of these terminations are dangerous, and they go beyond Mr. Patel’s fitness for office.”
    “It is unacceptable for a nominee to justify the potentially illegal firing of dedicated, nonpartisan FBI officials. If these allegations are true, Mr. Patel has become dangerously close to perjury before this Senate Judiciary Committee. Why do I say that? During [his confirmation] hearing, when asked about the terminations [at] the FBI, Mr. Patel said ‘I don’t know what is going on right now over there.’ Mr. Patel seems to be unable to wait for confirmation to carry out his plan of retribution on behalf of President Trump. This is a private citizen, Patel, with no role in government allegedly [directing] baseless firings of career politicians and then misleading this Committee about his actions.”
    “Given the serious nature of these allegations, I’ve asked the DOJ Inspector General to investigate. I urge my Republican colleagues to take these allegations seriously. I know you want to be loyal to your President, I know you want to vote for all of his nominations. I know none of you want a call from Elon Musk tomorrow morning saying what he might do if you vote the wrong way.”
    “This is not the only time that Mr. Patel misled the Committee under oath. At his hearing, he implausibly told me that he could not recall Stew Peters, an antisemitic Holocaust denier… This is simply not credible, considering that Mr. Patel appeared on Mr. Peters’s podcast eight times… And, Mr. Peters has since revealed that he and Mr. Patel directly communicate via their personal cell phones, ‘constantly.’”
    “Mr. Patel clearly lacks the temperament to lead the FBI. I wonder if any of my Republican colleagues read his book, ‘Government Gangsters.’ In this book, Mr. Patel has published an enemies list of 60 people who he calls ‘members of the deep state’ and accuses of being, ‘corrupt actors of the first order.’ This list includes many distinguished public servants—both Democrats and Republicans alike. What they share in common is the misfortune of having crossed paths with Mr. Patel.”
    “Mr. Patel has also displayed a startling disdain for the agency he has been nominated to lead. He wants to ‘shut down the F.B.I. Hoover Building on Day 1 and reopen it the next day as a museum of the ‘deep state.’’ He falsely claimed that the FBI ‘was planning January 6 for a year.’ And he has been clear about what he wants to do with the FBI’s vast surveillance and investigative powers, saying, ‘We’re going to come after the people in the media.’”
    “Mr. Patel has been open about his plans to dismantle the FBI and seek retribution. And he has already begun that mission as a private citizen, targeting senior FBI officials.”
    “Mr. Patel’s directives have thrown the Bureau into chaos. Senior executives who collectively have hundreds of years of experience have been forced out. Thousands of line agents across the country are living in fear of losing their jobs simply because [they did what] they were assigned to do.”
    “How does any of this make America safer? The American people need an FBI Director who is focused on keeping the public safe from terrorism, drug trafficking, and violent crime—not petty personal grievances.”
    Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.
    Multiple whistleblowers have disclosed to Durbin’s staff highly credible information indicating that Kash Patel has been personally directing the ongoing purge of senior law enforcement officials at the FBI. Earlier this week, Durbin sent a letter to DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz requesting an investigation into these allegations.
    To view Durbin’s questions to Mr. Patel in his confirmation hearing click here and here.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington County Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – David Dion, age 47, of Greenwich, New York, pled guilty today to charges that he distributed and possessed child sexual abuse material (CSAM). United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement.

    Dion admitted that from July 2023 to January 2024, he distributed images and videos of CSAM via an encrypted chat messenger to another person, and possessed images of CSAM on five electronic devices on February 28, 2024, when his residence was searched. He also admitted that he produced morphed images of CSAM by using non-pornographic images of known children and superimposing the faces of those children onto other images of CSAM he found on the Internet to create an adapted or modified depiction of an identifiable minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Dion possessed more than 130,000 images of CSAM across his devices.

    Sentencing is currently scheduled for June 13, 2025, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Dion faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Dion may also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his offenses and forfeit the devices used in the offenses. Dion will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

    The FBI and NYSP are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.

    Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Withholding Information in Bankruptcy Case

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Eugene Wells, 73, of Marmet, pleaded guilty today to withholding records relating to the property or financial affairs of a debtor in bankruptcy from an officer of the court or a United States Trustee entitled to its possession.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2022, a Charleston business solely owned by Wells’ wife filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Wells helped with the business’ day-to-day management, including by overseeing many of its financial affairs, but was never an employee of the business. Wells admitted that he applied for and obtained five loans in the business’ name after the bankruptcy filing, from February 2023 through February 2024. Wells further admitted that he did not disclose the existence of the loans to the United States Trustee, who oversees the administration of bankruptcy cases in the Southern District of West Virginia.

    On January 31, 2024, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court held a hearing on the U.S. Trustee’s motion to dismiss the business’ bankruptcy case. That day, the bankruptcy lawyer for the business informed the U.S. Trustee of the existence of one of the four loans that Wells had obtained by that time in the business’ name. Wells admitted that during the motion hearing, including while the bankruptcy judge questioned him under oath, he did not disclose the existence of the other three loans. Wells further admitted that the fifth loan, obtained on February 8, 2024, was not approved by the bankruptcy court or disclosed to the U.S. Trustee. On February 21, 2024, the bankruptcy court dismissed the business’ bankruptcy case.

    A total of $68,000 was obtained in proceeds from the five loans and used for the business’ operations. The lender charged the business $9,700 in fees.

    Wells is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

    United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The United States Trustee’s Charleston field office, which serves West Virginia, made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States Trustee Program is a component of the Department of Justice whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public.

    United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-7.

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Cosponsors Bipartisan Legislation to Crack Down on Illegal Fentanyl Trafficking

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and the Select Senate Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation to help law enforcement combat fentanyl trafficking and equip scientists with the tools to research and better understand fentanyl and other opioid-related substances. The bipartisan Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act would finally make permanent the scheduling of illicitly produced fentanyl-related substances (FRS) as Schedule I drugs and streamline the regulatory process for scientists seeking approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to research these substances.
    A permanent scheduling of FRS is necessary to make penalties for criminals clear and enforceable under the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), reducing the supply and availability of illicitly manufactured FRS. The HALT Fentanyl Act places the strongest controls and penalties on FRS, which have no accepted medical use and a high abuse potential. The bill would also establish a new, streamlined registration process for research funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), or under an Investigative New Drug (IND) exemption from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
    “Our state knows all too well the devastation opioids like fentanyl can cause; far too many Maine people have lost their lives or a loved-one to fentanyl related overdoses,” said Senator King. “We have a duty to equip our law enforcement professionals, researchers and those on the frontlines with the consistent guidance to help us combat this deadly epidemic. The bipartisan Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act meets the urgency of this crisis and is a critical step toward ensuring our families and communities are safe from this dangerous, deadly drug.”
    Since 2013, Maine has experienced tragically significant growth in total deaths from fentanyl related overdoses. In 2021, 77% of all drug overdoses in Maine were due to fentanyl. Fentanyl and FRS are especially dangerous because their presence is often unknown to the user and lethal in extremely small amounts. The University of Maine estimates fentanyl to be 25 times more potent than oxycodone and 50-100 times more potent than heroin.
    Specifically, the HALT Fentanyl Act would:
    Permanently impose the following quantity-based federal trafficking penalties on FRS:
    Mandatory minimum penalties: 5 years for 10 grams or more (10 years for second offense); and 10 years for 100 grams or more (20 years for second offense).
    Discretionary maximum penalties: 40 years for 10 grams or more (life for second offense); and life for 100 grams or more.
    Enhance our understanding of manufactured substances by:
    Allowing researchers in the same institution to participate in multiple scientific studies.
    Permitting researchers with ongoing studies to examine newly added schedule I substances.
    Allowing researchers to manufacture small quantities of FRS without a separate registration.
    In addition to Senator King, the HALT Fentanyl Act is cosponsored by Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM),  Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Roger Marshall (R-KN), Todd Young (R-IN), Steve Daines (R-MT), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mike Rounds (R-SD), John Kennedy (R-LA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
    As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Select Senate Committee on Intelligence, Senator King has previously supported legislation to combat illicit drug use and decrease overdoses. He is a cosponsor of the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention Act, bipartisan legislation that is designed to stop dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl and carfentanil from being shipped through our borders. Senator King also cosponsored the INTERDICT Act, bipartisan legislation to help halt the flow of illicit fentanyl from Mexico, China and other nations around the world into the United States. During an open hearing of the Select Senate Intelligence Committee last year, Senator King pressed Avril Haines, the former Director of National Intelligence and Christopher Wray, the former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), about what the intelligence community is doing to halt the flow of illicit drugs — including fentanyl — from Mexico, China and other nations into the United States.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and FBI Launch Online Portal to Enhance Department’s Capability to Bring International Antitrust Fugitives to Justice

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Today, the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the FBI jointly announced the launch of a new online portal for information on international fugitives who have been charged with antitrust offenses and other crimes affecting the competitive process. The Antitrust Division and FBI are committed to bringing individuals to court to face their charges, wherever they are located.

    “Individuals charged with anticompetitive crimes should understand that the DOJ Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will take all available steps to ensure that they answer the charges in court,” said Director of Criminal Enforcement Emma Burnham of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Defendants should understand that the charges will not go away, and the Antitrust Division urges them to contact us to discuss resolution of the charges.”

    “The FBI is focused on identifying, tracking and arresting fugitives across all our threats,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “By streamlining intelligence sharing and coordination, we are better equipped than ever to ensure no criminal can evade justice by hiding across borders.”

    The Antitrust Division works with the FBI and other law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute companies and individuals whose anticompetitive conduct harms American consumers and the American economy, wherever those companies and individuals are located. After bringing criminal charges, the Antitrust Division works actively with domestic and foreign authorities to locate international fugitives and secure their extradition to the United States. The Antitrust Division and the FBI welcome information from the public about the location of international fugitives.

    For more information on antitrust fugitives, go to the Antitrust Division’s Fugitive webpage. The FBI maintains a list of current antitrust fugitives whose charges are not under seal.

    To report potential antitrust crimes to the Antitrust Division, contact the Complaint Center. If your complaint relates to potential antitrust crimes affecting government procurement, grant, or program funding, contact the Procurement Collusion Strike Force Tip Center.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and FBI Launch Online Portal to Enhance Department’s Capability to Bring International Antitrust Fugitives to Justice

    Source: United States Attorneys General 12

    Today, the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the FBI jointly announced the launch of a new online portal for information on international fugitives who have been charged with antitrust offenses and other crimes affecting the competitive process. The Antitrust Division and FBI are committed to bringing individuals to court to face their charges, wherever they are located.

    “Individuals charged with anticompetitive crimes should understand that the DOJ Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will take all available steps to ensure that they answer the charges in court,” said Director of Criminal Enforcement Emma Burnham of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Defendants should understand that the charges will not go away, and the Antitrust Division urges them to contact us to discuss resolution of the charges.”

    “The FBI is focused on identifying, tracking and arresting fugitives across all our threats,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “By streamlining intelligence sharing and coordination, we are better equipped than ever to ensure no criminal can evade justice by hiding across borders.”

    The Antitrust Division works with the FBI and other law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute companies and individuals whose anticompetitive conduct harms American consumers and the American economy, wherever those companies and individuals are located. After bringing criminal charges, the Antitrust Division works actively with domestic and foreign authorities to locate international fugitives and secure their extradition to the United States. The Antitrust Division and the FBI welcome information from the public about the location of international fugitives.

    For more information on antitrust fugitives, go to the Antitrust Division’s Fugitive webpage. The FBI maintains a list of current antitrust fugitives whose charges are not under seal.

    To report potential antitrust crimes to the Antitrust Division, contact the Complaint Center. If your complaint relates to potential antitrust crimes affecting government procurement, grant, or program funding, contact the Procurement Collusion Strike Force Tip Center.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: H&R Block and Tinder Team Up to Celebrate Singles this Tax Season

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Managing finances as a single person can be tough, especially in the face of rising costs. That is why H&R Block (NYSE: HRB), the pioneer of the tax preparation category founded 70 years ago, has teamed up with Tinder to give 10 lucky singles a financial boost on Feb. 15, 2025, National Singles Awareness Day. Through a special sweepstakes offered this tax season, the leading companies are offering singles a chance to win extra cash – recognizing that navigating money matters alone can be tough, and a little support goes a long way.

    Beyond daily expenses, tax season sheds light on the financial disparities between singles and couples. In 2022, single filers received an average refund of $1,777, while married couples received an average refund of $2,620, and heads of household received more than three times what single filers received1.

    “Married couples often benefit from a lower effective tax rate and a larger refund when they file jointly, combining their income, deductions and credits,” said Andy Phillips, Vice President, H&R Block’s The Tax Institute. “Meanwhile, the lower refund size for single filers is likely the result of other factors, such as single filers being less likely to claim child-related tax credits than head of household or married filers.”

    Easing Financial Challenges

    To help ease the financial challenges some singles may face, H&R Block and Tinder are hosting a sweepstakes that will run from Feb. 15 to March 15. How does it work? Starting on National Singles Awareness Day, Tinder users can enter for a chance to win $1,777, accessible in the Tinder app or Tinder’s TikTok bio. Entrants must be 18+ and a U.S. resident2. See here for more information and to enter for a chance to win on Feb. 15.

    What many know is that financial wellness is not just personal – it shapes relationships, starting with the one you have with yourself. And, in the dating world, financial stability is now a top priority.

    A survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Tinder found that one of the top traits men and women seek in a potential partner is financial stability (20%), along with loyalty (48%), attractiveness (42%) and honesty (37%). Reflecting this trend, “finance” became the second most popular Tinder bio mention in 2024, surging 82% from the year prior3.

    Filing Taxes: Almost As Easy As Tinder’s Swipe®Experience

    This is not H&R Block’s first partnership focused on navigating the world of taxes and finances as a single person. During the 2024 tax season, H&R Block broke the traditional marketing mold by creating Responsibility Island, a parody that aired on Roku and YouTube and is based on well-known and loved reality TV dating shows. Responsibility Island featured a group of young adults who think they are embarking on the latest dating show journey. To their surprise, what they thought would be an adventure to find true love is a responsibility boot camp. The show followed cast members as they took on a gauntlet of challenges in adulting designed to teach self-reliance and productivity. In the finale, they faced the mother of all responsibility to get off the island – filing their own taxes.

    “At H&R Block, we want to make filing your taxes as easy as the Swipe Experience,” said Jill Cress, Chief Marketing and Experience Officer, H&R Block. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Tinder to connect with their audience and meet Gen Z customers where they are. After all, 87% of our Gen Z customer base is single. While we cannot guarantee a perfect match, we can guarantee stress-free filing that is accessible for everyone.”

    For more information on the sweepstakes, check out the Official Rules on Feb. 15, and head to Tinder’s Tik Tok and Instagram, keeping an eye out for a guest appearance from one of the beloved stars from Responsibility Island. You might hear a few hints dropped on what is to come for the show’s cast later this tax season.

    To learn more about H&R Block’s tax preparation services, many ways to file, and year-round financial support, visit hrblock.com. For media assets, visit hrblock.com/tax-center/newsroom or for a downloadable Tax Season 2025 media kit, visit https://www.hrblock.com/tax-center/media-kit/tax-season-2025/. And for helpful tips and information, follow us on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.

    About H&R Block 
    H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) provides help and inspires confidence in its clients and communities everywhere through global tax preparation services, financial products, and small-business solutions. The company blends digital innovation with human expertise and care as it helps people get the best outcome at tax time and also be better with money using its mobile banking app, Spruce. Through Block Advisors and Wave, the company helps small-business owners thrive with year-round bookkeeping, payroll, advisory, and payment processing solutions. For more information, visit H&R Block News.  

    About Tinder 
    Launched in 2012, Tinder® revolutionized how people meet, growing from 1 match to one billion matches in just two years. This rapid growth demonstrates its ability to fulfill a fundamental human need: real connection. Today, the app has been downloaded over 630 million times, leading to over 97 billion matches, serving approximately 50 million users per month in 190 countries and 45+ languages – a scale unmatched by any other app in the category. In 2024, Tinder won four Effie Awards for its first-ever global brand campaign, It Starts with a Swipe™.

    Tinder®, Swipe®, the flame logo, and It Starts with a Swipe™ are registered trademarks of Tinder LLC.

    1Source: Table 1.3. All Returns: Sources of Income, Adjustments, Deductions, Credits, and Tax Items, by Filing Status, Tax Year 2021 (Filing Year 2022); SOI tax stats – Individual statistical tables by filing status | Internal Revenue Service
    2No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. 18+ U.S. only. Rules at https://fooji.info/SinglesTaxRefundRules
    3A survey of 4000 18-30-year-olds who are actively dating in the US, UK, Canada and Australia between Sept. 25, 2024 and Nov. 4, 2024 conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Tinder

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Career Offender Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – A 49-year-old former Rhode Island man whom court records reflect is a career offender who has spent nearly half of his life incarcerated, has been sentenced to a further ten years in federal prison for trafficking multiple kilos of methamphetamine into Rhode Island, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

    Carl Sharp, 49, of Peoria, Arizona, who formerly resided in Rhode Island, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 120 months of incarceration to be followed by five years of federal supervised release. Sharp pleaded guilty on October 15, 2024, to a charge of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

    Court records reflect that Sharp was previously convicted and incarcerated on unrelated charges involving, among other things: drug trafficking, domestic violence, and assault. Sharp also previously faced a murder charge, but was acquitted of that charge after a key witness in the case died.

    According to court documents and information provided to the court in the current federal case, during an investigation into drugs being shipped through the U.S. Mail to Rhode Island from Western states, the United States Postal Inspection Service identified thirteen packages, six of which were mailed by Sharp. Court-authorized searches of three packages, two of which were mailed by Sharp, resulted in the seizure of a total of 4.44 kilograms of methamphetamine and 249 grams of cocaine.

    One of the packages shipped by Sharp was sent to a Rhode Island residence that he had used previously for his drug trafficking activities, and another parcel was mailed to the residence of an unsuspecting 85-year-old woman who lived alone. After opening the package and finding nearly two kilos of meth wrapped in clothing inside the package, a man knocked on her back door looking for the package.  The woman told the man that she did not have the package, and he left. She then brought the package to the post office.

    A financial investigation into Sharp’s assets determined that between January 2022 and May 2024, he deposited over $320,000 in unexplained cash into his personal bank account.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sandra R. Hebert.

    The matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with the assistance of the FBI.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pastor Is Sentenced To 10 Years For Possession And Receipt Of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    The Defendant Used the Church’s Computer to Access, View, and Download Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of Children

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ashley James Crouse, 53, of Granite Falls, N.C., was sentenced today to 120 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for possession and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Crouse was also ordered to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, Roger “Chip” Hawley, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Sheriff Alan C. Jones of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department, join Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron in making today’s announcement.

    According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, in April 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) referred a tip to law enforcement that a Dropbox account user had uploaded videos containing CSAM. Law enforcement determined that the Dropbox user was Crouse, who was a pastor at a church in Caldwell County. On November 3, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Crouse’s residence and the church. From Crouse’s office at the church, detectives seized a computer tower, an iPad, and two thumb drives.

    Crouse admitted to law enforcement officers that he had been downloading and collecting child pornography for five to six years and that he viewed CSAM at the church while multi-tasking and completing church business. The investigation determined that Crouse routinely used his computer at the church to access, view, and download CSAM. A forensic examination of Crouse’s church computer and other digital devices revealed that Crouse shared child pornography and links to child pornography through the Telegram application and that he had used AI and a software program to make child and other pornography. In total, Crouse possessed over 1,200 videos and 450 images depicting the sexual abuse of children.

    Also on the church computer, investigators found that Crouse maintained a book that outlines in detail how to sexually abuse children. The forensic examiner further found evidence that Crouse had installed an anti-forensic software program on his church computer which he used to permanently delete files and folders. 

    On August 21, 2024, Crouse pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography that involved a minor who had not attained the age of 12 years, and receipt of child pornography. Crouse remains in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

    In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron commended the FBI, the SBI, the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hickory Police Department for their investigation of the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

    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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ohio-Based Supplier of Aircraft Parts and Three Employees Charged for Illicit Export Scheme Involving Russia

    Source: US State of California

    Flighttime Enterprises Inc., an American subsidiary of a Russian aircraft parts supplier, along with three of its current and former employees, have been charged federally with crimes related to a scheme to illegally export aircraft parts and components from the United States to Russia and Russian airline companies without the required licenses from the Department of Commerce.

    The three individuals charged include Daniela Friery, 43, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Loveland, Ohio; Pavil Iglin, 46, a citizen of Russia who currently resides in Florida pursuant to a non-immigrant visa; and Marat Aysin, 39, a legal permanent resident of the United States who currently resides in Florida.

    According to the 11-count indictment unsealed today, the three defendants worked for Flighttime Enterprises Inc., an aircraft equipment supplier with office locations near West Chester, Ohio, and Miami.

    As alleged in the indictment, following Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Flighttime and the individual defendants knowingly and willfully violated and evaded the export restrictions imposed on Russia to ship aviation parts to Russia and Russian end users, including airlines subject to Department of Commerce Temporary Denial Orders, by mislabeling shipments, providing false certifications, and using intermediary companies and countries to obscure the true end destination and end users. The indictment details four specific export transactions totaling more than $2 million.

    For example, in June 2022, Flighttime employees allegedly negotiated the purchase of an auxiliary power unit from an American supplier for $395,000. The U.S. supplier initially expressed hesitation about the transaction due to the company’s connections to Russia. In connection with the purchase, Aysin falsely told the American supplier that the part would be used to replenish stock in West Chester. Through Aysin, Iglin allegedly signed and dated a Russia end-user certificate with the supplier falsely certifying that the part would not be exported to Russia. The part was thereafter illegally exported to Russia for a Russian aviation company without the required license.

    The company and three defendants are each charged with one count of conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), and multiple counts of violating the ECRA, which are federal crimes punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

    They are also charged with conspiracy to commit smuggling, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and multiple counts of smuggling, which carry maximum penalties of 10 years in prison. Finally, they are each charged with one count of conspiring to launder monetary instruments, a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

    Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio; Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Levine of the Office of Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced the case.

    The FBI and BIS are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy S. Mangan for the Southern District of Ohio is prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorneys Maria Fedor and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio-Based Supplier of Aircraft Parts and Three Employees Charged for Illicit Export Scheme Involving Russia

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Flighttime Enterprises Inc., an American subsidiary of a Russian aircraft parts supplier, along with three of its current and former employees, have been charged federally with crimes related to a scheme to illegally export aircraft parts and components from the United States to Russia and Russian airline companies without the required licenses from the Department of Commerce.

    The three individuals charged include Daniela Friery, 43, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Loveland, Ohio; Pavil Iglin, 46, a citizen of Russia who currently resides in Florida pursuant to a non-immigrant visa; and Marat Aysin, 39, a legal permanent resident of the United States who currently resides in Florida.

    According to the 11-count indictment unsealed today, the three defendants worked for Flighttime Enterprises Inc., an aircraft equipment supplier with office locations near West Chester, Ohio, and Miami.

    As alleged in the indictment, following Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Flighttime and the individual defendants knowingly and willfully violated and evaded the export restrictions imposed on Russia to ship aviation parts to Russia and Russian end users, including airlines subject to Department of Commerce Temporary Denial Orders, by mislabeling shipments, providing false certifications, and using intermediary companies and countries to obscure the true end destination and end users. The indictment details four specific export transactions totaling more than $2 million.

    For example, in June 2022, Flighttime employees allegedly negotiated the purchase of an auxiliary power unit from an American supplier for $395,000. The U.S. supplier initially expressed hesitation about the transaction due to the company’s connections to Russia. In connection with the purchase, Aysin falsely told the American supplier that the part would be used to replenish stock in West Chester. Through Aysin, Iglin allegedly signed and dated a Russia end-user certificate with the supplier falsely certifying that the part would not be exported to Russia. The part was thereafter illegally exported to Russia for a Russian aviation company without the required license.

    The company and three defendants are each charged with one count of conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), and multiple counts of violating the ECRA, which are federal crimes punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

    They are also charged with conspiracy to commit smuggling, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and multiple counts of smuggling, which carry maximum penalties of 10 years in prison. Finally, they are each charged with one count of conspiring to launder monetary instruments, a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

    Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio; Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Levine of the Office of Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced the case.

    The FBI and BIS are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy S. Mangan for the Southern District of Ohio is prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorneys Maria Fedor and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Founder And CEO of Non-Profit and Two Others Charged With Fraud, Bribery and Money Laundering Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Through Kickbacks and Bribes, Defendants Illegally Diverted Tens of Millions of Dollars from COVID-19 Emergency Housing Program to Enrich Themselves

    Earlier today, at the federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Julio Medina, Christopher Dantzler and Weihong Hu with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, honest-services wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to violate the Travel Act and the use of a facility of interstate commerce in aid of commercial bribery.  This morning, Dantzler was arrested on Long Island, Hu in Manhattan and Medina in the Bronx.  They will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge James R. Cho.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrests and charges.

    “The defendants’ brazen and illegal kickback scheme stole money from the City of New York that was intended to provide emergency housing and support services during the pandemic,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “Shamefully, the defendants saw the pandemic as an opportunity to line their pockets with stacks of cash, finance a luxury vehicle, purchase homes and pay off personal debts. While New York City was trying to curb the spread of COVID-19, the defendants exploited a nonprofit organization to enrich themselves.  My Office will relentlessly pursue those who steal public funds and deprive members of our community of crucial resources.”

    DOI Commissioner Strauber stated: “As charged, these defendants, an Executive Director of a City-funded nonprofit and the principals of the nonprofit’s subcontractors, engaged in and concealed a bribery and kickback scheme, pocketing millions of dollars of funds intended to provide emergency housing and support services in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic. I thank the Mayor’s Office of Risk Management and Compliance for the referral to DOI that prompted this investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI for their partnership and commitment to protect critical public resources.”

    “These three defendants allegedly pocketed millions of dollars from public funds allocated for emergency housing during the pandemic,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy. “This alleged kickback scheme abused a program designed to provide a vulnerable population with healthier, unexposed lodging alternatives, to finance enhancements to the defendants’ lifestyles. The FBI will never tolerate any individual who twists public programs into a mechanism to sell services for personal profit.”

    As alleged in the indictment, Medina founded and served as the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of a non-profit organization that, among other things, provided various reentry services to formerly incarcerated individuals (the “Organization”).  In June 2020, the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) contracted with the Organization to administer an emergency transitional housing program (the “Emergency Housing Program”), in partnership with local hotels and other businesses, to combat the spread of COVID-19 in New York City jails.  The Organization subsequently entered into agreements with various hotels to operate as reentry hotels under the Emergency Housing Program.  In total, between June 2020 and December 2023, the Organization received approximately $122 million in public funds from MOCJ to operate the Emergency Housing Program at these hotels.

    Dantzler and Hu each operated or controlled businesses that received tens of millions of dollars in public funds from the Organization under the Emergency Housing Program.  Dantzler’s company purported to provide security services at the reentry hotels but was not a licensed security company and did not, in fact, provide security services.   Hu operated or controlled two hotels in Queens that operated as reentry hotels under the Emergency Housing Program and was a member of a repurposed catering company that provided food services to formerly incarcerated individuals residing at reentry hotels under the Emergency Housing Program.   

    Medina solicited and accepted bribes and kickbacks from Dantzler and Hu in exchange for Medina providing business through the Organization to Dantzler’s and Hu’s respective businesses under the Emergency Housing Program.  Among other bribes and kickbacks, Dantzler and Hu purchased Medina an approximately $1.3 million townhouse; Hu, through one of her businesses, financed a luxury vehicle for Medina valued at approximately $107,000; and Dantzler paid to purchase and renovate a house for Medina for approximately $750,000.

    As depicted in the following photograph, during an in-person meeting in September 2020, Hu also provided Medina with a stack of wrapped U.S. currency in exchange for two checks from the Organization made out to Hu’s catering company, totaling more than $187,000.   

    In total, Dantzler and Hu provided Medina with at least $2.5 million in U.S. currency and in-kind benefits in exchange for Medina steering approximately $51 million in public funds from the Emergency Housing Program to Dantzler’s and Hu’s businesses.  In turn, Dantzler’s security company received approximately $21 million in public funds from the Organization under the Emergency Housing Program, of which Dantzler personally retained approximately $9 million in public funds.  Hu’s hotels received approximately $12 million in public funds from the Organization under the Emergency Housing Program, while her repurposed catering company received approximately $17 million in public funds.

    The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Meredith A. Arfa, Eric Silverberg and Sean M. Sherman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Kavya Kannan and Rebecca Roth.

    The Defendants:

    JULIO MEDINA
    Age:  64
    Clifton Park, New York

    CHRISTOPHER DANTZLER
    Age:  49
    Baldwin, New York

    WEIHONG HU
    Age:  59
    Manhattan, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-54 (RPK)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: $HAREHOLDER ALERT: Monteverde & Associates PC Reminds Former Avangrid, Inc. Shareholders of Class Action Lawsuit and Upcoming March 31, 2025 Deadline – AGR

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    Monteverde & Associates PC (the “M&A Class Action Firm”), has recovered millions of dollars for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm by ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. We are headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City and are the only firm to have filed a federal securities class action lawsuit on behalf of former public common shareholders of Avangrid, Inc. (former ticker symbol: AGR), in connection with the acquisition by Iberdrola, S.A. (the “Merger”). The case is styled Goldschein v. Avangrid, Inc., Case No. 25-cv-00772 (the “Federal Class Action”), and a copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.monteverdelaw.com/news.

    If you owned Avangrid shares as of August 19, 2024, and received $35.75 at the close of the Merger, please contact our firm to discuss your legal rights.

    TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE: If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must seek lead appointment in the Federal Class Action by March 31, 2025. For more information, please go to https://monteverdelaw.com/case/avangrid-inc/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you. Any member of the putative Class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member.

    NOT ALL LAW FIRMS ARE THE SAME. Before you hire a law firm, you should talk to a lawyer and ask:

    1. Do you file class actions and go to Court?
    2. When was the last time you recovered money for shareholders?
    3. What cases did you recover money in and how much?

    About Monteverde & Associates PC

    Our firm litigates and has recovered money for shareholders…and we do it from our offices in the Empire State Building. We are a national class action securities firm with a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. 

    No company, director or officer is above the law. If you owned common stock in Avangrid and have concerns or wish to obtain additional information free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

    Contact:
    Juan Monteverde, Esq.
    MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC
    The Empire State Building
    350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4740
    New York, NY 10118
    United States of America
    jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com
    Tel: (212) 971-1341

    Attorney Advertising. (C) 2025 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com).  Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Cleveland Warns of Romance Scams and Confidence Fraud

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

    With Valentine’s Day a few days away, FBI Cleveland reminds the public to remain aware when engaging in online relationships and warns about the hidden dangers when striking up a relationship with someone they have not met in real life.

    Romance scams continue to rise, and typically begin when a criminal creates a fake profile on a dating site or social media platform. The scammer tricks victims into believing they’re in a loving and trusting relationship with that online persona. Fraudsters then leverage that relationship and concoct stories of financial hardships, persuading victims to send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or other items of value. Confidence scams also include leading an individual to believe they are in a relationship as a “friend” or family member, and are tricked into sending money, personal and financial information, or items of value to the perpetrator or, to launder money or items to assist the perpetrator. This includes the Grandparent’s Scheme and any scheme in which the perpetrator preys on the targeted individual’s “heartstrings,” purporting someone is in trouble, ill, or in an urgent situation.

    “While the ability to connect online has never been easier, so too is the risk of becoming victim to a scammer. At any given moment, we can log in to meet new “friends” with shared interests, play a virtual game with someone on the other side of the world, engage in a conversation with a person who may tell us they are a distant relative, or strike up a romance through a dating app,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “Sadly, if you are on a device, you are vulnerable, no matter your age, gender, or technological savviness. The FBI wants to remind the public about these schemes and educate people about the stories these fraudsters will use.”

    According to data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), Ohioans lost over $15.3 million in 2023 to confidence fraud and romance scams and over $652 million nationwide.

    Most commonly, the perpetrators are men targeting women over 40 who are divorced, widowed, elderly, or disabled. The scam usually starts with an “innocent” contact online and builds from there. Romance scammers often use well-rehearsed scripts which have been previously used successfully.

    These criminals actively search dating websites, apps, chat rooms, and social networking sites in their efforts to build a relationship with the goal of accessing financial assets or personally identifiable information. Romance scammers often spend hours honing their skills and sometimes maintain detailed journals, describing their targeted victims, to better understand how to manipulate and exploit them.

    FBI Cleveland encourages people to do their due diligence about the person they are communicating with, just as you would when meeting in person. Ask a lot of questions and don’t take everything at face value. Even if the person sends casual ‘at-home’ images that appear normal, oftentimes, scammers will steal the identity of another person and use those photos as bait. To avoid meeting in person, scammers often claim to live or work in other parts of the country or world. Eventually, when they feel they have gained the trust of their victims, these criminals will request money, oftentimes for a medical emergency for themselves, a child, or family member, an unexpected legal fee, or some other false purpose, including a church, charity, or natural disaster. They may send a courier, “friend,” or ride share to your home or suggest someplace public to meet to hand over the asset. They may even say that it must be done privately for your safety.

    These scams are borderless and anyone of any age can be targeted. The scammers goal is to financially exploit the victim. If someone you meet online needs your bank account information to deposit money, they are most likely using your account to carry out other theft and fraud schemes.

    If you find yourself beginning to develop a relationship with someone you meet online, remember these tips to help protect yourself:

    • Be careful with sharing too much personal information online across all social media sites. Scammers can and often use those details to target you and build commonalities.
    • If you’re on dating sites, only use platforms with a well-known reputation, and research photos and profiles online to see if anyone has used that name or image elsewhere. It may take a little time on your part but will be well worth the effort in the long run.
    • Beware of online suitors who try to isolate you from your family or friends, or those who ask you to send inappropriate photos or financial information that could be later used to extort you.
    • Don’t send money to someone you’ve never met in person. Scammers often use emotional pleas and stories of despair to trick you into believing their story of need.

    “The best advice I can give is to encourage friends and family members to have open, honest discussions with one another about these dangers, and be wary about people you meet online who begin to ask or pressure you into sharing personal identifying information, ask you to send money, bitcoin, or gold; or threaten you or someone you love with physical, financial, or emotional harm,” Nelsen added. If you suspect your online relationship is a scam, whether you are involved or someone you know may be falling victim to the scam, call 1-800-CALL-FBI to file a report, or visit ic3.gov to submit a tip. No amount is too large or small to report to the FBI whether it’s a request to wire money, send gift cards, or transfer other items of value. You are the victim and reporting is the only way the FBI can connect the dots and stop these criminals from targeting other people or further exploiting you and your network. You should also contact your financial institution if you’ve already sent money.

    Find more resources about romance scams at FBI.gov/romancescams

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Tuberville Joins “America’s Newsroom” to Discuss Kash Patel, Linda McMahon Confirmation Hearings

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville

    “Kash Patel is the Democrats’ worst nightmare”

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom” to discuss the importance of confirming President Trump’s nominees. Senator Tuberville specifically mentioned Kash Patel’s nomination for Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Linda McMahon’s nomination for Secretary of Education (ED)—who both have hearings today.

    Read excerpts from the interview below or watch on YouTube or Rumble.

    ON LINDA MCMAHON FOR EDUCATION SECRETARY

    HEMMER: “Sir, we could have thrown a dart and picked any one of a number of topics on this. We’ll start with education. You’re close to this. What happens?”

    TUBERVILLE: “Well, I was with President Trump going to the Super Bowl the other day, and he’s adamant that we get our education back because that’s the future for our country. Our young people are our number one commodity, Bill. […] But at the end of the day, we have got to get back to reading, writing, math, civics—teaching our history to our kids, not indoctrinating our kids. And we’re having a hearing today. I was named the Chairman of the Education and the American Family [sub]committee in the HELP [Committee] this past week. I’m looking forward to having hearings and getting our parents back involved in education. My God, we have turned it over to the teachers and the teachers’ unions. It is out of control. We’ve gotta start teaching again.”

    PERINO: “One of your colleagues, Senator Bernie Sanders—there was a rally against Linda McMahon, the nominee to run the Department. He had this to say. [clip from Sen. Sanders at rally] 

    Why don’t they ever have a rally about the dismal test scores that we see across our nation?”

    TUBERVILLE: “Exactly, Dana. And to go back on this, Bernie Sanders has been the chairman of the HELP, the Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee, for the past [two] years. I think we’ve had one education hearing. They care nothing about education. They wanna indoctrinate. So, again, we’ve got to get back to doing commonsense things where we all understand that our kids are so important, more important than anything else that we do.”

    ON DOGE SHRINKING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

    HEMMER: “Sir, this is moving all very quickly. And there might be, you know what Democrats are saying about the cuts, etcetera, and how it’s gonna hurt people in the end. Can you understand how there could be a measure of uncertainty for people watching this? And if you do, how would you reassure them that the government will still be there for them when needed and necessary?”

    TUBERVILLE: “Well, all you gotta do is look at what President Trump said during his campaign. Everything’s gonna be about the American people, about America First, about everything within our borders, not outside our borders. And it all, again, goes back to education, crime, all the things that are going on in our country that we gotta get better. So yes, there’s gonna be some cuts. But one thing about it, Bill and Dana, if we don’t cut federal spending, we will not have the country that you and I had a chance to grow up in because we will go bankrupt, which we almost already are. It will get worse and we will become a socialist country that will depend on handouts that we don’t have money for.”

    ON KASH PATEL FOR FBI DIRECTOR

    PERINO: “Kash Patel is the President’s nominee to lead the FBI. There’s another hearing that’s happening as we speak—that’s just getting started. He should be confirmed by the end of this week for sure. […] This is what he said about the FBI back on January 30th. [clip of Patel] 

    What time this week do you believe he will get confirmed after this hearing today?”

    TUBERVILLE: “Well, it’ll probably be next week—we’ll have his first vote to get him out of out of cloture and go into the debate. […] He’s the Democrats’ worst nightmare because he knows what we all know up here—that it’s been all corrupt. You know, we have to take back our country in terms of the weaponized criminal justice system. We made a good start with Pam Bondi, Tulsi Gabbard, all these people that have been put in place. But at the end of the day, it’s got to be Kash Patel who’s over the country’s head police office. And again, Kash has been involved in all of it. He knows where the bodies are buried. The Democrats are scared to death because when he gets in, which he will, he’s gonna start shaking it all up. We’ve got some good people, but he’s got to take politics out of the FBI, and he’s got to put trust back in the FBI for the American people because right now, it is a total disaster up here on the hill and especially in my state of Alabama.”

    HEMMER: “Senator, we’ll let you get back to work. And apparently, there’s a lot of work to be done. So, thank you for your time, Senator Tommy Tuberville. Thank you.”

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Welch on Voting Against Kash Patel: “I’m voting against Mr. Patel because he is clearly an instrument in that effort to continue eroding the precepts of the Constitution on the separation of powers.”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today voted against advancing the nomination of Kash Patel in the Senate Judiciary Committee, President Trump’s nominee to be the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and expressed his opposition:  
    “In my view, the beginning of the Trump Administration is showing a contempt for the Constitution and a lawlessness that is dangerous for the republic [add]…” said Senator Peter Welch. “We, each of us, must be custodians of that constitutional order and our role as the legislature, in it. Tough judgments have to be made. My judgment is that the President is showing absolute contempt for the United States Congress. And the next stop is contempt for the United States Judiciary. I cannot vote for a person who signed onto that agenda.”  
    Watch the Senator’s full remarks below: 

    Read Senator Welch’s remarks as delivered here. 
    During Patel’s confirmation hearing, Senator Welch grilled the nominee about his refusal to acknowledge that President Biden won the 2020 Presidential Election and stressed the importance of combatting any attempt to weaponize the Justice Department and the FBI under the Trump Administration. Earlier this week, Senator Welch reacted to reports that Patel has been personally involved in the Trump Administration’s ongoing efforts to target and fire career FBI agents and officials. Under oath, Mr. Patel told Senator Welch he had no recollection of the purge at the FBI. Senator Welch reacted: 
    “If these reports are true, this is perjury. Under oath, Kash Patel said he had no recollection of any discussions or details about plans to purge career FBI agents—but whistleblowers have revealed that he was not only aware but orchestrating it. Kash Patel’s goal is to wreck the FBI, and my colleagues across the aisle must vote no.”    

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges Mexican National for Attempted Bribery of U.S. Border Patrol Agent

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Mexican national faces federal charges for allegedly attempting to bribe a U.S. Border Patrol Agent after being apprehended for illegal re-entry into the United States.

    According to court records, on February 8, 2025, Samuel Mendoza-Torres, 29, was taken into custody along with another individual near the Santa Teresa Border Patrol Station. While being transported to the station, Mendoza-Torres allegedly asked the agent, “Can we fix this?” and offered $400 for his release.

    During a post-arrest interview, Mendoza-Torres admitted to escorting illegal immigrants into the United States from Mexico. He also acknowledged knowing that offering money to the Border Patrol Agent was illegal.

    Mendoza-Torres will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Mendoza-Torres faces 20 years in prison.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, and Chief Patrol Agent Walter “Neil” Slosar of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector made the announcement today.

    The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation and the U.S. Border Patrol are investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Ry Ellison is prosecuting the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Louisville Attorney Sentenced to Over Three Years In Federal Prison for Defrauding Estates and Beneficiaries

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Louisville, KY – A former local attorney was sentenced yesterday to 3 years and 5 months in federal prison for illegally defrauding several estates and their beneficiaries.  

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Vince Zehme of the FDIC Office of Inspector General made the announcement.

    According to court documents, James Carol Worthington, 59, was sentenced to 3 years and 5 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for one count of wire fraud.  Worthington used his role as a trustee to defraud several estates and their beneficiaries of over $585,000. 

    Worthington was also ordered to pay restitution to numerous victims in the total amount of $585,028.91.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and the FDIC-OIG.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney David Weiser prosecuted the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Founder of Purported Artificial Intelligence-Driven Hedge Fund Pleads Guilty to Investment Adviser Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Targeted Egyptian-American Coptic Christians and Spent Victims’ Funds on Luxury Goods and Expensive Meals

    Earlier today, Mina Tadrus pled guilty at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York to committing investment adviser fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud investors in Tadrus Capital LLC, a hedge fund Tadrus founded and operated, of more than $5 million.  Today’s proceeding took place before United States District Judge Hector Gonzalez.  When sentenced, Tadrus faces up to five years in prison.    Tadrus was charged in September 2023.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office (IRS-CI), announced the guilty plea.

    “The defendant preyed on the Egyptian-American Coptic Christian community by falsely promising that his purported artificial intelligence-driven hedge fund would earn guaranteed annual returns of 30% or more, and taking advantage of their trust for his own personal gain,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “This Office has prioritized protecting and seeking justice for individual investors in our District and beyond.”

    Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s New York Regional Office for its assistance in this matter.

    “The only thing more artificial than Tadrus’ AI-driven hedge fund was his sincerity.  He sold a dream to trusting investors and instead of turning their money into profit, he swindled it for his own luxuries.  Today’s plea and forfeiture agreements are just a small step forward for his victims to receive genuine justice,” said Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI New York.

    According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, Tadrus marketed interests in Tadrus Capital LLC to investors based on false promises that he would employ artificial intelligence-driven trading strategies that would earn them guaranteed annual returns of 30% or more.

    In reality, however, Tadrus did not use investor funds to engage in artificial intelligence-based trading as promised, nor did he engage in any trading activity. Instead, he used investor funds to pay employees, to purchase luxury gifts and expensive meals for himself, and to make Ponzi scheme-like payments to new victim investors.

    If you were a Tadrus Capital LLC client and would like to file a complaint, please visit www.iC3.gov.  Please reference “Tadrus Capital” or “Mina Tadrus” in your complaint.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney John O. Enright and Special Agent Martin Sullivan are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Sarah Burn.

    The Defendant:

    MINA TADRUS
    Age: 38
    Tampa, Florida

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-393 (HG)

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Real Estate Executive Charged In Thirty-Million-Dollar Bank Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Danielle Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the arrest of KEVIN FENG GAO. The Indictment unsealed today charges GAO with committing bank fraud as part of a scheme to steal $30 million intended as an investment in Manhattan real estate. GAO will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron. 

    U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon said: “As alleged, Kevin Gao orchestrated a complex scheme to create a fraudulent, unauthorized bank account and use the account to steal $30 million from a real estate investor. Bank fraud schemes undermine the integrity of our financial system by corrupting it for criminal purposes, and I commend the FBI and our dedicated team of prosecutors for their outstanding work in uncovering this massive fraud.”   

    FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “Kevin Gao allegedly opened an unauthorized corporate bank account to intercept and steal a $30 million investment. This alleged establishment of an illicit bank account wrongfully diverted a significant sum from its intended use. The FBI remains dedicated to apprehending all individuals who implement deceitful measures to steal what is not owed to them.”

    According to allegations in the Indictment:[1] 

    GAO carried out a fraudulent scheme to open and use an unauthorized bank account in the name of a company (the “Management Company”) that managed a real estate development project in Manhattan (the “Real Estate Project”). GAO was an executive at another company that participated in a joint venture to develop the Real Estate Project, but GAO had no authorization from the Management Company to open the account in its name (the “Fraudulent Account”). 

    When GAO applied to open the Fraudulent Account, GAO made false representations to employees of an FDIC-insured bank (the “Bank”), including falsely representing that GAO was opening the Fraudulent Account with the Management Company’s permission. Additionally, when a representative of the Bank asked GAO to provide a copy of the Management Company’s operating agreement, GAO provided a fraudulent document rather than the actual operating agreement. 

    After GAO created the Fraudulent Account, an investment company agreed to invest $30 million in the Real Estate Development managed by the Management Company. But the investment company transferred its $30 million into the Fraudulent Account created by GAO rather than a legitimate account actually held and controlled by the Management Company. GAO then dispersed the $30 million to several accounts under the control of GAO and his co-conspirators.

    *                *                *

    GAO, 37, of Queens, New York is charged with one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. 

    The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.      

    Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding work of the FBI. 

    The case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Brumwell and Maggie Lynaugh are in charge of the prosecution.

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

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

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