TRENTON, N.J. – An owner of several New Jersey businesses admitted to fraudulently obtaining over $3.2 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Daniel Dadoun, 48, of Israel, formerly of South Plainfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch to an information charging bank fraud and money laundering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 2020 through August 2022, Dadoun engaged in a scheme to illegally obtain over $3.2 million in PPP loans for his New Jersey businesses by submitting false and fraudulent loan applications. After receiving the PPP loan proceeds, Dadoun sought to keep the money by submitting false and fraudulent PPP loan forgiveness applications that misrepresented payroll expenses and the number of employees at his companies. In support of the loan and forgiveness applications, Dadoun submitted falsified tax documents and altered bank statements.
The charge of bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $1,000,000, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. The charge of money laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, or twice the amount of criminally derived property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for August 13, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office, under direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr., special agents of the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, Boston New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Maryland, returned an indictment, unsealed yesterday, charging a Maryland woman with preparing false tax returns for clients and failing to file her own tax returns.
According to the indictment, Zewdi Tsegay, of Burtonsville, ran a tax preparation business called Taxes R Us LLC, which later changed its named to Taxes 4 You LLC. The indictment alleges that from 2018 through 2024, Tsegay prepared and filed with the IRS false tax returns for clients. These returns allegedly included false business losses that benefited the client by claiming false refunds to which they were not entitled or decreasing their tax liability.
According to the indictment, the IRS conducted an undercover operation at Tsegay’s business in March 2020. Tsegay allegedly initially prepared the undercover agent’s tax return correctly, which reflected that the undercover agent owed taxes, and then added a fictitious business loss to the return, which resulted in the return improperly requesting a refund. The indictment further alleges that from 2021 to 2023, Tsegay was required to file tax returns for herself but did not do so.
If convicted, Tsegay faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return and a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each count of failing to file her own tax returns. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Catriona M. Coppler and Richard Kelley of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
With Eurojust’s support, the JIT was set up in October 2021 by the judicial authorities of Sweden and France, with Belgium joining in October 2022 and the Netherlands in June 2023. The main aim of this judicial cooperation is to identify FTFs linked to ISIL (Da’esh) who have returned from Syria or Iraq and were involved in core international crimes, mainly perpetrated against Ezidi victims. Core international crimes are crimes such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The Netherlands had its first conviction for crimes against the Ezidi in December 2024. A Dutch citizen was convicted of crimes against humanity for the enslavement of a female Ezidi victim, participation in ISIL (Da’esh), promoting crimes with a terrorist objective and abandoning the victim’s son in a helpless position in a war zone. She was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment and identified through the work of the JIT.
Recently, a Swedish citizen was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, committed against nine Ezidi victims. Six of the victims were children under the age of seven. The extensive cooperation through the JIT proved to be crucial for this conviction in Sweden.
In 2026, a French citizen might be tried on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.
Based on the principle of universal jurisdiction, EU Member States can start investigations into core international crimes committed outside their own territory. Such cases are actively supported and coordinated by Eurojust and the Genocide Network Secretariat (GNS), which the Agency hosts.
With the financial and operational support of Eurojust, the JIT partners and investigating judicial authorities from Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Canada and Australia fully intend to continue the investigations into crimes against Ezidi victims committed by ISIL (Da’esh). However, they stress the need to receive adequate information and analytical support.
In view of this, they regret the closure of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (UNITAD), which ceased its activities in September 2024. With the conclusion of UNITAD’s mandate, information from its database, which is highly relevant to the work of the JIT, has been transferred to the United Nations headquarters. Unfortunately, they have limited capacity to respond to requests for access from national authorities.
Leading Swedish prosecutor and co-founder of the Eurojust-supported JIT, Ms Reena Devgun, stated: Unfortunately, the closure of UNITAD has slowed down the investigations of the joint investigation team. However, all its members hope that the UNITAD archive will be made easily accessible again soon to all practitioners who investigate core international crimes against Ezidi victims. This is of prime importance to continue their work to end impunity for these atrocities.
The work of the JIT is also actively supported by the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to assist in the investigation and prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed in the Syrian Arab Republic (IIIM). Eurojust remains fully at the disposal of the JIT partners to assist with the coordination and support of investigations.
Question for written answer E-001344/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Tomáš Zdechovský (PPE)
According to a recent investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Süddeutsche Zeitung, Western banks – particularly those based in Germany and Austria – transferred billions of euro in cash to Russia in the period immediately preceding Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Deutsche Bank alone is reported to have sent over EUR 2 billion in cash to Russia in 2022. These transfers, allegedly driven by the demand of Western companies for Russian roubles, may have contributed to stabilising the Russian economy and currency just as the EU was imposing sweeping sanctions on Moscow.
Given that the EU has maintained a sanctions regime against Russia since 2014, and that it significantly strengthened this following the 2022 invasion, these transfers give rise to serious concerns about their compatibility with both the letter and the spirit of EU sanctions.
I therefore ask:
1.Was the Commission informed in advance about these cash transfers to Russia, and does it consider them compatible with the EU sanctions framework?
2.Has the Commission investigated whether these transfers may have helped the Russian Government finance military operations or circumvent EU financial sanctions?
3.What measures does the Commission intend to take to prevent future sanctions circumvention through legal but highly problematic financial operations?
Since 2014, the Instrument for Pre-accession[1] (IPA II and IPA III) provided EUR 125.5 million for supporting the sector of rule of law and fundamental rights. Programming of IPA 2025-2027 is ongoing.
The Commission has developed a standard set of tools to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of EU assistance, including in the area of rule of law, for example through daily contacts with Kosovo[2] authorities and contractors through the EU Office on the ground.
The EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo also supports specifically rule of law institutions in Kosovo on their path towards increased independence, effectiveness, sustainability, multi-ethnicity and accountability, in line with international human rights standards and best European practices.
In addition, the Commission’s external monitoring system, the Results-Oriented Monitoring[3] (ROM), provides external independent assessment of the progress achieved with the EU assistance, and reinforces the practice of results-based management in EU external action operations, as part of the Commission’s commitment to support effectiveness and accountability.
In the last 10 years, 75 ROM exercises were conducted, leading to numerous recommendations having been addressed, including in the area of rule of law.
The IPA Monitoring Committee, the highest-level EU-Kosovo dialogue on EU assistance, regularly discusses the progress on EU assistance for each sector and globally.
It results in recommendations that the beneficiary country has to address; the progress is reviewed at the following meeting. Strategic evaluation of the EU financial assistance in Kosovo was launched in 2024 and the report is expected to be published in 2025.
[2]This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/1999 and the International Court of Justice Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence
In the 2024 Rule of Law Report’s country chapter for the Netherlands[1], the Commission referred to the ongoing discussion in the Netherlands on the procedure for appointing members of the Council for the Judiciary and court management boards.
The Commission continues to follow the developments in this respect in the context of the preparation of the 2025 Rule of Law Report.
As recalled in the 2024 Rule of Law Report, procedures for the appointment and dismissal of judges and the powers and composition of Councils for the Judiciary are important in safeguarding judicial independence, based on the principles established by the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Also, European standards have been developed by the Council of Europe on how the Councils for the Judiciary should be designed to best safeguard their independence, including as regards their composition.
The preparation for the 2025 Rule of Law Report is ongoing, based on a well-established methodology[2] and on a continued dialogue with the national authorities and in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The following is issued on behalf of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region:
Launched today (April 15) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, the National Security Education Day activities were hosted by the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the Hong Kong National Security Committee) and supported by the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (LOCPG) and the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (OSNS). The Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Mr Xia Baolong officiated at the opening ceremony of the National Security Education Day via video. Officiating guests attending the opening ceremony were the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Chairman of the Hong Kong National Security Committee, Mr John Lee; Director of LOCPG and National Security Advisor of the Hong Kong National Security Committee, Mr Zheng Yanxiong; Head of OSNS, Mr Dong Jingwei; Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR, Mr Cui Jianchun; and Political Commissar of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison, Navy Rear Admiral Lai Ruxin.
In his keynote speech delivered via video at the opening ceremony, Director Xia Baolong said that over the past decade, China had achieved historic successes in national security work, and Hong Kong had gone through an extraordinary journey from chaos to governance and then from governance to greater prosperity. History and reality tell us that external forces’ attempts to destabilise Hong Kong and use it to contain China will not change and can never succeed; the Chinese people will never accept bullying, and all Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots, cannot be intimidated or overwhelmed; Hong Kong compatriots have a long-standing tradition of patriotism and love for Hong Kong, and those who betray the Motherland and Hong Kong will never have a good ending.
Director Xia pointed out that currently, the practice of “one country, two systems” has entered a new stage. The good situation in Hong Kong today has come at a great cost and should be treasured. We must consolidate and develop this good situation. We must face the problems related to the development and security in Hong Kong, be vigilant and stay united. Every individual, group, enterprise and organisation needs to work together with Hong Kong compatriots and all Chinese people to defend Hong Kong and the country, ensure high-quality development with high-level security, and promote the steady and sustained practice of “one country, two systems”.
Director Xia mentioned three “beliefs”. It is believed that the national security institutions of the HKSAR will resolutely shoulder the sacred mission of maintaining national security and further strengthen the solid barrier for national security. It is believed that all sectors of Hong Kong society can actively fulfil their obligation to maintain national security and jointly protect their beautiful home – Hong Kong. It is believed that the business community and entrepreneurs can make Hong Kong their home, build their businesses, and contribute to both Hong Kong and the country with more practical actions.
Director Xia pointed out, “Many public officials in Hong Kong have been unreasonably sanctioned by the United States for their work in maintaining national security, but they are not afraid, are working steadfastly to fulfil their duties, and are willing to sacrifice their own interests for the benefit of the country. They take concrete actions to love and protect the country and Hong Kong, and I am proud of them,”
“It is hoped that Hong Kong’s business community and entrepreneurs will continue to play a leading role in driving economic development, carry forward the fine tradition of patriotism and love for Hong Kong, correctly understand the relationship between their own enterprises and the development of both Hong Kong and the nation, and always uphold righteousness and never forget national interests.”
Mr Lee expressed his gratitude to Director Xia Baolong for his care, guidance and support for Hong Kong all along. Mr Lee said, “The inspiring speech by Director Xia reminds us to not forget the past and to be vigilant about national security risks. We must also resolutely uphold national security and ensure the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong further.”
At the opening ceremony, Mr Lee said, “The world is undergoing unprecedented changes at an accelerating pace. Hong Kong will face increasingly turbulent risks to national security in the future. We must remain vigilant, as the aftermath of the 2019 ‘black-clad’ violence has not yet ended. Anti-China subversive forces in Hong Kong continue to attempt a resurgence, engaging in ‘soft resistance’ and inciting hatred and resentment,”
“Moreover, the United States’ wanton suppression of China and the HKSAR has become increasingly fanatical. In the face of the United States’ unbridled hegemonism, the HKSAR fully supports our country’s efforts to respond to the United States’ challenges, to defend China’s legitimate rights and interests, and to uphold international fairness and justice. At the same time, Hong Kong is committed to maintaining its status as a free port with virtually zero tariffs and pursuing open and free trade. With the resilience, adaptability, and indomitable spirit of the Hong Kong people, the city will once again navigate through adversity and emerge stronger, proving its worth as like pure gold standing the test of fire,”
“The international landscape is complex and fast changing, and threats to national security can appear suddenly. We must always stay vigilant and, when embracing immense challenges, be prepared in the following four areas: (1) resolutely, fully and faithfully implement the ‘one country, two systems’ principle; (2) thoroughly implement the holistic approach to national security; (3) continuously improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security; (4) actively promote by way of education across society the need to safeguard national security of our own accord.”
“The SAR government will fulfil its constitutional responsibility to safeguard national security, effectively resolve the conflicts and problems in the course of development and reforms, proactively identify, adapt to, and drive changes, deepen international exchanges and cooperation, and actively integrate into the broader national development landscape. At the same time, it will properly deal with all complex situations, spare no efforts in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, and make greater contributions to the building of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the nation.”
In his speech, Director Zheng emphasised the need to further strengthen the foundation for the awareness of safeguarding national security; to better coordinate high-quality development with high-level security; and to actively pursue Hong Kong’s important mission in this new stage.
“If our security foundations are not firmly supported or are unstable, our development will be precarious and will risk collapsing. Likewise, if we delay or neglect development, the foundation for our security will also become unstable. We must resolutely coordinate high-quality development with high-level security, and safeguard and advance the blossoming prospect and positive atmosphere that Hong Kong has been hard winning,”
“It is essential to remember that building and developing Hong Kong well is, in itself, a powerful contribution to Chinese-style modernisation.”
In his speech, Director Dong Jingwei stated, “We must not forget the painful scenes and lessons related to the proposed legislative amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance, and we must remain clear-eyed about the ever-changing and complex national security landscape while firmly establishing the belief that ‘development is one overriding principle; security is another’,”
“National security has never been a blessing from others. Flattery leads nowhere; submission has no future; and pleading only guarantees elimination,”
“On this new journey in the new era, Hong Kong’s national security work requires strategic confidence, a firm belief in victory, and a strong hold on the strategic initiative in safeguarding national security.”
Commissioner Cui Jianchun stated in his speech that the United States prioritises its own interests above the common good of the international community, and such zero-sum mentality engenders division and confrontation, bringing significant instability and uncertainty to the world.
“I believe Hong Kong can proactively adapt to changes and seize opportunities, fully leveraging the core advantages of ‘one country, two systems’ and its role as a bridge connecting domestic and global markets. By steadfastly utilising its unique status as a free port, Hong Kong can make distinctive contributions to upholding the multilateral trading system and promoting the building of a shared future for the neighbouring communities!”
Rear Admiral Lai Ruxin in his speech said that since its stationing in Hong Kong, the Garrison has been resolutely implementing the “one country, two systems” principle, the Basic Law of the HKSAR, and the Garrison Law, and firmly safeguarding the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.
“All officers and soldiers of the Hong Kong Garrison will remain unwavering in following the Party’s command, enhancing combat readiness training, sincerely caring for Hong Kong and its people, and resolutely upholding national sovereignty, security, and Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability.”
The HKSAR Government has been comprehensively promoting national security education through creative approaches with rich content. In August last year, the National Security Exhibition Gallery (the Gallery) was established, which is the first thematic gallery in the HKSAR dedicated to the systematic promotion of national security education, and also the first national security education base in the HKSAR. In just eight months since its opening, the Gallery has already registered over 600 000 visits. To mark the 10th National Security Education Day this year, the Gallery launched a thematic exhibition last month to reflect on the development of national security education advanced by both the country and the HKSAR Government over the years. In addition, the National Security Education District Tutor Training Scheme started in November last year. So far, about 3 000 district tutors have completed the training and have shared national security messages with over 120 000 people in the communities. In this academic year, the “Territory-wide Inter-school National Security Knowledge Challenge” has, for the first time, introduced an English section for non-Chinese speaking secondary school students, in addition to the primary and secondary school sections. A total of 610 schools participated, with over 126 000 students taking part, which represented an increase of more than 20 per cent as compared to last year’s. After several rounds of competitions, a total of 130 students and their coaching teachers joined the National Security Education Study Tour to visit Beijing and Shanghai in December last year. At today’s opening ceremony, students from the study tour shared their experiences of the journey via a short play. Through heartfelt and lively dialogues in a time-travel setting, the young generation of Hong Kong won the approval of the guests in their display of the sense of national identity, the awareness in safeguarding national security of their own accord, and the aspiration to serve the country.
Apart from the above, the disciplined services held a solemn and grand flag-raising ceremony on the morning of April 15, and “National Security Cup” sports events and open days before and after April 15. In addition, 18 District Councils have organised different events, including seminars, carnivals, competitions, lectures, for Hong Kong citizens to participate in and understand national security.
The National Security Law of the People’s Republic of China stipulates that April 15 each year is the National Security Education Day. The aim of National Security Education Day is to raise citizens’ awareness of safeguarding national security and help them appreciate that everyone has a responsibility for safeguarding national security and that everyone should fulfil such responsibility.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Today (April 15) marks the 10th National Security Education Day. The Security Bureau (SB) and its disciplined services and auxiliary services, together with other parties, held various activities including a flag-raising ceremony by disciplined services, the finals and award presentation ceremony of the Territory-wide Inter-school National Security Knowledge Challenge, and the launching ceremony of the new national security comic book Andy and Security Bear, with a view to creating an engaging atmosphere for safeguarding national security and enhancing public awareness of safeguarding national security.
The SB and its disciplined services jointly held a flag-raising ceremony at the Hong Kong Police College this morning. The ceremony started with a music performance by the Police Band, followed by a march-in of the disciplined services ceremonial guard. The Police flag party then marched into the venue and conducted the flag-raising ceremony with the playing and singing of the national anthem. Officiating at the ceremony, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, said that the flag-raising ceremony instils passion and loyalty towards the country and the people, as well as deepens the understanding of the responsibility and mission to safeguard national security. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will continue to leverage the strengths of the Hong Kong National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance to build a strong line of defence to maintain security and stability in the HKSAR, and to provide solid institutional safeguards to promote good governance.
The Commission is continuously following the rule of law situation in all Member States, including in Slovenia, and is monitoring developments in its annual Rule of Law Report.
The 2024 Rule of Law Report, country chapter on Slovenia[1] provides an assessment of the situation of the rule of law in Slovenia in four key areas: the justice system, the anti-corruption framework, media pluralism and freedom, and other institutional issues related to checks and balances.
As part of the preparation of the 2025 Rule of Law Report, the Commission carries out virtual country meetings with key stakeholders in all Member States, including Slovenia. For Slovenia, these country meetings took place in the second half of March 2025.
[1] 2024 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in Slovenia, SWD(2024) 824 final, accessible at: https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/b76a7422-b03a-4104-9f61-9d9be3c34e44_en?filename=54_1_58081_coun_chap_slovenia_en.pdf
But what followed was one of the worst genocides of the 20th century. During a brutal four-year rule, the communist-nationalist ideologues of the Khmer Rouge killed between 1.6 million and 3 million people through executions, forced labor and starvation. It represented a quarter of the country’s population at the time.
Fifty years on, the Khmer Rouge’s legacy continues to shape Cambodia – politically, socially, economically and emotionally. It’s etched into every Cambodian’s bones – including mine.
Photo of author’s parents in Cambodia, taken in late 1960s. Sophal Ear, CC BY
I write this not just as an academic or observer but as a survivor. My father died under the Khmer Rouge, succumbing to dysentery and malnutrition after being forced to work in a labor camp. My mother pretended to be Vietnamese to save our family. She escaped Cambodia with five children in 1976, crossing through Vietnam before reaching France in 1978 and finally the United States in 1985. We were among the lucky ones.
Today, Cambodia is physically unrecognizable from the bombed-out fields and empty cities of the 1970s. Phnom Penh gleams with high-rises and luxury malls. And yet beneath the glitter, the past endures – often in silence, sometimes in cynical exploitation.
Legacy of fear and control
The Khmer Rouge came to power on a wave of disillusionment, corruption, civil war and rural resentment. Years of American bombing, the 1970 U.S.-backed coup that ousted Prince Norodom Sihanouk, and the subsequent deeply unpopular U.S.-aligned military regime set the stage for the Khmer Rouge’s rise.
Many Cambodians, particularly in the countryside, welcomed the Khmer Rouge, with its mix of hard-line communist ideology and extreme Cambodian nationalism, as liberators who promised to restore order and dignity. But for the next four years, the Khmer Rouge, under feared leader Pol Pot, brought terror to the nation through ideological purges, forced labor, racial genocide of minority groups and policies that brought widespread famine.
People digging a water canal under the guard of an armed Khmer Rouge soldier in 1976. AFP via Getty Images
This political culture of fear draws directly from the Khmer Rouge playbook – minus the overt violence. The trauma inflicted by that regime taught people to distrust one another, to keep quiet, to survive by keeping their heads down. That impulse still shapes public life.
But it took decades to begin, cost over US$300 million and convicted only three senior Khmer Rouge leaders over the 1975–79 genocide. Many mid- and lower-level perpetrators walk free, some are still in government positions, some neighbors to survivors.
For a nation where the majority of the population was born after 1979, there remains a glaring gap in education and public reckoning over the Khmer Rouge’s atrocities.
Cambodia’s school curriculum still struggles to teach this period adequately. For many young people, it’s something their parents don’t talk about and the state prefers to frame selectively.
Economic growth − uneven and fragile
In raw numbers, Cambodia’s economic progress over the past two decades has been impressive.
Instead of building a resilient, diversified economy, Cambodia has relied on relationships – with China for investment, with the U.S. for markets – without investing enough in its own human capital. That, too, I believe, is a legacy of the Khmer Rouge, which destroyed the country’s intellectual and professional classes.
Trauma passed down
The psychological toll of genocide doesn’t disappear with time. Survivors carry the scars in their bodies and minds.
But so do their children and grandchildren. Studies in postgenocide Cambodia have shown elevated rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression among survivorsand their descendants, resulting in intergenerational trauma.
There are not nearly enough mental health services in the country. Trauma is often dealt with privately, through silence or resilience rather than therapy. Buddhism, the country’s dominant religion, offers rituals for healing, reincarnation and forgiveness. But this isn’t a substitute for systemic mental health infrastructure.
Worse, in recent years, even the memory of the genocide has been politicized.
Some leaders use it as a tool to silence dissent. Others co-opt it for nationalist narratives. There’s little room for honest, critical reflection. Some independent initiatives, such as intergenerational dialogue programs and digital archives, have tried to fill the gap but face limited support.
This is, I believe, a second tragedy. A country cannot truly move forward if it cannot speak freely about its past.
A tourist looks at portraits of victims of the Khmer Rouge at the Tuol Sleng genocide museum in Phnom Penh, formerly a Khmer Rouge torture center known as S-21. Tang Chhin Southy/AFP via Getty Images)
The danger of forgetting
April 17 is not a national holiday in Cambodia. There are no official commemorations. The government doesn’t encourage remembrance of the day Phnom Penh fell to the Khmer Rouge. But to my mind, it should. Not to reopen wounds, but to remind Cambodians why justice, democracy and dignity matter.
The danger isn’t that Cambodia will return to the days of the Khmer Rouge. The danger is that it becomes a place where history is manipulated, where authoritarianism is justified as stability and where development is allowed to paper over injustice.
As the world marks the 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge’s rise, Cambodia must, I believe, reckon with this uncomfortable truth: The regime may be long gone, but its legacy lives on in the institutions, behaviors and fears that continue to shape Cambodia today.
A personal reckoning
When I look back, I think of my father – whom I never knew. I think of my mother, who risked everything to save us. And I think of the millions of Cambodians who live with memories they cannot forget, and the young Cambodians who deserve to know the full truth.
My life has been shaped by what happened on April 17, 1975. But that story isn’t mine alone. It belongs to Cambodia – and it’s still being written.
Sophal Ear does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Russian president Vladimir Putin does not seem interested in peace: Sunday’s missile strike on Sumy, the worst civilian attack this year, proves he is determined to expand into Ukraine at any cost.
This is a war of ideas, narratives and myths – one that can be traced to the mid-1500s, when Ivan the Terrible, Grand Duke of Muscovy declared himself the first “tsar” of all Russia.
As part of his quest for power, Ivan the Terrible challenged King Sigismund I of Poland, who as Duke of Rus, ruled over territories that now comprise parts of modern-day Ukraine.
Russian rulers have often repurposed history to build their power, according to historian Orlando Figes. Putin wrote a well known essay in 2021 that called Russians and Ukrainians “one people”. He was relying on old beliefs that Russia has the right to “restore” or reunite lands it once ruled.
Ukraine has survived bans on its language, forced assimilation policies, and famines like the Holodomor, orchestrated by Stalin in the 1930s. The country declared independence from Russia in 1991. Now, teachers, artists and local leaders have joined soldiers in resisting Russia.
Empire and a holy mission
A broad expanse of the former medieval kingdom of Kyivan Rus incorporated territories in present-day Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, including Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. From 1386 until 1772, the majority of these lands came under the rule of Poland-Lithuania, governed by the Lithuanian Jagiellon dynasty, and their successors.
Today, Russia often points to Kyivan Rus (which lasted from the 9th to the 13th century), claiming it is reuniting these ancient lands, as Ivan the Terrible claimed in the mid-1500s.
Grand Duchy of Lithuania, ruled by the Jagiellon dynasty in the 13th to 15th centuries. Wikipedia, CC BY
In 1547, Ivan declared Muscovy a tsardom and Moscow to be the “Third Rome” – in other words, the latest centre of true Christianity, after Rome and Constantinople. This idea made conquest seem like a holy mission. By the late 1700s, the Russian Empire had destroyed Poland-Lithuania in a series of territorial annexations and wars. It had spread far to the south and east, and now bordered with Prussia and Austria.
Ukraine, with its rich farmland and cultural connection to Kyivan Rus, was a top prize. Russian leaders called Ukraine “Malorossiya”, or “Little Russia”, to claim it was just a small part of a larger, Russian whole. They banned Ukrainian-language publications, forced the Orthodox Church of Ukraine to answer to Moscow, and tried to stamp out any sense of a separate Ukrainian identity.
However, Ukraine developed its own cultural identity, shaped by its Cossack traditions, its history under Polish–Lithuanian rule, and its separate experiences. Many Ukrainians argue their culture existed long before Muscovy evolved into an empire.
Meanwhile, Russia had expanded into its next-door neighbours, then pretended these lands had always been part of Russia. Historian Alexander Etkind calls this process “internal colonisation”. This strategy helped Russia become a vast empire. But it also built lasting resentment, particularly in Ukraine.
Famine and ‘fascists’
The Soviet Union (USSR), established in 1922 in the wake of the successful Bolshevik Coup in 1917, claimed to be a union of equal republics. But in practice, Moscow stayed firmly in control.
Ukraine had the label of “Soviet Republic”, but had little genuine independence. Soviet leaders demanded enormous amounts of grain, coal, and labour from Ukraine to support the rest of the USSR.
A postcard printed in Germany by Ukrainian Youth Association for the 15th anniversary of Holodomor, 1933. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY
One of the darkest periods in Ukrainian history was the Holodomor, an orchestrated famine that spanned 1932–33, in which millions of Ukrainians died of hunger, after Stalin’s government seized huge amounts of grain from farmers. These policies aimed to break Ukrainian resistance and nationalist feelings.
After World War II, the Soviet Union took over the Baltic states and parts of Poland, including regions now in western Ukraine. Although Ukraine became one of the more industrialised parts of the USSR, genuine displays of Ukrainian culture or independent thought were often met with harsh punishment. People who spoke out were labelled “fascists”, a term still used in Russia’s modern propaganda.
The USSR fell apart in 1991. Ukraine, along with other former Soviet republics, became independent nations. This was a major blow to Russia’s idea of itself as a world empire. For centuries, Moscow had seen Ukraine as central to its identity.
The 1990s brought tough economic reforms and political changes in Russia. Then Vladimir Putin rose to power in the early 2000s, promising to restore Russia’s influence. He described the former Soviet states as the “near abroad”, suggesting Moscow still had special rights over these regions.
In 2008, Russia went to war with Georgia. After winning, it recognised two breakaway provinces in Georgia, effectively keeping troops there.
In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine, claiming it was protecting Russian speakers. It also backed separatists in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region. The United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 68/262 in March 2014, declaring Russia’s annexation of Crimea illegal. The Kremlin continued its policies regardless.
‘Denazifying’ Ukraine?
In February 2022, Russia expanded the conflict by launching an invasion of Ukraine. It described its actions as a mission to “denazify” the country, accusing Ukraine’s government of being controlled by Nazis – although president Zelenskyy has Jewish heritage.
There was no evidence to support these claims. Still, Russian leaders used these slogans to justify their aggressive push. They also spoke of “traditional values” and “Orthodox unity”, painting themselves as defenders of a shared Slavic culture.
The military objective was to capture the Donbas completely, create a land bridge to Crimea, and maybe advance further to Transnistria in Moldova, a pro-Russian separatist region.
What Russia hoped would be a quick victory has become a long, brutal conflict. For many Ukrainians, independence is more than just avoiding control by Moscow. It is about creating a society built on democracy, human rights and ties to Europe.
These values inspired the Euromaidan protests in Kyiv in 2013–14, where demonstrators demanded less corruption and closer links to the European Union. Russia used these protests to justify seizing Crimea in 2014.
A message of self-determination
The Kremlin’s insistence that Ukrainians and Russians are the same mirrors the older imperial model: expand, absorb and claim these territories were always part of Russia. Breaking free from this “mental empire” demands a deep shift in how Russians, Ukrainians, and the world view Eastern Europe’s past and present.
When the Soviet Union collapsed, many hoped for a new era of cooperation in Eastern Europe. Instead, authoritarian politics and old beliefs about empire have led to a devastating conflict.
By refusing to be pulled back into Russia’s orbit, Ukrainians send a message about self-determination. They reject the claim bigger nations can absorb smaller ones simply by invoking a shared past.
Darius von Guttner Sporzynski does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
A 49-year-old man was stopped by RCMP Traffic Services West for excessive speeding on April 13, 2025, on Route 430 near Cormack and was issued a demand for roadside breath testing.
At approximately 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, police stopped a vehicle traveling 153 kms/hr in a posted 90 kms/hr zone on Route 430. The driver showed signs of alcohol impairment and provide a roadside breath sample that was above the provincial limit, but below the criminal threshold for impaired driving.
He was ticketed for the excessive speeding. For having a blood alcohol concentration above the provincial limit and for the excessive speeding, his licence was suspended and the vehicle was seized and impounded.
The combination of speed and alcohol when operating a vehicle places the driver, and all others who share the roadway, at increased levels of risk for serious injuries or death. If you suspect someone is driving while impaired or in a dangerous manner, please immediately contact your local police or dial 911.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARIA DEL CARMEN SANCHEZ POTRERO, also known as Maria Carmela Sanchez, 71, a citizen of Mexico last residing in Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 51 months of imprisonment for her involvement in a scheme to smuggle aliens into the U.S., harbor them at Hartford area residences, force them to work, and threaten to harm them in various ways if they failed to pay exorbitant fees, interest, and other living expenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in September 2022, the FBI and Hartford Police interviewed several Mexican nationals who disclosed that they were smuggled from Mexico into the U.S. and transported to Hartford. The investigation revealed that victims typically arranged with Sanchez and others in Connecticut and Mexico to cross the border into the U.S. in exchange for a fee of between $15,000 and $20,000 that each would need to pay once they were in the U.S. In most cases, the victims were required to turn over a property deed as collateral before leaving Mexico. They were then smuggled across the border and transported to Hartford area residences, including Sanchez’s residence on Madison Street in Hartford, often at a substantial risk of bodily injury or death.
After the victims arrived in Connecticut, they were told that they would have to pay approximately $30,000, with interest, and that they would have to pay Sanchez and her co-coconspirators for rent, food, gas and utilities. Sanchez and her co-conspirators created false documents for the victims, including Permanent Residence cards and Social Security cards, and helped the victims find employment in the Hartford area. In addition to their own jobs, some victims were required to perform housework and yardwork without compensation and without having their debt reduced.
Victims were rarely provided with an accounting of their debt. If victims failed to make regular payments, or in amounts that Sanchez and her co-conspirators expected, they were sometimes threatened, including with threats to harm family members in Mexico, to take property in Mexico that had been secured as collateral, to reveal victims’ immigration status to U.S. authorities, and to raise their interest payments.
To date, investigators have identified 19 victims of this scheme. Multiple victims were minors, and at least two were smuggled into the U.S. unaccompanied by a relative or legal guardian.
Sanchez has been detained since her arrest on March 1, 2023. On October 24, 2024, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to encourage and induce, bring in, transport, and harbor aliens.
Judge Dooley ordered Sanchez to pay restitution of $574,608.
Sanchez faces immigration when she completes her prison term.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hartford Police Department, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel Krull and Shan Patel.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Tadashi Kura Kojima, also known as Aaron Michael Zeman, 29, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release, after he kidnapped a Utah teenager to engage in illegal sexual activity.
The sentence, imposed by Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr., comes after Kojima pleaded guilty in November 2024 to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Layton Police Department and Grand Island Police Department in Nebraska.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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 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.
ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp, accompanied by First Lady Marty Kemp, Speaker Jon Burns, Mayor Andre Dickens, Department of Public Safety (DPS) Commissioner Col. Billy Hitchens, state and local leaders, and law enforcement officers, hosted a ceremony today at the Governor’s Mansion celebrating the opening of the new State Patrol Post located on the mansion grounds that will serve the broader Buckhead community and surrounding parts of Atlanta. The 1,750-square-foot facility and garage bay, designed by Houser Walker Architecture, sits adjacent to the entrance of the Governor’s Mansion on Woodhaven Road NW and maintains the historical integrity of the surrounding grounds.
“Keeping our communities safe is my top priority and today’s milestone would not have been possible without the leadership and support of our partners in the General Assembly,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Thanks to the General Assembly, Mayor Dickens, and the brave and dedicated work of state and local law enforcement, we are witnessing a historic reduction in violent crime in our capital city. With the opening of this new post, we’re furthering our collaborative approach to taking criminals off our streets and bringing them to justice.”
This new GSP facility was made possible by the addition of $1.3 million in the FY24 budget by the Georgia House of Representatives and approved by the entire General Assembly.
“It was a great day to celebrate the opening of the new Georgia State Patrol Post in Buckhead, which will serve the greater Atlanta community and contribute to the safety of our entire state for generations to come,” said Speaker Jon Burns. “Atlanta is stronger when Buckhead is safer, and that’s why the House was proud to invest over $1 million to support this new Georgia State Patrol post. We will continue leading efforts to crack down on crime, bolster public safety, and support our law enforcement heroes and their families every step of the way.”
“Effective public safety involves partnerships, coordination, and collaboration,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “I believe I can speak for Chief Schierbaum when I say that the Atlanta Police Department and the City of Atlanta look forward to working hand-in-hand with our State Patrol colleagues. This new post represents our shared commitment to fostering trust in all our communities as we continue to Move Atlanta Forward.”
Approximately 35 Troopers will be able to utilize the post, with 13 Troopers directly assigned to the facility, providing increased accessibility to and around-the-clock security for the Buckhead community and surrounding areas.
“We are happy to open a new POST that will allow our Troopers to better serve their community while enforcing Georgia’s traffic laws and holding criminals accountable,” said DPS Commissioner Col. Billy Hitchens. “The new POST, along with our partnership with the Atlanta Police Department, gives us a tremendous advantage against those who choose to break the law, and the crime rates will continue to lower.”
Construction of the new Georgia State Patrol post was completed in March 2025.
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Matthew A. Steele, 53, of Elma, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to production and possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that between July 2008, and July 2010, Steele produced images of child pornography with a minor female (victim) on several occasions from the time she was approximately nine years old until she was approximately 12 years old. Some of the images were distributed by Steele to other unknown individuals. On March 11, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at his residence, seizing two electronic devices. A forensic review of the devices recovered numerous sexually explicit images of the victim created by Steele. In addition, 45 images of child pornography, not involving the victim, that Steele obtained over the internet were recovered. Some of the images included prepubescent minors and depicted violence against children.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 13, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Sinatra.
ADVISORY – YORK COUNTY – Shapiro Administration, PA Office of Attorney General to Encourage Participation in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, Get Unwanted Meds off the Street
The Shapiro Administration and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General will join York County officials tomorrow to encourage Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth to take part in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 26.
Individuals may drop off unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medication at any of the hundreds of secure locations throughout the state.
WHO: Dr. Latika Davis-Jones, Secretary, Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs Major General John Pippy, Adjutant General, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) Sergeant Logan Brouse, Pennsylvania State Police Kara Bowser, Senior Counsel, Office of Attorney General Jonathan Bowman, Acting Deputy Secretary, Department of Aging Michael Muldrow, York City Police Commissioner
WHEN: April 16, 2025; 11:00 AM
WHERE: York City Police Department; 50 West King Street, York PA 17401
VISUALS: Photos and video may be taken of a take-back box and DMVA’s collection truck which will both be onsite
RSVP: Please email stdugan@pa.gov and share the reporter’s name and media outlet who wishes to attend.
The Annual Energy Outlook 2025 (AEO2025) explores potential long-term energy trends in the United States. AEO2025 is published in accordance with Section 205c of the Department of Energy Organization Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-91), which requires the Administrator of the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) to prepare an annual report that contains trends and projections of energy consumption and supply. These projections are used by federal, state, and local governments; industry; trade associations; and other planners and decisionmakers in the public and private sectors.
We prepared the AEO by using the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) to project a set of scenarios that, taken together, represent a range of outcomes for the U.S. energy system. AEO2025 represents the culmination of a year-long effort that enabled major upgrades to NEMS.
Our policy assumptions are central to understanding our AEO2025 projections. In most of the cases we model, we only consider laws and regulations implemented as of December 2024. As is the case every time we prepare an AEO, a cutoff date is necessary to enable us to conclude our modeling and integrate the final results for publication. Therefore, legislation, regulations, executive actions, and court rulings after that date are not included. We are releasing the model results without a lengthy market analysis this year.
The U.S. energy system underwent major changes in the first quarter of the 21st century as oil and natural gas production surged, renewables were deployed more widely, and energy consumption patterns changed. AEO2025 can help stakeholders examine the ways in which the system could further change through 2050.
Energy markets are complex. Energy models are simplified representations of energy production and consumption, laws and regulations, and producer and consumer behavior. Projections are highly dependent on the data, methodologies, model structures, and assumptions used in their development. These results are not predictions of what will happen. Instead, AEO2025 results represent modeled projections of what could happen given certain assumptions and methodologies.
Consistent with our historical practices and statutory mission, we do not independently propose or advocate future legislative and regulatory changes, although at times we do analyze scenarios based on existing policy proposals. Our assumptions documents provide additional details on the assumptions we included in AEO2025, and an overview of the laws and regulations included in AEO2025 is available on the AEO website.
AEO2025’s projections reflect business-as-usual trends, given known technological and demographic trends and current laws and regulations, and so provides a policy-neutral Reference case and an accompanying set of core side cases that can be used to analyze policy initiatives. For some readers, this approach may be unsatisfying because policy rarely remains static for long periods. But the purpose of basing projections on laws and regulations as of December 2024 is to provide a comparison point for further analysis; without such a reference point, critical information about incremental changes to energy system outcomes based on new assumptions is lost.
Because policies can have meaningful impacts on the energy sector, we have also included two alternative policy cases this year to help stakeholders to examine the effects of regulations implemented since our last AEO. When compared with the Reference case, one case allows stakeholders to examine the effects of recent regulations on power plants and the other recent regulations targeting vehicle fuel economy and emissions.
Modeled Cases
Outcomes concerning future technology, demographics, and resources cannot be known with any degree of certainty. We address many key uncertainties in our projections through alternative cases. In AEO2025, we ran 11 cases to model a range of assumptions. In addition to the two alternative policy cases we examined this year, we also include eight core side cases, which we have presented in prior releases of the AEO. A detailed explanation of each case is available on the website, and a brief description is in the following sections.
AEO2025 Reference case
Our Reference case assesses how the U.S. energy markets could operate under laws and regulations current as of December 2024 and under historically observed technological growth assumptions.
Alternative Electricity case
Our Alternative Electricity case assumes the Clean Air Act (CAA) Section 111 rule implemented by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in April 2024 to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from new gas-fired combustion turbines and existing coal, oil, and gas-fired steam generating units is not in place, and the affected generators are able to operate under rules existing prior to April 2024. In this case, existing coal-fired plants continue operating without requiring modifications to reduce emissions, and generation from new natural gas-fired combined cycle units isn’t constrained based on whether the plant has installed carbon capture equipment.
Alternative Transportation case
Our Alternative Transportation case assumes the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards and EPA’s vehicle tailpipe emission standards for model years 2027–2032 are not in place. The case also assumes the California Air Resources Board’s zero-emission vehicle sale mandates for trucks issued since our last published AEO are not in place. Rules affecting fuel economy and tailpipe emissions that were issued for model years 2026 and earlier remain in place. In this case, introduction of new electric vehicle (EV) models and building of EV charging infrastructure are based on growth in EV sales and registrations rather than on announced public and private sector plans. In addition, manufacturer reshoring of EV and battery supply chains, including growth in eligibility for credits under the Inflation Reduction Act, is slower than in the Reference case.
High and Low Oil Price cases
In the High Oil Price case, the price of Brent crude oil increases to $155 per barrel (b) in 2050, compared with $91/b in the Reference case and $47/b in the Low Oil Price case.
High and Low Oil and Gas Supply cases
The High Oil and Gas Supply case assumes ultimate recovery for new tight oil, tight gas, or shale gas wells are 50% higher than in the Reference case. The case also assumes 50% higher undiscovered resources in Alaska and offshore fields. Technological improvement is assumed to be 50% faster. The Low Oil and Gas Supply case assumes the converse.
High and Low Zero-Carbon Technology Cost cases
The Low Zero-Carbon Technology Cost case assumes faster cost declines for electricity-generating technologies that produce zero emissions as construction and manufacturing experience grows, resulting in 40% lower costs than in the Reference case in 2050. The High Zero-Carbon Technology Cost case, conversely, assumes no additional cost reductions from learning with additional deployment of these electricity generating technologies.
High and Low Economic Growth cases
The High Economic Growth case assumes the compound annual growth rate for U.S. GDP is 2.1% through 2050, and the Low Economic Growth case assumes a 1.2% rate. By contrast, the Reference case assumes the U.S. GDP annual growth rate is 1.8% over the projection period.
Major changes for AEO2025
In 2024 we made significant updates to NEMS, and an overview of the changes can be found in our assumptions documents and in the module-specific fact sheets. Briefly, the model that underpins our outlook now includes three new modules:
The Hydrogen Market Module, which represents hydrogen production and pricing, including the impacts of policy, storage, and logistics
The Carbon Capture, Allocation, Transportation, and Sequestration Module, which allocates projected supply of captured CO2 across the energy system either for enhanced oil recovery or storage
The Hydrocarbon Supply Module, which improves the representation of upstream oil and natural gas resources, replacing the legacy NEMS Oil and Gas Supply Module
In addition to the new modules, we have extensively enhanced many existing modules to better reflect market dynamics and emerging technologies. We will provide additional details in the AEO2025 model documentation in the coming months.
We have rewritten and modernized significant portions of the NEMS code base. The source code associated with NEMS is now available via GitHub under an open-source license.
In addition to changes to NEMS, we also updated the way we calculate primary energy consumption of electricity generation from noncombustible renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal. We now calculate consumption of noncombustible renewable energy for electricity generation using the captured energy approach, which applies a constant conversion factor of 3,412 British thermal units per kilowatthour (Btu/kWh), using the heat content of electricity. This approach is a change from our previous methodology, called the fossil fuel equivalency approach, and is consistent with the methodology now used for all EIA products and reports.
The captured energy approach is more consistent with international energy statistics standards than the fossil fuel equivalency approach.
SEATTLE – The Washington state Attorney General’s Office today filed a civil rights lawsuit against Seattle Public Schools, alleging repeated failures to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant and nursing employees as required by state law.
The office’s investigation found Seattle Public Schools routinely failed to provide legally required accommodations to pregnant and nursing employees such as flexible restroom breaks, modified work schedules, and the ability to sit more frequently. One employee, while eight months pregnant, was unable to sit her entire workday.
These practices affected employees across various schools over several years. The state’s investigation revealed that Seattle Public Schools did not have a district-level policy for how to handle pregnancy accommodation requests from employees.
The district also failed to provide reasonable break time to express milk, or clean and private locations for nursing employees to pump. Employees were walked in on while expressing milk, endured painful clogged ducts, and experienced infections like mastitis. One employee felt “they had no choice but to take leave to continue breastfeeding,” according to the complaint.
The suit also alleges the school district violated state law by retaliating against employees who sought reasonable accommodations. These included negative performance reviews for employees who requested accommodations, admonishing employees for having doctors’ appointments, and removing employees from preferred classroom assignments.
In some cases, employees were wrongfully left unpaid or without benefits during or immediately after their pregnancies.
“These employees suffered mentally, physically, and financially because of the school district’s actions,” Attorney General Nick Brown said. “The Legislature has been clear that employers must accommodate the health needs of their pregnant and nursing workers, which is why Washington has laws banning employers from doing what Seattle Public Schools did to its employees.”
The practices detailed in the suit, dating back to at least 2021, violate the state Healthy Starts Act and the Washington Law Against Discrimination.
Prior to filing suit, the Attorney General’s Office approached the district about these concerns and sought to resolve the matter, but those discussions were unsuccessful.
The lawsuit, filed in King County Superior Court, seeks to halt Seattle Public Schools from engaging in its discriminatory practices and award restitution to each impacted employee. Assistant Attorney General Diane Lopez, AGO Investigator Jennifer Sievert, and Paralegal Panda Halford are handling the case for the AGO.
If you have experienced pregnancy discrimination at Seattle Public Schools, we want to hear from you. Contact our Civil Rights Division by emailing seattleschoolslawsuit@atg.wa.gov or by calling 833-660-4877 and selecting Option 5. Current and former employees may also submit a complaint using the AGO’s online form.
The lawsuit can be found here.
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LOS ANGELES – A Ventura County man was arrested today on a 10-count federal grand jury indictment alleging his company and he defrauded customers by misleading them as to the nature of helicopter parts, making the customers believe that the parts had fewer service hours than they in fact had.
Jared Michael Swensen, 48, of Ventura, is expected to make his initial appearance and be arraigned on the indictment this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Also charged in the indictment is Swensen’s Oxnard-based company, J&J Enterprises LLLP, which did business as “Light Helicopter Depot.” Both Swensen and his company are charged with two counts of wire fraud and eight counts of fraud involving aircraft parts.
According to the indictment that a federal grand jury returned on April 10, Swensen and Light Helicopter solicited and accepted work to overhaul and maintain helicopters. In performing the overhaul work, the defendants were expected to remove helicopter parts that had reached or were approaching their life limit and to replace them with new parts, parts that had just been overhauled or parts that had substantially fewer hours in service.
After removing helicopter parts – including main rotor blades and main rotor spindles – that were substantially used or near their life limit, the defendants allegedly installed older, not overhauled parts that in some cases were closer to their life limit than they represented. If these parts failed, a helicopter likely would crash.
Swensen and his company allegedly made materially false entries in the helicopter’s maintenance logbook and fraudulently altered sales orders and packing slips to correspond with the false entries – misrepresenting the age of the helicopter parts as being years newer than their actual age.
The defendants also fraudulently altered Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) release certificates – used to certify that an aircraft part was airworthy – to falsely claim that the certificate was issued more than two years after its actual issuance date.
Swensen and Light Helicopter then sent invoices and received payments in connection with this work. The indictment alleges two such fraudulently induced payments from customers in February and May of 2023.
The indictment further alleges the defendants made a series of fraudulent representations related to helicopter parts that involved false writings, entries, and records from April 2020 to August 2023.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Swensen would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud and up to 15 years in federal prison for each count of fraud involving aircraft parts. Light Helicopter Depot, if convicted, would be fined up to $10 million for each aircraft parts fraud count and up to $1 million for each wire fraud count.
The United States Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General is investigating this matter. The FAA provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Dennis Mitchell and Danbee Kim of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section are prosecuting this case.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
April 14, 2025
Senators to Justice Department: “The closure of the Chicago and San Francisco field offices would weaken antitrust enforcement in two vital sectors of the economy: agriculture and tech.”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Mike Lee (R-UT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, are advocating for the Chicago and San Francisco antitrust field offices to remain open. Many agricultural and tech antitrust cases are referred to these offices.
“Now more than ever, antitrust enforcement is needed in the agricultural and technology sectors. Industries like meatpacking, fertilizers, and seeds are consolidating at an alarming rate. And Americans are struggling to afford their groceries. Additionally, the Antitrust Division has ongoing investigations into, and litigation against, large technology platforms,” the Senators wrote.
“We strongly urge you to reconsider the Department’s plans to shut down these critical field offices. We should be ramping up our enforcement operations across America, not scaling them back. At a time when Americans are deeply concerned about food prices and the influence of Big Tech, DOJ must root out any anticompetitive behavior that drives up prices, decreases quality or stifles innovation. Maintaining these field offices will further that objective,” the Senators concluded.
Read the Senators’ full letter here.
On March 25, 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) proposed eliminating its antitrust field offices in Chicago, Illinois, and San Francisco, California.
The Chicago field office plays a critical role in enforcing antitrust laws in the agricultural sector. The office serves as the main antitrust enforcement team in the Midwest and helped spearhead the landmark prosecution of Archer Daniels Midland for price-fixing of animal feed additives. This investigation culminated in the defendant pleading guilty and agreeing to pay the largest antitrust fine ever imposed at the time.
The San Francisco field office maintains a key role in civil enforcement, focusing on the technology and media industries, as well as criminal enforcement, prosecuting violations including bid-rigging and price-fixing. The San Francisco office recently led two of the Antitrust Division’s largest criminal investigations – the first culminating in over $125 million in fines and the second culminating in over $1.39 billion in fines, as well as 13 executives being sentenced to prison terms ranging from six months to three years.
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Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Lee (R-UT) are urging the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division to investigate the recent Live Nation-Ticketmaster and Fanatics agreement that would allow Ticketmaster to sell secondary tickets to sporting events through the Fanatics sports app despite reports that Fanatics explored entering the ticket resale market itself.
“We write to express our concern that Live Nation-Ticketmaster has entered yet another concerning transaction that may undermine competition, deter innovation, and ultimately harm consumers seeking to buy tickets online,” wrote the Senators. “Last month, reporting indicated that Live Nation-Ticketmaster and Fanatics reached an agreement that would allow Ticketmaster to sell secondary tickets to sporting events through the Fanatics sports app.”
“This deal may raise competitive concerns, especially in light of Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s history of anticompetitive conduct detailed in the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Live Nation, which cites numerous transactions to “eliminate rivals, expand its network, and grow its moat,” in addition to a track record of charging high fees to consumers,” the Senators continued. “Though not an acquisition, this deal appears that it may have the effect of eliminating a potential rival in secondary sports ticket sales, expanding its ticketing network, and growing its moat through anticompetitive means.”
The full letter is available here and below.
Dear Assistant Attorney General Slater,
We write to express our concern that Live Nation-Ticketmaster has entered yet another concerning transaction that may undermine competition, deter innovation, and ultimately harm consumers seeking to buy tickets online.
Last month, reporting indicated that Live Nation-Ticketmaster and Fanatics reached an agreement that would allow Ticketmaster to sell secondary tickets to sporting events through the Fanatics sports app. This deal may raise competitive concerns, especially in light of Live Nation Ticketmaster’s history of anticompetitive conduct detailed in the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Live Nation, which cites numerous transactions to “eliminate rivals, expand its network, and grow its moat,” in addition to a track record of charging high fees to consumers. Though not an acquisition, this deal appears that it may have the effect of eliminating a potential rival in secondary sports ticket sales, expanding its ticketing network, and growing its moat through anticompetitive means.
Since its founding in 2002, Fanatics has grown exponentially, disrupting various sports-related markets, including those for officially licensed merchandise, sports memorabilia, and trading cards. Recently, Fanatics announced an ambitious plan to “evolve into a leading global digital sports platform,” seeking to become a one-stop shop for sports fans. To this end, Fanatics has secured official licensing deals with major sports leagues, acquired Topps trading cards, and launched Fanatics Collectibles and Fanatics Betting and Gaming, where it claims to serve “approximately 95% of the addressable online sports bettor market in the U.S.” In short, Fanatics has a strong track record of aggressive expansion into new sports-related markets and appeared poised to enter the online ticketing market for sporting events as a potential competitor to Ticketmaster.
But instead of using its expertise in developing complex online marketplaces and its strong relationships with every major sports league in the country to enter the online ticketing market, Fanatics instead partnered with a company that the Justice Department has found controls more than 70 percent of all primary tickets sold from NBA and NHL arenas and has “a growing share of ticket resales in the secondary market.” Reporting about the deal confirms that Fanatics “explored possible M&A, and it also looked into building its own platform before settling on the Ticketmaster partnership.”
While the terms of the deal are not public, that Fanatics entered an agreement with an online ticketing monopolist, rather than innovate, disrupt, and compete themselves as they have in numerous other sports-related markets, raises significant questions about whether Live Nation-Ticketmaster used its monopoly power to prevent Fanatics from entering the online ticketing market, depriving consumers of the benefits of competition. Given Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s long history of anticompetitive conduct, we urge you to look into this deal to determine if any antitrust laws were broken and whether consumers were illegally denied the benefits of new competition in this market.
We appreciate your attention to this important issue.
The Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) is supporting renewed warnings from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) as criminals stoop to new lows, targeting grieving families with heartless scams.
Police have seen a rise in cases where scammers are targeting family members of the deceased, claiming to be from the funeral service providers. As with any scam, their aim remains unchanged – to trick individuals into handing over personal and financial details, paving the way for more sophisticated scams, where the losses can be substantial and even life-changing.
Detective Inspector Harris from PSNI’s Organised Crime Department said: “The lengths scammers go to are not only extensive but disgraceful. Our advice is don’t respond to unknown calls and texts; don’t give away personal information to people you don’t know; don’t transfer money to unknown people. Where possible, do any transactions in-person with the funeral service provider, so as you know where your money is going.
“We understand this isn’t always an option, but where it is, proceed accordingly and if something doesn’t seem quite right, don’t continue – report it to your local officers.
“Scammers think they’re smart but following these rules will show them you’re smarter. Stop. Check. Report.”
As part of its ongoing work, the PCSP is committed to raising public awareness of scams and fraud prevention. Through community engagement, education, and partnership with PSNI and ScamwiseNI, the PCSP helps ensure residents are equipped to recognise and resist scams – especially those exploiting vulnerable moments like bereavement.
Alderman Mark Baxter, Chair of the PCSP said, “No one should have to worry about being scammed while grieving the loss of a loved one. That’s why we are reminding everyone of the importance of staying alert and informed. Educating our community on how scams work is vital to protecting people’s money and their peace of mind.”
The public is urged to remember the simple yet powerful message: Stop. Check. Report.
STOP – Don’t be rushed. Pause before sharing information or sending money.
CHECK – Use trusted sources to verify who you’re dealing with. Contact service providers directly.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
Know Your Immigration Rights
If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.
Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.
Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.
Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.
The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.
Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
ATLANTA – Aliakbar Mohammad Amin has been arrested and charged pursuant to a criminal complaint with transmitting interstate threats to injure Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard and her family.
“Threatening to harm public officials is a criminal act that cannot be excused as political discourse,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Our Office, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, will vigorously prosecute individuals who commit these acts of violence.”
“The FBI sees all threatening communications as a serious federal offense. We will employ every investigative tool and resource available to identify those responsible and ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Let this arrest serve as a clear warning: if you engage in this kind of criminal behavior, you will be caught and you will go to prison.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the complaint, and other information presented in court: Between March 29 and April 1, 2025, Amin allegedly sent text messages that included threats against DNI Gabbard and her husband, including the following statements:
“You and your family are going to die soon” and “I will personally do the job if necessary.”
“Death to America means death to America literally, Tulsi is living on borrowed time.
“The home you two own . . . is a legitimate target and will be hit at a time and place of our choosing.”
“Prepare to die, you, Tulsi, and everyone you hold dear. America will burn.”
During the investigation, federal agents also discovered similar threats allegedly made by Amin in social media posts, including an image depicting a firearm pointed at a photograph of DNI Gabbard, and a second image of a firearm pointed at a photograph of DNI Gabbard and her husband. Federal agents later recovered a firearm while executing a warrant to search Amin’s home.
Aliakbar Mohammad Amin, 24, of Lilburn, Georgia, was charged on April 11, 2025, via a previously sealed criminal complaint alleging a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c). He was ordered detained pending trial by a U.S. Magistrate Judge after making his initial appearance in federal court.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
On Mar. 25, 2025 at approximately 3 p.m., Wood Buffalo RCMP Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) were conducting patrols in downtown Fort McMurray when they noted a speeding vehicle leaving the area. CRU continued to observe the vehicle, a red GMC Acadia, and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Thickwood Drive in Fort McMurray. The vehicle failed to stop for Police, proceeded to Timberline Drive and onto Gladstone Drive. Wood Buffalo RCMP Police Dog Services attended, pre-emptively blocking the path of the suspect vehicle. The suspect vehicle slowed and attempted to flee by reversing into police. The suspect was not successful. RCMP were able to prevent the vehicle from fleeing any further and arrested the six occupants of the vehicle without further incident. There were no injuries to any occupants or police and only minor damage to the police vehicle.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle incidental to arrest, Police located and seized:
• Loaded 12-gauge shotgun
• Pellet style handgun
• Hard body armour
A 35-year-old individual, a resident of Fort McMurray, is facing charges:
• Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Weapon
• Possession of a Firearm in a vehicle
• Operation while Prohibited
• Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle
• Two Counts Possession of a Weapon contrary to an order
• Flight from Police
• Three counts Fail to Comply with Release Order
The 35-year-old individual was held for a judicial interim release order. He was remanded into custody and is set to appear in the Alberta Court of Justice in Fort McMurray on March 27, 2025.
A 33-year-old individual, a resident of Fort McMurray, is facing charges:
• Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Weapon
• Possession of a Firearm in a vehicle
• Fail to comply with Probation Order
• Three counts Fail to Comply with Release Order
The 33-year-old individual was held for a judicial interim release order. He was remanded into custody and is set to appear in the Alberta Court of Justice in Fort McMurray on March 27, 2025.
A 42-year-old individual, a resident of Fort McMurray, is facing charges:
• Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Weapon
• Possession of a Firearm in a vehicle
• Possession of Weapon contrary to Order
• Five counts Fail to Comply with Release Order
The 42-year-old individual was held for a judicial interim release order. He was remanded into custody and is set to appear in the Alberta Court of Justice in Fort McMurray on March 27, 2025.
A 33-year-old individual, a resident of Fort McMurray, is facing charges:
• Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Weapon
• Possession of a Firearm in a vehicle
• Two counts Fail to Comply with Release Order
The 33-year-old individual was held for a judicial interim release order. She was remanded into custody and is set to appear in the Alberta Court of Justice in Fort McMurray on March 27, 2025.
The other two vehicle occupants were released from police custody on Appearance Notices. Both females, who cannot be named until an Information is sworn, are set to appear in the Alberta Court of Justice in Fort McMurray on April 30, 2025.
Wood Buffalo RCMP continue to investigate the incident. RCMP encourage the public to report any criminal or suspicious activity to police. Reports tell us where to look, who to look for, and where to patrol in the future. If you see a crime in progress, dial 911. If you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.
A Coast Guard aircrew and a Puerto Rico Police marine crew rescued three boaters, two men and a woman, from a grounded recreational vessel on Morillo Cay in Guayama, Puerto Rico, Thursday night. The 19-foot recreational vessel reportedly was transiting at high speed when it ran hard aground ejecting one of the three passengers onboard who sustained an open wound to his forehead. “The teamwork and coordination between the Coast Guard and responding Puerto Rico Police enabled us to successfully execute this mission and we are grateful for their partnership,” said Lt. Christian Welch, Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk co-pilot for the case. “This case emphasizes the importance of safe boating practices, especially while operating at night.”
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INDIANAPOLIS— A federal jury has found Joshua W. Stearman, 42, of Anderson, Indiana, guilty of unlawfully possessing incendiary bombs, commonly referred to as Molotov cocktails, and falsely impersonating an officer or employee of the United States.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on December 12, 2023, at approximately 1:47 a.m., a police officer in Ingalls, Indiana, was dispatched to an address that had recently been vandalized multiple times, including with fires set in the driveway and inside the mailbox at that address. Dispatch received a report of a suspicious man walking toward the house carrying something but who ran back to his red Toyota RAV4 when the house’s security lights came on.
The officer located the RAV4 and pulled it over. As the officer approached, Stearman pressed against the window his ID as well as an unknown government identification that included a government seal at the bottom. Repeatedly, Stearman claimed he was a Homeland Security Officer returning from a “mission.” Stearman was wearing black gloves with black duct tape around his wrists.
Eventually, Stearman exited the vehicle and was placed in custody. Inside the vehicle, officers found four bottles containing a yellow-brown liquid that gave off an odor of fuel, as well as what appeared to be small pieces of wood or kindling inside of them. All four had a piece of cloth or fabric sticking out from under the cap. Officers also found a lighter in the vehicle.
During the trial, experts from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) testified about their analysis of the four bottles. An ATF Forensic Chemist testified that she had analyzed the liquid inside the bottles, and each was found to contain gasoline. Then, an ATF Destructive Device Examiner testified how each of the bottles was designed to be used as an incendiary bomb: The wick is ignited by an open flame and the device is thrown against a surface, with the intent that the ignitable liquid and wooden sticks inside will spread fire to a combustible surface against which it was thrown. Incendiary bombs, commonly known as Molotov cocktails, are a type of destructive device that is generally unlawful to possess under federal law.
The ATF and Ingalls Police Department investigated this case, with valuable assistance provided by Lapel, Indiana Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security. Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt presided over the trial and will sentence Stearman at a later date.
Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nate Walter, who are prosecuting this case.
ALBUQUERQUE – A Yatahey man is facing charges in federal court in connection with a violent sexual assault.
According to court documents, on March 29, 2025, Jane Doe reported that she has been sexually assaulted the day before by Fernando Brown, 34, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. Following the assault, Jane Doe was transported to Gallup Indian Medical Center for treatment. When questioned by law enforcement, Brown allegedly admitted to continuing sexual activity after Jane Doe repeatedly told him to stop and also disclosed prior instances of physical violence against Doe.
Brown is charged with aggravated sexual abuse and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Brown faces up to life in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramah-Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jordan is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
On March 19, 2025, the Red Deer RCMP Crime Reduction Team executed a search warrant on a residence in the Rosedale neighbourhood of Red Deer. As a result of the search warrant, police have seized approximately 800 grams of cocaine, packing materials, a digital scale and approximately $14,495 of Canadian currency.
A youth (16) was arrested on scene and was found in possession of 16 pre-packaged bags of cocaine and 2 spitballs of cocaine. The youth, who cannot be named under Youth Criminal Justice Act, has been charged with the following offences:
• Possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking
• Proceeds of crime over $5000
• Illegal possession of government documents
The youth was taken before a Justice of the Peace and was released on a Release Order with conditions. They are scheduled to appear in court on April 3, 2025, at the Alberta Court of Justice in Red Deer.
“This arrest is part of our ongoing efforts to disrupt street level drug trafficking within Red Deer. Drug trafficking poses a threat to the safety and well-being of everyone, and we are committed to holding those involved responsible,” said Sgt. Robert Daisley. “We encourage anyone who sees suspicious activity to report it. If you see something, say something”
