Category: KB

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kansas Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Returns for Clients

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    A Kansas man pleaded guilty yesterday to preparing and filing false income tax returns on behalf of his clients.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Hophine Bwosinde, of Lenexa, operated Ambroseli Professional Services, a tax preparation business. From 2018 through 2022, Bwosinde prepared and filed false tax returns on behalf of his clients by either inflating legitimate business expenses or by claiming losses related to fake businesses. In addition, Bwosinde falsely reported negative income on clients’ returns. These false items caused his clients to significantly underreport their income to the IRS, which reduced the amount of taxes the clients owed and generated refunds for many to which they were not entitled.

    In total, Bwosinde caused a total tax loss exceeding $1.5 million.

    A sentencing hearing will take place on Feb. 18, 2025. Bwosinde faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. 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 Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Erika V. Suhr of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Florida Woman Sentenced for Filing False Refund Claims

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    A Florida woman was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, one year of supervised release and ordered to pay $485,290.03 in restitution to the United States for filing false tax returns with the IRS to obtain tax refunds.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2018 and 2020, Yolanda Dewar filed four false tax returns seeking a total of almost $2 million in tax refunds from the IRS on behalf of a trust she created. These returns falsely reported that the trust had earned significant income, made payments to the IRS and had federal income taxes withheld on its behalf. Dewar continued filing false returns even after the IRS notified her that her claims were frivolous and had no basis in law. In total, the IRS issued nearly $500,000 to the trust in response to Dewar’s false claims. Dewar used a portion of the funds to purchase a car for a family member, get plastic surgery and renovate her home.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Melissa S. Siskind and Kavitha Bondada of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deric Zacca for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Two South Carolina Men Plead Guilty to Hate Crimes, Conspiracy and Other Charges for Bias-Motivated Armed Robberies Targeting Hispanic Victims

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    Two South Carolina men pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Columbia, South Carolina, to federal hate crime and other charges in connection with a string of racially-motivated armed robberies targeting Hispanic victims.

    According to court documents, beginning in January 2021 and continuing through February 2021, Charles Antonio Clippard, 27, and Michael Joseph Knox, 29, both of Columbia, conspired to target people the defendants identified as Mexican or Hispanic at places of public accommodation, including gas stations and grocery stores. After identifying these targets, the defendants would rob their victims at gunpoint. The defendants targeted their victims because of their victims’ race and national origin.

    Both defendants admitted their involvement in a Jan. 22, 2021, armed robbery in which the defendants followed their victims from a grocery store and restaurant to their home and then robbed the victims at gunpoint, stealing cash and a cellphone. They also admitted their involvement in a Jan. 30, 2021, armed robbery and carjacking targeting a Hispanic victim after following him from a gas station to his home. The defendants admitted their involvement in another Jan. 30, 2021, armed robbery in which they targeted a Hispanic victim, followed him from a gas station to his home and then robbed him and others at gunpoint after following him into his home. In total, the defendants pleaded to three hate crime charges, one count of carjacking, one count of conspiracy and two firearms charges. Two other co-conspirators, Gabriel Brunson, 21, and Sierra Fletcher, 34, both of Columbia, previously pleaded guilty to hate crime, conspiracy and firearm offenses.

    “These defendants targeted Hispanic victims for violent acts of armed robbery because of their race, national origin and perceived vulnerability,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Every person, regardless of their race or national origin, is entitled to the full protection of the law, and no person should have to fear for their lives or property because of their race or ethnicity.  The Justice Department will continue to protect all Americans and will vigorously prosecute those who commit bias-motivated crimes.”

    “While these defendants sparked fear for an entire community by targeting members of our Hispanic community, today’s hearing sends a louder message: we will not tolerate bias-based crimes in South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “The Justice Department will continue to relentlessly protect and enforce the civil rights of everyone in South Carolina.”

    “These defendants used violent acts of armed robbery to purposely target Hispanic victims simply because of their race,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “We hope the guilty plea by these two defendants serves notice that violence borne from hate will never be tolerated in our communities. The FBI remains steadfast in its mission to uphold the Constitution and protect the civil rights of everyone, fairly and equally.”

    “Clippard and Knox egregiously sought to exploit and intimidate their victims based on their Hispanic ethnicity,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “Their violent robberies instilled fear in their victims and innocent working people within the Hispanic community. These criminal acts have no place in our society, and we are committed to ensuring the safety of all individuals, regardless of their background.”

    The defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 14 years in prison for the firearms offenses, a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each hate crime count and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on the carjacking count. The plea agreements require both defendants to pay restitution to all victims. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Columbia Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Columbia Police Department, Town of Lexington Police Department and Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Garner and E. Elizabeth Major for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorneys Katherine McCallister and Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: California Mobile Phlebotomy Lab and Its Owners to Pay $135,000 to Resolve Allegedly False Claims for Blood Testing Services and Travel Mileage

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    Veni-Express Inc. (Veni-Express), headquartered in California, and its owners Myrna and Sonny Steinbaum have agreed to pay at least $135,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they submitted false claims for mobile phlebotomy services and associated travel mileage and paid kickbacks to a third-party marketer of these services, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS). Veni-Express has agreed to pay $100,000, plus additional amounts based on the sale of company property. Myrna Steinbaum has agreed to pay $25,000, and Sonny Steinbaum has agreed to pay $10,000. These settlements are based on their ability to pay.

    The United States alleged that from 2015 to 2019, Veni-Express and the Steinbaums knowingly caused false or fraudulent claims to federal health care programs for mobile phlebotomy services and associated travel mileage. Specifically, with the Steinbaum’s oversight and approval, Veni-Express submitted false claims for venipuncture (blood draw) procedures that the company did not actually perform during homebound patient visits, and for travel mileage associated with these visits that was not reimbursable by Medicare. The United States further alleged that, from July 2014 to June 2015, Veni-Express paid unlawful kickbacks (in the form of a percentage of company revenue) to a third-party, Altera Laboratories also known as Med2U Healthcare LLC, for the marketing of Veni-Express’ services, in violation of the AKS.

    “Health care providers that bill for services they did not provide or offer illegal incentives to increase profits will be held accountable,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to safeguard federal health care programs against those who seek to abuse them.”

    “Providers must not bill for services they did not perform. Further, the presence of unlawful kickbacks all too often corrupts medical judgment,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Our office is committed to investigating and holding accountable those who violate the False Claims Act and AKS to safeguard the public fisc and protect the integrity of our federal health care system.”

    “Improper incentives and billing Medicare for services never actually provided divert taxpayer funding meant to pay for medically necessary services for Medicare enrollees,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying and holding accountable those who engage in such unlawful relationships.”

    The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Banisha Evans, a former phlebotomist for another California provider, and Richard Drummond, a technical director at a Texas laboratory. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States for false claims and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam cases are captioned U.S. et al., ex rel. Evans v. PhlebXpress et al., No. 2:18-cv-2038 (EDCA) and U.S. ex rel. Drummond v. Veni-Express Inc., et al., No. 2:21-cv-1199 (EDCA).

    The relators’ share of the settlement has not yet been determined.

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and HHS-OIG.

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

    Trial Attorney Gary R. Dyal of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Kennedy for the Eastern District of California handled the matter.

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

    Settlement

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Pennsylvania State University Agrees to Pay $1.25M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Non-Compliance with Contractual Cybersecurity Requirements

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), located in University Park, Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $1,250,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to comply with cybersecurity requirements in fifteen contracts or subcontracts involving the Department of Defense (DoD) or National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

    The settlement resolves allegations that, between 2018 and 2023, Penn State failed to implement cybersecurity controls that were contractually required by DoD and NASA and did not adequately develop and implement plans of action to correct deficiencies it identified. DoD requires contractors to submit summary level scores reflecting the status of their compliance with applicable cybersecurity requirements on covered contracting systems used to store or access covered defense information. The United States alleged that Penn State submitted cybersecurity assessment scores to DoD that reflected it had not implemented certain controls, but misrepresented the dates by which it would implement them and did not pursue plans of action to do so. The United States also alleged that in performing certain of the contracts and subcontracts Penn State did not use an external cloud service provider that met DoD’s security requirements for covered defense information.

    “Universities that receive federal funding must take their cybersecurity obligations seriously,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue our efforts under the department’s Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative to hold contractors accountable when they fail to honor cybersecurity requirements designed to protect government information.”

    “Federal contractors who store or access covered defense information must take required steps to protect that sensitive information from bad actors,” said U.S. Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “When they fail to meet their cybersecurity obligations, we and our law enforcement partners will use every available tool to remedy the situation.”

    “As our cyber adversaries become increasingly sophisticated, the importance of cybersecurity in safeguarding Department of Defense research, development and acquisitions information cannot be overstated,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS, along with our federal partners, are committed to investigating entities who fail to implement contractual requirements designed to protect Department of the Navy critical information.”

    “Protecting the integrity of Department of Defense procurement activities is a top priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Failing to comply with DoD contract specifications and cybersecurity requirements puts DoD information and programs at risk.  We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to investigate allegations of false claims on DoD contracts.”

    “Safeguarding sensitive NASA and DoD data is crucial to ensuring that it does not fall into the hands of our adversaries or bad actors,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Robert Steinau of NASA’s Office of Inspector General (NASA-OIG). “The University’s inability to adequately address known deficiencies not only put sensitive information at risk but also undermined the integrity of our government’s cybersecurity efforts. We remain committed to holding entities accountable when they fail to meet critical security standards, as demonstrated by this case.”

    On Oct. 6, 2021, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced the department’s Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative, which aims to hold accountable entities or individuals that put sensitive information at risk by knowingly providing deficient cybersecurity products or services, knowingly misrepresenting their cybersecurity practices or protocols, or knowingly violating obligations to monitor and report cybersecurity incidents. Information on how to report cyberfraud can be found here.

    The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblower, Matthew Decker, the former chief information officer for Penn State’s Applied Research Laboratory, to receive a $250,000 share of the settlement amount. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Decker v. Pennsylvania State University, No. 2:22-cv-03895 (E.D. Pa.).

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from NCIS, NASA-OIG, DCIS, Army Criminal Investigation Division, Naval Audit Service, the Defense Contract Management Agency’s Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center and the Air Force Material Command.

    Senior Trial Counsel Kimberly Friday and former Trial Attorney Melanie D. Hendry of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Carr and Rebecca S. Melley for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania handled the case.  

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

    Settlement

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    A Florida man pleaded guilty today to evading the payment of more than $1.7 million he owed for tax years 2004 through 2014.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, David Albert Fletcher, of Deltona, owned and operated several furniture liquidations businesses in Florida, including Century Liquidators. For tax years 2004 through 2013, Fletcher did not timely file his federal income tax returns or pay taxes. After an audit, the IRS assessed a total of $1.7 million in taxes, interest and penalties against him.

    To evade collection of these taxes, Fletcher concealed his income and assets from the IRS. For example, Fletcher used nominees to hide his purchases of luxury vehicles, including Rolls Royces. Fletcher also filed false income tax returns that understated his income and when interviewed by an IRS special agent, falsely represented the amount of income he earned.

    A sentencing hearing will be set at a later date. Fletcher faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. 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 Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Zachary A. Cobb and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Altai Mourns the Passing of Chairman and President Niyazi Kacira, and Announces Election of the Board of Directors, Appointment of New Chairman and President, and Stock Option Grants

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Altai Resources Inc. (ATI, TSX VENTURE; US SEC Rule 12g3-2(b) File # 82-2950) (“Altai” or the “Company”) announces with great sadness the passing of its Chairman and President, Dr. Niyazi Kacira following a short illness. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family.

    The Board and the Altai family will greatly miss his extraordinary passion and devotion to the Company, thoughtful leadership and ability to connect with people. He was a person of great integrity and unparalleled reputation.

    Dr. Kacira took over the helm of the dormant Black Cliff Mines Ltd. (later changed the name to Altai Resources Inc) in 1987, revived it and listed it on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Since 1987, he served as President (except for a short period of time) and Chairman until his passing. He has made an invaluable and immeasurable contribution in nurturing, building and growing Altai with his tremendous geological expertise and foresight and always with the best interest of the Company in mind and in action, and has set the highest standard of integrity for the Company.

    At its annual general meeting of the shareholders held on October 21, 2024 (the “Meeting”) in Toronto, Jeffrey S. Ackert, Maria Au and Eric Yao as described in the Management Information Circular of the Meeting, were elected as Directors of the Company. Due to his passing, Dr. Kacira was not nominated as director in the Meeting. In the Meeting, Kursat Kacira, who has advised that he is willing and able to serve as a Director of Altai if elected, was nominated as permitted in accordance with the Company’s Advance Notice By-laws and was duly elected as a Director of the Company.

    Mr. Kursat Kacira, a resident of Ontario, Canada, is an accomplished finance and investment executive with over 25 years of global experience in investment management, real estate, corporate finance, capital markets, investment banking, and public accounting. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (Ontario), has a Master of Business Administration (Dean’s Scholarship) from the Stern School of Business at New York University, and a Bachelor of Mathematics (Honours) from the University of Waterloo.

    He is currently the President of Kacira Holdings Ltd., a private family office investment company. Previously, he served as Managing Director, Head of Global Capital Markets in the Private Markets group at Manulife Investment Management, the Global Wealth & Asset Management division of Manulife Financial Corporation. Prior to joining Manulife, he was the CEO and a director of Firm Capital American Realty Partners Corp., a publicly traded real estate company focused on investing in multi-family residential real estate in the United States. He has also previously been the CEO (and Board Trustee) of Maplewood International REIT (a publicly traded REIT focused on investing in commercial real estate in Europe); CFO of NorthWest International Healthcare Properties REIT (a publicly traded REIT focused on investing in healthcare real estate in Europe, South America, and Australasia); CFO of Whiterock REIT, a publicly traded REIT focused on investing in commercial real estate in Canada and the United States, where he was responsible for the ultimate sale of Whiterock to publicly traded Dundee REIT in 2012, for an enterprise value of $1.4 billion (at the time, the 3rd largest Canadian commercial real estate M&A transaction since 2006). Prior to the above, he had been Vice President & Director in the Real Estate Group, Investment Banking at TD Securities Inc. in Toronto, Ontario, in investment banking with Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. in New York, US and in public accounting in Canada and Europe (Price Waterhouse in Toronto and Paris). Through his investment banking career in Canada and the United States, he was responsible for completing over $10 billion of capital raising (equity and debt) and M&A transactions for companies across numerous industries, primarily in the real estate sector.

    Mr. Harold Tan, a director of the Company since 2023, did not stand for renomination as a director in this Meeting, for personal reasons. Altai sincerely thanks him for his contributions to the Company during his directorship and wishes him well in all his future ventures.

    In the Meeting, CAN Partners LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants were appointed as Auditors of the Company.

    On October 21, 2024 and after the Meeting, the Board appointed Kursat Kacira as the Chairman and President of the Company.

    On October 21, 2024, the Company granted to each of the two new directors and a new officer, a stock option of 200,000 shares to purchase common shares of the Company at an exercise price of $0.10 per share and expiring October 19, 2029.

    ABOUT ALTAI
    Altai Resources Inc. is a resource company with a producing oil property in Alberta and an exploration gold property in Quebec.

    For further information, please contact
    Maria Au, Secretary-Treasurer
    Tel: (416) 383-1328 Fax: (416) 383-1686
    Email: info@altairesources.com Internet: http://www.altairesources.com

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Transcript of Global Financial Stability Report October 2024 Press Briefing

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    October 22, 2024

    Speakers:

     

    Tobias Adrian, Financial Counselor and Director, Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF

    Caio Ferreira, Deputy Division Chief, Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF

    Jason Wu, Assistant Director, Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF

     

    Moderator: Alexander Müller, Communications Analyst, IMF

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: OK. Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening, depending on where you are joining us from. Welcome to this press briefing on our latest Global Financial Stability Report, titled “Steadying the Course: Uncertainty, Artificial Intelligence, and Financial Stability.”

     

    I am Alex Müller with the Communications Department here at the IMF. I am joined today by Tobias Adrian, the IMF’s Financial Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department; to Tobias’s left, Jason Wu, assistant director at the Monetary and Capital Markets Department; and to his left, Caio Ferreira, deputy chief of the Global Markets Analysis Division.

     

    Our latest GFSR is out as of right now, so you can download the full text, our executive summary, and the latest blog on our website at IMF.org/GFSR.

     

    This press briefing is on the record. And we’ll start things off with some opening remarks just to set the stage before opening the floor to your questions. As a reminder we do have simultaneous interpretation into Arabic, French, and Spanish, both in the room and online.

     

    With that, I think we can get started.

     

    Tobias, when we released our last GFSR in April, optimism in financial markets was fueling asset valuations, credit spreads had compressed, and valuations in riskier asset markets had ratcheted up. At the time, you warned of some short‑term risks, like persistent inflation, as well as the tension between these narrowing credit spreads and the deteriorating underlying credit quality in some regions; but you also warned of some more medium‑term risks, like heightened vulnerabilities amidst elevated debt levels globally. So where are we now since then, six months later?

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Thanks so much. And let me welcome all of to you this launch of the Global Financial Stability Report.

     

    So the themes that you highlight, Alex, have broadly continued.

     

    Let me start with inflation. So global inflation has progressed toward target in most countries. So most central banks continue with a tight stance of policy but have started to cut rates. Now, with inflation heading towards target in many countries, the focus of the central banks has shifted from being primarily focused on inflation toward also considering real activity.

     

    So, concerning real activity, we have seen upward surprises relative to expectations. In financial markets, that has been particularly visible in earnings surprises that have been on the positive side. So as a result, the likelihood of a global recession has continued to recede. So the baseline forecast is one of a soft landing globally. And that is the optimism that we had flagged already in April. That has been reinforced in many ways. And that is fueling optimism in financial markets. So financial conditions globally continue to be accommodative. Credit spreads continue to be tight. Implied volatility, particularly in risky asset markets, such as equity markets, continues to be fairly low.

     

    Now, you know, our main theme in Chapter 1, which was released today, is a tension between this financial market assessment of volatility‑‑i.e. the implied volatility in the equity market is perhaps the best indicator here‑‑which is at fairly low levels by historical standards, relative to measures of global geopolitical uncertainty.

     

    So in the report, we’re showing two measures that are computed not at the Fund but by other institutions. One on geopolitical uncertainty. The other one on economic uncertainty. And those continue to be relatively elevated. So there’s a kind of wedge in between the financial market‑implied volatility and the assessment of political or economic uncertainty. So this tension worries us, as it gives rise to the potential for a sharp readjustment of financial conditions. So we saw a little bit of that in August in a sell‑off that was very brief. So it’s a blip, in retrospect; but it does raise the concern, whether there are some vulnerabilities in the financial system that could be triggered if adverse shocks hit.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: Thank you, Tobias. That sets the stage nicely for us, I think.

     

    We will turn to your questions now. We do have runners in the room with mics, so please do raise your hand. You can raise your hand both online or in the room, and we’ll come to you. Please do remember to state your name and affiliation. And keep it as brief as possible so we can get to as many questions as possible.

     

    Let’s start over here with the first question.

     

    QUESTION: Thank you so much. I am not asking you to comment on the presidential election in the U.S. But we have a presidential election here in 14 days, and President Trump or Vice President Harris may win the election. And that election will have ramifications not just in the U.S. but around the world.

     

    How does the IMF assess the outlook for the U.S. economy in the lead‑up to the presidential election? And what implications could a potential economic shift have for emerging markets in Africa, particularly regarding investment flows and debt sustainability? Thank you.

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Thank you so much.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: Do you want to group some questions? Do we have similar questions on the election or the U.S.? Can we take the question over there, please?

     

    QUESTION: How do you explain the recent backup in U.S. yields? And are you concerned about financial stability in the United States, given the rising projections of federal debt, irrespective of the outcome of the election? Thank you.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: I think we can start with that for now.

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: OK. Sounds good. Yes.

     

    You know, we don’t comment on specific election outcomes. Of course, this year is an unusual year, in that over half of the population globally either has elected already this year or will elect this year new governments. And so that is certainly part of the reason why this policy uncertainty globally is high. There’s some uncertainty as to, you know, what the policy path for economic policies and broader policies is going to be going forward.

     

    When we look at volatility, as I said, that uncertainty in equity markets is relatively contained. But in interest rates, volatility is somewhat more elevated than it was, say, in the decade after the global financial crisis. So we are back to levels that are more similar to pre‑financial crisis. So interest rate volatility is relatively high. And that answers to some degree the second question.

     

    We have seen volatile longer‑term yields throughout the year, but we don’t think that that volatility is excessive, relative to the fact that monetary policy has become more data dependent. You know, after the global financial crisis, there was this challenge of the zero lower bound for monetary policy; so forward guidance was a very important tool. And that had even been phase in prior to the financial crisis with, you know, forward guidance being a compressor of volatility for interest rates. And that is less the case today. So interest rate volatility has increased.

     

    When we look at the longer‑term yields, we do certainly see that term premia have decompressed to some extent. So after the global financial crisis, we had seen negative term premia at a 10‑year level in the U.S. and many other countries, and some of that has decompressed. And that is, as would be expected, as the interest rate wall is coming up, asset purchases are normalizing, and quantitative tightening is being phased in.

     

    Now turning to Africa. Of course, you know, financial markets are global. So the base level of interest rates is moving across the world in a common fashion. So you can think about sort of like the base level of interest rates and then the spreads in countries, relative to that. So what we see in sub‑Saharan Africa is that countries with market access‑‑so those are the frontier economies‑‑they have seen spreads being compressed, so financial conditions have eased. And you know, relative to, say, 12 months ago, interest rates have certainly declined as a base. And many frontier markets have reissued, sort of accessed international capital markets. So, of course, there are countries that do face debt challenges, that do face liquidity challenges; and we’re actively engaged with the membership to address those.

     

    Mr. WU: Just to quickly add to what Tobias said about Africa.

     

    As he pointed out, the backdrop heading into this year was one of improvement, both in terms of growth, as well as financing conditions and spreads. Inflation is still high in the region, but it is coming down and stabilizing. Debt is an issue, but we have seen several cases this year being resolved. So that is good news.

     

    I think to your broader point, you know, we don’t comment on election outcomes; but we do know that financial markets tend to see, you know, more uncertainty around those outcomes. And this may affect financing conditions around the world, including in Africa. Uncertainty can also bring, you know, some slowdown in investments in the near term or the medium term. And so those are all possible outcomes. I think the key thing is for the macroeconomic framework to remain stable to address domestic situations and for countries that may be facing debt issues to engage with their creditors early, including through the Common Framework and other international setups.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: Thank you. Can we take other questions? I think we have a question here in the middle, at the center.

     

    QUESTION: I was hoping you could talk about quantitative tightening. The Fed is still doing it. What are the risks now going forward? When do you think they might stop it? Thanks.

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Thanks so much.

     

    As I mentioned earlier, you know, during the global financial crisis and then in the decade after the global financial crisis and then again with the COVID crisis, central banks‑‑advanced economy central banks around the world engaged in a quantitative easing. So these are asset purchases, called large‑scale asset purchases, in the U.S. that led to an increase in the balance sheet size of the central banks. So in the U.S. case, it grew roughly by a factor of 10. And the Fed has started to move towards a normalization of the balance sheet size. So that is generally referred to as quantitative tightening. And that has proceeded in a very orderly fashion. So when we look at market functioning, we see orderly markets in money markets. We see ample liquidity in core funding markets, including Treasury markets. And that is generally the case in other advanced economies that are doing quantitative tightening, as well.

     

    Of course, there is the question of how far the balance sheet normalization is going to go. And policymakers in the U.S. and other advanced economies have indicated how far this normalization would be going. So what is notable here is that the operational framework of the Federal Reserve changed to a floor system, so having a sufficient amount of reserves in the system to operate that floor system is key. So, you know, looking at funding conditions in money markets and market functioning is absolutely key. Back in 2019, there were some dislocations, and that is certainly something that policymakers are watching out for. But I would say that this balance sheet normalization has proceeded in a satisfactory and very orderly manner.

     

    Mr. FERREIRA: Tobias, just a quick complement.

     

    I think that we have seen a quantitative tightening from all of the major central banks. And I think that from the peak in 2022, of about 28 trillion in terms of assets in their balance sheets, it has come down by about one‑quarter already and, as Tobias was saying, in a very orderly fashion.

     

    The main risk that I think is important to monitor going forward is the potential drain on reserves, as Tobias was saying, to avoid the kind of episodes that we have seen in 2019. But there is also a potential risk for a bounce of increasing volatility, in the sense that we are moving from central banks being one of the main buyers of Treasuries to more price‑sensitive buyers. And this might cause volatility coming from data releases.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: OK. Let’s take it back as well. We have a question in the front here, in the center, that we can take.

     

    QUESTION: Thank you for taking my question. I want to ask about the U.S. Federal Reserve’s policy and its impact, spillover impact. I think recently, it started to cut rates, and it’s going to cut rates further going forward. And it seems to be allowing other governments, other policymakers to have more room, including the People’s Bank of China. I want to ask Tobias whether he could comment on the latest action by China’s central bank and what’s the IMF’s suggestion going forward. Thank you.

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Yeah. Absolutely.

     

    What we have seen in China is an easing of monetary policy. So the question is referring to the most recent action, which was a cut in interest rates. And, of course, we have seen PBoC engaging in asset purchases, which has supported the easing of financial conditions. So when we look at financial conditions‑‑so, you know, the cost of funding for households and corporations in China, those financial conditions have eased quite markedly. Equity markets have rallied. Longer‑term bond yields have declined. And we generally welcome that easing. We think that is the appropriate policy for monetary policy.

     

    There have been also some announcements on the fiscal side that are indicating support ‑‑ to the real estate sector, in particular. And, of course, authorities in China had already engaged for some time in terms of addressing the exposure of the banking system to the real estate sector. The real estate sector has cooled off in China, and that has created some risks in the banking sector. So authorities are working actively at addressing those by merging banks and using asset management corporations (AMCs) in an active manner. And we welcome that, as well.

     

    You know, we are watching closely how financial stability policies are going to evolve going forward, relative to the real sector but also the broader economy, and how fiscal policy is evolving going forward.

     

     

    Mr. FERREIRA: Maybe on this last point, Tobias, on financial stability.

     

    Of course, there’s some slowdown in economic activity, and the problems that we are seeing in the property sector are exerting some pressure on the financial system. The good news I think is that particularly the large banks seem to have strong capital buffers and liquidity buffers. The authorities also have the capacity to make target interventions, and this somewhat limits the risks of spillovers.

     

    There are some vulnerabilities that need to be monitored. Right? So one, of course, is this potential pressure on asset deterioration coming from this slowdown in the property market. So far, banks have been quite good in terms of being able to deal with this potential deterioration, particularly using asset management companies to dispose of some of the nonperforming assets. The capacity of these asset management companies to keep absorbing these assets needs to be monitored going forward. It’s also important to monitor the stability of the smaller banks that are not as strong as the larger banks.

     

    And the last point I think that’s important to mention is that the financial sector holds a lot of exposure to local government financing vehicles. And if there is‑‑and there are some pressures on these vehicles, and a potential restructuring of these debts might cause some losses to the banking sector, as well.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: Thank you, Caio. Do we have any other questions on China before we move to anything else?

     

    So we can turn over to the side.

     

    QUESTION: Thank you. My question will be for Tobias and Jason.

     

    Of course, reading your report, you talked about financial fragilities, so I would like to know what financial fragilities you see in developing economies and what policymakers should do to keep financial markets resilient and stable in the face of high interest rates as a result of high inflation in developing economies like Nigeria, too.

     

    The question I have for Jason would be around, what does vigilance really mean for policymakers? Because in your report, you said that the policymakers need to be vigilant. Because vigilance in European economies or advanced economies is also different vigilance for developing economies. Thank you.

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Thank you so much. Those are very pertinent questions. And thanks so much for taking a close look at the report.

     

    For developing economies broadly, I would say that there are three priorities. In terms of financial stability, we are engaging with many countries in terms of building capacity on regulatory issues, so making sure that banks are well capitalized, that monetary policy frameworks are sound. And Nigeria is a good example, where the central bank has been moving toward an inflation‑targeting regime, has liberalized the exchange rate. And we welcome that direction.

     

    Secondly‑‑and I think you alluded to that‑‑is, of course, the overall indebtedness. That is a challenge for some countries. As I mentioned earlier, frontier markets are developing economies with market access. And we have seen many frontier markets issue this year. The issuance levels are fairly high. And we think market access is there, though, of course, financing conditions have improved but are still more expensive than they were, say, in 2021, before the run‑up in inflation.

     

    So with inflation coming down and interest rates expected to further normalize, we would also expect that frontier market funding conditions will improve. And as I said, interest rate spreads are fairly tight.

     

    Now, of course, there are some countries a that do not have market access, and many of those countries are in programs with the IMF. And we are working actively with authorities on the debt issue. We do feel we have made good progress within the Common Framework, but there is certainly more to be done.

     

    Now, of course, it remains key to also work on structural issues to enhance the growth outlook. And that is really something that the regional economic briefings are going to address in detail.

     

    Mr. WU: Maybe just a quick word, to add to what Tobias said about Nigeria, in particular. We recognize that many citizens do face difficulty. The flood was quite devastating. Inflation is still very high, at some 30 percent. So in that regard, the central bank’s rate hikes so far this year have been appropriate.

     

    You asked a question about vigilance. I think importantly, macroeconomic conditions within the country should stabilize. Right? And that includes inflation that will provide room to guard against external shocks, which is less controllable, right, for the economy of Nigeria. So when appropriate, the various foreign exchange measures that were taken by authorities earlier this year are also appropriate in improving vigilance, as are the banking sector‑related measures that Tobias has mentioned.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: All right. Do we have any more questions on that side of the room before we turn it back over here?

     

    QUESTION: Thank you very much.

    So Ghana has just completed its debt restructuring. It’s good news for Ghanians. However, it appears the government is looking at the capital market. What advice do you have for the government at this point? And also because we have an election around the corner.

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Yeah. As I noted earlier, we don’t really comment on elections in the countries of our membership. You know, these are democratic processes. And the people in each country are‑‑it’s their liberty to vote for the government, so we don’t comment on that.

     

    We are, of course, engaged very closely with Ghana. Ghana is in a program. Ghana did restructure its debt. And we are confident that the outlook is going to improve going forward. The regional economic press briefing on Africa is going to go further into detail on those issues.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: Thank you, Tobias.

     

    As a reminder these regional press briefings will be on Thursday and Friday. So they’re all going to be here, so you will have the opportunity to ask those specific questions then.

     

    Can we turn it over here to the middle for a question, please? Right in the center. Thank you.

     

    QUESTION: Thank you.

     

    A follow‑up question related to the yields going up for the Treasury. In simple words, do you see them going up as a source of a potential sell‑off in the financial markets?

     

    And a separate question, if possible. For the same token, yields are going up because of the fiscal trajectory in the U.S. that is worrisome for some, at least, although the candidates are not talking about it. For the same token, considering that the Italian debt is only going up, according to the latest estimates from the IMF, does that represent a source of financial instability for the euro zone?

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Yeah. Thanks so much for this question.

     

    We have, indeed, done work on the interconnection or the nexus between fiscal‑‑or, you know, sovereign debt and financial market debt. So in the euro area, of course, we are watching closely the sovereign‑bank nexus, so the exposure of banks to the sovereign. And you know, in general, we have seen an amelioration there. So, you know, debt‑to‑GDP has been increasing. And that’s very broadly the case around the world. It’s really in the pandemic that we see a sharp upward move in debt‑to‑GDP in both advanced economies and emerging and developing economies. And you know, the fiscal outlook in many countries does imply that debt-to-GDP may continue to rise. So that could‑‑you know, that is certainly a backdrop for the financial system.

     

    Now having said that, governments in advanced economies and major emerging markets have ample room to adjust the fiscal situation going forward through spending measures, through revenue measures. So it is not an immediate financial stability concern in those advanced economies or major emerging markets.

     

    You know, in terms of the pricing of sovereign debt‑‑so, you know, Treasury yields and other benchmark yields around the world‑‑as I said earlier, volatility in those longer‑term yields has increased relative to the decade of the post‑crisis environment, where central banks were constrained at the zero lower bound or the effective lower bound, so had very low interest rates; so they deployed forward guidance and these quantitative asset purchases. So that really compressed longer‑term yields. And that has normalized to some degree, but we don’t think that it is an unusual move. So we are quite comfortable with the kind of levels that we are seeing.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: Thank you. Let’s bring it back over here. I think we have a few questions. Can we take the one in the middle right at the center? Thank you.

     

    QUESTION: A question for Tobias, if I may.

     

    There has been quite a lot of talk about fragmentation and geopolitical risk. Do you think that, as others have said, the momentum for financial regulation and for completing the job on a lot of areas of that is fading? Is there a risk of complacency there? Thank you.

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Yeah. So let me note that we are working around the membership on the regulation of banks but also non‑banks, including security markets, insurance companies, pension funds, and other non‑bank financial institutions.

     

    Concerning banking regulation, of course, there was a major initiative after the global financial crisis to improve capital and liquidity in the banks and to improve the supervision of the banks, primarily of internationally active banks. So the members of the Basel Committee‑‑this is, you know, a group of countries that roughly maps into the G‑20‑‑have committed to phasing in Basel III as a standard for capital and liquidity requirements in those banks. And our understanding is that the membership is still committed to that phase‑in.

     

    I would note that it has taken longer than was initially anticipated, but we are very confident for now that, you know, the major advanced economies and major emerging markets that have signed onto this Basel III framework are going to phase that in.

     

    In the broader membership of the IMF, there’s also a substantial improvement in the regulation of banks. And I would note that there has also been quite a bit of progress in terms of regulations of non‑banks, including insurance companies but also security markets, though we do think that more needs to be done going forward.

     

    Mr. FERREIRA: We have seen important progress in the post‑crisis. Our baseline is still that all the internationally agreed standards will be implemented. Although, as Tobias was saying, there are some major jurisdictions that are facing some challenges implementing that.

     

    We see this with some concern because when you see a major jurisdiction not implementing any standard or implementing it with substantial deviations from what has been agreed, it kind of jeopardizes the international standard‑setting process. That seems to be working fine, but we still are concerned with the delays in the implementation of these regulations that are important for the banks but also to maintain trust in the international standard setting process.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: Thank you. We are coming close on time. So let’s take two or three last questions from this side. Then I think we still have one more question online. Can we do the three over here in the front, on the right?

     

    QUESTION: [Through interpreter]

     

    Good day. Jesus Antonio Vargas. Chucho Lo Sabe Newsletter.

     

    This is the ninth time I come to the Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank. Six times in Washington. I come from Medellín, Colombia. I have also been in Lima, in Bali, last year in Marrakech. And it is a pleasure to see Tobias Adrian here. He has been year in, year out heading the endeavors. Congratulations.

     

    First, a surprise positively since there’s measures to come from the effort to the citizens. In Bogota, they’ve been talking about building a Metro system for 60 years, and they’re attempting it yet again now.

     

    Now, leaving that aside, we have spoken about, it is unlikely there will be a global recession, which is a relief.

     

    I was talking about the risk of a recession. You were talking about a positive surprise in terms of the gains. What do you mean exactly by that? Thank you.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: If we could take two more questions over here.

     

    QUESTION:

     

    You just mentioned there is a disconnect between market volatility and also market economic uncertainties. Could you please just elaborate a little bit more on these risks. And also, more importantly, how will it affect global financial stability if it persists? Thank you.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: One last question in the back there.

     

    QUESTION:

     

    I’ve got a question on liquidity mismatch, in the world of DC pensions. The report mentions the U.K.’s desire to shift toward unlisted assets as investments. And our current Chancellor has also expressed an interest in this. What are the risks in this? Should the shift toward these assets be limited? And how should we guard against them?

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Yeah. Let me perhaps start with the question on macro uncertainty, which was the second question.

     

    So yeah, you know, what we’re seeing is that there is leverage and there are maturity mismatches in the financial sector in many different parts. You know, some of those are contained through prudential regulations, but not all institutions are subject to prudential regulations. So when there’s a sudden burst of uncertainty, some institutions may be forced to unwind their positions. So this includes, say, leveraged trades in fixed‑income markets or in equity markets.

     

    We saw some of that in August, when there was a sharp sell‑off in global equity markets but also in some fixed‑income markets, such as the carry trade across countries. And you know, volatility increased very quickly, leading to this forced deleveraging, and that can amplify downward moves in asset markets.

     

    In August, this episode was very short‑lived. So the sell‑off was followed by a buying of longer‑term investors, such as insurance companies and pension funds. But if such a sell‑off persists for more than‑‑or is more sharp, that could lead to financial stability problems or financial sector distress.

     

    Concerning the U.K. situation and the liquidity mismatches, let me just point out that the Bank of England and the FCA are very focused on those issues. And they do have, you know, broad authorities to regulate those mismatches. And I think they’re actively looking at how to model stress and how to make sure that these investments are sort of balancing risks and returns in an appropriate manner. I think Andrew Bailey made some remarks just this morning in that regard, and we’re fully aligned with his views there.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: I’ll take one last question we have from WebEx, online on the Mexican central bank lowering interest rates. For future adjustments and to maintain financial stability, what should it take into account more, the movements of the Federal Reserve, internal inflation, or the depreciation of the currency?

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: OK. I don’t want to go too specifically into Mexico. Again, there is the Regional Economic Outlook that will speak more closely to specific country issues. So, you know, in general, in the major emerging markets, such as Mexico, that have open capital markets and have inflation targeting regimes, you know, inflation targeting and monetary policy credibility has proven to be very powerful in terms of generating macroeconomic stability, relative to both domestic and external shocks. And you know, in those frameworks, central banks look at both internal and external conditions and are targeting the medium‑term convergence of inflation back to target rates. That has proven very successful. And I would argue that in the major emerging markets, we really see a great deal of improvement in those monetary policy frameworks. So let me stop here.

     

    Mr. WU: Just to quickly complement.

     

    Hence, this is why we have seen major emerging markets come through this rate hike cycle with reasonable resilience across the board. This inflation‑targeting framework has obviously done work, to an extent. Having said that, we are now on the opposite side of the cycle, where interest rates are being cut. That, in theory, should be conducive to emerging markets. Financial conditions could ease. We just want to point out that, as we said in the report, expectations could change. Volatility could be introduced and suddenly surge. So this may have spillovers to emerging market economies, you know, sentiment, financial market sentiment, as well. So policymakers need to remain vigilant on monetary policy and on other aspects of financial sector policies in order to guard against those risks.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: All right. Great. Thank you.

     

    Unfortunately, that does bring us to a close because we do have to respect the next press briefing in this room.

     

    If you do have any questions that we weren’t able to address, please do send them over to me or someone from our team. We’ll make sure to get back to you as soon as we can.

     

    Meanwhile, the events here at the IMF do continue. We still have a host of press conferences this week, from our Fiscal Monitor tomorrow at 9 a.m. Eastern Time to the Managing Director’s Global Policy Agenda on Thursday to our five regional briefings that we talked about, on Thursday and Friday, not to mention the seminars. We have the Managing Director joining the debate on the global economy. That is on Thursday afternoon, which is always a hit that you won’t want to miss. On Friday, the First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath will participate in a panel discussion on monetary policy in a shock‑prone world on Friday afternoon. And there’s a whole lot more, so do check the full schedule online at IMFConnect or at meetings.imf.org.

     

    With that, Tobias, Jason, Caio, thank you for your insights. And thank you all for joining us for this event. We look forward to seeing you at the next one. Thank you.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Alexander Muller

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    @IMFSpokesperson

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Transcript of G24 October 22 Press Briefing

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    October 22, 2024

    Speakers
    Chair: Ralph Recto, Secretary of Finance, Philippines

    First Vice‑Chair: Candelaria Alvarez Moroni, Argentina, representing Ministry of Economy Luis Caputo
    Second Vice‑Chair: Olawale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Nigeria
    Iyabo Masha, G‑24 Secretariat

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): Thank you, all. We had a productive exchange of views and experiences on some of the most pressing issues, confronting the global economy today. We are hard‑pressed on multiple fronts. The suffering costs by conflicts and humanitarian crisis around the world is vast and the affected region’s recovery, the construction, and long‑term development, cannot wait. They demand immediate forceful multilateral action.    

    While the global economy shows signs of stabilization, the outlook for many vulnerable nations, particularly in the global south, remains bleak. These weak economic prospects continue to haunt those already struggling to recover from the pandemic.      

    Inflation may be easing, but rising geopolitical tensions are keeping the threat of commodity price spikes and elevated interest rates alive. These risks impair capital flows, fiscal stability and the very survival of economies on the brink.          

    One thing is clear. Any slowdown in the global economy due to these new economic realities is bound to hit developing countries the hardest. While current circumstances have made it more difficult for us to achieve a sustainable and inclusive future by 2030, we believe that it remains possible with the right priorities and concerted international cooperation.         

    Thus, we continue to call for a more agile and strong will IMF and World Bank. We need heightened development cooperation, scale‑up support, and innovative solutions as we now begin the headwinds to foster peace, stability, and prosperity for all. And the key issue that underpins our discussions is the 80th Anniversary of the Bretton Woods System.         

    We acknowledge the significant evolution of the system over the decades. Yet, we must recognize that rapid transformations are occurring at an unprecedented base. We must therefore critically assess if the Bretton Woods System is adopting fast enough to the rapidly changing and increasingly volatile global environment.         

    To this end, the G‑24 has identified four key reforms that will enhance the system’s effectiveness and empower both the IMF and the World Bank Group to better serve their members.              

    First, the IMF must create a new mechanism to support countries with sound fundamentals during liquidity crisis.

    Second, the immediate submission of eradicating poverty on a livable planet, the World Bank needs more ambitious goals for its concessional and non‑concessional windows, commensurate with the challenges of achieving inclusive and sustainable development by 2030.    

    Third, the sovereign debt resolution framework must be reformed to deliver comprehensive, predictable, swift, and impactful debt relief, addressing the urgent needs of vulnerable economies.               

    Fourth, we must accelerate governance and institutional reforms of the Bretton Woods Institutions, to increase the voice and representation of developing nations. Without improvements and both actions, decades of individual and global efforts to eradicate poverty and inequality, combat climate change, and invest in growth‑enhancing projects will be put to a halt, if not reversed. Thus, we are counting on our recently concluded meeting to set an unprecedented multilateral cooperation and action. All of these points are comprehensively discussed in the communiqué and press release we have prepared for your perusal. With that, we are now ready to take your questions. Thank you.         

    MODERATOR: Thank you, Mr. Chair. So now moving on to the Q&A section, I would like to remind you that when you raise your hand, please identify yourself, your outlet, and please identify the Chair members that you would like to address the question to. Now moving on to the gentleman in the third row, please.       

    QUESTIONER: Thank you so much. I have a question actually for the three of you. Mr. Recto, you talked about the need for liquidity and buffers. The Philippines serves as a really good example. You are one of the fastest growing economies in the developing Asia region. Business process outsourcing, revenues have passed $35 billion. I wanted to find out, what is the Philippines doing so well? Is it a well‑educated workforce or is it constant electricity; what is the secret; and is AI going to disrupt that going forward?        

    For Candelaria Alvarez, reforms have been taking in Argentina. Javier Milei recently, I think it was in the last month, vetoed a bill that was going to increase financing for public universities, and students have been protesting. How patient do you expect the residents of Argentina to be with the reforms that are taking place?               

    And for Mr. Olawale Edun, the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, at the last monetary policy meeting in Nigeria mentioned that the FAAC allocations, the Federation Account Allocation Committee, are causing—he noted they are causing the naira to depreciate when those disbursements are made. What do you think need to be done to address that?

    Then, two, you recently, I think it was a month or two, you talked about the need for single‑digit interest rates in Nigeria. Do you think that is ever going to happen with inflation being in double digits and a hawkish monetary policy path in Nigeria? Thank you.              

    MODERATOR: Thank you. Let me remind you that I hope that your question will be under the purview of G‑24 discussions but let ask the Chair to respond to the questions.               

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): Thank you very much for your question. Thank you for noticing the Philippines. The Philippines at the second quarter grew by roughly 6.3 percent. For the first 2 years of this administration, we have grown about 6 percent. We are following our macro fiscal framework of reducing the deficit over time. We expect the good debt‑to‑GDP to be way below 60 percent by 2028. Today are roughly at 60 percent.               

    On the expenditure side, we are spending roughly 5 to 6 percent on infrastructure, maybe a similar amount also for human resource development, particularly in health and education.               

    You are correct that the BPO industry is growing by about—well, we collect roughly 35 billion in revenues a year. We also have a robust remittance of roughly the same amount, about $35 billion a year as well. That helps our consumption. 70 percent of the economy is household consumption. And public investments have also generated most of that growth as well.                 

    AI is a challenge, but in the Philippines the BPO industry is already adapting to AI. So thank you for your question. Thank you.               

    MODERATOR: Mr. Edun, would you like to address the question?              

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): Thank you very much. Let me answer it within the context of the discussions of the G‑24. Fundamentally, of course, foreign exchange and liquidity generally is very difficult. There are countries that are—they are reforming their economies domestically. They key into the rules‑based world trading system. And they do have debt sustainability in terms of debt‑to‑GDP. However, they have liquidity constraints, particularly foreign exchange with relation to debt servicing of the foreign debt but also their domestic debt. And I think to bring that—that is the context within which the questions of how to help. In fact, the IMF is specifically focusing on how to help is sort of a bridge financing that takes a question that does have its fundamentals right, but it gives it enough time for that adjustment and probably helps it with heightened debt servicing, which is just for a period.

    Clearly with regard to Nigeria, the key about the foreign exchange market really is supply. And, of course, as you know we have the—we are an oil‑producing country. We just need to get our oil production up, and that will deal with that issue of foreign exchange supply, and pressure on foreign exchange every time there are large flows.                  

    In terms of single‑digit inflation, of course, the western world, the rich countries, they have effectively defeated inflation. That is why the interest rates can come down. The Governor of the Central Bank in Nigeria, in the context of high inflation, is continuing with monetary tightening. That is the orthodoxy of the day. And it is one which is following. Thank you.               

    MODERATOR: Ms. Moroni on Argentina.          

    Ms. Moroni (Argentina): Thank you. Going back to the question on Argentina, just as an important framework, G‑24 has been working on the need for emerging market and developing economies to try to put their economies in the right place. The Minister mentioned the need for the international financial organizations to give liquidity or to provide access to liquidity for countries like Argentina and others to be able to get back on our feet. For the government of Argentina, it is really relevant. We do think there is a need for a fiscal anchor on that sense. What happened with the education law had to do with the idea to keep the budget where it has to be, and it has not to do with kind of cutting education. It has to do with evaluating costs and expenditure in the right way. I think that is it.          

    MODERATOR: Thank you so much. Going back to the floor. The gentleman in the fourth row, please.            

    QUESTION: Just turning to the U.S. election, obviously we have seen the U.S. follow suit on trade change to a more protectionist stance. We have seen more industrial policy. Regardless of who wins the election, how do you see the U.S. involvement with multilateral organizations represented here and the WTO; and what is the impact of maybe a lessen gauged, more transactional U.S. on the group of countries, the G‑24?           

    MODERATOR: Mr. Chairman, maybe the Secretariat would like to respond?               

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): We are concerned that there will be a setback on multilateralism, particularly on trade as well. And we know the driver of global growth is more trade. So that is a concern. In the Philippines, we count on our relationship with the United States to do maybe more out‑shoring to the Philippines, and hopefully that will be done also with other members of the G‑24.            

    Ms. Masha (Secretariat): If I can add, if you look at the communiqué, the last paragraph there actually addresses this issue. It is not just about the U.S. it is also about different countries all over the world implementing protectionist policies. And we have seen the impact of that in sectors that continue to build more to growth and development in many countries. So where do we go from here? What we are calling on is for the WTO to become the center of trade discussions, trade negotiations, and for the World Bank and the IMF to rise up to a much more multilaterally‑engaged organization that will be able to at least influence the kind of policies that countries take one way or the other. Thank you.            

    MODERATOR: Thank you. We are going to go online. The question that was just received from Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka as a member of G‑24 is currently making attempts to emerge out of a crisis. What can you tell us about a G‑24 position to support countries like Sri Lanka and also for the island nations to secure financial facilities at reasonable conditions. Mr. Chair, maybe Iyabo?            

    Ms. Masha (Secretariat): Yes. So I would say that Sri Lanka has come a long way from where it was 2 years ago. The last IMF Article IV Consultation assessment does show that growth is picking up, that fiscal buffers are coming up, and also import duties are rising, so that indicates that the countries are making some recovery.           

    As for the position that the G‑24 takes on this issue, the way it affects Sri Lanka most is on the debt sustainability issue. So what we are calling for is that countries, especially middle‑income countries, should also have a framework, a forum where they can negotiate with their debtors. As it is now, the Common Framework only works for low‑income countries. Only low‑income countries are part of the Common Framework, but middle‑income countries can be part of another forum called the Sovereign Debt Resolution Roundtable, which is not really an association—an organization that delivers any form of debt relief. It just fosters common understanding. So that is what we are calling for. We want very timely, very comprehensive reduction in debt for countries, and also for both middle and low‑income countries to qualify. So that is where I see it working out. If things work out and the discussion in that area picks up quite fastly, then we can see the likes of Sri Lanka and maybe Lebanon and a few other countries benefiting from that. Thank you.          

    MODERATOR: Thank you. Back to the floor. Maybe I will take one question from the side and come back to you. I’ve seen your hand, sir, in the third row. Sorry, the fourth row. Yes.               

    QUESTION: Hi, there. Mr. Recto, you said that developing countries would be hit by the hardest by any slowdown. I am going to ask an uncomfortable question, but the U.S. election has two very different results, one of which will likely be much more inflationary and lead to more trade tensions. Could each of you tell me a little bit about how your economies are preparing or thinking about the possibility of a Trump victory and associated trade tensions and inflationary pressures that could be a headwind to growth?              

    MODERATOR: Yes, please.             

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): Well, in the Philippines, we do have a relationship with the U.S. We have a mutual defense treaty. We are hoping to leverage that relationship so that we do not get much affected. We understand that many U.S. companies are also interested to invest in the Philippines. We do have a partnership also, the U.S.-Japan-and the Philippines, with regards to our security arrangements. We expect more investments to take place also in the Philippines.             

    MODERATOR: Anything to add from Mr. Edun or Ms. Moroni?             

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): Thank you. I think the issues that we are contending with in Africa, in many ways, we are bystanders to this all‑important election. Yes, we do have African Growth and Opportunity Act, which tries to open up the U.S. market to African‑manufactured products. I do not think that will be affected in any way by the results of this election. Generally, what we are finding is that at this particular time, the economies of trade generally, there is a reversal of globalization, of trade. There is a move to protectionism in these countries. There is on‑boarding of production. All these things tend to work against the developing world’s ability to benefit from expanding trade and thereby use that opportunity for investment, for growth, and for job creation and poverty reduction.            

    Overall, I think that we are not that affected specifically or that in general we continue to ask for an improved global financial architecture that provides us with more concessional funding, add skill, particularly for those countries that, as I said earlier, are undertaking the macroeconomic reforms that everybody agrees are sensible and will lead to better lives for their people. Thank you.             

    MODERATOR: Anything to add from the macro, broad perspective?             

    Ms. Moroni (Argentina): Very briefly. What was mentioned by both Ministers is the right sentimenting in the emerging markets. We do think, at least for Argentina, the U.S. is a strategic partner and whatever the elections go, we do think that we need to keep having that channel open. Trade is quite a relevant issue. Financial issues are quite relevant. Governance issues in institutions also will be something sensitive to work with the new administration. We do think it is going to be something quite interesting to see in the short‑term. Thank you.           

    MODERATOR: You, sir, in the second row right here.            

    Question: My question is meant for Mr. Wale. Like Mr. Recto said in his opening remarks, a lot of G‑24 countries are having challenges implementing structural reforms and adjustment programs. I would like you to speak specifically to the case of Nigeria. What are the key lessons to learn from the structural reforms being implemented in Nigeria today. And looking back, are there better ways these reforms would have been implemented to limit the level of disruptions? Also, you met with the IMF MD and the team yesterday. We would like to know some of the discussions on that meeting and how does that relate to debt sustainability for Nigeria. Thank you.           

    MODERATOR: Mr. Edun, would you like to respond?         

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): Thank you very much. When we talk about—I will take the last one—debt sustainability, and also reforms generally, the G‑24 I think is better to talk within the framework, to talk beyond Nigeria and more about developing countries as a whole. The requirement really for support from the international community, from the development partners, from the multilateral development banks is that you undertake reforms that lead to sustainability at the macro level.             

    The key lesson that I think I would focus on is that in devising these programs and carrying out the reforms, what is particularly important — because the benefits over the longer term and the costs are frontloaded, it is important that the social safety nets that will help the poor and the vulnerable cope with the up‑front costs with a spike in their cost‑of‑living is adequately planned for and dealt with. So, it should not be an issue of it is an afterthought that you decide now that there need to be certain poverty alleviation initiatives. And linked to that, focus on helping the poor and the most vulnerable, [what can] cope with the cost is communication. I think one of the critical things in carrying out these economy reforms that are so fundamental and clearly they are necessary, otherwise they would not be implemented, is that communicating what is being done, what was to be expected, and also the timing as much as possible, the timing of the various activities, and then communicating what actually has been done so if it is a program to give direct benefits, direct transfers of funds to a group of people, then it should be published. There should be a dashboard that people can follow, thereby engendering and building public trust. I think those are the two important things that I would say you need to have for all of us at the G‑24 and developing countries in general. Thank you.         

    MODERATOR: Thank you, Minister. I have time for two more questions. Let me go back to the far end of the room right there. Thank you.

    QUESTION: Thank you. A question on climate change. Do you think the development banks, MDBs, are doing enough to tackle climate change? And especially our shareholders of MDBs, are they doing enough to tackle this issue? Thank you.            

    MODERATOR: Thank you. Mr. Recto, you would like to comment?        

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): The short comment is, it is never enough.     

    MODERATOR: Minister, do you want to chime in or, Ms. Moroni, or Iyabo on climate change.        

    Ms. Masha (Secretariat): Yes, I will say that the ambition is there. They really want to do a lot. The finance is just not commensurate with the level of ambition, so that is also one area where we have called on them to demonstrate the ambition. Thank you.     

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): Sorry. If I may, since you asked me.     

    MODERATOR: Please.

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): The thing I would say on climate change, for a poor country such as Nigeria and others that are actually endowed with fossil fuels in particular, must take a realistic approach to climate change because it is the resources that we have that we must use to industrialize, to modernize our economies while being members of the global fight against climate change. We are signatories to the Paris Accord. We have our target for net zero, and while sticking to those, we must take a realistic view that we need to use our fossil fuels to develop our economies. Thank you.        

    Ms. Moroni (Argentina): The recent issue we had been discussing on G‑24, G‑20, and other forums, the need for development banks to keep in mind their core objective. Then as you mentioned, there is a need to kind of—we do have an ambition, a climate agenda, but we do need to respect the emerging markets’ right to develop first. So, there is a need to—for financing for other development issues that are not directly linked to this, thank you.      

    MODERATOR: Last question to the lady up‑front.       

    QUESTION: Thank you. My question will be to Ms. Director and Mr. Olawale. Earlier on the World Economic Outlook, we were told that inflation is almost won, so I would like to know how the Group of Twenty‑Four is actually interpreting that, especially with the fundamentals in the developed world getting a little bit better; and what are the risks that are posed to the Group of 24. Also, to you, Mr. Recto, you rolled out four key reforms that G‑24 is asking from the World Bank and the IMF. Are you looking at timelines for these reforms? Then over to Nigeria’s Finance Minister and the Second Vice Chair. One of the reforms is heightened development support. That reform, what does it mean for African economies? For example, so I would really like you to take a look at that and perhaps what are the timelines that you are expecting? Is there a Nigerian agenda within these four key reforms?         

    MODERATOR: Thank you so much. Also, I would like to invite Iyabo to address on the reforms of the Bretton Woods institutions as well, but first, the Director or Mr. Edun, would you like to respond on inflation?         

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): On inflation, I think for next year, the global inflation rate will still be relatively high, lower than this year, but something like 5.8 percent, thereabouts. I still think that will be high, and because of that, the interest rate, while it is going down, it remains high. That is why we are also calling for the World Bank to reduce cost of borrowing. This will be very beneficial to the developing economies. On the time frame, maybe Iyabo can elaborate more.              

    Ms. Masha (Secretariat): Yes. Yes, the Bretton Woods initiative itself, the reform, they just started, so now they are in the process of consultations, going around countries, going around regions, so I will say that at a minimum, maybe by next Spring Meeting, they will have an update on where they are in the process and maybe some final decision by the Annual Meetings. In any case, these things have to go through the boards of both the IMF and the World Bank for ratification.        

    MODERATOR: Thank you. Mr. Edun.

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): I think I think around this time last year, we were still dealing with heightened levels of inflation, particularly in the developed countries. That means elevated rates of interest as they put as their number one priority, the fight against inflation and tight monetary policy by the central banks. That has changed. And there is now as we are seeing monetary easing or at least easing of rates of interest by central banks, but that is in the developed world.

    In the developing world, rates are still high and that fight against inflation means that the interest rates also will remain high. But as far as the developed world is concerned, lower interest rates translate to more affordability. Nobody wants to borrow. Nobody likes to borrow. But when it becomes necessary. It is something that must be managed as well as possible. So the first port of call is concessional financing; IDA financing, for instance, from the World Bank. And what the developing world continues to call for is larger sums that can really make a difference, not just to be able to help a country cope with its immediate payment needs, but to have funds to grow the economies. That is what the fight against inflation translates to for the developing countries. Victory therefore or success therefore in the developed world means that they should be able to make more resources available. I must note here that the IMF has reduced their charges. 36 percent reduction in the rates and the excess charges is significant, and it is in the right direction to help developing countries get the resources they need to develop and grow.

    MODERATOR: Thank you so much, Minister and

    Secretariat. Thank you so much for the questions. Unfortunately, we are out of time. Thank you so much again for joining this press conference. The G‑24 communique is being posted on IMF.org and the transcript of this press briefing will be made available later. Have a good rest of your day. Thank you.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Pavis Devahasadin

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    @IMFSpokesperson

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Germany: How climate risk will complicate central bankers’ jobs | Guest contribution in the Financial Times

    Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English

    It is clear that the effects of climate change have started to influence the monetary policy considerations of several central banks. Unfortunately, such factors will become even more relevant in the future.
    Severe weather events are intensifying, and so too are their economic impacts. Tropical storm Helene in south-eastern US is just the latest reminder of the damage that can be wrought. The annual damages on properties caused by natural catastrophes have more than doubled in real terms over the past two decades, reaching $280bn globally in 2023, according to Swiss Re. The overall impact is much larger, as acute physical effects ripple through the economy, influencing supply, demand and financial flows – and thus also monetary policy.
    A new Network for Greening the Financial System report compellingly illustrates how natural catastrophes such as floods and hurricanes affect the economy. They destroy homes, local infrastructure and production sites, requiring years and enormous amounts of money to rebuild. Waning confidence could prompt companies and households to cut back on spending, further undermining economic growth prospects.
    Price impacts are not spared, as severe weather events, among other factors, damage agricultural production and drive up food prices across regions. These sectoral effects can lead to an increase in overall inflationary pressures, depending on how much a drop in demand balances them out. For instance, droughts tend to exert upward pressure on headline inflation for several years, with developing economies especially affected, because of their higher dependency on agriculture.
    Against this backdrop, central banks might face the complicated task of taming inflationary pressure in a weak economy. Think of a situation when rising inflationary pressure might warrant policy tightening – particularly for central banks, whose primary mandate is price stability – even though this could contribute to economic strain. The State Bank of Pakistan, for instance, in 2022 opted to continue raising policy rates after the devastating floods caused a sharp increase in food prices.
    Climate change – and its uncertain outcomes – mean that central banks must focus on looking ahead and extend their horizon beyond the usual projection period. Estimates of future impacts illustrate what could be in store for the economy and the financial sector. At a global level, climate change could drive up annual food price inflation by between one and three percentage points by 2035, according to a study of the European Central Bank and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.
    However, most studies still fail to consider the risk of crossing climate tipping points, which can significantly accelerate climate change. According to the OECD, ignoring these critical thresholds results in a severe underestimation of the economic costs. Extreme weather events can also bring us closer to these tipping points. The current drought in the Amazon region – the most severe since systematic recording began in 1950 – exemplifies this risk. With one-fifth of the Amazon rainforest already lost, mostly due to deforestation, concerns are mounting that this carbon sponge is on the brink of collapse. That would trigger a cascade of climate events, leading to higher economic costs globally.
    What is more, uncertainties surrounding the magnitude and duration of severe weather events – coupled with governments’ responses – will make the short-term forecasting of key economic indicators particularly challenging. An example is Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the subsequent landfalls of hurricanes Rita and Wilma. In the highly dynamic weeks and months that followed, staff of the Federal Reserve adjusted their estimates of output and inflation a few times, as new information trickled in. Throughout the process, the Fed remained predictable in its actions, highlighting that good communication is key.
    Central banks have another side to watch, too, namely the green transition. Inflation and output may become more volatile as we undergo a transformation of the energy sector and supply chains. In the short term, carbon pricing and rising climate investments could reinforce inflationary pressures.
    Intensifying climate change adds to the array of challenges that monetary policy needs to adjust to. As extreme weather events become more frequent, central banks must pay even greater attention to longer-term inflation expectations. Though the reaction of each central bank will depend on its mandate, clear communication is essential to guide market expectations and ensure that policy decisions are well understood.

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI German News

  • MIL-OSI Germany: Invitation to bid – Reopening of the 10-year 2.30 % Green Federal bond of 2023 (2033)

    Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English

    A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI German News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Announces $13.7 Million for Pipeline Safety from His Infrastructure Law

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $13,692,920.00 from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for pipeline safety from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
    “Pipelines play a crucial role in delivering the energy that powers our everyday lives,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This investment from the Infrastructure Law will significantly improve the safety and efficiency of Louisiana’s infrastructure and build our economy for 2050.”

    Grant Awarded
    Recipient
    Project Description

    $3,000,000.00
    Grant Parish Police Jury
    This grant will provide federal funding to replace 36 miles of 2-inch legacy PVC gas mains.

    $2,546,363.00
    Iberville Parish
    This grant will provide federal funding to replace 5.64 miles of existing steel mains with 4-inch polyethylene coiled pipe, 88 steel service lines with 1-inch PE coiled pipe, and 88 aging residential meters.

    $2,330,843.00
    Village of Elizabeth
    This grant will provide federal funding to replace 8 miles of 6-inch legacy steel distribution line with 4-inch high-density polyethylene pipe.

    $1,872,488.00
    Village of Morganza
    This grant will provide federal funding to replace four miles of PVC pipe with modern polyethylene pipe with tracer wire.

    $1,327,022.00
    City of Patterson
    This grant will provide federal funding to replace 3.06 miles of steel main and services with polyethylene.

    $1,176,277.00
    Town of Montgomery
    This grant will provide federal funding to replace five 60+ year old regulator stations.

    $1,059,315.00
    Town of Washington
    This grant will provide federal funding to replace approximately 2.3 miles of service line connections of 3/4-inch & 1-inch steel pipe with modern 1-inch polyethylene pipe with tracer wire. The project includes all connections, service valves, regulators, and fittings for approximately 300 customers.

    $217,212.00
    Village of Moreauville
    This grant will provide federal funding to replace valves.

    $163,400.00
    Town of Basile
    This grant will provide federal funding to perform an extensive leak survey on the distribution system and any area containing abandoned portions of legacy steel pipe.

    Background
    Thanks to IIJA, the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization is helping communities throughout the country safeguard natural gas pipes. Nearly one billion will be awarded over five years.
    Earlier this year, Cassidy announced over $52 million to municipalities and gas utility districts seeking to replace aging natural gas infrastructure with new pipelines. Additionally, a similar announcement was made last April of over $27 million going to cities and towns in south and central Louisiana, for similar purposes.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cutting-edge transport projects receive £1.4 million to encourage innovation and deliver growth

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Winners of the Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) will help make travel cleaner, safer and more efficient for everyone in the UK.

    • 32 pioneering projects granted a share of £1.4 million to drive innovation and revolutionise the UK transport sector
    • visionary designs include an air purification product to tackle pollution and a pedestrian management system to enhance road safety
    • ideas will boost economic growth by creating jobs – sparking further innovation and cementing the UK’s position as a global leader in green transport

    Winners of a £1.4 million competition to transform the transport sector, grow the economy and inspire innovation have been announced by the Department for Transport today (23 October 2024).

    Organisations and academics with innovative ideas were able to win up to £45,000 in funding to offer sustainable, forward-thinking alternatives and contribute to the government’s aim of cleaner, greener and more efficient transport networks.

    Over the last decade, the Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) programme has invested over £15 million to support industries in the pursuit for new technologies and collaborations – helping deliver key economic growth throughout the country.

    This year sought proposals focused on local transport decarbonisation, maritime decarbonisation and emerging technologies such as AI and drones.

    Aviation, Maritime and Security Minister, Mike Kane, said:  

    Innovation is the driving force behind our transport system and these winning projects are leading the charge by creating cutting-edge solutions that could offer so much benefit for all.

    With sustainability at the core of this year’s competition, we’re helping to shape the future of transport – making travel cleaner, safer and more efficient for everyone.

    Among the groundbreaking projects awarded funding through the government’s TRIG is Vox Aeris, with an invention that hopes to use sound waves and music vibrations from a speaker to reduce harmful pollution across transport networks.

    Selene Sari, founder and CEO of Vox Aeris, said: 

    We are beyond excited to be a TRIG 2024 winner. This support will be pivotal for developing our technology, assessing feasibility with refined prototypes and engaging early stakeholders. We look forward to collaborating with Connected Places Catapult and the Department for Transport.

    The financial backing, expertise, and network support we’re receiving will be crucial for us to advance to the next stage. Having such robust support early in our journey will enable us to move faster and connect with networks that would otherwise be challenging to bring together.

    Previous TRIG winners include OpenSpace – a cutting-edge project using digital twinning and AI to tackle rail station disruption. By using special algorithms, it created the world’s first real-time simulated environment of St Pancras station to help operators manage people flow, improve safety and boost customer experience. 

    TRIG has been running for over a decade, funding more than 430 projects that have ranged from better connecting rural communities with a shuttle bus app to trialling the use of hydrogen to make plane and boat journeys greener. 

    Erika Lewis, Chief Executive Officer at Connected Places Catapult, said:

    Innovation in transport can unlock many benefits for society, the economy and the environment. The Transport Research and Innovation Grants programme has been supporting high-potential innovators for a decade, through funding and dedicated business support, helping them realise their commercial potential.

    This year’s TRIG competition drew a fantastic response from innovators, with the ‘critical and emerging technologies’ challenge proving to be especially popular.

    Today, the Aviation, Maritime and Security Minister is at the Transport Research and Innovation Grant Awards in Birmingham to celebrate last year’s successful winners and see firsthand what the funding can achieve.

    See the complete list of TRIG winners for more information.

    Aviation, Europe and technology media enquiries

    Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

    Switchboard 0300 330 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK Development Minister to push for gender equality at World Bank Annuals

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Anneliese Dodds to outline priorities for gender equality and announce funding to boost women’s economic and social empowerment during visit to Washington D.C.

    • World’s finance and development ministers gather in Washington D.C. to discuss pressing international development issues at Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and IMF.
    • UK Development Minister to announce funding to boost women’s economic and social empowerment in speech on priorities for gender equality.
    • UK to send two female governors to the World Bank Group and IMF Annual Meetings for the first time.

    The UK’s Development Minister Anneliese Dodds will arrive at the World Bank Group and IMF Annual Meetings in Washington D.C. today [23 October] for a series of engagements focused on advancing gender equality.

    It will mark the Minister’s first time attending in her capacity as the UK’s Governor to the World Bank Group. Her visit coincides with Chancellor Reeves attending the IMF Annual Meetings, marking the first time for the UK to send two female governors to the Meetings.

    In a speech at the conference tomorrow [24 October], the Minister will outline her priorities for gender equality and announce a £7.5 million investment over the next two years, and continued support beyond that, in the World Bank’s Umbrella Facility for Gender Equality (UFGE). The facility supports the generation of high-quality data and evidence to address gender inequality and boost women’s economic and social empowerment.

    The UFGE, which has received funding from the UK since 2012, has, for example, benefitted half a million women in Rwanda who were found to be losing rights over land due to not having marriage certificates. In Nigeria, the programme funded research on the benefits of cash transfers, which the government used to inform the expansion of its national livelihoods programme, covering more than 4 million vulnerable households.

    The new funding will enable the UK’s support to the UFGE to expand beyond Africa into Asia and the Pacific and support the development of new methods to collect and use gender data, including through the adoption of AI technology.

    The UK’s Development Minister Anneliese Dodds said: 

    My mission is to help create a world free from poverty, on a livable planet, for all. Women and girls are at the heart of this.

    Britain is back with a voice on the world stage. We are playing a leading role with the World Bank to improve the lives of women and girls around the world.

    The funding announced today will deliver projects that will have an enormous impact on the lives and economic situations of women and girls across the globe and drive economic growth.

    This year’s Meetings come as the World Bank Group and IMF celebrate their 80th founding anniversary and will bring together finance and development ministers from all over the world to agree joint approaches to addressing pressing international development issues.

    Minister Dodds’ attendance follows a keynote speech at Chatham House, in which she outlined her vision for a modern approach to international development.

    Over the course of the Annual Meetings, the Minister will also host an event on conflict prevention, bringing together ministers from the Global South, international financial institutions, humanitarian actors, and academics, to discuss how the World Bank Group and IMF can work better in an increasingly fragile world.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Launches Voter Assistance Resources for People Impacted by Recent Hurricanes and Severe Weather Damage

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched a webpage today compiling information to help voters in states impacted by recent hurricanes Helene and Milton to have access to the ballot. The hurricanes have displaced several thousands of people from their residences; disrupted vital services; closed schools, businesses and other places; slowed postal delivery; and destroyed important personal possessions, including photos and identification documents.

    In these online resources, the department focuses on the six states that were directly affected by recent hurricanes: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The site identifies and provides links to various state changes made to accommodate voters who have been displaced, lost their identification documents, have had polling sites moved or who are unsure where or how they can vote. It also provides contact information so that voters can reach local voting officials who can provide the most specific and up-to-date guidance.

    The Justice Department is also committed to ensuring every eligible voter can cast their ballot free from discrimination and intimidation. Federal laws protect against voter intimidation, coercion and interference at every stage of the voting process. For additional information about voting and elections, including filing federal voting rights violations or threats against election workers, visit http://www.justice.gov/voting. Contact the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section through the internet reporting portal at http://www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling 1-800-253-3931.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Murder-For-Hire Charges Against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Brigadier General and Former Intelligence Officer and Members of an Iranian Intelligence Network

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    Ruhollah Bazghandi, an OFAC-Sanctioned Brigadier General in the IRGC and Former IRGC Intelligence Organization Counterintelligence Chief, and Members of His Iran-Based Network, Contracted Members of an Eastern European Organized Crime Group to Murder a U.

    Note: View the superseding indictment here

    The Justice Department announced today the unsealing of a superseding indictment containing murder-for-hire, money-laundering, and sanctions evasion charges against Ruhollah Bazghandi, also known as Roohollah Azimi; Fnu Lnu, also known as Haj Taher, Haj Taher; Hossein Sedighi; and Seyed Mohammad Forouzan, all of Iran.

    “The Justice Department has now charged eight individuals, including an Iranian military official, for their efforts to silence and kill a U.S. citizen because of her criticism of the Iranian regime,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will not tolerate efforts by an authoritarian regime like Iran to undermine the fundamental rights guaranteed to every American. Three of the defendants charged in this horrific plot are now in U.S. custody, and we will never stop working to identify, find, and bring to justice all those who endanger the safety of the American people.”

    “Today’s indictment exposes the full extent of Iran’s plot to silence an American journalist for criticizing the Iranian regime,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “According to the charges, a brigadier general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a former Iranian intelligence officer, working with a network of conspirators, planned to kill a dissident living in New York City. The FBI’s investigation led to the disruption of this plot as one of the conspirators was allegedly on their way to murder the victim in New York. As these charges show, the FBI will work with our partners here and abroad to hold accountable those who target Americans.”

    “Today’s indictment makes plain that the Iranian regime for years has been behind a violent campaign to stalk, intimidate, and arrange the killing of an American dissident on U.S. soil for bravely speaking up for the rights of the Iranian people,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department is committed to exposing and holding accountable those in Tehran who believe they can hide their hand in carrying out such reprehensible activities.”

    “As alleged, for years, the Government of Iran has attempted to assassinate, on U.S. soil, a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin who is a prominent critic of the Iranian regime,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “In January 2023, we unsealed charges alleging that members of an Eastern European crime group engaged in a plot to murder this victim. As we allege, that group was not acting alone. Today, we hold their Iranian masters to account, and allege that these Iran-based co-conspirators, including a Brigadier General in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, directed the murder plot. By charging these Iran-based defendants, we seek to strike another public blow at the heart of the Government of Iran’s efforts to execute the victim — as well as its lethal targeting, intimidation, and repression of other Iranian dissidents critical of the regime in the U.S. and abroad.”

    As detailed in the superseding indictment, Bazghandi, Haj Taher, Sedighi, and Forouzan contracted members of an Eastern European criminal organization, including Rafat Amirov, also known as Farkhaddin Mirzoev, Pᴎᴍ,  and Rome; Polad Omarov, also known as Araz Aliyev, Polad Qaqa, and Haci Qaqa; and Zialat Mamedov, also known as Ziko, to murder a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin in New York City who has publicly opposed the Iranian government and who has previously been the target of similar plots by the Iranian government. Amirov, Omarov, and Mamedov previously were arrested on charges contained in underlying indictments. Amirov and Omarov are in custody in the United States, pending trial; Mamedov was extradited from the Czech Republic to the Republic of Georgia to face charges there. Bazghandi, Haj Taher, Sedighi, and Forouzan, all of whom are based in Iran, remain at large. The case is pending before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon for the Southern District of New York.

    According to the allegations contained in the superseding indictment, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings, Bazghandi, who resides in Iran, is an IRGC Brigadier General and has previously served as chief of an IRGC Intelligence Organization (IRGC-IO) counterintelligence office. In April 2023, the U.S. Secretary of State designated IRGC-IO as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 14078, for hostage-taking and the wrongful detention of U.S. nationals abroad. On the same date, the Treasury Department sanctioned Bazghandi in connection with his involvement with the detention of foreign prisoners held in Iran. Bazghandi was designated by the Treasury Department a second time in June 2023, this time under Executive Order 13224, for his participation in IRGC-IO’s lethal targeting operations. Haj Taher, Sedighi, and Forouzan (collectively with Bazghandi, the Bazghandi Network), each of whom resides in Iran, also have connections to the Government of Iran.   

    The Bazghandi Network contracted Amirov, Omarov, Mamedov, and Khalid Mehdiyev to murder, on U.S. soil, a victim residing in New York City. The victim is a journalist, author, and human rights activist who has publicized the Government of Iran’s human rights abuses and suppression of political expression, including in connection with continuing protests against the regime across Iran. As recently as 2020 and 2021, Iranian intelligence officials and assets plotted to kidnap the victim from within the United States for rendition to Iran in an effort to silence the victim’s criticism of the regime. That plot was disrupted and exposed by the FBI and led to the filing of federal kidnapping conspiracy and other charges in the Southern District of New York against several participants in the plot in United States v. Farahani, et al.

    Since at least July 2022, the Bazghandi Network tasked members of the organization with assassinating the victim. The organization’s participation in the murder-for-hire plot was directed by Amirov, who resided in Iran and who was tasked with targeting the victim by individuals in Iran. On approximately July 13, 2022, Amirov forwarded targeting information — which Amirov had received from individuals in Iran — about the victim and the victim’s residence to Omarov. Omarov, in turn, together with Mamedov, directed and collaborated with Mehdiyev, who was residing in Yonkers, New York, to carry out the plot against the victim. Mehdiyev’s participation in the plot was disrupted when he was arrested near the victim’s home on or about July 28, 2022, while in possession of the assault rifle, along with 66 rounds of ammunition, approximately $1,100 in cash, and a black ski mask.

    In January 2023, Amirov, Omarov, and Mamedov were arrested overseas. On Jan. 27, 2023, they were charged publicly for their roles in the plot to assassinate the victim. Nevertheless, in the months that followed, members of the Bazghandi Network continued to target the victim. For example, in or about March 2023, Haj Taher searched for information about the victim’s family members and Sedighi saved an image of the victim’s residence. As recently as on or about May 1, 2023, Bazghandi conducted an internet search, in Farsi, for, “a person in the house of [the victim] movie,” and, on the same date, watched a video with the title, “A video of the arrested gunman in front of [the victim]’s home in New York received by [the victim’s employer].”

    Bazghandi, Haj Taher, Sedighi, and Forouzan, have been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and sanctions against the Government of Iran, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

    Amirov, Omarov, and Mamedov  have also been charged with murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition, Amirov, Omarov, and Mamedov were charged with attempted murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and possession and use of a firearm in connection with the attempted murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted with the extradition of Mamedov.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Lockard, Jacob H. Gutwillig, and Matthew J.C. Hellman for the Southern District of New York, Trial Attorneys Christopher Rigali and Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorney Dmitriy Slavin of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kansas Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Returns for Clients

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    A Kansas man pleaded guilty yesterday to preparing and filing false income tax returns on behalf of his clients.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Hophine Bwosinde, of Lenexa, operated Ambroseli Professional Services, a tax preparation business. From 2018 through 2022, Bwosinde prepared and filed false tax returns on behalf of his clients by either inflating legitimate business expenses or by claiming losses related to fake businesses. In addition, Bwosinde falsely reported negative income on clients’ returns. These false items caused his clients to significantly underreport their income to the IRS, which reduced the amount of taxes the clients owed and generated refunds for many to which they were not entitled.

    In total, Bwosinde caused a total tax loss exceeding $1.5 million.

    A sentencing hearing will take place on Feb. 18, 2025. Bwosinde faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. 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 Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Erika V. Suhr of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Woman Sentenced for Filing False Refund Claims

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    A Florida woman was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, one year of supervised release and ordered to pay $485,290.03 in restitution to the United States for filing false tax returns with the IRS to obtain tax refunds.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2018 and 2020, Yolanda Dewar filed four false tax returns seeking a total of almost $2 million in tax refunds from the IRS on behalf of a trust she created. These returns falsely reported that the trust had earned significant income, made payments to the IRS and had federal income taxes withheld on its behalf. Dewar continued filing false returns even after the IRS notified her that her claims were frivolous and had no basis in law. In total, the IRS issued nearly $500,000 to the trust in response to Dewar’s false claims. Dewar used a portion of the funds to purchase a car for a family member, get plastic surgery and renovate her home.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Melissa S. Siskind and Kavitha Bondada of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deric Zacca for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: California Mobile Phlebotomy Lab and Its Owners to Pay $135,000 to Resolve Allegedly False Claims for Blood Testing Services and Travel Mileage

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    Veni-Express Inc. (Veni-Express), headquartered in California, and its owners Myrna and Sonny Steinbaum have agreed to pay at least $135,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they submitted false claims for mobile phlebotomy services and associated travel mileage and paid kickbacks to a third-party marketer of these services, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS). Veni-Express has agreed to pay $100,000, plus additional amounts based on the sale of company property. Myrna Steinbaum has agreed to pay $25,000, and Sonny Steinbaum has agreed to pay $10,000. These settlements are based on their ability to pay.

    The United States alleged that from 2015 to 2019, Veni-Express and the Steinbaums knowingly caused false or fraudulent claims to federal health care programs for mobile phlebotomy services and associated travel mileage. Specifically, with the Steinbaum’s oversight and approval, Veni-Express submitted false claims for venipuncture (blood draw) procedures that the company did not actually perform during homebound patient visits, and for travel mileage associated with these visits that was not reimbursable by Medicare. The United States further alleged that, from July 2014 to June 2015, Veni-Express paid unlawful kickbacks (in the form of a percentage of company revenue) to a third-party, Altera Laboratories also known as Med2U Healthcare LLC, for the marketing of Veni-Express’ services, in violation of the AKS.

    “Health care providers that bill for services they did not provide or offer illegal incentives to increase profits will be held accountable,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to safeguard federal health care programs against those who seek to abuse them.”

    “Providers must not bill for services they did not perform. Further, the presence of unlawful kickbacks all too often corrupts medical judgment,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Our office is committed to investigating and holding accountable those who violate the False Claims Act and AKS to safeguard the public fisc and protect the integrity of our federal health care system.”

    “Improper incentives and billing Medicare for services never actually provided divert taxpayer funding meant to pay for medically necessary services for Medicare enrollees,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying and holding accountable those who engage in such unlawful relationships.”

    The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Banisha Evans, a former phlebotomist for another California provider, and Richard Drummond, a technical director at a Texas laboratory. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States for false claims and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam cases are captioned U.S. et al., ex rel. Evans v. PhlebXpress et al., No. 2:18-cv-2038 (EDCA) and U.S. ex rel. Drummond v. Veni-Express Inc., et al., No. 2:21-cv-1199 (EDCA).

    The relators’ share of the settlement has not yet been determined.

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and HHS-OIG.

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

    Trial Attorney Gary R. Dyal of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Kennedy for the Eastern District of California handled the matter.

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

    Settlement

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: The Pennsylvania State University Agrees to Pay $1.25M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Non-Compliance with Contractual Cybersecurity Requirements

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), located in University Park, Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $1,250,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to comply with cybersecurity requirements in fifteen contracts or subcontracts involving the Department of Defense (DoD) or National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

    The settlement resolves allegations that, between 2018 and 2023, Penn State failed to implement cybersecurity controls that were contractually required by DoD and NASA and did not adequately develop and implement plans of action to correct deficiencies it identified. DoD requires contractors to submit summary level scores reflecting the status of their compliance with applicable cybersecurity requirements on covered contracting systems used to store or access covered defense information. The United States alleged that Penn State submitted cybersecurity assessment scores to DoD that reflected it had not implemented certain controls, but misrepresented the dates by which it would implement them and did not pursue plans of action to do so. The United States also alleged that in performing certain of the contracts and subcontracts Penn State did not use an external cloud service provider that met DoD’s security requirements for covered defense information.

    “Universities that receive federal funding must take their cybersecurity obligations seriously,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue our efforts under the department’s Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative to hold contractors accountable when they fail to honor cybersecurity requirements designed to protect government information.”

    “Federal contractors who store or access covered defense information must take required steps to protect that sensitive information from bad actors,” said U.S. Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “When they fail to meet their cybersecurity obligations, we and our law enforcement partners will use every available tool to remedy the situation.”

    “As our cyber adversaries become increasingly sophisticated, the importance of cybersecurity in safeguarding Department of Defense research, development and acquisitions information cannot be overstated,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS, along with our federal partners, are committed to investigating entities who fail to implement contractual requirements designed to protect Department of the Navy critical information.”

    “Protecting the integrity of Department of Defense procurement activities is a top priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Failing to comply with DoD contract specifications and cybersecurity requirements puts DoD information and programs at risk.  We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to investigate allegations of false claims on DoD contracts.”

    “Safeguarding sensitive NASA and DoD data is crucial to ensuring that it does not fall into the hands of our adversaries or bad actors,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Robert Steinau of NASA’s Office of Inspector General (NASA-OIG). “The University’s inability to adequately address known deficiencies not only put sensitive information at risk but also undermined the integrity of our government’s cybersecurity efforts. We remain committed to holding entities accountable when they fail to meet critical security standards, as demonstrated by this case.”

    On Oct. 6, 2021, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced the department’s Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative, which aims to hold accountable entities or individuals that put sensitive information at risk by knowingly providing deficient cybersecurity products or services, knowingly misrepresenting their cybersecurity practices or protocols, or knowingly violating obligations to monitor and report cybersecurity incidents. Information on how to report cyberfraud can be found here.

    The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblower, Matthew Decker, the former chief information officer for Penn State’s Applied Research Laboratory, to receive a $250,000 share of the settlement amount. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Decker v. Pennsylvania State University, No. 2:22-cv-03895 (E.D. Pa.).

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from NCIS, NASA-OIG, DCIS, Army Criminal Investigation Division, Naval Audit Service, the Defense Contract Management Agency’s Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center and the Air Force Material Command.

    Senior Trial Counsel Kimberly Friday and former Trial Attorney Melanie D. Hendry of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Carr and Rebecca S. Melley for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania handled the case.  

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

    Settlement

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    A Florida man pleaded guilty today to evading the payment of more than $1.7 million he owed for tax years 2004 through 2014.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, David Albert Fletcher, of Deltona, owned and operated several furniture liquidations businesses in Florida, including Century Liquidators. For tax years 2004 through 2013, Fletcher did not timely file his federal income tax returns or pay taxes. After an audit, the IRS assessed a total of $1.7 million in taxes, interest and penalties against him.

    To evade collection of these taxes, Fletcher concealed his income and assets from the IRS. For example, Fletcher used nominees to hide his purchases of luxury vehicles, including Rolls Royces. Fletcher also filed false income tax returns that understated his income and when interviewed by an IRS special agent, falsely represented the amount of income he earned.

    A sentencing hearing will be set at a later date. Fletcher faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. 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 Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Zachary A. Cobb and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bank Manager Sentenced to 65 Months in Prison for Coordinating Multistate COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud Scheme

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

    CAMDEN, N.J. – A former branch manager of a national financial institution was sentenced today to 65 months in prison for using his position to organize a conspiracy to help individuals obtain at least 38 fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling approximately $5 million, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

    Tommy Hawkins, 61, of Philadelphia, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to one count of bank fraud conspiracy. Judge Williams imposed the sentence on Oct. 18, 2024, in Camden federal court. A codefendant, Sieff Robert Sargeant, 44, of Island Park, New York, previously pleaded guilty before Judge Williams to one count of money laundering and was sentenced on Oct. 2, 2024, to six months in prison and six months of home confinement.

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

    The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). To obtain a PPP loan, a qualifying small business was required to apply and provide information on its operations, including the number of employees and expenses. In addition, businesses generally had to provide supporting documentation.

    In 2020 and early 2021, Hawkins worked as the branch manager of the Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, branch of a national bank that was accepting Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)  loan applications. Hawkins worked with Eric Rivera, Lisa Smith, and others to recruit individuals who owned companies with little or no operations to open bank accounts at Hawkins’ branch and apply for PPP loans. Hawkins helped the recruited individuals submit PPP loan applications that contained materially false representations about the companies’ number of employees and payroll expenses. The applications also included false documentation, including tax forms. Based on these applications, Hawkins’ bank approved at least 38 PPP loans and disbursed approximately $5 million. Hawkins received incentive compensation through the bank for opening business bank accounts for the companies that received fraudulent PPP loans and also had an agreement with Rivera and Smith for them to pay Hawkins $5,000 of the loan proceeds for each PPP loan that Hawkins helped to obtain.

    In April 2021, Sargeant’s business received a PPP loan based on a fraudulent application that was submitted through Hawkins’ branch. Sargeant then paid another individual, James Wessels, to create fake payroll checks. Sargeant distributed fake payroll checks to a friend, who cashed the checks and returned the majority of the cash to Sargeant. This was done to conceal that the proceeds actually were being spent on non-payroll expenses.

    In addition the prison term, Judge Williams sentenced Hawkins to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $5.3 million.

    Lisa Smith has pleaded guilty to her role in the scheme. Charges remain pending against Rivera and Wessels, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Patricia Tarasca; special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs in Philadelphia; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Boston-New York Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Corwin Rattler; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman and Attorney-in-Charge Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Election Day Program to Protect Election Workers and Voting Rights

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

    NEWARK, N.J. – Federal law protects elections against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.

    U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today that the public can call the office’s Election Day Hotline at 888-636-6596 to report voting rights concerns, threats against election officials, or any other activity that would interfere with the right to vote in the District of New Jersey. This number will be active Oct. 26, 2024, through Nov. 8, 2024, and will be staffed live on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024.

    “We are committed to ensuring that every citizen in New Jersey is able to vote without interference or discrimination, and to have that vote counted. In coordination with the Department’s Election Day Program, our office will do everything in its power to protect voters and election workers throughout New Jersey.”

    U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger

    The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

    Federal law also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (when voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).   

    In addition to the Election Day Hotline, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The FBI can be reached by the public at 973-792-3000.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws, or any civil rights violation, can be made at any time to the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Hotline, 855-281-3339, or by submitting an online complaint here, or to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form here.

    In the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Susan Millenky, Mark McCarren, and Joseph McFarlane will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming general election.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Update on Edmonton Public Schools negotiations

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3550, which represents roughly 3,200 employees, served notice for strike action to begin on Thursday, Oct. 24. Because the Disputes Inquiry Board was established before strike or lockout action began, the union local cannot strike and the employers cannot lock out employees until the inquiry process concludes.

    Negotiations between the two parties can occur even while the Disputes Inquiry Board is in place.

    “Alberta’s government is providing another mediator to the parties in this dispute so that there is a full opportunity for the parties to reach a negotiated settlement before a work disruption occurs.”

    Matt Jones, Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade

    If a settlement cannot be reached in the dispute, the board will make a recommendation for settlement to the Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade. The recommendation will then be forwarded to both parties, which will have 10 days to notify the minister of their acceptance of the recommendation. If the parties accept the recommendation, it will form part of a new collective agreement and the dispute will be settled.

    If one or both parties to a dispute does not accept the recommendation, the Alberta Labour Relations Board conducts a vote of the party that did not accept it.

    If the recommendation is rejected again, the parties can continue negotiations to reach a settlement or a strike or lockout action may commence after 72 hours.

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI: TruGolf Announces Guidance for Second Half 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Expects Strong Revenues Driven by Franchising and New Products

    Will Issue Q3 Results in First Half of November

    Salt Lake City, Utah, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TruGolf Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRUG), a leading provider of golf simulator software and hardware, announced today its financial outlook for the balance of 2024. The Company expects to report strong revenues for the second half of 2024 driven in part by new revenues from its franchising business, TruGolf Links, as well as by market adoption of new products launched earlier this year.

    Chief Executive Officer and Director Chris Jones said, “We have seen strong lift in interest, leads, and closes in Q2 and Q3 which has us excited for the dynamic growth ahead of TruGolf. The launch of our franchise concept has been very well received in the market and we expect it to continue growing in the years ahead. Additionally, our recently launched hardware and software products are finding broad market acceptance as a leading provider of golf simulator equipment. The combination of franchising and growing product sales should lead to strong revenues in the second half of 2024.”

    Outlook:

    • Total sales are expected to grow by 8%-12% by the end of 2024 as compared to 2023 levels.
    • EBITDA for the second half should be greater than $500,000 showing a return to profitability.

    Mr. Jones continued, “We are proud of our team for their hard work in the transition to becoming a public company. In addition we added both an interim Comptroller and additional outside accounting staff to reinforce the team in order to ensure timely monthly closings, audits and filing. As a result, we expect to report our third quarter results in the first half of November, 2024.”

    Disclaimer on Forward Looking Statements

    This news release contains certain statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements that are not of historical fact constitute “forward-looking statements” and accordingly, involve estimates, assumptions, forecasts, judgements and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the Company’s forecasts for total sales and EBITDA discussed above. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those addressed in the forward-looking statements. Such factors are detailed in the Forward Looking Statements and Risk Factors sections of the Company’s S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake an obligation to update our forward-looking statements to reflect future events.

    About TruGolf, Inc.:

    Since 1983, TruGolf has been passionate about driving the golf industry with innovative indoor golf solutions. TruGolf builds products that capture the spirit of golf. TruGolf’s mission is to help grow the game by attempting to make it more Available, Approachable, and Affordable through technology – because TruGolf believes Golf is for Everyone. TruGolf’s team has built award-winning video games (“Links”), innovative hardware solutions, and an all-new e-sports platform to connect golfers around the world with E6 CONNECT. Since TruGolf’s beginning, TruGolf has continued to attempt to define and redefine what is possible with golf technology.

    Contact:
    TruGolf Inc.
    Brenner Adams, Chief Growth Officer
    801-298-1997
    trug@trugolf.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NSW Government takes action after customers unlawfully charged for merchant fees

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: NSW Government takes action after customers unlawfully charged for merchant fees

    Published: 23 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Minister for Finance


    Merchant fee surcharges were levied on tens of millions of customer card transactions, despite repeated legal advice during the term of the former Liberal-National government that the government agency surcharges were unlawful.

    The issue was identified by the NSW Auditor-General during settlement of the Department of Customer Service (DCS) financial statements for 2023-24 and brought to the attention of the current Government.

    The current Secretary of DCS, Graeme Head, sought further information from his Department which revealed that Service NSW’s practice of charging merchant fees had been flagged as unlawful in legal advice received from the Crown Solicitor’s Office between February 2016 and December 2022. Despite this, merchant fees continued to be passed onto customers.

    Merchant fee surcharges are levied to recoup transaction fees charged by payment providers including banks. Recouping the cost of merchant fees was directed by NSW Treasury in 2012.

    Typical surcharges on Service NSW transactions include 30 cents for a 1-year licence renewal, 29 cents for a marriage certificate and $1.92 to renew registration for a small car (like a Toyota Corolla). The average surcharge on a Revenue NSW payment in 2023-24 was $0.92.

    It’s currently estimated that 92 million transactions unlawfully incurred about $144 million in merchant fees from 2016 across Service NSW and Revenue NSW.

    The Minns Labor Government has established an incident management taskforce and is progressing urgent work to shut down the unlawful charging of merchant fees.

    People who have been charged fees are encouraged to register for updates on the Government’s response at service.nsw.gov.au/about-us/our-services/merchant-fees or by calling Service NSW on 13 77 88.

    The Treasurer, Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, and Minister for Finance have written to the NSW Ombudsman requesting an investigation into possible serious maladministration.

    The Secretary of DCS has also referred the matter to the Ombudsman and the Independent Commission Against Corruption, noting the apparent failure to act on the 2016 Crown Solicitor’s advice.

    The taskforce led by DCS has switched off fees being charged directly by Revenue NSW and the Rental Bond Board, and stopped fees on more than 80 per cent of Service NSW transactions.

    Merchant fee surcharges have been switched off for more than 90 per cent of online payments, including the top 12 Service NSW transactions such as renewing a driver licence or vehicle registration or paying a fine.

    Service NSW is urgently continuing work to switch off fees on all remaining transactions, including thousands of credit card terminals in Service NSW Service Centres. These transactions span several technology platforms and are conducted on behalf of multiple agencies.

    While this work is being completed, alternate payment methods are available which do not incur a surcharge, such as paying in a Service Centre by cash or online with over-the-counter support from Service NSW staff.

    The majority of Government transactions take place through Service NSW, but as a result of this information being uncovered, all departments have been instructed to report to NSW Treasury by 30 November on whether they charge merchant fees for services and to confirm they have the legal authority to do so. 

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib: 

    “Our most immediate priority has been to stop these charges as quickly as possible.”

    “It is deeply concerning that this practice has been ongoing, despite legal concerns being raised.”

    “While the individual amounts typically charged may appear to be small, they have been charged unlawfully.”

    “The community rightfully deserves an explanation about how this was allowed to continue for so long under the previous government.” 

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Finance Courtney Houssos:

    “We have acted swiftly to establish a taskforce to deal with this issue. Our immediate efforts are focused on switching off the payment methods that charge these merchant fees as quickly as possible.

    “We will get to the bottom of what happened and why millions of people were unlawfully charged merchant fees.

    “Families, households and businesses expect governments to conduct themselves lawfully. That’s why all agencies have been instructed to examine their own processes.”

    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-Evening Report: New Caledonia crisis: Pacific leaders’ mission must ‘look beyond surface’

    INTERVIEW: By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist

    Last week, New Caledonia was visited by France’s new Overseas Minister, François Buffet, offering a more conciliatory position by Paris.

    This week, the territory, torn apart by violent riots, is to receive a Pacific Islands Forum fact-finding mission comprised of four prime ministers.

    New Caledonia has been riven with violence and destruction for much of the past five months, resulting in 13 deaths and countless cases of arson.

    Islands Business journalist Nic Maclellan is back there for the first time since the rioting began on May 13 and RNZ Pacific asked for his first impressions.

    Nic Maclellan: Day by day, things are very calm. It’s been a beautiful weekend, and there were people at the beach in the southern suburbs of Nouméa. People are going about their daily business. And on the surface, you don’t really notice that there’s been months of clashes between Kanak protesters and French security forces.

    But every now and then, you stumble across a site that reminds you that this crisis is still, in many ways, unresolved. As you leave Tontouta Airport, the main gateway to the islands, for example, the airport buildings are surrounded by razor wire.

    The French High Commission, which has a very high grill, is also topped with razor wire. It’s little things like that that remind you, that despite the removal of barricades which have dotted both Noumea and the main island for months, there are still underlying tensions that are unresolved.

    And all of this comes at a time of enormous economic crisis, with key industries like tourism and nickel badly affected by months of dispute. Thousands of people either lost their jobs, or on part-time employment, and uncertainty about what capacity the French government brings from Paris to resolve long standing problems.

    Don Wiseman: Well, New Caledonia is looking for a lot of money in grant form. Is it going to get it?

    NMac: With, people I’ve spoken to in the last few days and with statements from major political parties, there’s enormous concern that political leaders in France don’t understand the depth of the crisis here; political, cultural, economic. President Macron, after losing the European Parliament elections, then seeing significant problems during the National Assembly elections that he called the snap votes, finds that there’s no governing majority in the French Parliament.

    It took 51 days to appoint a new prime minister, another few weeks to appoint a government, and although France’s Overseas Minister Francois Noel Buffet visited last week, made a number of pledges, which were welcomed, there was sharp criticism, particularly from anti-independence leaders, from the so called loyalists, that France hadn’t recognised the enormity of what’s happened, and to translate that into financial commitments.

    The Congress of New Caledonia passed a bipartisan, or all party proposal, for significant funding over the next five years, amounting to almost 4 billion euros, a vast sum, but money required to rebuild shattered economic institutions and restore public institutions that were damaged during months of riots and arson, is not there.

    France faces, in Metropolitan France, a major fiscal crisis. The current Prime Minister Michel Barnier announced they cut $250 million out of funding for overseas territories. There’s a lot of work going on across the political spectrum, from politicians in New Caledonia, trying to make Paris understand that this is significant.

    DW: Does Paris understand what happened in New Caledonia back in the 1980s?

    NMac: Some do. I think there’s a real problem, though, that there’s a consistency of French policy that is reluctant to engage with France’s responsibilities as what the United Nations calls it, “administering power of a non-self-governing territory”.

    You know, it’s a French colony. The Noumea Accord said that there should be a transition towards a new political status, and that situation is unresolved. Just this morning (Tuesday), I attended the session of the Congress of New Caledonia, which voted in majority that the provincial elections should be delayed until late next year, late 2025.

    The aim would be to give time for the French State and both supporters and opponents of independence to meet to talk out a new political statute to replace the 1998 Noumea Accord. However, it’s clear from different perspectives that have been expressed in the Congress that there’s not a meeting of minds about the way forward. And key independence parties in the umbrella coalition, the FLNKS make it clear that they only see a comprehensive agreement possible if there’s a pathway forward towards sovereignty, even with a period of inter-dependence with France and over time to be negotiated.

    The loyalists believe that that’s not a priority, that economic reconstruction is the priority, and a talk of sovereignty at this time is inappropriate. So, there’s a long way to go before the French can bring people together around the negotiating table, and that will play out in coming weeks.

    DW: The new Overseas Minister seems to have taken a very conciliatory approach. That must be helpful.

    NMac: For months and months, the FLNKS said that they were willing to discuss electoral reforms, opening up the voting rolls for the local political institutions to more French nationals, particularly New Caledonian-born citizens, but that it had to be part of a comprehensive, overarching agreement.

    The very fact that President Macron tried to force key independence parties, particularly the largest, Union Caledoniénne, to the negotiating table by unilaterally trying to push through changes to these voting rules triggered the crisis that began on the 13th of May.

    After five months of terrible destruction of schools, of hospitals, thousands of people, literally leaving New Caledonia, Macron has realised that you can’t push this through by force. As you say, Overseas Minister Buffet had a more conciliatory tone. He reconfirmed that the controversial reforms to the electoral laws have been abandoned. Doesn’t mean they won’t come back up in discussions in the future, but we’re back at square one in many ways, and yet there’s been five months of really terrible conflict between supporters and opponents of independence.

    The fact that this is unresolved is shown by the reality that the French High Commissioner has announced that the overnight curfew is extended until early November, that the French police and security forces that have been deployed here, more than 6000 gendarmes, riot squads backed by armoured cars, helicopters and more, will be held until at least the end of the year.

    This crisis is unresolved, and I think as Pacific leaders arrive this week, they’ll have to look beyond the surface calm to realise that there are many issues that still have to play out in the months to come.

    DW: So with this Forum visit, how free will these people be to move around to make their own assessments?

    NMac: I sense that there’s a tension between the government of New Caledonia and the French authorities about the purpose of this visit. In the past, French diplomats have suggested that the Forum is welcome to come, to condemn violence, to address the question of reconstruction and so on.

    But I sense a reluctance to address issues around France’s responsibility for decolonisation, at the same time, key members of the delegation, such as Prime Minister Manele of Solomon Islands, Prime Minister Rabuka, have strong contacts through the Melanesian Spearhead Group, with members of the FLNKS and the broader political networks here. To that extent, there’ll be informal as well as formal dialogue. As the Forum members hit the ground after a long delay to their mission.

    DW: There have been in the past, Forum groups that have gone to investigate various situations, and they’ve tended to take a very superficial view of everything that’s going on.

    NMac: I think there are examples where the Forum missions have been very important. For example, in 2021 at the time of the third referendum on self-determination, the one rushed through by the French State in the middle of the covid pandemic, a delegation led by Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, a former Fiji Foreign Minister, with then Secretary-General of the Forum, Henry Puna, they wrote a very strong report criticising the legitimacy and credibility of that vote, because the vast majority of independence supporters, particularly indigenous Kanaks, didn’t turn out for the vote.

    France claims it’s a strong no vote, but the Forum report, which most people haven’t read, actually questions the legitimacy of this politically. The very fact that four prime ministers are coming, not diplomats, not ministers, not just officials, but four prime ministers of Forum member countries, shows that this is an important moment for regional engagement.

    Right from the beginning of the crisis, the then chair of the Forum, Mark Brown, who’ll be on the delegation, talked about the need for the Forum to create a neutral space for dialogue, for talanoa, to resolve long standing differences.

    The very presence of them, although it hasn’t had much publicity here so far, will be a sign that this is not an internal matter for France, but in fact a matter of regional and international attention.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI Security: Laredo drug dealer receives three decades in prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A 46-year-old man has been sentenced for possession with the intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

    Daniel Rodriguez pleaded guilty April 2.

    U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now ordered Rodriguez to serve 360 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Rodriguez sold poison to people and despite having multiple opportunities to stop, he continued selling drugs. During the hearing, Rodriguez remarked he was a father and the court asked if he sold these same drugs to his family. Additionally, the court questioned if he would stop selling drugs if one of his own children had overdosed.

    On Jan. 3, authorities executed a search warrant at Rodriguez’s residence. While approaching the house, law enforcement saw Rodriguez flee from inside his home, during which time he attempted to discard a baggie that was later found to contain meth.

    After detaining Rodriguez, authorities searched the home and found more meth inside. He later admitted that the seized drugs belonged to him.

    Rodriguez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and the Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Bajew and Leslie Cortez prosecuted the case.

    The case was prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal jury convicts man of methamphetamine trafficking in Billings

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BILLINGS — A federal jury today convicted a Colorado man of drug trafficking after a high-speed pursuit and search of his vehicle led to the recovery of approximately six pounds of methamphetamine, U.S Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    After a two-day trial that began on Oct. 21, the jury found Moises Zamora, 39, of Greely, Colorado, guilty of possession with intent to distribute meth as charged in an indictment. Zamora faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.

    U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Feb. 20, 2025. Zamora remained detained pending further proceedings.

    “This drug dealer was caught with almost six pounds of methamphetamine while dangerously attempting to flee a Yellowstone County Deputy Sheriff. With their actions, our law enforcement partners kept more than 21,000 doses of meth from poisoning our community. More work is required, and I am confident such work on other people will yield the same result as Zamora – guilty of drug trafficking,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

    In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on Nov. 11, 2022, a Yellowstone County Sheriff’s deputy pulled into a convenience store parking lot in Billings and noticed a passenger car parked in an obscure manner, away from the pumps or store entrances. As the deputy drove toward the car, he saw the driver, later identified as Zamora, point toward his patrol vehicle and then slouch in the seat. The deputy believed this behavior to be consistent with nefarious acts and pulled behind the vehicle to investigate. Zamora reversed his car and drove away. The deputy activated his lights and siren, but Zamora continued driving, and a high-speed pursuit began. The pursuit lasted almost 10 minutes and involved speeds reaching 80 mph, with Zamora driving recklessly and entering the lane of oncoming traffic. Zamora finally stopped when he came to a dead end and was arrested.

    The deputy observed two blue “M30” pills, later confirmed to be fentanyl, in the backseat. Law enforcement determined Zamora had a warrant for his arrest and was booked into the Yellowstone County Detention Center. Law enforcement served a search warrant on Zamora’s car and located approximately six pounds of meth, two fentanyl pills, three cell phones and drug paraphernalia. Six pounds of meth is the equivalent of approximately 21,744 doses.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and FBI conducted the investigation. 

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

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi highlights BRICS’ role in driving multipolarity, globalization ahead of Kazan Summit

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Xi highlights BRICS’ role in driving multipolarity, globalization ahead of Kazan Summit

    Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan, Russia, Oct. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    KAZAN, Russia, Oct. 22 — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday underscored the role of BRICS as “a pillar” in promoting a multipolar world and fostering an inclusive economic globalization ahead of leaders’ formal meetings at the 2024 BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.

    The BRICS mechanism is the world’s most important platform for solidarity and cooperation between emerging markets and developing countries, Xi said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit.

    The Kazan Summit marks the first in-person BRICS gathering since the group expanded its membership last year in Johannesburg, South Africa. More than 30 countries attend this year’s summit which runs until Thursday.

    Xi told Putin, who chairs the summit, that he expected to have an in-depth discussion with Putin and other world leaders on the future development of the BRICS cooperation mechanism, so as to secure more opportunities for the Global South.

    One of the key priorities of Russia’s BRICS chairmanship is integrating the new members into the BRICS framework, according to the official website. Other areas of practical cooperation include boosting trade and direct investment, as well as fostering a balanced and equitable transition to a low-carbon economy.

    BRICS countries are expected to deepen consensus on strategic communication and practical cooperation for the group’s future development, said Wang Lei, director of the BRICS Cooperation Research Center at Beijing Normal University.

    Wang also expressed hope for productive engagement between BRICS and the broader Global South at the summit to promote shared global development and uphold the effectiveness of multilateral governance systems.

    Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan and the fifth-largest city in Russia, holds historical and cultural significance. During their meeting, Xi told Putin that around 400 years ago, the Great Tea Road that connected the two countries went past Kazan, through which tea leaves from China’s Wuyi Mountain region found their way into many Russian households.

    The city is also home to Kazan Federal University, where notable figures like the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy and Russian revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin studied.

    Around noon on Tuesday, Xi arrived at Kazan International Airport, greeted by Russian officials. Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin told Xinhua that the city is honored to host the Chinese leader.

    Guards of honor lined both sides of a red carpet to salute the Chinese leader, while Russian youths in traditional attire offered a warm welcome. Russian fighter jets escorted Xi’s plane before its landing.

    “It is very important that, at the moment, we have such a good leader who can introduce new initiatives,” said Timirkhan Alishev, vice rector for International Affairs, Kazan Federal University, speaking of Xi’s role in international affairs.

    Alishev told Xinhua that all initiatives introduced by China are rooted in multilateralism, fostering communication and dialogue on multiple levels.

    “We see China puts a lot of efforts to develop BRICS,” said Alishev. “There are no preconditions for BRICS cooperation … You can start dialogue on equal basis with everybody.”

    The term BRIC was initially coined in 2001 by Jim O’Neill, former chief economist at Goldman Sachs, as an investment concept referring to emerging market economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China. With South Africa’s inclusion in 2010, BRICS officially took shape.

    After last year’s expansion, BRICS grouping now accounts for about 30 percent of the global GDP, nearly half of the global population and one-fifth of global trade. “Measured by GDP, the BRICS countries have already surpassed the G7 in importance,” said Dilma Rousseff, president of the New Development Bank (NDB), in a recent interview with Xinhua.

    “I think this BRICS meeting is very important … At the moment, the countries of the Global South are in great need of funding. And the conditions for obtaining it are quite complicated,” Rousseff said during a meeting with Putin in Kazan on Tuesday.

    Observers see the BRICS Summit as an opportunity for Global South countries to voice their needs. Victoria Fedosova, deputy director of the Institute for Strategic Research and Forecasts of the Russian Peoples’ Friendship University, said the very dynamic development of BRICS and the growth in membership reflect a demand for a platform for addressing global issues.

    “The BRICS mechanism has enormous potential in adjusting the imbalances in global development accumulated over the last 80 years,” said Fedosova.

    Other than the countries that became new full members on Jan. 1, 2024, over 30 countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Türkiye and Azerbaijan have either formally applied for or expressed interest in its membership, while many other developing countries are seeking deeper cooperation with the group.

    As its influence expands, BRICS has gained appeal among many countries, particularly in the Global South, by offering them concrete advantages, said Zukiswa Roboji, a researcher at Walter Sisulu University in South Africa.

    “BRICS has undoubtedly made notable strides in recent years,” said Roboji. It offers emerging economies easier access to financial resources and better opportunities for trade, investment and development, the expert added.

    MIL OSI China News