NewzIntel.com

Category: Law and Justice

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Ferguson, bipartisan coalition win $49 million and counting over generic drugs price-fixing conspiracy

    Source: Washington State News

    AGs assert it was one of the most damaging price-fixing schemes in U.S. history

    OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today he and a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general have won more than $49 million so far in their case against major drug manufacturers that conspired to illegally raise prices on hundreds of generic drugs. The conspiracy caused consumers to pay more than 10 times as much for some drugs, ranging from antibiotic ointment to cancer treatments.

    As a result of the multistate litigation, Apotex will pay $39.1 million and Heritage Pharmaceuticals will pay $10 million, make significant reforms and cooperate with the case against the remaining companies. Washington’s share of these and future resolutions will be determined when the litigation is resolved against all of the companies. Washingtonians who bought generic drugs during the conspiracy are eligible to get the amount they overpaid returned to them through a claims process. What individuals will receive will be determined once all the cases are complete.

    “These companies conspired to line their pockets at the expense of Washingtonians,” Ferguson said. “Their conspiracy made it harder for people to afford medications they rely on for their health, and even their life. I will hold them accountable.”

    Lawsuits in the U.S. District Court of the District of Connecticut remain active against 30 other corporations — including some of the nation’s largest generic drug manufacturers — as well as 25 company executives for violations of federal and state antitrust laws, including the Washington Consumer Protection Act. The attorneys general assert the conspiracy was one of the most egregious and damaging illegal price-fixing schemes in U.S. history.

    Company executives and their sales representatives used code words to meet privately and plan how to artificially raise the prices on generic drugs to increase their profits. Some female sales representatives, for instance, would agree to meet at a “girls’ night out,” then plan how to collectively and artificially raise prices on generic drugs. Many of the companies raised prices by well over 1,000 percent at the height of the conspiracy. Company executives later destroyed text messages and documents after hearing about subpoenas from the investigation.

    If you purchased generic prescription drugs between 2010 and 2018, you may be eligible for restitution from this resolution or future resolutions. To determine your eligibility, visit www.AGGenericDrugs.com, call 1-866-290-0182, or email info@AGGenericDrugs.com.

    Bipartisan coalition of AGs takes on the generic drug industry

    The attorneys general partnered on three lawsuits against generic drug manufacturers. One case focuses on Heritage Pharmaceuticals’ involvement with 17 other companies to fix the prices of 15 drugs. Another case focuses on 20 companies that fixed prices on more than 100 drugs. A third lawsuit involves 26 companies fixing the prices on 80 topical generic drugs used for dermatology. Each lawsuit addresses a different set of drugs and defendants.

    The companies agreed to drive up the prices of over a hundred common drugs, from everyday antibiotics such as amoxicillin and penicillin to antidepressants, contraceptives, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, statins, ace inhibitors, beta blockers and more. These drugs are used to treat a wide range of diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, cancer, HIV, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, high blood pressure, arthritis, high cholesterol, acid reflux and more. A list of the drugs affected by the scheme is available here.

    When a branded drug manufacturer loses exclusive patent rights to a drug, generic drugs can enter the market at a lower cost. While some price increases are normal, prices of hundreds of generic drugs skyrocketed over the course of the conspiracy. Generic drug manufacturers argued publicly that the increases were due to legitimate factors such as industry consolidation, federally mandated plant closures or elimination of unprofitable generic drug product lines.

    Privately, however, the companies coordinated their prices at regular industry dinners, lunches, parties, golf outings, frequent telephone calls, emails and text messages. Throughout these communications, the conspirators used terms like “fair share,” “playing nice in the sandbox,” and “responsible competitor” to describe how they unlawfully discouraged competition, raised prices and enforced an ingrained culture of collusion within the industry. In addition to female sales representatives’ “girls’ night out,” male executives and employees often met under the guise of an “industry dinner.”

    The conspirators usually chose to communicate in person or by phone to avoid creating a written record of their illegal conduct. When communications were written, the companies often took calculated steps to destroy evidence of those communications.

    The states’ lawsuits seek restitution for consumers, damages for state agencies, maximum civil penalties and a court order to stop the illegal conduct and restore competition to the generic drug market.

    Antitrust Assistant Attorneys General Paula Pera, Holly Williams and Travis Kennedy, Litigation Support and Administrative Manager Kimberly Hitchcock, and paralegals Michelle Oliver and Tracy Jacoby are handling the case.

    The Antitrust Division investigates complaints about potential anti-competitive activity. For information about filing a complaint, visit https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhandler/ago/AntitrustComplaint.aspx.

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    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Brionna Aho, Communications Director, (360) 753-2727; Brionna.aho@atg.wa.gov

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Guilty Plea in Fatal DUI Crash on Navajo Nation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Vanderwagen man pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with a fatal drunk driving crash that occurred on the Navajo Nation reservation in 2022.

    According to court documents, on October 2, 2022, Sheldon Carlton Daye, 30, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, drove while impaired by alcohol. He knew that driving drunk would pose a risk to others on the road. While driving on Highway 602 near Bread Springs, New Mexico, within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation reservation, Daye struck and killed two motorists who were stopped on the side of the highway changing a tire.

    Daye will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Daye faces up to 16 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Daye will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark A. Probasco and Meg P. Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Missouri Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years on New Child Pornography Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Wednesday sentenced a registered sex offender who was caught with child pornography to 10 years in prison.

    James Darrick Beeler, 53, of Glenwood, Missouri, had more than 200 videos containing child sexual abuse material on a laptop and more than 200 videos on two thumb drives. On June 29, 2022, the Missouri State Highway Patrol discovered that someone was sharing two videos of child pornography on a peer-to-peer file sharing program. They traced the videos to Beeler’s home. Beeler later admitted to investigators that he used his laptop to search for and download child sexual abuse material.

    Beeler pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in May to one count of possession of child pornography. In 2007, he was convicted in Schuyler County of abuse of a child.

    The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case. 

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Feeding Hills, Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 68 Months for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on October 29, 2024, Eddie Melendez (a/k/a “Bart”), 31, of Feeding Hills, Massachusetts, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 68 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Eddie Melendez previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with numerous other individuals to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base in and around Rutland, Vermont.

    According to court records, Melendez was the leader of a drug distribution organization that had been transporting hundreds of grams of cocaine base and thousands of bags of heroin/fentanyl from Massachusetts to the Rutland, Vermont area on a regular basis since at least late 2019 or early 2020 until January 2024. During the course of the conspiracy, Melendez and his associates used Rutland area hotels and at least five private residences as locations to sell illegal drugs. More than a dozen associates of Melendez were involved in distributing controlled substances for his drug trafficking organization or hosting its operations within their residences, and Melendez stipulated that he coordinated the drug activities of the organization. Investigators completed fourteen controlled purchases into Melendez’s drug trafficking organization between August 2023 and January 2024.

    United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police’s Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Rutland City Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Ludlow Police Department.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Turner and Jonathan Ophardt. Melendez was represented by John-Claude Charbonneau, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Under Indictment in Heroin OD Case Charged With Federal Gun Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A Fort Worth man on a deferred adjudication for dealing the heroin that killed a 21-year-old in 2013 has been charged with federal gun crimes, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District Leigha Simonton.

    Brennan Trainor Rodriguez, 33, was charged Wednesday in a two-count indictment alleging illegal possession of a machinegun and illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment.  

    According to court records, Mr. Rodriguez was charged on June 7, 2013, with injecting heroin into a 21-year-old man who suffered a fatal overdose. He admitted to causing the man’s death and was placed on 10 years of deferred adjudication beginning on Nov. 26, 2014. Conditions of his community supervision prohibited him from possessing firearms. (Until the deferred adjudication period concludes, Mr. Rodriguez is still considered under indictment.)  

    On Aug. 6. 2024, law enforcement responded to a domestic disturbance call from Mr. Rodriguez’s former girlfriend, who told police that the defendant had been stalking and harassing her since their breakup. She also reported that Mr. Rodriguez frequently shot guns, including one that fired fully automatic.  

    The following week, Mr. Rodriguez was arrested for stalking. In searching his home, law enforcement found nine firearms, including a Smith & Wesson rifle equipped with a machinegun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch” or “auto sear.”

    An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Rodriguez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

    If convicted of the gun crimes, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

    Meanwhile, Mr. Rodriguez’s state court cases remain pending.  

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division – Fort Worth Resident Agency and the Fort Worth Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric B. Chen is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Galeas Patriarch, HSO Leader Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Human Smuggling and Money Laundering

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DEL RIO, Texas – The leader of a human smuggling organization (HSO) was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 360 months in federal prison on Wednesday.

    According to court documents, Roberto Galeas-Mejia, 48, of Honduras, led a San Antonio-based HSO, overseeing activities that included the transportation and harboring of undocumented noncitizens and the coordination of payments. Funds were funneled through conspirators’ bank accounts and used to pay load drivers and stash house operators, as well as to rent stash houses and further aid the HSO. Funds were also used for personal expenses such as vehicle purchases. Over the course of the investigation, Homeland Security Investigations thwarted multiple smuggling loads and arrested numerous co-conspirators and undocumented noncitizens.

    On July 27, 2022, a federal jury found Galeas-Mejia guilty of all three counts in a superseding indictment: conspiracy to transport illegal migrants, conspiracy to harbor illegal migrants, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. His wife Eva Maria Galeas and stepdaughter Lisa Marie Ortega, both of San Antonio, were also found guilty as co-conspirators. His sisters Sandra and Norma Galeas-Mejia, of Honduras, were also co-conspirators but pleaded guilty. The four women were sentenced in March.

    During the March sentence hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses ordered the forfeiture of $603,593.00, which was discovered in a safe during a search of Roberto’s home that he shared with Eva and Lisa Marie Ortega. On Wednesday, Roberto Galeas was also ordered to pay a money judgement of $1,008,000.

    HSI investigated the case with valuable assistance from U.S. Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety, Maverick County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle Pass Police Department, Dimmit County Sheriff’s Office and the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Holly Pavlinski, Antonio Franco and Rex Beasley prosecuted the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Braunfels Man Pleads Guilty After Planned Mass Murder Attacks Thwarted by Federal and Local Law Enforcement

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – A New Braunfels man pleaded guilty in a federal court in San Antonio to one count of attempt to receive firearm to use to commit a felony.

    According to court documents, Cameron Darrick Peterson, 20, began planning mass shootings since November 2022. On Jan. 4, 2024, Peterson attempted to purchase a 12-gauge shotgun from a New Braunfels pawn shop. He completed the required background check and was denied due to his age and the type of firearm he was attempting to purchase. On May 31, he attempted to purchase an assault weapon-style 12-gauge shotgun from the pawn shop and was denied a second time.

    FBI agents obtained an arrest warrant on June 5, and Peterson was immediately taken into custody by the New Braunfels Police Department. During a search of his home, FBI agents found and seized an altered .22 caliber long rifle with a sawed-off buttstock and six magazines loaded with 60 rounds.

    On June 6, as part of a federal search warrant, agents reviewed Peterson’s Instagram account, revealing statements Peterson had made about plans to attack a gas station. Also on June 6, Peterson was recorded from jail instructing a witness to hide or destroy a videotape he had made in which he surveilled a grocery store to plan a future attack.

    On June 10, another search of Peterson’s home revealed a box that contained 11 aerosol containers and other ingredients to manufacture destructive devices. One of the containers was determined that it could be readily made operational and was categorized as an Improvised Explosive Device. The IED was not registered in the National Firearms Registry, nor could it be due to Peterson’s age.

    Peterson is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 5, 2025 and faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, San Antonio Fire Department, New Braunfels Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and Eric Yuen are prosecuting the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rockledge Man Pleads Guilty To COVID-19 Fraud

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    Orlando, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Robert William Burns, III (44, Rockledge) has pleaded guilty to COVID-19-related wire fraud. Burns faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to the plea agreement, in 2021, Burns applied for three Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans to support two of his businesses – RB3 Ventures LLC and The Social Wizards. In all three applications, Burns made false statements to obtain the loans. In one instance, he inflated his company’s income to obtain a larger payout and supported the application with false or fictitious tax documents. In total, Burns fraudulently obtained $57,186 in PPP funds. Burns then spent all the funds on non-business purposes.

    As part of his plea agreement, Burns has agreed to forfeit $57,186 and make full restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration. 

    This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Here and abroad, health-care workers bear witness to the world’s worst atrocities

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Suzanne Shoush, Indigenous Health Faculty Lead, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

    As a physician, I remember the first time I saw a child dying.

    She was in the pediatric intensive care unit, flown in from a remote First Nations community with her family on the way. Intubated and sedated to cope with the blisters covering her little body, she’d had three of her four limbs amputated — the result of a horrific meningococcal infection.

    I remember standing rooted to the ground, unable to walk away from her bedside, wanting more than anything to undo her suffering. This was long before I became involved in academic medicine as Indigenous Health Faculty lead for the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto, yet it profoundly shaped my understanding of suffering and the fragility of life.

    I was a medical student without a magic cure, but I needed to stay close to her simply so she wouldn’t be alone. I remember everything about those moments, from the rhythm of her breath to the stillness of her body.

    Around the world, health-care workers are trained to be observers and meticulously examine those before us, monitoring life and death with intense attention. We witness with a required objectivity, documenting and responding with specificity. We encounter incredibly difficult moments, but the ones involving children are particularly engraved in our minds.

    The horrific situation in Gaza

    I have been considering what health-care workers are experiencing in Gaza, “the world’s most dangerous place to be a child,” according to UNICEF.

    Every single day, they bear witness to a reality that the New York Times has deemed “too horrific for publication” as it declines to print images of dozens of children with gunshot wounds to the head, neck and chest.

    These images came from health-care providers, documenting the time they spent in Gaza to provide desperately needed medical care in a place where nearly half the population is children.

    They’re fighting daily to stem the tsunami of death that has often been referred to as the world’s first live-streamed genocide. With unimaginable determination and exhaustion, they are treating tens of thousands of children, some who have been mortally wounded and maimed due to indiscriminate bombing and sniping. These young people have been starved and terrorized by what the United Nations has called a war on children.

    This crisis also constitutes a war on health care as hospitals in Gaza have been attacked, besieged, burned or decimated. Hundreds of Palestinian health-care workers in Gaza and the Occupied West Bank have been killed and countless more have been injured or abducted. Human Rights Watch says some have been subjected to torture.

    Burning alive

    A UN inquiry recently accused Israel of systematically destroying Gaza’s health-care system, amounting to a “crime of extermination.”

    A distressing video captured the agonizing moment as a patient, still tethered to his IV, was seen burning alive in his hospital bed, sparking global outrage.

    Hours after it went viral, Israel banned several Canadian and American medical aid organizations from entering Gaza to provide critical emergency support — crippling the ability of health-care workers to not only support their Palestinian colleagues in providing life-saving care, but also to document what is happening in Gaza.

    Because foreign journalists are barred from entering Gaza and Palestinian journalists have been targeted and killed at an unprecedented rate, much of what the public knows about Gaza is coming from health-care teams.

    Over the past year, health-care professionals have had to learn new terminology to describe what is happening in Palestine: scholasticide, sophicide, domicide and ecocide.

    Parallels in Turtle Island

    The plight in Gaza resonates with the historical experiences of the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island. As an intergenerational survivor of the Indian Residential School System, I am acutely aware of the power dynamics inherent in silence and the systemic erasure that often accompanies genocide.

    Canada recently observed the fourth National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a time when the nation grapples with the ongoing impact of atrocities committed against Indigenous peoples.

    My work focuses on examining and understanding health practices and structures to better understand how to create anti-racist and anti-oppressive spaces for colleagues, learners and patients within our health-care systems, including how to engage Indigenous communities to propose and shape strategies.

    Polish jurist Raphael Lemkin coined the term “genocide,” identifying the techniques employed during genocide in eight areas: political, social, cultural, economic, biological, physical, religious and moral. Such systemic and immense violence is foundational to settler colonialism, and children bear the harshest brunt of the requisite dehumanization.

    Many of the atrocities against Indigenous people in Canada were carried out against Indigenous children, legitimized and legalized under the Indian Act — the blueprint for racial oppression within a democracy — and further enabled and enforced through secrecy, segregation and silence.

    Notable among the historical witnesses to these atrocities was Dr. Peter Bryce, a physician who documented the shocking mortality rates and abuses experienced by Indigenous children within the residential school system.

    A CBC report on Peter Bryce, a whistleblower on residential schools. (CBC News)

    As chief medical officer for the Department of Interior and Indian Affairs, Bryce went public with his findings.

    He was subsequently ostracized from the government and medical community and forced to retire. Defiantly, he went on to publish his findings in a report titled “The Story of A National Crime” in 1922.

    One hundred years later, his report remains a critical document for understanding the acts of genocide inflicted upon Indigenous Peoples.



    Read more:
    Residential school system recognized as genocide in Canada’s House of Commons: A harbinger of change

    Listening to health-care workers

    Bryce’s outspokenness shows that the voices of health-care workers are vital because we possess unique insights into the humanitarian crisis that unfolds in regions of conflict.

    They have a direct impact in areas of conflict due to their ability to provide care — and bear witness. What health-care workers are experiencing in Gaza is becoming incompatible with human life.

    Meaningful change will only emerge through an end to military aid, arms transfers and diplomatic cover for Israel, especially given it faces serious allegations from two international courts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    An immediate ceasefire and the lifting of the illegal blockade of Gaza are essential to enable health-care teams to provide critical life-saving care and to bear witness to the ongoing suffering.

    For me, personally, I carry the legacy of my ancestors as they watch down on me. Their survival of the horrors of the residential school system compel me — as a health-care professional — to break the silence around those suffering in Gaza.

    Suzanne Shoush does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Here and abroad, health-care workers bear witness to the world’s worst atrocities – https://theconversation.com/here-and-abroad-health-care-workers-bear-witness-to-the-worlds-worst-atrocities-242076

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Five Steps to Keep Your Disaster Recovery on Track

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Five Steps to Keep Your Disaster Recovery on Track

    Five Steps to Keep Your Disaster Recovery on Track

    Recovering from a disaster is a continuous process with many options and it is important for disaster survivors to know the resources available to support their recovery efforts. Depending on your particular needs and the steps you’ve already taken, there are several additional steps you can take to recover from your losses and mitigate your property against future damage.Here is a checklist to ensure you’ve taken all the steps in your federal assistance process:Visit a temporary Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) near you. A DRC is a place where you can receive in-person support, speak with FEMA and other federal representatives, upload documents, review the status of your application and submit appeals. Get answers to your questions while the DRC is open. Survivors of the August 18-19, 2024 Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides and Mudslides in Connecticut can visit the following DRC: Until 6 p.m. November 4 – at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 910 Main Street, South, Southbury, CT 06488, operating Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday Closed. Note: This DRC will CLOSE permanently at 6 p.m. on Monday, November 4. NOTE: There will be no DRC service on Tuesday, November 5 and Wednesday, November 6.Beginning 8 a.m. November 7 – at Southbury Town Hall, 501 Main Street, South, Southbury, CT 06488, operating Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday Closed. Note: This DRC will be OPEN on Monday, November 11.  Apply for a low-interest U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loan. SBA disaster loans are not just for businesses. Homeowners, renters and nonprofit organizations may also apply. Next to insurance, an SBA low-interest disaster loan is the primary source of funds for property repairs and for replacing contents destroyed in a disaster event. Know that you are never obligated to accept a loan.To apply with the SBA: visit www.SBA.gov/disaster, call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services), or send an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Survivors of the August 18-19, 2024 Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides and Mudslides in Connecticut can visit the following SBA Business Recovery Centers (BRCs): Oxford Town Hall, 486 Oxford Road, Oxford, CT 06478, operating Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday Closed.Monroe Police Department, 7 Fam Hill, Monroe, CT 06468, operating Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday Closed.NOTE: On October 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the SBA Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new SBA Disaster loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, SBA remains committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available. Request continued temporary rental assistance forms. If you received initial rental assistance and remain unable to return to your pre-disaster primary residence due to a disaster declared event, make sure to apply for FEMA’s Continued Rental Assistance. If you did not receive a form by mail, you may request one by calling the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-3362. Stay in touch with FEMA. Disaster survivors who applied for assistance from FEMA are asked to please stay in touch with the agency to review their application status, update their contact information and provide required documentation as needed. It is critical to keep in touch with FEMA. Missing or out of date information could slow much needed disaster assistance. Let FEMA know if your address or phone number has changed. Download and use the FEMA Mobile App, visit DisasterAssistance.gov or call FEMA’s helpline at 1-800-621-3362.  Know your appeal options. If you disagree with FEMA decisions, you have the option to submit additional documentation such as your insurance settlement or prove home ownership or documentation to prove your identity to have your case reconsidered. The appeal should be submitted within 60 days of the initial FEMA decision and include supporting documentation, such as a copy of a verifiable contractor’s estimate for repairs.For questions about federal disaster assistance, call the FEMA helpline: 1-800-621-3362. If you use video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service. Phone lines operate from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week.
    adrien.urbani
    Thu, 10/31/2024 – 16:41

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Met sets out policing plan ahead of a busy weekend of events in London

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Update and information on the policing operation for events in London this weekend.

    An event has been organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) in central London on Saturday 2 November. Officers will also be policing international sporting events, several football fixtures and a presence at large public events and fireworks displays throughout the weekend.

    In relation to the PSC event, our goal has been to protect the lawful right to protest whilst minimising the impact of these events on those who live, work and visit London.

    We have engaged with the PSC and agreed a route and timings of the event. To help provide clarity to those taking part and to assist their travel plans we have imposed conditions on the protest to minimise any disruption.

    The PSC march will form up in Whitehall from midday and commence at 12.45, proceeding across Vauxhall Bridge to Nine Elms where a rally will take place near the US Embassy, concluding by 16.00.

    ‘Stop The Hate UK’ will hold a counter protest on the corner of Millbank and Vauxhall Bridge to voice opposition to the PSC march. Replicating the approach to the PSC, we have engaged and agreed the location and conditions to their protest to minimise disruption to the public.

    A large ticketed fireworks event in Battersea Park is taking place in the early evening. We call on participants of the PSC march to conclude promptly at 16.00 and all protestors to consider their travel plans carefully as public transport and venues throughout the area will be extremely busy.

    We encourage participants of the ‘Stop The Hate UK’ protest to head towards Pimlico and Victoria Stations, and those on the PSC march to head away from Battersea and towards Vauxhall when leaving the area and to check online for the latest travel information.

    Officers are engaging in advance with businesses, residents and venues along the route to help minimise disruption and respond to any concerns on the day.

    Commander Adam Slonecki, who is leading this weekend’s policing operation, said: “Ahead of the weekend we have been in regular discussions with the PSC as well as residents, partners, community groups and businesses. It’s a busy weekend of events across London and we have worked with organisers to seek to minimise disruption and balance the right to protest.

    “Officers will be highly visible along the protest route and wider area to ensure the events take place safely and deal with any offences.”

    Conditions

    The Public Order Act gives the police the power to impose conditions on a procession or assembly of two or more people who are deemed to have a common purpose.

    Conditions can be imposed either in advance of an event or by the senior officer present during an event.

    On Saturday 2 November the following conditions will be in place relating to the PSC event.

    Section 12(3) of the Public Order Act 1986:

    The Palestine Solidarity Campaign procession must commence no later than 12.45.

    Procession participants forming up at Whitehall must commence proceeding along the prescribed route by 12.45.

    Procession participants must not deviate from the prescribed route specified on the attached map.

    Procession participants must proceed continuously along the prescribed route and not form up into static assemblies until reaching the final assembly point on Nine Elms Lane.

    Section 14(3) Public Order Act 1986

    The Palestine Solidarity Campaign assembly in preparation for the planned procession must be held within the specified location on Whitehall, SW1 (see Map) and assembly participants must remain within that area.

    Assembly participants must remain within the shaded area of the attached map until such time that the procession commences, which must be no later than 12.45, in accordance with the ‘Procession’ conditions imposed.

    Section 14(3) Public Order Act 1986:

    Any person participating in the Palestine Solidarity Campaign post-procession assembly must remain within the shaded area (purple) of Nine Elms Lane, SW11 on the map below.

    Any stage erected for the assembly must be in the specified area (blue) on the map below.

    The use of the stage and amplified noise equipment must cease by 16.00 and the assembly must conclude, including removal of stage and infrastructure by 1700hrs.

    On Saturday 2 November the following conditions will be in place relating to the ‘Stop The Hate UK’ assembly:

    Section 14(3) Public Order Act 1986

    Any person participating in the ‘Stop the Hate UK’ assembly must remain in the shaded area on the map below, on the corner of Millbank and Vauxhall Bridge.

    Warning regarding expressing support for proscribed organisations

    London is global city and with people joining events from across the country and around the world it is important to reiterate that expressing support for a proscribed organisation in the UK is a criminal offence.

    Under the Terrorism Act 2000 (TACT), the Home Secretary may proscribe an organisation if they believe it is concerned in terrorism and it is proportionate to do so.

    Proscription makes it a criminal offence to invite or express support for a proscribed organisation through chanting, wearing clothing or display articles such as flags, signs or logos.

    Hamas and Hizballah are proscribed by the UK Government and expressing support for them is a criminal offence.

    Hamas has been proscribed since 2021 – both political and military wings are proscribed under UK jurisdiction.

    Hizballah has been proscribed since 2019.

    It is a criminal offence to:

    • belong, or profess to belong, to a proscribed organisation in the UK or overseas (Section 11 TACT)
    • invite support for a proscribed organisation (Section 12(1A) TACT)
    • express an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation (Section 12(1A) TACT)
    • arrange, manage or assist in arranging or managing a meeting in the knowledge that the meeting is to support or further the activities of a proscribed organisation, or is to be addressed by a person who belongs or professes to (Section 12(2) TACT)
    • wear clothing or carry or display articles in public in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that the individual is a member or supporter of a proscribed organisation (Section 13 TACT)
    • publish an image of an item of clothing or other article, such as a flag or logo, in the same circumstances (Section 13(1A) TACT)

    Officers policing events will deal with any offences. If you have any concerns during an event speak to a police officer or event steward.

    If you see material supporting terrorism online report it – visit www.gov.uk/ACT

    You can also report suspicious activity by contacting the police in confidence on 0800 789 321

    In an emergency, or if you need urgent police assistance, you should always dial 999.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Langworthy Leads Twin Package of Bipartisan Bills to Improve Health Care Standards and Access for America’s Seniors

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recently, Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) introduced two bipartisan bills focused on improving health outcomes and transparency in long-term care settings. H.R. 10072, the Long-Term Care Transparency Act, and H.R. 10071, the Evidence-Informed Health Promotion Act, aim to address critical gaps in senior care and public health programs across the United States.

    The Long-Term Care Transparency Act, co-led by Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), will ensure that Congress has access to crucial information about the quality and safety of care in long-term care facilities like nursing homes. Right now, state ombudsman programs gather a lot of data on issues in these facilities, from health and safety concerns to residents’ rights — however, it isn’t readily available at the national level. By requiring the Administration on Aging to compile and report this data to Congress, the bill helps improve oversight and highlight problem areas, ultimately leading to higher standards and better care for seniors. Cosponsors of this legislation include Reps. Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Mike Lawler (NY-17), and Don Davis (NC-01).

    “We need to bring transparency and congressional oversight to long-term care facilities to ensure that seniors receive the quality care they deserve,” said Congressman Langworthy. “This legislation is a commonsense solution to ensure data is shared with lawmakers, allowing Congress to fully address problem areas and shape policies that prioritize seniors’ health, safety, and dignity.”

    The Long-Term Care Transparency Act is supported by organizations, including the National Council on Aging, the Elder Justice Coalition, and the National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs.

    Bob Blancato, National Coordinator for the Elder Justice Coalition, said, “The bi-partisan 3000-member Elder Justice Coalition fully supports the Long Term Care Transparency Act of 2024. We commend Rep Langworthy for his leadership in sponsoring the bill. It is both appropriate and overdue for the state’s long-term care ombudsman program to be better supported. Calling for better data collection will certainly help the cause.” 

    Read the full text of the bill here.

     

    The second piece of legislation, the Evidence-Informed Health Promotion Act, co-led by Rep. Erin Houchin (IN-09), seeks to make health promotion and disease prevention programs more accessible, especially for seniors in rural areas, through new federal funding opportunities for Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs).

    AAAs are public or private nonprofit agencies designated by a state to address the needs and concerns of all older persons at the regional and local levels. Currently, the strict “evidence-based” requirements tied to federal funding under the Older Americans Actmake it challenging for these agencies to implement or adapt health programs that fit local needs. This bill would expand options for these agencies by allowing funds to support “evidence-informed” programs, which are still based on established research but are more adaptable and cost-effective.

    By opening up funding to evidence-informed programs, this bill would enable rural AAAs to provide a broader range of health and wellness services, including chronic disease management programs, fall prevention initiatives to reduce injury risks, and social connection programs that address the health impacts of isolation. With this flexibility, AAAs would be better equipped to deliver programs that help seniors stay healthy, active, and connected within their communities. 

    “Every senior deserves access to programs that help them stay healthy and connected, no matter where they live,” said Congressman Langworthy. “This bill gives our rural and underserved communities the resources to deliver effective, high-quality health services that meet their unique needs. Expanding funding options for evidence-informed programs is a practical step that will make a real difference in helping more older Americans receive support from their communities.”

    This legislation is supported by outside groups, including the National Council on Aging and USAging. 

    Sandy Markwood, CEO of USAging, said, “USAging is pleased to endorse the Evidence-Informed Health Promotion Act, which would update the Older Americans Act Title III D’s health promotion and disease prevention programs to better meet the needs of older adults nationwide. The bill provides Area Agencies on Aging the flexibility they need to reach more older adults with emerging interventions as well as proven evidence-based programs focused on fall prevention, chronic disease self-management, mental health and other issues that promote healthy aging. We thank Congressman Langworthy for his leadership in introducing this bill and hope it will be included in the forthcoming reauthorization of the Older Americans Act.”

    Read the full text of the bill here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: United States Files Suit for Unpaid Duties and Penalties for Alleged Failure to Pay Duties on Imported Chinese Bedroom Furniture

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    The United States has filed a civil lawsuit against Lawrence Bivona, who was the President of LaJobi Inc., a Delaware corporation that imported Chinese-manufactured children’s bedroom furniture into the United States. The lawsuit alleges that Bivona made false statements to customs officials and, as a result, avoided paying antidumping duties owed on the imported furniture.

    At the time merchandise is entered into the United States, the importer is responsible for providing all information necessary to enable Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess the applicable duties owed on the goods, including any antidumping duties applicable to the merchandise. Antidumping duties are trade remedies that help protect domestic industries from unfair trade practices by foreign businesses and countries, such as government subsidies or below market sales.

    The United States’ complaint contends that Bivona caused LaJobi to misrepresent the identity of the manufacturers of the children’s furniture imported from China. In particular, the United States alleges that Bivona falsely represented that the furniture was manufactured by Chinese entities subject to duty rates of approximately 7% or less, and failed to disclose that the furniture was actually manufactured by entities subject to duty rates of 216%.

    “Anti-dumping duties play an important role in countering illegal foreign trade practices and protecting U.S. manufacturers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue those who seek to gain an unfair advantage by violating our trade laws.”

    “These civil penalties support the seriousness of CBP’s trade mission and protect the U.S. economy, while maintaining fair trade and preserving American jobs from predatory practices,” said Executive Director Susan Thomas of CBP’s Cargo and Conveyance Security, Office of Field Operations. “CBP’s antidumping and countervailing duties enforcement aims to mitigate harm by anti-competitive behavior and supports a level playing field for U.S. companies injured by unfair trade practices.”

    “We take very seriously our role in protecting the U.S. economy from illegal and predatory trade practices,” said Assistant Director Ivan J. Arvelo of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Global Trade Investigations. “HSI is committed to working alongside CBP and partners to stop those who engage in fraud to circumvent U.S. trade laws.”

    The complaint seeks the recovery of over $7 million in import duties and over $15 million in civil penalties.

    HSI Newark led the investigation with CBP Trade Regulatory Audit Newark, CBP Associate Chief Counsel New York, CBP Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising (CPMM) Center of Excellence and Expertise. CBP and HSI are the agencies responsible for enforcing U.S. laws related to the importation of merchandise into the United States, including the collection of duties and assessment of penalties.

    Trial Counsel Daniel Hoffman of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, National Courts Section, is handling the case.

    The case is filed in the Court of International Trade and captioned United States v. Lawrence Bivona No. 24-00196.

    To combat trade fraud, including avoidance of import duties, the Justice Department created a Trade Fraud Task Force. The Task Force partners with CBP and other law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with U.S. trade laws.

    The claims in the complaint are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyer, Cardin, Van Hollen, Ruppersberger Announce Over $7.5 Million for Carroll County Regional, Tipton, and Martin State Airports

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02) recently announced $7,556,842 in U.S. Department of Transportation awards to Carroll County Regional, Tipton, and Martin State Airports for upgrades to modernize their facilities and improve passenger comfort.

    “President Biden and Vice President Harris’ Investing in America agenda continues to deliver for Maryland’s airports and boost our economic competitiveness,” said Congressman Hoyer. “As Chair of the Regional Leadership Council, I have worked with House Democrats and top officials in the Biden-Harris Administration to ensure that every community in America can see and feel the impact of the historic laws that Democrats passed in the 117th Congress. I was pleased to work with Team Maryland to secure these Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds for Carroll County Regional Airport, Martin State Airport, and Tipton Airport, which will create good jobs and provide a more reliable air travel experience. Together, we will continue to lower costs, create jobs, and ensure our state’s economy works for all Marylanders.”

    “The landmark infrastructure law enacted by President Biden in 2021 continues to invest in Maryland,” said Senator Cardin.  “It recognized that our airports, both large and small, have aging and outdated facilities that require upgrades to meet the changing demands on our aviation system and keep it safe and competitive.”

    “Our local airports are important transportation hubs that support our state’s economy, ensuring that travelers and goods get where they need to go. We fought for these investments to support the Carroll County Regional, Tipton, and Martin State airports in serving the growing needs of Maryland’s businesses, residents, and visitors,” said Senator Van Hollen.

    “The bipartisan infrastructure law continues to reap rewards for Maryland and Marylanders including this funding for local airports, which provide a critical connection to communities and economies throughout the region,” said Congressman Ruppersberger. “This is a strategic investment that will make our airports safer, more comfortable and convenient. I look forward to even more upgrades to our nation’s aging transportation infrastructure to come.”

    The funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Airport Improvement Program and Airport Terminal Program.

    The federal grants have been awarded as follows:

    1. $3,612,000. Carroll County Regional Airport: To remove a building and relocate fencing identified as obstructions by the FAA.
    2. $2,944,842, Tipton Airport: To construct a 6,000 square-foot terminal to accommodate the movement of passengers and baggage.
    3. $1,000,000, Martin State Airport: To fund the funds the construction of a new Airport Traffic Control Tower, replacing the 82-year-old sponsor-owned tower that has reached the end of its useful life.

    The Airport Improvement Program funds various types of airport infrastructure projects across the country, including repairs and upgrades to runways, taxiways, airport signage, lighting and markings – all while creating thousands of good-paying, local jobs. The members have consistently fought to provide funds for airports and terminal operators, including through the fiscal year 2024 appropriations process, which makes $3.35 billion available from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund and an additional $532 million from the general fund for AIP projects.

    The Airport Terminal Program was created in 2021 through the lawmakers’ efforts to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Funded at $1 billion in fiscal year 2024, the Airport Terminal Program supports safe, sustainable, and accessible airport terminals, on-airport rail access projects, and airport-owned airport traffic control towers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Susan Wild Announces Over $200 Million for Pennsylvania to Help Households with Home Energy Costs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Susan Wild (PA-07)

    Today, Congresswoman Susan Wild announced that Pennsylvania has been awarded $207,342,959 in funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This investment will help individuals and families with low incomes pay home heating costs this winter, as well as prevent energy shutoffs, weatherize homes to increase energy efficiency, and make minor energy-related home repairs.

    “LIHEAP is a critical part of protecting the health and safety of families across Pennsylvania while assisting them with their energy costs,” said Congresswoman Susan Wild. “I was proud to once again secure this funding for our community, and support families throughout the Greater Lehigh Valley so that they can stay warm and healthy this winter.”

    Pennsylvania was awarded a total of  $207,342,959:

    • $197,147,761 from the regular LIHEAP block grant funding.

    • $10,185,882 in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for Fiscal Year 2025.

    This funding is administered through the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Community Services at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

    By helping reduce the costs of home heating, reconnecting energy services that have been disconnected, preventing energy shutoffs, and providing minor energy-related home repairs, LIHEAP helps make sure that families can meet their energy needs and stay safe in their homes — because maintaining safe indoor air temperatures is critical, particularly for households with older adults, children, and individuals with disabilities.

    Visit energyhelp.us to learn more about how to apply for LIHEAP and identify if you are eligible for assistance using the  LIHEAP Eligibility Tool  or call the hotline at 1-866-674-6327.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash: John F Kennedy Drive, Palmerston North

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    One person has died following a crash on John F Kennedy Drive overnight.

    Police were called to the single vehicle crash just after 1:50am.

    One person died at the scene. Two other people were transported to hospital, one in a critical condition and one in a serious condition.

    The Serious Crash Unit conducted a scene examination, and enquiries are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the crash.

    John F Kennedy Drive has since reopened.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: “Booker” for High-End Brothel Network Pleads Guilty

    Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

    BOSTON – A Dedham, Mass., man who served primarily as the “booker” for an interstate prostitution network that operated sophisticated high-end brothels in greater Boston and eastern Virginia pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Boston. 

    Junmyung Lee, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution; and one count of money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Feb. 12, 2025. Junmyung Lee was arrested and charged in November 2023 with co-defendants Han Lee, 42, of Cambridge, Mass. and James Lee, 69, of Torrance, Calif. The defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024. Han Lee pleaded guilty on Sept. 27, 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 20, 2024.

    From at least January 2022 through and including November 2023, Junmyung Lee knowingly conspired with Han Lee and, allegedly, James Lee to operate an interstate prostitution network with multiple brothels in greater Boston and eastern Virginia designed to entice women to travel interstate to engage in prostitution. Junmyung Lee and his alleged co-conspirators also knowingly conspired with one another, and others, to launder the proceeds of the prostitution network by concealing that the money was derived the prostitution conspiracy.

    Junmyung Lee was recruited to work for the prostitution network in approximately late 2021 through early 2022, as the business expanded. His main role in the conspiracy was that of the appointment “booker” and assisted with various tasks to maintain the prostitution network. In exchange, Han Lee paid Junmyung Lee $6,000-$8,000 per month.

    As “booker,” Junmyung Lee was responsible for vetting sex buyers, booking appointments, as well as communicating directly with vetted customers via at least two cell phones – for Massachusetts and for Virginia, respectively. These brothel cell phones each contained over 2,800 verified customers of the prostitution business. An additional known cell phone containing additional contacts for the Virginia brothel was never recovered. Junmyung Lee also helped transport women to and from the airport, with some women working at the brothel locations on multiple occasions and in multiple states.

    The defendants allegedly rented high-end apartments in Massachusetts and Virginia to serve as brothel locations, which they furnished and regularly maintained. In June 2022, Junmyung Lee leased one of the brothel locations in Cambridge, Mass. under his own name. In exchange for the lease, Junmyung Lee received a large cash payment of prostitution proceeds from Han Lee. A portion of the cash payment went towards the purchase of a Corvette.

    Additionally, Junmyung Lee collected the cash proceeds from the various brothel locations at the direction of Han Lee. Junmyung Lee would then conceal the proceeds via structured deposits into personal bank accounts. Additionally, it is alleged that the defendants regularly used hundreds of thousands of dollars of the cash proceeds from the prostitution business to purchase money orders (in values under an amount that would trigger reporting and identification requirements) to conceal the source of the funds. These money orders were then used to pay for rent and utilities at the brothel locations.

    Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.

    The charge of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of funds laundered, whatever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central District of California and the Eastern District of Virginia; the U.S. Postal Service; and Watertown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raquelle Kaye, of the Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Places Additional PRC-Based Textile Companies on the UFLPA Entity List

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    UFLPA Entity List Will Now Restrict Goods from 78 PRC-Based Companies from Entering the United States

    WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the addition of textile companies based in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List. The additions reinforce DHS’s commitment to eradicate forced labor and ensure accountability for the PRC’s ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).

    Effective November 1, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will apply a rebuttable presumption that goods produced by Esquel Group, Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd., and Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. will be prohibited from entering the United States. The addition of these textile entities builds on DHS’s Textile Enforcement Plan and demonstrates the FLETF’s commitment to focus on entities in high priority sectors for enforcement under the UFLPA Strategy, including the apparel and cotton and cotton products sectors. In addition to this announcement, Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. will alsobe removed from one section of the UFLPA Entity Lists and added to another. Goods produced by Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. (also known as Changji Yida Textile Co., Ltd.) will continue to be subject to a rebuttable presumption that they are prohibited from entering the United States.

    “Through today’s expansion of the Entity List, we enable American businesses to better assess their supply chains and ensure they do not profit, directly or indirectly, from the use of forced labor,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Our Department will continue to aggressively enforce the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and, in doing so, we stand up for human rights, safeguard a free and fair marketplace, and hold perpetrators accountable.”

    The FLETF – chaired by DHS and whose member agencies also include the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Justice, Labor, State, and the Treasury – has now added 78 entities to the UFLPA Entity List since the UFLPA was signed into law in December 2021. The UFLPA Entity List includes companies that are active in the apparel, agriculture, polysilicon, plastics, chemicals, batteries, household appliances, electronics, seafood and textile sectors, among others. Identifying these additional entities provides U.S. importers with more information to conduct due diligence and examine their supply chains for risks of forced labor to ensure compliance with the UFLPA.

    “We are uncompromising in removing forced labor from U.S. supply chains,” said Under Secretary for Policy Robert Silvers, who serves as chair of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force. “Our enforcement efforts are yielding results. Our Administration is committed to advancing this momentum and strengthening accountability across global supply chains.”

    The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, that the below entities meet the criteria for inclusion in the UFLPA Entity List under Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v) of the UFLPA, which identifies facilities and entities that source material from the XUAR or from persons working with the government of XUAR or the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps for the purposes of the “poverty alleviation” program or the “pairing assistance” program or any other government labor scheme that uses forced labor.

    Esquel Group (also known as Esquel China Holdings Limited) is a Hong Kong-based vertically integrated textile and apparel company that engages in cotton research, as well as ginning, spinning, knitting, weaving of cotton and cotton products, in the production of textiles, apparel and accessories, including packaging and merchandising of these products. Esquel Group includes a variety of subsidiaries also involved in cotton, textile, clothing, and other products manufacturing, production, and sales, including Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd., Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd., and Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Esquel Group sources cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Esquel Group satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).

    Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. is a company based in Foshan City, Guangdong Province, that is engaged in the manufacture and processing of textiles and apparel. TheFLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. sources cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).

    Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. is a company based in Turpan City, in the XUAR that is engaged in the production and sales of cotton and cotton yarn. The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. is sourcing cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).

    Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. (also known as Changji Yida Textile Co., Ltd.) is a company based in Changji Prefecture, XUAR that is engaged in production and sales of cotton yarn. The company had been included as one of the original twenty entities named to the UFLPA Entity List in June 2022 as an entity that qualified for inclusion under Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) of the UFLPA. The FLETF has removed Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. from Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) of the UFLPA Entity List as the FLETF has determined there is no longer reasonable cause to believe that Changji Esquel Textile Co. meets the criteria described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) of the UFLPA.The FLETF, however, has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. sources cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).

    The bipartisan Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, signed into law by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., in December 2021, mandates that CBP apply a rebuttable presumption that goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the XUAR or produced by entities identified on the UFLPA Entity List are prohibited from importation into the United States unless the Commissioner of CBP determines, by clear and convincing evidence, that the goods were not produced with forced labor. CBP began enforcing the UFLPA in June 2022. Since then, CBP has reviewed over 9,700 shipments valued at more than $3.5 billion under the UFLPA. Additionally, Homeland Security Investigations, through the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking, conducts criminal investigations into those engaging in or otherwise knowingly benefitting from forced labor, and collaborates with international partners to seek justice for victims.

    Today’s announcement supports President Biden’s Memorandum on Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally. The memorandum represents the first whole-of-government approach to advance workers’ rights by directing federal agencies engaged abroad to advance international recognized labor rights, which includes DHS’s work implementing the UFLPA.

    You can read more about the FLETF by visiting: https://www.dhs.gov/uflpa  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Deer Lake — Arrest warrant issued for Colin McNeil

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    An arrest warrant has been issued for 34-year-old Colin McNeil of St. John’s in relation to charges laid by Deer Lake RCMP.

    McNeil is charged with the following offences:

    • Uttering threats – two counts
    • Breach of a court release order

    A picture of Colin McNeil is attached.

    Anyone with information on the current location of Colin McNeil is asked to contact Deer Lake RCMP at 709-635-2173 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Presses Department of Justice on Failure to Hold TD Bank Executives Accountable, “Legal Gymnastics” That Allowed Bank to Escape “Death Penalty”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    October 31, 2024

    $670 million laundered through TD Bank

    “These charging decisions represent absurd legal gymnastics by DOJ that ultimately have allowed the bank and its top executives to avoid full responsibility for their actions. This is not an acceptable outcome.”

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, questioning them on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) “legal gymnastics” that allowed TD Bank to escape the bank death penalty — and DOJ’s failure thus far to hold any top executives accountable for egregious crimes. DOJ’s recent settlement with TD Bank over money laundering and other charges did not include any of the bank’s high-level executives, and appears to be intentionally structured so that the bank can escape the full scope of penalties for its failures.

    “The way that DOJ structured the plea agreement ensures that TD Bank will not face the full range of penalties that Congress has enacted for banks that engage in criminal money laundering,” wrote Senator Warren.

    Senator Warren noted that TD Bank’s crimes hurt hundreds of thousands of people. Top executives allowed the bank to act as a criminal slush fund, knowingly presiding over a criminally deficient anti-money laundering program while growing the bank such that its “risk profile increas(ed) significantly.”

    “These shocking failures enabled three separate money laundering syndicates to launder more than $670 million through the bank between 2019 and 2023. The magnitude of the dollar value of these illicit transactions is dwarfed only by the obviousness of the criminal activity,” wrote Senator Warren.

    The letter highlights past comments from Deputy Attorney General Monaco which emphasized the importance of “individual accountability” and the need to “identify the most serious wrongdoers, whether individuals or companies” and hold them accountable. Senator Warren noted that the TD Bank settlement does not meet DOJ’s own apparent standards.

    Though the penalties against TD Bank appropriately include an asset cap and a $3 billion fine, “(u)ntil and unless those executives who presided over TD Bank’s institutionalized money laundering are held accountable, banks will continue to factor enforcement fines into the cost of doing business, rather than approaching compliance with our money laundering laws with the seriousness it requires,” wrote Senator Warren.

    The structure of DOJ’s settlement also enables TD Bank to evade the full scope of bank regulators’ consequences for its misdeeds. Specifically, the charges shift responsibility for the hundreds of millions of dollars in money laundering from TD Bank to its holding company, which precludes the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) from invoking the bank “death penalty” provision.

    “These charging decisions represent absurd legal gymnastics by DOJ that ultimately have allowed the bank and its top executives to avoid full responsibility for their actions. This is not an acceptable outcome,” wrote Senator Warren.

    Senator Warren has fought to hold corporations and their executives accountable for lawbreaking:

    • In October 2024, Senators Warren and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, urging DOJ to investigate Boeing executives following years of promoting short-term profits over passenger safety. 
    • In October 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, calling on the DOJ to immediately reverse its newly unveiled “safe harbor” policy that would provide a get-out-of-jail-free card for mergers involving corporate white-collar criminals.
    • In August 2022, Senators Warren and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) sent a letter to Attorney General Garland and Deputy Attorney General Monaco urging DOJ to use its authority to ban corporations that commit misconduct from government contracting.
    • In May 2019, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) released a new report: Rigged Justice 2.0: Government of the Billionaires, by the Billionaires, and for the Billionaires. The report is the second in a series on the failure of the federal government to hold corporate and white-collar criminals accountable and highlights how enforcement hit a 20-year low under the Trump administration.
    • In April 2019, Senator Warren introduced the Corporate Executive Accountability Act, which holds executives of large corporations criminally responsible when their companies commit crimes, harm large numbers of Americans through civil violations, or repeatedly violate federal law.
    • In March 2018, Senator Warren introduced the Ending Too Big to Jail Act to hold big bank executives accountable when the banks they lead break the law. 
    • In January 2016, Senator Warren released a report: Rigged Justice: How Weak Enforcement Lets Corporate Offenders Off Easy. The report highlights 20 of the most egregious civil and criminal cases during the past year in which federal settlements failed to require meaningful accountability to deter future wrongdoing and to protect taxpayers and families.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Places Additional PRC-Based Textile Companies on the UFLPA Entity List

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS Places Additional PRC-Based Textile Companies on the UFLPA Entity List

    em>UFLPA Entity List Will Now Restrict Goods from 78 PRC-Based Companies from Entering the United StatesWASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the addition of textile companies based in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List. The additions reinforce DHS’s commitment to eradicate forced labor and ensure accountability for the PRC’s ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).Effective November 1, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will apply a rebuttable presumption that goods produced by Esquel Group, Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd., and Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. will be prohibited from entering the United States. The addition of these textile entities builds on DHS’s Textile Enforcement Plan and demonstrates the FLETF’s commitment to focus on entities in high priority sectors for enforcement under the UFLPA Strategy, including the apparel and cotton and cotton products sectors. In addition to this announcement, Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. will alsobe removed from one section of the UFLPA Entity Lists and added to another. Goods produced by Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. (also known as Changji Yida Textile Co., Ltd.) will continue to be subject to a rebuttable presumption that they are prohibited from entering the United States.“Through today’s expansion of the Entity List, we enable American businesses to better assess their supply chains and ensure they do not profit, directly or indirectly, from the use of forced labor,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Our Department will continue to aggressively enforce the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and, in doing so, we stand up for human rights, safeguard a free and fair marketplace, and hold perpetrators accountable.”The FLETF – chaired by DHS and whose member agencies also include the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Justice, Labor, State, and the Treasury – has now added 78 entities to the UFLPA Entity List since the UFLPA was signed into law in December 2021. The UFLPA Entity List includes companies that are active in the apparel, agriculture, polysilicon, plastics, chemicals, batteries, household appliances, electronics, seafood and textile sectors, among others. Identifying these additional entities provides U.S. importers with more information to conduct due diligence and examine their supply chains for risks of forced labor to ensure compliance with the UFLPA.“We are uncompromising in removing forced labor from U.S. supply chains,” said Under Secretary for Policy Robert Silvers, who serves as chair of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force. “Our enforcement efforts are yielding results. Our Administration is committed to advancing this momentum and strengthening accountability across global supply chains.”The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, that the below entities meet the criteria for inclusion in the UFLPA Entity List under Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v) of the UFLPA, which identifies facilities and entities that source material from the XUAR or from persons working with the government of XUAR or the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps for the purposes of the “poverty alleviation” program or the “pairing assistance” program or any other government labor scheme that uses forced labor.Esquel Group (also known as Esquel China Holdings Limited) is a Hong Kong-based vertically integrated textile and apparel company that engages in cotton research, as well as ginning, spinning, knitting, weaving of cotton and cotton products, in the production of textiles, apparel and accessories, including packaging and merchandising of these products. Esquel Group includes a variety of subsidiaries also involved in cotton, textile, clothing, and other products manufacturing, production, and sales, including Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd., Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd., and Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Esquel Group sources cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Esquel Group satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. is a company based in Foshan City, Guangdong Province, that is engaged in the manufacture and processing of textiles and apparel. TheFLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. sources cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Guangdong Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. is a company based in Turpan City, in the XUAR that is engaged in the production and sales of cotton and cotton yarn. The FLETF has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. is sourcing cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Turpan Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. (also known as Changji Yida Textile Co., Ltd.) is a company based in Changji Prefecture, XUAR that is engaged in production and sales of cotton yarn. The company had been included as one of the original twenty entities named to the UFLPA Entity List in June 2022 as an entity that qualified for inclusion under Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) of the UFLPA. The FLETF has removed Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. from Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) of the UFLPA Entity List as the FLETF has determined there is no longer reasonable cause to believe that Changji Esquel Textile Co. meets the criteria described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) of the UFLPA.The FLETF, however, has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, including publicly available information, that Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. sources cotton from the XUAR. The FLETF therefore determined that the activities of Changji Esquel Textile Co., Ltd. satisfy the criteria for addition to the UFLPA Entity List described in Section 2(d)(2)(B)(v).The bipartisan Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, signed into law by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., in December 2021, mandates that CBP apply a rebuttable presumption that goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the XUAR or produced by entities identified on the UFLPA Entity List are prohibited from importation into the United States unless the Commissioner of CBP determines, by clear and convincing evidence, that the goods were not produced with forced labor. CBP began enforcing the UFLPA in June 2022. Since then, CBP has reviewed over 9,700 shipments valued at more than $3.5 billion under the UFLPA. Additionally, Homeland Security Investigations, through the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking, conducts criminal investigations into those engaging in or otherwise knowingly benefitting from forced labor, and collaborates with international partners to seek justice for victims.Today’s announcement supports President Biden’s Memorandum on Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally. The memorandum represents the first whole-of-government approach to advance workers’ rights by directing federal agencies engaged abroad to advance international recognized labor rights, which includes DHS’s work implementing the UFLPA.You can read more about the FLETF by visiting: https://www.dhs.gov/uflpa  
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Press Release: FDIC Appoints Amanda J. Lavis as Director of Office of Equal Employment Opportunity

    Source: US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC

    WASHINGTON – The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today announced its Board of Directors has approved the appointment of Amanda J. Lavis as Director of the agency’s new Office of Equal Employment Opportunity (OEEO).

    In June, the FDIC Board announced the creation of the OEEO to serve as a single point of entry for employee complaints of discrimination and retaliation.  In this role, Ms. Lavis will lead the OEEO’s work to intake, investigate, and report on complaints of employment discrimination within the FDIC workplace.  The OEEO, along with the agency’s new Office of Professional Conduct (OPC), will report directly to the FDIC Board.

    Ms.  Lavis was selected from among several highly qualified candidates after a competitive, nationwide public solicitation.  Most recently, she served as Chief Culture Officer for the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), where she was the primary EEO advisor to the Commanding General and executive leadership.

    She previously served as the State of Hawaii’s EEO Officer, serving as the primary EEO advisor to the Governor and Executive Branch.  As an attorney and partner at Rhoads & Sinon LLP, Ms. Lavis worked with financial institutions and other private and public sector clients on employment issues and all aspects of EEO compliance.

    Ms. Lavis has a Juris Doctor from the Villanova University School of Law, a Master of Business Administration from Shippensburg University, and a Bachelor of Science in International Business from Messiah University.

    # # #

    MEDIA CONTACT: 
    mediarequests@fdic.gov


    FDIC: PR-94-2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Owner of Arkansas Tree Service Business Sentenced for Tax Fraud

    Source: US State of Vermont

    An Arkansas man was sentenced yesterday to 20 months in prison for filing a false individual income tax return.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Carlos Gonzalez, 59, of Rogers, filed false tax returns that underreported the gross receipts from his tree-trimming and removal business, Charley’s Tree Service. From 2014 through 2020, Gonzalez cashed more than $3 million in customer checks instead of depositing them into his business’ bank account, knowing that his return preparer relied on the bank account records when preparing his returns. In addition, he did not tell his return preparer about the cashed checks. As such, the return preparer prepared tax returns that underreported gross receipts from his business resulting in a tax loss to the IRS of more than $900,000.

    In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Brooks for the Western District of Arkansas ordered Gonzalez to serve one year of supervised release and to pay approximately $1.4 million in restitution to the United States and the State of Arkansas.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Curtis Weidler and Wilson Stamm of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Marshall for the Western District of Arkansas prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Holds Beverly Hills Accountable for Preventing Reproductive Health Clinic from Opening, Failing to Protect California’s Constitutional Right to Abortion

    Source: US State of California

    Today’s first-of-its-kind stipulated judgment will ensure Beverly Hills comes into full compliance with the law and provides a benchmark for local governments to align with state reproductive healthcare laws

    The City to abide by robust injunctive measures including mandated training and reporting

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the filing of a stipulated judgment with the City of Beverly Hills resolving allegations that the City violated the California Constitution, Article I, sections 1 and 1.1, and the Reproductive Privacy Act, Health and Safety Code. In September 2022, DuPont Clinic (Dupont), an abortion provider in Washington, D.C., sought to open a clinic in Beverly Hills, California. However, despite their public position of support for abortion rights, Beverly Hills officials actively implemented barriers, which prohibited Dupont from opening its reproductive health clinic in the City. Today’s stipulated judgment requires Beverly Hills to abide by robust injunctive measures including, among other things, requiring training about the state and federal protections for reproductive healthcare clinics and requiring reporting of compliance with the stipulated judgment to the Attorney General’s office.

    “At a time when access to abortion care is under attack across this nation, it is now more critical than ever to double down on our commitment to protect those seeking reproductive healthcare in our state,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It is troubling that, even here in California where access to reproductive healthcare is a constitutional right, Beverly Hills officials have taken actions reminiscent of those in extremist red states by illegally interfering with, and ultimately preventing a new reproductive healthcare clinic from opening. Today’s first-of-its kind agreement will ensure that the City abides by comprehensive training and education of reproductive healthcare laws. The agreement also serves as a benchmark for local governments to evaluate their healthcare policies and services, guaranteeing that they not only comply with the law, but also fulfill California’s broader commitment to reproductive healthcare access. At the California Department of Justice, we believe that reproductive healthcare is a fundamental right and will ensure that this right is upheld, free from political interference, and hold accountable those who break the law.” 

    In September 2022, Dupont signed a lease for a medical suite, owned and managed by Douglas Emmett, in Beverly Hills. DuPont spent $2.5 million to renovate the leased medical suite and applied for required City permits in early February 2023. Beginning in late 2022 and continuing into Spring 2023, anti-abortion protestors began to engage in protests outside and around the building and to lobby City officials against the opening of the DuPont clinic through objections at council meetings and private meetings. Through its investigation, DOJ found that the City unlawfully interfered with DuPont’s opening by improperly delaying the issuance of approved building permits and actively engaged in a pressure campaign against the property owner and manager Douglas Emmett, resulting in the termination of DuPont’s lease. For instance, City leadership, including the City Manager, Police Chief, City Attorney and the former Mayor, inaccurately claimed that a new DuPont Clinic would cause security threats against the building’s other tenants, going so far as to say that the building would be subject to violent protests, bomb threats, and “lone-wolf” active shooters. In fact, the City had no evidence or intelligence of any such threats. The City then claimed they would be so overwhelmed by this fictitious threat that they would be unable to provide resources to the landlord and building — threatening to abandon their sworn responsibility to uphold public safety. When these manipulation tactics didn’t work, City leadership threatened to send a letter from the Beverly Hills Police Department to all of Douglas Emmett’s other tenants in the building, warning them about the threats posed by the clinic, continuing to mount pressure until Douglas Emmett decided to end its contract with DuPont Clinic.

    The stipulated judgment is the result of the DOJ’s investigation highlighted above, and as part of the stipulated judgment, which is subject to court approval, enjoins the City from violating the California Constitution, Article I, sections 1 and 1.1, and the Reproductive Privacy Act, Health and Safety Code section 123460, and requires the City, among other things:

    • To procure or develop training materials that provide information about the California FACE Act, federal FACE Act, and California’s legal protections and access to all forms of reproductive healthcare, within 90 days after the stipulated judgment is entered.
    • To conduct comprehensive training for City employees about the state and federal protections for reproductive healthcare clinics within 150 days after the stipulated judgment is entered, and every two years thereafter.
    • To publicly post its training resources about state and federal protections for reproductive healthcare clinics.
    • To develop a complaint procedure for potential violations of state and federal laws protecting reproductive rights and reporting those complaints to DOJ.
    • To appoint a Reproductive Compliance Officer who will be responsible for developing the required training materials and ensuring that the relevant employees and elected officials receive the required training.
    • To annually report for the five-year reporting period the City’s compliance with the stipulated judgment.

    A copy of the complaint, stipulation for entry of judgment, and the court judgment are available here and here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Felon in Possession of Firearm Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison Following Shooting at the Palm Beach Gardens Mall

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

    MIAMI – A felon in possession of a firearm was sentenced to 144 months in prison, following a shooting at the Palm Beach Gardens Mall (The Gardens Mall) on Valentine’s Day.

    Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon imposed an upward variance in sentencing Devon Jamal Graham, 29, to 144 months in prison. Graham previously pled guilty to possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance containing fentanyl and cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    Kamarcio Mitchell, 29, a second man who was arrested following the shooting at The Gardens Mall, is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 21 at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Cannon in Fort Pierce, Fla. Mitchell previously pled guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

    On Feb. 14, both Mitchell and Graham were at The Gardens Mall, both separately in possession of a firearm. Mitchell was on the second level of The Gardens Mall near a retail store. Mitchell followed Graham onto the escalator and was manipulating an object under his shirt. Mitchell was then fired upon by Graham and shot. Mitchell fled the mall to the parking lot, leaving a trail of blood. A loaded firearm that had been disassembled was found in the parking lot by police, near the blood trail. Mitchell was later treated for his injury at a local hospital. Upon his later arrest on a federal warrant, authorities discovered Mitchell in possession of a distribution quantity of fentanyl after he unsuccessfully tried to toss the drugs.

    Two firearms were recovered from the vehicle Graham used to travel to the mall, along with a bag containing 35 capsules with a mixture containing fentanyl and a pill bottle with approximately 16 grams of cocaine.

    The recovered firearms had previously travelled in interstate commerce.

    U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, U.S. Marshal Gadyaces S. Serralta of the U.S. Marshals Service, Chief Dominick Pape of the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office announced the sentencing.

    The Office of State Attorney Dave Aronberg for the 15th Judicial Circuit – Palm Beach County provided invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John McMillan and Shannon O’Shea Darsch are prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, 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.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-80022.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Iqaluit — Second degree murder charged laid in death of Iqaluit man

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Iqaluit, Nunavut
    Date: 2024-10-31
    File: 2024-772064

    On June 5, 2024, the Iqaluit RCMP received a complaint that male had been found with severe injuries and was being medivac to Ottawa, Ontario. The man later died as a result of his injuries.

    On August 21, 2024, the Nunavut Major Crimes unit arrested Peter Toonoo (38 years old) for the murder of Jimmy “Sam” Kownirk. Peter Toonoo has been charged with second-degree murder and was remanded into custody. His next court appearance is scheduled for November 6, 2024.

    As a charge has been laid and the matter is now before the courts, no further information will be released by police.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Middle Sackville — Woman wanted on province-wide arrest warrant

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment is seeking information on the whereabouts of a woman currently wanted on a province-wide arrest warrant in relation to an assault that occurred in Middle Sackville.

    Jessica Carolanne Leroy, 28, from Middle Sackville, is wanted and facing charges of Assault Causing Bodily Harm, Uttering Threats and Failure to Comply with a Release Order.

    Leroy is described as 5-foot-4, 125 lbs. She has dark brown hair and brown eyes.

    Police have made several attempts to locate Leroy, and are requesting assistance from the public.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jessica Carolanne Leroy is asked to refrain from approaching her and to call police at 902-490-5020. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    File #: 24-125239

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: UK: ‘Apartheid, Occupation, Genocide’ panel event with leading international law experts on Israel/Palestine

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Amnesty International UK and the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians are hosting a panel event in central London on Tuesday 12 November with four leading international law experts to discuss the worsening human rights crisis in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    The expert panel – comprising Zaha Hassan, Gerhard Kemp, Itay Epshtain and Victor Kattan – will discuss how enforcing international law can help secure justice for Palestinians.

    The panellists will be available for media interviews both before and after the event.

    The event is being held at 1 Birdcage Walk in central London. Further information and tickets are available here. 

    Event details

    What: Amnesty International UK and the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians panel discussion with the following speakers:

    Zaha Hassan, Palestinian human rights lawyer, and former coordinator and senior legal advisor to the Palestinian negotiating team during Palestine’s bid for UN membership

    Gerhard Kemp, Professor of law at UWE Bristol Law School, and extraordinary professor of public law at Stellenbosch University, South Africa

    Itay Epshtain, Special Advisor on International Law and Humanitarian Principles to the Norwegian Refugee Council, and former director of Amnesty International Israel

    Victor Kattan, Assistant Professor of Public International Law at the University of Nottingham School of Law

    Where: 1 Birdcage Walk, Westminster, London SW1H 9JJ

    When: Tuesday 12 November 2024, 19:00-21:30

    View latest press releases

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: “HUGE DEAL”: Casey Delivers Federal Funds to “Revive” Scranton to New York Rail Service

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey
    The Keystone: Bob Casey and Matt Cartwright revive Scranton’s rail service to New York City
    FOX 43: Sen. Bob Casey secures nearly $9 million in funding to help restore Amtrak passenger rail service between Scranton and New York
    Scranton Times-Tribune: Casey, Cartwright announce $9M toward restoring passenger trains between Scranton and New York City
    Pocono Record: ‘Not study money’: Scranton-NYC Amtrak project gets $9 million for construction work
    WBRE: “The start of construction being announced is a huge deal”
    Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) secured almost $9 million in federal funds to begin construction to bring back Amtrak passenger service between Scranton, PA and New York, NY. The funding was made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Casey fought to pass. Casey has pushed to bring back the Scranton to New York rail line for his entire career in the Senate.
    Read excerpts of the coverage of the funding announcement below:
    The Keystone: Residents living in Northeastern Pennsylvania are one step closer to having a passenger rail connection to New York City. Sen Bob Casey (D-Pennsylvania), along with Congressman Matt Cartwright (D-Lackawanna), announced $8.9 million in funding to restore rail service between Scranton and New York City…Casey began fighting for the restoration of the Lackawanna Cut-Off, a 28-mile stretch of track that fell into disrepair after rail service between Scranton and New York City halted in 1970, in 2008 when he sent a letter to Amtrak. After the passage of the Biden-Harris’ Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, Casey and Cartwright began pushing for the restoration of the rail line and they were able to deliver.
    WBRE: At the Scranton Trolley Museum, on Monday Congressman Matt Cartwright and Senator Bob Casey announced they secured nearly nine million dollars in federal funding to kick off long-needed railway rehabilitation and track improvements to the Lackawanna Cut-Off…The start of construction being announced is a huge deal. It’s taken decades of work to get to this point and now federal funding has secured the train is back on track.
    Scranton Times-Tribune:  The long-sought restoration of passenger rail service between Scranton and New York City through the Poconos and New Jersey advanced with a $9 million federal grant for bridge and rail line construction in Pennsylvania, officials announced Tuesday…the funding represents a milestone in the Amtrak project because it will finally result in construction…“The people of our region deserve this,” Casey said. “We’re going to finish this project no matter how long it takes us to do that.”
    ABC 16/WNEP: It’s been decades since passenger rail service ran through the city of Scranton…On Monday, another step was taken towards achieving that goal. Inside the Electric City Trolley Museum—U.S. Senator Bob Casey and U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright announced nearly 9 million dollars in federal funding to begin construction on the rail line that once connected the Big Apple and Scranton.
    Times Leader: The officials said that direct rail service between Scranton and New York could generate as much as $84 million in economic activity every year, according to an Amtrak study. “I have fought to restore rail service between Scranton and New York for my entire career in the Senate, and this investment from the infrastructure law means we are now closer than ever to making it a reality,” said Sen. Casey. “Passenger rail service to and from New York will be a game-changer for our region, meaning more family time, more economic investment, and more job opportunities.”
    FOX 43: Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey and U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright on Tuesday announced nearly $9 million in federal funding to begin construction that will bring back Amtrak passenger rail service between Scranton and New York City…Casey and Cartwright have spent their careers in Congress advocating to restore rail service between Scranton and New York. In 2008, Casey began leading the charge in the Senate to implement a passenger service between Scranton and New York.
    Pocono Record: The effort to restore passenger rail between Scranton and New York City has received $9 million toward construction, officials announced Tuesday…“This is a nice day to celebrate, but we’re going to get more money. We’re going to finish this project, no matter how long it takes us to do that,” U.S. Sen. Bob Casey said. Multiple speakers noted the importance of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021 in providing funds for this project.
    WVIA: Scranton’s decades-long dream of renewed rail service to New York City will soon take a key step forward thanks to nearly $9 million in federal infrastructure funding. Tuesday was a day to talk about trains, and how $8,958,919 in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant money will be used to upgrade railroad infrastructure along the Pennsylvania segment of the right-of-way, including a bridge and thousands of railroad ties…Both Cartwright and Casey have long been active supporters of renewed rail service, which officials say could be up and running as early as 2028 or 2029.
    FOX 56/WOLF TV: U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA-8) announced millions in federal funding to begin construction to bring back Amtrak passenger rail service between Scranton and New York. The award, totaling $8,958,919,will kick off long-needed railway rehabilitation and track improvements to begin the process of restoring service between the communities via the Lackawanna Cut-Off, officials said.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Announces $24 Million in LIHEAP Aid to Help RIers Lower Home Energy Bills

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to help some of the nation’s most vulnerable households pay their home energy bills, the Biden-Harris Administration today released $3.71 billion for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), including $24,063,792 for Rhode Island.  Even as the U.S. has become the largest oil producer in the world, colder winters in the Northeast mean the demand for LIHEAP is high.  The federally funded program is a crucial lifeline that helps low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes afford their energy bills, including those who use natural gas, propane, electricity, and home heating oil. 
    U.S. Senator Jack Reed, a leading member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a Congressional champion for LIHEAP, cheered the release of funds and says it will allow states to provide funds to support income eligible households with utility costs.
    Earlier this month, Reed joined Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in leading a bipartisan call for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release LIHEAP funds as swiftly and at the highest level possible.
    “This federal funding will help keep vulnerable Rhode Islanders safe and healthy through targeted initiatives that lower utility bills.  It will ease the energy cost burden for low-income residents, who pay a higher proportion of household income to heat their homes when cold winter weather hits.  Nobody should have to choose between affording needed medication or having their heat turned off.  LIHEAP is a real lifeline that has proven to make a real positive difference for so many Rhode Islanders,” said Senator Reed, who helped provide a total of $4.1 billion for LIHEAP in fiscal year 2024, with $4 billion through appropriations and $100 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds. 
    Under the short-term “continuing resolution” funding package that President Biden signed into law in September, HHS is able to advance states’ funding equal to 90 percent of their FY24 allocation.
    Rhode Islanders wishing to apply for LIHEAP may go to the Rhode Island Department of Human Services website to get more information and links to an online application.  Or, Rhode Islanders may contact their local Community Action Agency.  Eligibility for LIHEAP is based on several factors, including income, household size, and the availability of resources.
    Nationwide, an estimated 5.1 million households received assistance with heating and cooling costs through LIHEAP in the last fiscal year.
    Older Americans on fixed incomes and those receiving Social Security Disability or SSI benefits are encouraged to apply as early as possible, but applications will be open to everyone through spring of 2025 — or until the funding is exhausted.

    MIL OSI USA News –