NewzIntel.com

Category: Law Enforcement

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Residence portion of the Military-Style Academies complete

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The residence portion of the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North is wrapping up, with the young people now transitioning back into the community with support, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. 

    Ten young people have spent three months on the programme addressing criminal behaviours with a focus on structure and routine, physical activities, education and vocational training, preparation for work and finding employment, and rehabilitative, therapeutic, and cultural components undertaken for each young person.

    They now head into the 9-month community stage, which will look different for every young person, depending on their needs. 

    “The lessons learned from previous iterations of Military Style Academies is that for them to work, there needs to be a large amount of community support and the transition back into the community needs to be well managed. 

    “I took these lessons on board and that is what was used to shape this pilot. I placed a large emphasis on making sure the community support was there, and making sure family are involved throughout the process. 

    “Each young person will have a ‘kitbag’ when they leave the residence, which they have been building during the residence stage. 

    “This is made up of practical items, such as an IRD number, CV, bank account and photo ID – items that can be taken for granted but are important basic building blocks to participate in wider society.” 

    Each young person also has their own intensive mentor on a one-to-one basis who will support them throughout the community stage. 

    “Each teenager’s ‘transition plan’ is individualised, sustainable, achievable and includes details of the support they need.

    “While I am sure there will be bumps along the road for these young people as they work towards a better future, I am proud of the work they are putting in and the effort they and their families are making at turning their lives around. 

    “I hope these young people take advantage of every opportunity they are offered through this pilot. 

    “The outcome of their future is now in their hands.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Orlando Man Charged With Receiving And Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Joseph Anthony Santopietro (46, Orlando) with receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, Santopietro faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison on the receipt count, and a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment on the possession count.  

    According to the indictment, Santopietro received child sexual abuse material in November 2023. He was then found in possession of child sexual abuse material on September 18, 2024. 

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Portland Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Pandemic Unemployment Benefits

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for stealing more than $147,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits from the Oregon Employment Department (OED).

    Matthew Kemp, 41, was sentenced to six months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Kemp was also ordered to pay $147,294 in restitution to the OED.

    According to court documents, between July 2020 and January 2021, Kemp devised and carried out a scheme whereby he used the personal information of 17 people, including their dates of birth and social security numbers, to fraudulently apply for pandemic unemployment insurance benefits. Some individuals knew Kemp had used their personal information because he had promised to obtain benefits on their behalf while others were unaware.

    To ensure the benefits went to him instead of the named applicants, Kemp requested the benefits be paid out by check or prepaid debit card, and put his own mailing address, email address, and phone number on the claims. If there was a delay or issue in processing his various fraudulent claims, Kemp called the OED and impersonated the named applicant to ensure he got (in his words) “my money.”

    On February 7, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a seven-count indictment charging Kemp with mail fraud, bank fraud, and theft of government funds. On June 14, 2024, Kemp pleaded guilty to theft of government funds.

    This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG). It was prosecuted by Meredith D.M. Bateman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tucson Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Murder of a Child

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TUCSON, Ariz. –Pablo Martinez, Jr., 36, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 25 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Martinez, Jr. pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder on April 15, 2024.

    On September 26, 2019, Martinez murdered the six-year-old victim by holding the victim’s face under the running bathtub faucet for between five to ten minutes, while giving the victim a bath. The victim inhaled water that caused liquid thermal burns, resulting in his death. The victim was an enrolled member of the Pascua Yaqui Indian Tribe.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances M. Kreamer Hope and Matthew C. Cassell, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
     

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-19-2617-TUC-SHR
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-140_Martinez, Jr.

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    2024-140_Martinez, Jr.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Juvenile Justice Employee Sentenced for Violating the Civil Rights of Youth in His Care

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

    ASHLAND, Ky. – A former Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice employee, Nathaniel K. Lumpkins, 33, of Elkfork, Ky., was sentenced to 36 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, on Tuesday, for one count of deprivation of rights under color of law.

    Lumpkins was employed at Woodsbend Youth Development Center, a Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice facility located in West Liberty, Ky., and worked as a Youth Worker, responsible for the custody, care, and control of the juveniles housed there.  As he admitted in his plea agreement, on January 23, 2019, Lumpkins violated the civil rights of a fifteen-year-old at Woodsbend, when he used unreasonable force on the victim.  When the victim was already compliant, on the ground, and being held by three other adult Youth Workers, Lumpkins began twisting the victim’s hand back onto his wrist and pushing his body weight repeatedly down onto the youth’s wrist and arm.  While doing this, Lumpkins broke the victim’s arm, and admitted in his plea agreement that he did so out of anger and not for any legitimate purpose.  Lumpkins later slammed the victim’s already-broken arm into a concrete wall, again out of anger with no legitimate purpose.  Then, Lumpkins wrote and signed an incident report that included false information, in an attempt to cover up his unlawful use of force.       

    Under federal law, Lumpkins must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence.  Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.

    Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announce the sentencing.

    The investigation was conducted by the FBI, with assistance from the Internal Investigations Branch of the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Zach Dembo is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. 

    — END — 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Greenup County Man Sentenced for Production and Possession of Child Pornography

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

    ASHLAND, Ky. – A Flatwoods, Ky., man, Skyler Allen Mullins, 23, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to 35 years in prison, for attempted production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

    According to his plea agreement, on May 4, 2022, law enforcement discovered that Mullins was using a social media application to exchange sexually explicit images of children. Law enforcement interviewed Mullins and he admitted to attempting to create videos of himself sexually assaulting a minor known to him.  Mullins also admitted using social media platforms to exchange materials and links to images and video of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

    In total, Mullins possessed over 600 images or videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

    Under federal law, Mullins must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence.  Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 30 years. 

    Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Kentucky State Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. 

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

    — END — 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Sentencing of Shiprock Man for 2020 Assault

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

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man was sentenced to 46 months in prison for a 2020 assault with the intent to steal a motor vehicle within the Navajo Nation.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court documents, on May 17, 2020, Daryl Levi, 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, and others assaulted John Doe in Shiprock, NM, with the intent of taking his motor vehicle. As a result of the assault, John Doe was wounded.

    Upon his release from prison, Levi will be subject 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 Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark A. Probasco and Samuel A. Hurtado are prosecuting the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Verified Influencer Accounts Are Being Hijacked to Spread Scams and Malicious Software

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

    The FBI Atlanta Division is warning the public that verified social media accounts are being hijacked by cybercriminals for the purposes of spreading scams and malicious software. Cybercriminals are targeting established social media accounts with large followings. By successfully taking over these accounts through targeted phishing or social engineering techniques, the cybercriminals broaden the reach of their fraudulent campaigns to vast amounts of followers. The campaigns become more effective because the followers trust the verified accounts.

    Cybercriminals are taking advantage of these hijacked accounts to spread cryptocurrency scams. Cryptocurrency “giveaway” scams often include links to malicious websites that steal the victim’s wallet information. Cybercriminals are also using hijacked accounts to post links to free software downloads, which ultimately link to malware. This info-stealing malware takes the victim’s usernames, passwords, and cookies, enabling the cybercriminals to compromise other accounts.

    For followers of social media, here are tips to protect yourself from scams and malware shared online:

    • Do not assume verified influencers or creators are always in full control of their posts. Pay attention to red flags such as a post seeming out of the ordinary or too good to be true.
    • Take extra caution when the post uses a sense of urgency to click a link or visit a website for things like cryptocurrency giveaways or free software downloads.
    • If you are concerned about a website link, look up the website’s registration information by searching for its “WHOIS” data. Proceed with caution if the site was registered recently and from an overseas country such as Russia.

    For social media influencers or creators, here are tips to keep your accounts from being hijacked:

    • Use strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA)
    • Be skeptical of emails claiming to be from social media companies asking you to relogin with your account credentials. Apply this same skepticism when receiving e-mails about collaboration opportunities that ask you to click suspicious links.
    • Monitor the login activity and connected devices to your account.

    Anyone who is a victim of an account takeover or Internet scam should report it to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at http://www.ic3.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Art Advisor Lisa Schiff Pleads Guilty To Defrauding Clients

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that LISA SCHIFF, a Manhattan-based art advisor focused on contemporary art, pled guilty before United States District Judge J. Paul Oetken to one count of wire fraud for perpetrating a multi-year scheme in which she defrauded the clients of her art advisory business of approximately $6.5 million in connection with the purchase and sale of approximately 55 artworks.  SCHIFF will be sentenced by Judge Oetken on January 17, 2025, at 10:30 a.m.  

    U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, Lisa Schiff breached the trust of her art advisory clients by lying to them and diverting millions of dollars her clients had entrusted to her.  Instead of using client funds as promised, Schiff used the stolen money to fund a lavish lifestyle. Today’s guilty plea serves as a reminder that the Southern District of New York will vigorously investigate and prosecute those who engage in fraud wherever we may find them, including the art market.”

    According to the Information, plea agreement, and statements made in court:

    From 2018 through May 2023, SCHIFF engaged in a scheme to defraud clients of her art advisory business, Schiff Fine Art (“SFA”) by diverting her clients’ funds—profits from the sale of her clients’ artworks or payments they made to purchase artwork—to pay her own personal and business expenses.  SCHIFF advised clients regarding the purchase and sale of artworks and bought and sold artworks on behalf of clients in exchange for a commission.  In her role as an art advisor, SCHIFF acted as an intermediary between art galleries and auction houses, and her clients, who were art collectors.  Typically, when SCHIFF’s clients bought or sold artworks, payments were routed through SCHIFF’s business, SFA.  In addition, when SCHIFF sold artworks on behalf of a client, she often had custody or control of the artworks to coordinate the sale.  At times, SCHIFF, through SFA, also sold artwork on consignment on behalf of artists and other galleries.   

    Starting in about 2018, SCHIFF began defrauding her clients in two ways: (1) not remitting payments to her clients when she sold their artwork while not disclosing to her clients that their artworks had, in fact, been sold; and (2) not purchasing artworks on behalf of clients despite representing to her clients that she would purchase certain artworks on their behalf using their funds.  Instead of using client funds as promised, SCHIFF diverted her clients’ money to pay her business and personal expenses.  SCHIFF lied to her clients and galleries in furtherance of her fraud scheme.  For example, when defrauding clients in connection with selling their artwork, SCHIFF at times lied to clients, claiming she had not sold the artwork, or the buyer was delayed in making the payment and SCHIFF still had custody of the artwork when, in fact, SCHIFF had sold the artwork, received payment from the buyer, and delivered the artwork to the buyer.  When defrauding clients in connection with purchasing artwork on their behalf, SCHIFF lied to galleries from which she was supposed to purchase artwork on behalf clients, blaming delays in payment on clients when, in fact, clients had already paid SCHIFF for the purchase of the artwork but she had diverted the funds for her own use.  Over several years, SCHIFF defrauded at least twelve clients, one artist, the estate of another artist, and one gallery, collectively, of at least approximately $6.5 million.  During her fraud, SCHIFF lived lavishly and incurred substantial debts, which she paid in part using her victims’ diverted funds.

    In about May 2023, SCHIFF could no longer conceal her scheme due to mounting debts. SCHIFF confessed to several clients that she had stolen their money.

    *                *                *

    SCHIFF, 54, a Manhattan resident, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years.  Under the terms of her plea agreement, SCHIFF agreed to forfeit approximately $6.4 million.

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

    Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Art Crime Team and the FBI/New York Police Department’s Joint Major Theft Task Force.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Ong and Cecilia Vogel are in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Virani to hold media availability following the meeting of FPT Ministers Responsible for Justice and Public Safety

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Members of the media are invited to join the Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, along with R.J. Simpson, Premier of the Northwest Territories, for a press conference following the conclusion of the meeting of Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Ministers Responsible for Justice and Public Safety.

    Date: Friday, October 18, 2024
    Time: 11:50 a.m. (MDT)
    Location: Katimavik Room D
                      The Explorer Hotel
                      4825 49 Avenue
                      Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

    (Simultaneous translation and audio feed will be available for media on-site)

    To obtain the Zoom link and/or teleconference dial-in information, please register with media relations at media@justice.gc.ca. All registrations must be completed by 12:30 p.m. EDT (10:30 a.m. MDT) on Friday, October 18.

    In person

    Accredited media representatives must arrive 15 minutes in advance of the event to sign-in and present photo ID and credentials. Photo ID must be visible at all times.

    Media who join in person will have an opportunity to ask questions.

    By teleconference

    Registered media are asked to join by teleconference 20 minutes prior to its official start. 

    Media who join via teleconference will have an opportunity to ask questions.

    Via Zoom

    Registered media are asked to log in to the press conference 20 minutes prior to its official start. Participation via Zoom is listen only. Zoom participants will not be able to ask questions. 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Alford Applauds Israeli Military for Eliminating Hamas Leader

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mark Alford (Missouri 4th District)

    Washington, D.C. – Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) issued the following statement regarding the elimination of Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7th massacre, by the Israeli military:

    “Justice has been served by the brave men and women of the Israeli military. Yahya Sinwar, the orchestrator of the horrific October 7th massacre, has been eliminated. His life was driven by hatred for Israel and for freedom. His death marks a significant step toward peace and security for the Israeli people.

    Let this serve as a clear message to Hamas and its supporters: Israel will never back down. The strength and resilience of the Jewish people, and their unwavering fight for freedom and security, cannot be broken. Terror and antisemitism will never overcome the spirit of liberty.

    However, Israel’s struggle is far from over. They continue to face grave threats from Iran and its proxies, from Hamas, and from Hezbollah. Meanwhile, the weak and feckless response from the Harris-Biden administration only worsens these threats.

    The future of Israel depends on unwavering U.S. support. We must ensure that the bond between the U.S. and Israel remains ironclad, standing together in the fight against those who seek to destroy freedom and democracy.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Attorney General Garland Announces Stephanie Hinds as Director of EOUSA

    Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)

    Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced that Stephanie M. Hinds has been appointed as the Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA).

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwKMs2vtMNk

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Environment – Luxon buys massive fight with public over Fast-track projects as Select Committee set to report back

    Source: CAFT – Communities Against the Fast-track ( http://www.stopthefasttrack.com )

    Community groups across the country are gearing up for a massive fight against the Government’s decision to ram through destructive projects via the Fast-track Approvals Bill, which the Environment Select Committee is due to report back to Parliament on today.

    “Luxon’s Government has shown nothing but contempt for the public as it tries to force through projects rejected by our communities, our councils, and our courts,” says Communities Against the Fast-track (CAFT) spokesperson Augusta Macassey-Pickard.

    “Luxon, and the commercial interests he’s backing over his own citizens, have bought themselves a massive fight.”

    Communities Against the Fast-track says the response and concern to the Bill has been huge already. 27,000 submissions were made, 20,000 marched in Auckland against the Fast-track, and a hīkoi led by Ngāti Toa arrived at parliament in May to oppose the Bill.

    “And that was before the Government even released the list of 149 projects. We know now that this is every bit as destructive as we feared,” says Macassey-Pickard.

    The list of projects includes mining projects, some on conservation land and seabed mining, new motorways that lock communities into high emissions transport, more irrigation that will result in communities’ water being even more polluted, a large waste incinerator project in Waimate, new aquaculture farms that threaten marine species, and others.

    “Thousands of New Zealanders around the country are gearing up for the fight to protect the communities and places we love from destructive, exploitative projects.”

    “It’s truly sickening that our Government would hand over this much power to commercial interests, bringing in a process that strips communities, including mana whenua, of any say over their future.”

    CAFT also expressed concern about the Environmental Protection Authority’s ability to apply any rigour to the fast-track process for 149 applications, and others to follow. The already-stretched agency has had funding cuts that would see the loss of one in five jobs, according to the trade union PSA.

    “It’s a lot of work to service even one application: appointing the panel, coordinating hearings, notifications, transcripts, decisions and setting up monitoring programmes if a consent is granted. How can the EPA do anything to protect the public interest with this deluge, especially in light of its recent cuts? How can this be anything other than a rubber-stamping exercise?” asked Macassey-Pickard.

    She says any changes to the Bill are likely to be cosmetic as the Government has demonstrated its determination to allow commercial interests to exploit the country’s environment and communities.

    “Luxon and the National Party particularly have sought to distance themselves from the coal mining, seabed mining, a massive incinerator site, and other extremely destructive projects. They’ve used renewable energy and people’s need for safe, affordable housing as a smokescreen for a Bill that rots the very core of our democratic processes and the rights of the public to have a say.”

    “Luxon has bought himself a massive fight.”

    CAFT members:

    Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki, 350 Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Climate Justice Taranaki, Environment and Conservation Organisations of NZ (ECO), 350 Aotearoa, Taranaki Energy Watch, Extinction Rebellion Tāmaki Makaurau, All Aboard, Save the Basin Campaign, and individual grassroots community organisers from around the motu.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government and Meta join forces for “Scams se Bacho” Campaign to tackle rising online scams

    Source: Government of India

    Government and Meta join forces for “Scams se Bacho” Campaign to tackle rising online scams

    It is a whole-of-government approach towards fostering a culture of digital safety and vigilance: Sh. Sanjay Jaju, I&B Secretary

    We are building a movement that envisions a safer, more secure, and resilient digital India: Sh. Sanjay Jaju

    Posted On: 17 OCT 2024 10:39PM by PIB Delhi

    Secretary of Information and Broadcasting, Sh. Sanjay Jaju,  delivered the keynote address on the launch of  “Scams se Bacho”, a National  User Awareness Campaign in New Delhi today.

    This initiative of Meta, being launched in collaboration of key ministries Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), aims to combat the growing menace of scams and cyber frauds, aligning with the government’s commitment to addressing the rising cases of online scams and enhancing cyber safety.

    While extending support to the Meta’s ‘Scams se Bacho’ campaign, Sh Sanjay Jaju mentioned that it is a timely and much-needed step toward safeguarding our citizens from the growing threat of online scams .It reflects a whole-of-government approach towards fostering a culture of digital safety and vigilance.

    India confronts rising cybersecurity challenges amidst rapid tech advancements

    During the event I&B secretary highlighted that India, with over 900 million internet users, has seen extraordinary digital growth under the Digital India initiative, becoming a global leader in UPI transactions.

    However, this progress comes with rising cyber frauds, with 1.1 million cases reported in 2023. The Prime Minister of India has called for stronger measures to combat these threats and enhance digital literacy.

    Scams se Bacho: Equipping citizens to safeguard against cyber threats

    During the event I&B secretary emphasized that the “Scam Se Bacho” Campaign is more than just an awareness drive. This campaign can be a national movement that can empower Indian citizens with the tools and knowledge to protect themselves from these threats. Our goal is simple but powerful to create a culture of digital safety and vigilance. “By leveraging Meta’s global expertise, the campaign will empower every Indian to protect themselves from cyber threats, ensuring that our digital progress is matched by robust digital security”, he added.

    **********

    Dharmendra Tewari/Kshitij Singha

    (Release ID: 2065959) Visitor Counter : 62

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Warrant to arrest – Hirini Te Runa

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police are seeking to locate Hirini Te Runa, who has multiple warrants for his arrest.

    He is wanted on assault and injures with intent to injure matters as well as another incident involving breaching detention conditions.

    Police believe Te Runa is somewhere in the wider Auckland, Waikato or Whakatane areas.

    Any sightings of Te Runa should be reported to Police on 111 immediately.

    If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact Police on 105, quoting file number 240614/9546.

    Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Public advisory: Large scale training exercise in Northland this weekend

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    A controlled training exercise will be conducted in the Bay of Islands and Paihia areas from Friday through to Sunday.

    The multi-agency exercise is being led by Police, with support from Land Search and Rescue, Coastguard Bay of Islands and Surf Lifesaving, and will simulate both land and marine search and rescue scenarios.

    Police, along with other agency personnel, will be in the area throughout today and the course of the weekend.

    The training exercise, named Operation Tapeka, is expected to run from 5pm Friday 18 October until approximately 1pm on Sunday 20 October. 

    No members of the public are participating in the exercise.

    Senior Sergeant Cliff Metcalfe says a multitude of resource will be deployed to the exercise, including marine vessels, ropes rescue teams and Police vehicles. 

    “We want to reiterate this is part of a controlled, routine training exercise and is not an emergency event.

    “These exercises enable Police and partner agencies to test our response and systems should an emergency ever arise and there is no immediate risk to the public.

    “We will aim to cause as little disturbance as possible and hope people will understand the importance of us carrying out these types of exercises.”

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Charges Against Indian Government Employee in Connection with Foiled Plot to Assassinate U.S. Citizen in New York City

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    Note: View the second unsealed superseding indictment here.

    The Justice Department today announced the filing of murder-for-hire and money laundering charges against Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, 39, also known as Vikas, and Amanat, in connection with his role in directing a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City. Yadav is charged in a second superseding indictment unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Yadav’s alleged co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, 53, was previously charged and extradited to the United States on the charges contained in the first superseding indictment. Yadav remains at large.

    “The Justice Department will be relentless in holding accountable any person — regardless of their position or proximity to power — who seeks to harm and silence American citizens,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As alleged, last year, we foiled an attempt by Vikash Yadav, an Indian government employee, and his co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, to assassinate an American citizen on U.S. soil.  Today’s charges demonstrate that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts to target and endanger Americans and to undermine the rights to which every U.S. citizen is entitled.”

    “The defendant, an Indian government employee, allegedly conspired with a criminal associate and attempted to assassinate a U.S. citizen on American soil for exercising their First Amendment rights,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI will not tolerate acts of violence or other efforts to retaliate against those residing in the U.S. for exercising their constitutionally protected rights. We are committed to working with our partners to detect, disrupt, and hold accountable foreign nationals or others who seek to engage in such acts of transnational repression.”

    “Today’s charges are a grave example of the increase in lethal plotting and other forms of violent transnational repression targeting diaspora communities in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “To the governments around the world who may be considering such criminal activity and to the communities they would target, let there be no doubt that the Department of Justice is committed to disrupting and exposing these plots and to holding the wrongful actors accountable no matter who they are or where they reside.”

    “DEA foiled this assassination attempt last year and has continued to trace this case back to an employee of the Indian government whom we charge was an orchestrator of this intricate murder-for-hire scheme. DEA did not relent, and today’s indictment names Vikash Yadav as an alleged mastermind,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “We charge that Yadav, an employee of the Indian government, used his position of authority and access to confidential information to direct the attempted assassination of an outspoken critic of the Indian government here on U.S. soil. This case was led by the DEA New York Division’s Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of DEA, the New York State Police, and the New York City Police Department, and is a true testament to the tenacity and determination of our team.”

    “Last year, this office charged Nikhil Gupta for conspiring to assassinate a U.S. citizen of Indian origin on U.S. soil,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams. “But, as alleged, Gupta did not work alone. Today, we announce charges against an Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, who orchestrated the plot from India and directed Gupta to hire a hitman to murder the victim. The right to exercise free speech is foundational to our democracy, and predicated on the notion that we can do so without fear of violence or reprisal, including from beyond our borders. Let this case be a warning to all those who would seek to harm and silence U.S. citizens: we will hold you accountable, no matter who and where you are.” 

    As alleged in the second superseding indictment and other public court documents, in 2023, Yadav, working together with others, including Gupta, in India, and elsewhere, directed a plot to assassinate on U.S. soil an attorney and political activist who is a U.S. citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City (the victim). The victim is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads a U.S.-based organization that advocates for the secession of Punjab, a state in northern India that is home to a large population of Sikhs, an ethnoreligious minority group in India. The victim has publicly called for some or all of Punjab to secede from India and establish a Sikh sovereign state called Khalistan, and the Indian government has banned the victim and his separatist organization from India.

    During times relevant to the second superseding indictment, Yadav was employed by the Government of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which houses Indian’s foreign intelligence service, the Research and Analysis Wing. Yadav has described his position as a “senior field officer” with responsibilities in “security management” and “intelligence.” Yadav also has referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer[] training” in “battle craft” and “weapons.” Yadav is a citizen and resident of India, and he directed the plot to assassinate the Victim from India.

    In or about May 2023, Yadav recruited Gupta to orchestrate the assassination of the victim in the United States. Gupta is an Indian national who resided in India and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with Yadav and others. At Yadav’s direction, Gupta contacted an individual whom Gupta believed to be a criminal associate, but who was in fact a confidential source (the CS) working with the DEA, for assistance in contracting a hitman to murder the victim in New York City. The CS introduced Gupta to a purported hitman, who was in fact a DEA undercover officer (the UC). Yadav subsequently agreed, in dealings brokered by Gupta, to pay the UC $100,000 to murder the victim. On or about June 9, 2023, Yadav and Gupta arranged for an associate to deliver $15,000 in cash to the UC as an advance payment for the murder. Yadav’s associate then delivered the $15,000 to the UC in Manhattan.

    In or about June 2023, in furtherance of the assassination plot, Yadav provided Gupta with personal information about the victim, including the victim’s home address in New York City, phone numbers associated with the victim, and details about the victim’s day-to-day conduct, which Gupta then passed to the UC. Yadav directed Gupta to provide regular updates on the progress of the assassination plot, which Gupta accomplished by forwarding to Yadav, among other things, surveillance photographs of the victim. Gupta directed the UC to carry out the murder as soon as possible, but Gupta also specifically instructed the UC not to commit the murder around the time of the Indian Prime Minister’s official state visit to the United States, which was scheduled to begin on or about June 20, 2023.

    On or about June 18, 2023, approximately two days before the Indian Prime Minister’s state visit to the United States, masked gunmen murdered Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada. Nijjar was an associate of the victim, and, like the victim, was a leader of the Sikh separatist movement and an outspoken critic of the Indian government. On or about June 19, 2023, the day after the Nijjar murder, Gupta told the UC that Nijjar “was also the target” and “we have so many targets.” Gupta added that, in light of Nijjar’s murder, there was “now no need to wait” on killing the Victim. On or about June 20, 2023, Yadav sent Gupta a news article about the victim and messaged Gupta, “[i]t’s [a] priority now.”

    Yadav and Gupta of India have been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The DEA New York Division and the FBI New York Field Office’s Counterintelligence Division are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the DEA Special Operations Division, DEA Vienna Country Office, FBI Prague Country Office, Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and Czech Republic’s National Drug Headquarters.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Ashley C. Nicolas, and Alexander Li for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Trial Attorney A.J. Dixon of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Tennessee Mental Health Center Owner Charged with Employment Tax Crimes

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    A federal grand jury in Nashville returned an indictment yesterday charging a former business owner with willfully failing to account for and pay over employment taxes to the IRS.

    According to the indictment, from at least 2011 through 2023, Mari Alexander, of Columbia, South Carolina, was the owner and president of Ross Behavioral Group, a mental health counseling center with multiple locations in middle Tennessee. Alexander controlled Ross Behavioral Group’s financial affairs and was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and federal income taxes from employees’ wages and paying them over to the IRS. From at least 2015 through 2020, Alexander allegedly withheld these taxes from her employees’ wages, but did not fully pay the withheld taxes over to the IRS.

    Each year, from at least 2015 through 2020, Alexander allegedly issued IRS Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statements and paystubs to the employees that showed taxes taken out of their pay, which falsely implied that the withheld taxes were paid over to the IRS.

    In total, Alexander is alleged to have caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $1 million.

    Alexander is charged with 11 counts of willfully failing to account for and pay over employment taxes. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General.

    Trial Attorney Ashley J. Stein of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell T. Galloway for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ottawa — Significant transnational organized crime group disrupted by RCMP, FBI and police across Canada and the Americas

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The RCMP and FBI worked together for over a year to target a Mexican Cartel-linked criminal network. This network has been moving large amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine from Central and South America via the United States to Canada and overseas. It also has been commissioning murders across North America, and laundering significant proceeds of crime.

    Enforcement action against the network began in Mexico earlier this month and continued this week with targeted arrests in Colombia, the United States, and Canada. These efforts are ongoing.

    The alleged leader of the network, Canadian Ryan Wedding, remains at large. He is wanted by the United States and Canada on separate charges.

    As part of FBI Operation GIANT SLALOM, US authorities indicted 16 people, including 10 Canadians, for a range of serious charges including drug trafficking, murder, conspiracy to murder and continuing a criminal enterprise.

    Four Canadians were arrested in Ontario this week by local Canadian law enforcement at the request of United States authorities, pending extradition. They were:

    • Hardeep Ratte
    • Gurpreet Singh
    • Rakhim Ibragimov
    • Malik Cunningham

    Three Canadian individuals were also arrested in the US:

    • Nahim Jorge Bonilla
    • Ranjit Singh Rowal
    • Iqbal Singh Virk

    A ninth Canadian, Andrew Clark, was arrested in Mexico by local authorities earlier this month as part of efforts against this network.

    A tenth Canadian, Gennadii Bilonog, remains at large.

    Along with the indictments, law enforcement seized over one tonne of drugs and collected evidence on numerous homicides and conspiracies to commit murder.

    RCMP Federal Policing worked closely with the FBI during the investigation and acted as a crucial link to Canadian law enforcement, including Niagara Regional Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Toronto Police Service and Peel Regional Police.

    This successful collaboration between the RCMP, the FBI, police in Canada, and overseas highlights the RCMP’s continued international and domestic efforts to reduce the harm to Canadians caused by global drug trafficking and violent crime. It is one example of the tireless work we do here in Canada and around the world everyday with our partners to tackle the threats we face and prevent transnational crime from hurting everyday Canadians and our allies. Our global efforts are yielding results that keep Canadians safe.

    Liam Price, Director General, International Special Services

    As the world becomes more interconnected, organized crime groups continue to evolve and expand internationally. Through collaborative efforts with the FBI, we have disrupted a major organized crime group. The actions taken during this operation will have positive impacts on the safety and security of our communities and citizens.

    Chief Superintendent Mathieu Bertrand, Director General, Serious and Organized Crime and Border Integrity

    Organized crime extends beyond borders and is constantly developing new ways to thwart the law. Partnerships, such as the one with the FBI, allow the RCMP to join forces to disrupt criminal activity.

    Appeal to the public

    Any member of the public with information on the whereabouts of Gennadii Bilonog is asked to call their local Police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477

    Do you have information on the illegal activities of individuals or groups of individuals? Contact the RCMP or your local police department.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Prepare Fraudulent Loan Applications Totaling More Than $400,000

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

    MIAMI – On Oct. 15, Lakeisha Black a/k/a/ “Lakeisha Pierce,” pled guilty in federal court in Fort Lauderdale to conspiracy to make false statements to the Small Business Administration in connection with myriad fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.

    From July 2020 through June 2021, Black charged between $2,000 and $6,000 to prepare fraudulent PPP loans for at least 14 other individuals, including three former Broward County Sheriff’s Office deputies, who all previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy in separate cases and have been sentenced. In total, Black is responsible for over $400,000 in fraudulent PPP loans. 

    The sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 7, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith. Black faces up to 5 years in prison for the conspiracy. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe; Special Agent in Charge Brian Tucker, Eastern Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau;  Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office; Sheriff Gregory Tony of Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

    FRB-OIG, DCIS, BSO, and FBI Miami investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Latoya C. Brown and Trevor C. Jones are prosecuting it.

    On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

    On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud.  The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed multiple instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Additional information regarding the Strike Force may be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-covid-19-fraud-strike-force-teams.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-60137.

    ###

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  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Guilty of Federal Drug and Weapons Violations

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

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – GEOURVON SEARS (“SEARS”), age 27, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on October 10, 2024 before Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Tapentadol, and Marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D), and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).

    According to court documents, on June 6, 2024, New Orleans Police Department officers executed a search warrant at SEARS’s residence and recovered his backpack, containing methamphetamine, tapentadol, and marijuana, that SEARS intended to sell.  Officers also recovered two loaded firearms—a Romarm/Cugir Model Mini Draco semi-automatic pistol and a Norinco Model SKS rifle—that SEARS possessed, in furtherance of his possession with intent to distribute those controlled substances.

    As to his drug trafficking conviction, SEARS faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release.  As to his conviction for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life in prison, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release.  Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.

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

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Alleged Members of Potomac Gardens Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Arrested and Charged with Distributing Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Methamphetamine

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

                WASHINGTON – This morning, six people were arrested on charges connected to a wide-ranging conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, cocaine base, cocaine, and methamphetamine, in the Potomac Gardens Housing Project in Southeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office.  

               Arrested were Robert Hunt, 40, Garrett Isley, 42, Maurice Tutt, 50, Vera Jackson, 74, all of Washington, D.C., Michael Augment, 36, of Lorton, Virginia, and Lawrence Smith, 54, of Fairfax, Virginia. Each made their initial appearance this afternoon in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. 

         “This is the latest federal indictment charging a D.C.-based crew with narcotics and firearms offenses” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Drug trafficking operations, like the one alleged in the indictment, not only peddle poison, but they are also magnets for gun violence.  We will continue to aggressively prosecute these crews that are undermining community safety.”

              “Fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine have no place in our community,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Geist. “Today’s arrests stem from a yearslong investigation by the FBI and our law enforcement partners and mark a step forward in our efforts to reduce drug trafficking in the nation’s capital.”

               The multi-agency law enforcement operation included members of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD), District of Columbia Housing Authority Police, Virginia State Police, and Fairfax County and City police departments.   

               According to the indictment, between January and October of 2024, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to distribute narcotics in and around the District of Columbia. It is further alleged that Hunt unlawfully distributed fentanyl and carried a gun in furtherance of drug trafficking. Isley is charged with unlawful possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, and methamphetamine.

               The indictment arises from a long-term investigation by the FBI, MPD, and the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) into drug and firearms trafficking in Potomac Gardens. In December 2023, MCPD learned that defendant Hunt regularly was selling fentanyl from an apartment in the housing complex.  An undercover officer (UC) purchased narcotics, in particular fentanyl, from Hunt. Hunt initially used “runners” to deliver the narcotics to the UC. However, after a few buys, Hunt began to deal directly with the undercover officer. From approximately January 2024 through September 2024, the UC purchased approximately 215.87 grams of fentanyl powder and approximately 2,950 fentanyl pills from Hunt.  The UC also purchased a .357 “ghost gun” from Hunt.  

               Through a court-authorized wiretap on Hunt’s phone, agents learned of several of his co-conspirators and the roles they each played. Agents also placed a camera outside Hunt’s apartment and outside the apartment of one of his supplier’s, defendant Isley. Through a wiretap on Isley’s phone, agents learned of additional members of the conspiracy. MPD stopped Isley in a traffic stop on June 19, 2024, during which they recovered 468 blue, suspected fentanyl pills, about 37.4 grams of cocaine base, approximately 24.5 grams of cocaine, and about 60 grams of methamphetamine and other narcotics.

              On October 16, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants at various stash houses and residences of the co-conspirators. Agents recovered five firearms, approximately $31,000 in cash, approximately 500 grams of suspected fentanyl and smaller amounts of other narcotics, two money counters, and additional drug paraphernalia. 

               This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

               This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the DEA Washington Field Office, District of Columbia Housing Authority Police, Virginia State Police, and Fairfax County and City police departments.   

               It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar Mohanty and Solomon Eppel of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Maryland and the Eastern District in Virginia in helping to coordinate search warrants and arrests.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: RM of Russell-Binscarth — Russell RCMP lay charges in illegal bison hunt

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On October 14, 2024, at approximately 1:55 pm, Russell RCMP received a report of 6 bison having been shot and removed from a farm property, located in the RM of Russell-Binscarth.

    Officers attended and met with the victim who advised he noticed the locks to the gates of his pasture were removed and replaced with locks that did not belong to him. A further check of the pasture revealed that 6 bison were missing.

    A review of the numerous trail cameras setup in the area revealed that four trespassers, who drove in with a pickup and several off-road vehicles, had shot the bison and removed them from the property.

    The following day, RCMP were notified by the victim that they had located a social media ad online which had been advertising a bison hunt for $1000 per animal at this location. The victims, who were the legal owners of the bison, did not place this ad. The victim did state that they had posted to social media advising of the theft and received numerous responses, including from several of those who had shot the bison.

    Investigators were contacted by the three parties, who had originally responded to the add and attended for the hunt, who advised they were under the impression that the hunt was legitimately organized by the suspect. All three witnesses are cooperating with police.

    On October 16, 2024, Russell RCMP issued a Warrant of Arrest out for Gerald Sean Gebler, 52, from Portage la Prairie, who was charged with Theft over $5000 and Mischief over $5000 in relation to this incident. Additional charges are likely. Later that day, Gebler turned himself in to the Portage la Prairie RCMP where he was later released for court scheduled for January 22, 2025, in Russell.

    Russell RCMP continue to investigate.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Brazoria Man Heads to Prison for Exploiting 13-Year-Old Child Through Nude Photos and Explicit Texts

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

    GALVESTON, Texas – A 46-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for sending obscene photos and messages to a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

    U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown convicted George Jimenez April 23 following a one-day trial earlier that month. Prior to trial, Jimenez pleaded guilty to two counts of transfer of obscene material to a minor.

    Judge Brown has now sentenced Jimenez to 24o and 120 months for the coercion and enticement of a minor and transfer of obscene material to a minor convictions, respectively. They will run concurrently for a total 240-month-term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court also heard additional information including testimony from four victims detailing how Jimenez’s actions affected them. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted the reprehensibility of Jimenez’s conduct and the need for a severe sentence to deter and prevent future criminal conduct. Jimenez was further ordered to serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Jimenez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

    “Today’s sentence should be a deterrence to individuals who commit serious online crimes against minors, even when there has been no physical contact,” said Hamdani. “Jimenez preyed on vulnerable victims who were unaware they were communicating with an adult male.”

    In April 2019, law enforcement discovered Jimenez had sent pictures of his genitals to a 13-year-old girl and other contacts in his phone. Five were the minors’ 12 and 13-year-old classmates.

    Authorities executed a federal search warrant and discovered Jimenez was using the TextNow application to disguise himself as a teenage boy to engage in sexually explicit conversations with minors.

    From March until April 2019, Jimenez engaged in those communications, including sending at least five pictures of his genitals to the 13-year-old child. In approximately 17 communications, Jimenez asked the minor victim for pictures of either her breasts, buttocks or genital area.

    In a text exchange, the minor shared information with Jimenez that she shaved her genital region. Jimenez then sent messages asking to see images of it.

    At the time of the trial, the defense attempted to convince the court the messages he sent to the minor did not arise to the level of attempting to persuade the minor to send him sexually explicit photos of herself. He did not believe those claims and found Jimenez guilty as charged. In his ruling, the court stated, “these requests were direct, specific and unambiguous. They were not shrouded in innuendo or bashfulness. Simply put, there is no question that Jimenez repeatedly asked [the minor] to take and send him pictures of her genitals and pubic area.”

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

    FBI conducted the investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen M. Lansden and Sherin S. Daniel prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department’s Nationwide Election Day Program for the General Election

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

    TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson announced that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Steven Briden will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.  AUSA Briden has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the Northern District of Oklahoma, and in that capacity, is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

    U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election.  Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence.  The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”

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

    Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice.  The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).   

    In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming elections, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA Briden will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached at 918-703-7832 or by email at Steven.Briden@usdoj.gov

    In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day.  The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 405-290-3700.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nictaux — Missing person: Help the RCMP find Dane Dagenais

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Annapolis District RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 33-year-old Dane Dagenais. He was last seen at approximately 5:00 p.m. on October 12.

    Dagenais has long black hair. He’s approximately 5’10, 150-170 lbs. When last seen, he was wearing black sweat pants, grey and red sweater, tan backpack, headphones and a baseball cap. Police believe that Dagenais could be in the Halifax area.

    When someone goes missing, it has deep and far-reaching impacts for the person and those who know them. We ask that people spread the word through social media respectfully.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Dane Dagenais is asked to contact the Annapolis District RCMP at 902-665-4481. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at http://www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips App.

    File #: 2024-1528489

    Note to media: Photo of Dane Dagenais are attached.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Traveling to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct

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

    Defendant Arranged to Sexually Abuse a Six-Year-Old Girl in D.C.

                WASHINGTON – Nathaniel Lamar Nelson Scott, 36, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

               Scott pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The Honorable Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled a sentencing hearing for January 28, 2025.

                According to the government’s evidence, in May 2024, Scott began communicating via an encrypted messaging application with a man he met on a fetish website. Scott believed the man to be a pedophile who was sexually abusing his six-year-old daughter. Unbeknownst to Scott, the man was an undercover officer with the MPD–FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Over the next several days, Scott engaged in graphic conversations about sexually abusing the child. On June 5, 2024, Scott arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with the child. He traveled from Maryland to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C., and was arrested. Scott has remained in custody since his arrest.

               Scott faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The statutory sentences for federal offenses are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes. Any sentence will be determined by the Court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. In addition, Scott will be required to register as a sex offender following any prison term.

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

                This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and MPD’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.

                The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: South Carolina Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of a Black Transgender Woman

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    Note: View a video statement from Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke here.

    A South Carolina man, Daqua Lameek Ritter, was sentenced today to life in prison for the December 2019 murder of Dime Doe, a Black transgender woman from Allendale, South Carolina.

    On Feb. 24, a jury convicted Ritter of all charges in the indictment, which included one hate crime count, one federal firearms count, and one obstruction count, all arising out of the murder of Dime Doe. This was the first guilty verdict in trial under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (Shepard-Byrd Act) for violence against a transgender person.

    “Bias-motivated violence has no place in our society. With today’s sentencing, the defendant is being held accountable for the senseless murder of Dime Doe, a transgender woman of color,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “We hope that the verdict and sentence in this case provides Ms. Doe’s loved ones with some sense of comfort and demonstrates that the Justice Department will vigorously prosecute those who commit violent acts of hate against the LGBTQI+ community.”

    “This sentence holds the defendant accountable for the heinous and tragic murder of Dime Doe, a Black transgender woman,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Today’s sentencing will not bring Dime Doe back but hopefully provides a small measure of comfort to Dime’s family, loved ones and the community. This sentencing sends a clear message — the Justice Department vigorously defends the civil rights of every American. We will use all the resources at our disposal to safeguard the rights of the LGBTQI+ community, and we will investigate and prosecute perpetrators of transphobic-fueled violence in our country. In America, trans and gender non-conforming people, deserve to live their lives free from violence based on who they are and who they love.”

    “Protecting civil rights remains at the forefront of our office’s priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “From the smallest of communities, like Allendale, to anywhere in South Carolina where hate and injustice occur. We will continue to fight for the rights of those targeted because of their race, their religion, their gender identity or sexual orientation, or their ability.”

    “Today’s sentencing is a culmination of hard work and dedication to the pursuit of justice for Dime Doe,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Let me be clear, no one should live their life in fear because of their sexual identity or appearance. Charged under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, Mr. Ritter will now face the consequences for his actions. This act reminds us of the need to unite against hate and violence in our communities.”

    “This sentence reflects the gravity of Ritter’s horrific crime of murdering Dime Doe,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “It is our hope that this outcome brings a measure of closure to Doe’s loved ones. As they continue to mourn this tragedy, the FBI remains steadfast in ensuring the protection and dignity of all citizens.”

    Evidence presented at trial showed that Ritter was upset that rumors about his sexual relationship with Dime Doe were out in the community. On Aug. 4, 2019, the defendant lured Doe to a remote area in Allendale and shot her three times in the head. At trial, the government proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Ritter murdered Doe because of her gender identity. Ritter then burned the clothes he was wearing during the crime, disposed of the murder weapon, and repeatedly lied to law enforcement.

    The FBI Columbia Field Office investigated the case, with the assistance of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Allendale County Sheriff’s Office, and Allendale Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brook Andrews, Ben Garner, and Elle Klein for the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.

    More information about the Department’s hate crimes efforts, including facts and statistics, case examples, and a searchable collection of the department’s resources for law enforcement, community groups, researchers, and others, are available at http://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: La Ronge — Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes: male charged with manslaughter

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On September 16, 2024 at approximately 5 a.m., La Ronge RCMP received a report of a seriously injured 29-year-old male outside an apartment building on Bedford Drive in La Ronge, Saskatchewan. The male was transported to hospital and later died. He has been identified as Darris Sanderson from Pinehouse Lake, SK.

    As a result of continued investigation, officers from Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes and the Warrant Enforcement Suppression Team (WEST) arrested an adult male in La Ronge, Saskatchewan on October 16, 2024. 25-year-old Tyrell Dumais of La Ronge is charged with one count, manslaughter, Section 236(a), Criminal Code.

    He is scheduled to appear in La Ronge Provincial Court on October 17, 2024.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Announces Criminal Charges Against Southern California Dentist for Medi-Cal Fraud

    Source: US State of California

    Thursday, October 17, 2024

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    Husam Aldairi, along with five other individuals, were charged for defrauding the state’s healthcare program of nearly $900k

    SAN DIEGO – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the filing of criminal charges against Southern California dentist, Husam Aldairi, along with five employees of his dental practice, for their allegedly fraudulent billing scheme that allegedly defrauded the state Medi-Cal program of nearly $900,000.

    Husam Aldairi, Rawaa Attar, Lilyan Krikorian, Inci Narin, Laith Alani, and Fadi Shammas, have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and Medi-Cal fraud, both felonies. 

    “When providers defraud Medi-Cal, it not only undermines the integrity of the program, but it also poses a significant threat to the patients who rely on its critical services for their health and well-being,” said Attorney General Bonta. “At the California Department of Justice, we will continue to hold accountable those who perpetuate Medi-Cal fraud. We must ensure that the program remains reliable and accessible in providing quality healthcare to those who need it most.”

    Aldairi’s clinics contracted with Borrego Community Health Foundation, a Federally Qualified Health Center that serves Medi-Cal patients, to provide dental services to underserved populations and communities. Aldairi was entitled to reimbursement for each patient visit, rather than the specific services performed. However, Aldairi allegedly fraudulently billed for services that were either not rendered, or not rendered over multiple days, as was claimed to maximize profit from Medi-Cal reimbursements. Aldairi and his employees allegedly fraudulently billed more than $847,000 between 2016 and 2020.

    It is important to note that criminal charges must be proven in a court of law. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

    The Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $69,244,976 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2025. The remaining 25 percent is funded by the State of California. FY 2025 is from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025.

    A copy of the criminal complaint is available here. 

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