NewzIntel.com

Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal Leads Amicus Brief Opposing UnitedHealth Efforts to Scam Taxpayers through Medicare Advantage

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) is leading dozens of Members in filing an amicus brief in United States of America v. UnitedHealth Group, Inc. et al, a case alleging that UnitedHealth uses inaccurate diagnosis codes to inflate payments through Medicare Advantage (MA), essentially embezzling from taxpayers. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) estimates that MA plans through insurers like UnitedHealth will be overpaid by $1.2 trillion between 2025-2034 without intervention. 

    “Medicare DisAdvantage, as I like to call it, was initially created as a way to save taxpayer dollars, but in reality, it does the exact opposite. It costs more and consistently has worse patient outcomes,” said Jayapal. “Today, this program is simply a cash cow for big insurance corporations at the cost of seniors and people with disabilities. UnitedHealth must answer to a jury, to the allegations that its network of MA plans intentionally ‘upcoded’ to increase the payments it received from Medicare — taxpayer dollars that did not go to provide healthcare to patients, but rather to pad UnitedHealth’s profits. Americans deserve to know if Medicare funds have been—and could continue to be—abused.”

    The private insurance companies running MA plans mislead the public by claiming their plans save money and improve care. However, private insurers in MA overcharged CMS by at least $83 billion in 2024 without any improvements to the quality of care for patients. These overpayments to private insurers threaten the stability of the entire Medicare program for the 65 million Americans who rely on it. UnitedHealth is the nation’s largest insurer of MA plans, with 28 percent of the market share nationally and $400 billion in revenue last year. 

    “The MA Program was supposed to decrease costs and increase access to healthcare for elderly and disabled Americans, while simultaneously adding efficiency to the healthcare system. Corporate health insurers like United have guaranteed MA’s failure by wringing the program dry with their insatiable appetite for profit,” reads the brief.

    When a patient receives treatment through a third-party MA insurer, like UnitedHealth, they are assigned a “sickness score” that determines the payments to the insurer from the Traditional Medicare fund. Those sickness scores are driven by the post hoc diagnoses of United’s coders, and this case states that UnitedHealth knew that $2.1 billion in payments were due to incorrect diagnoses, yet did nothing to correct the error and instead took the money at a time when Americans are paying nearly $26,000 per family in premiums per year, while the largest US insurer made $14 billion in annual profits. And just this week, the Wall Street Journal reported that UnitedHealth is under investigation by the Department of Justice for possible criminal Medicare fraud.

    Jayapal has been a leader in the efforts to rein in MA and protect patients, having led efforts to urge both the Trump and Biden Administrations to enact reforms. 

    The brief was signed by Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Greg Casar (TX-35), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Greg Landsman (OH-01), James P. McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Mark Takano (CA-39), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Derek Tran (CA-45), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Nikema Williams (GA-05).

    The full text of the brief can be read here. 

    Issues: Health Care

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 1578, Veterans Claims Education Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    Bill Summary

    H.R. 1578 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to inform veterans and their survivors about accredited individuals and organizations that may be able to help them with claims for VA benefits. The bill also would extend the reduction of pension payments for veterans and survivors who reside in Medicaid nursing homes.

    Estimated Federal Cost

    The estimated budgetary effect of H.R. 1578 is shown in Table 1. The costs of the legislation fall within budget functions 550 (health) and 700 (veterans benefits and services).

    Table 1.

    Estimated Budgetary Effects of H.R. 1578
     

    By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

    		    
     

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    2031

    2032

    2033

    2034

    2035

    2025-2030

    2025-2035
     

    Increases or Decreases (-) in Direct Spending

    		    

    Estimated Budget Authority

    *

    1

    *

    1

    *

    *

    1

    -16

    *

    *

    1

    2

    -12

    Estimated Outlays

    *

    1

    *

    1

    *

    *

    1

    -16

    *

    *

    1

    2

    -12
     

    Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation

    		    

    Estimated Authorization

    1

    4

    1

    *

    1

    1

    *

    1

    1

    1

    *

    8

    11

    Estimated Outlays

    *

    3

    3

    *

    1

    1

    *

    1

    1

    1

    *

    8

    11

    Basis of Estimate

    For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R. 1578 will be enacted in fiscal year 2025 and that outlays will follow historical spending patterns for affected programs.

    Provisions that Affect Spending Subject to Appropriation and Direct Spending

    Section 2 would require VA to provide additional information about VA-accredited individuals and organizations. Specifically, VA must:

    • Maintain an online tool that allows people claiming VA benefits to search for accredited representatives that may assist with those claims;
    • Notify applicants for VA benefits about VA-accredited representation if the claimant’s initial application does not indicate they have such representation; and
    • On each web page of the department through which an individual may file a benefits claim, provide information about limitations on fees that potential representatives may charge applicants.

    The department maintains a web portal through which claimants can search for accredited representation for benefit claims. Thus, that requirement would have no budgetary effect. Using information from the department, CBO estimates that VA would require additional information technology (IT) resources to notify claimants of available representation and to update each affected website with information on fee limitations. On the basis of that information, CBO estimates that upgrades and maintenance to the IT system would cost $15 million over the 2025-2035 period.

    CBO expects that some of the costs of implementing the bill would be paid from the Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF) established by Public Law 117-168, the Honoring our PACT Act. The TEF is a mandatory appropriation that VA uses to pay for health care, disability claims processing, medical research, and IT modernization that benefit veterans who were exposed to environmental hazards. Additional spending from the TEF would occur if legislation increases the costs of similar activities that benefit veterans with such exposure. Thus, in addition to increasing spending subject to appropriation, enacting section 2 would increase amounts paid from the TEF, which are classified as direct spending.

    CBO projects that the proportion of costs paid by the TEF will grow over time based on the amount of formerly discretionary appropriations that CBO expects will be provided through the mandatory appropriation as specified in the Honoring our PACT Act. CBO estimates that over the 2025-2035 period, implementing section 2 would increase spending subject to appropriation by $11 million and direct spending by $4 million.

    Direct Spending

    In addition to expanding benefits that would partly be covered by the TEF, CBO estimates that enacting the bill would affect direct spending by reducing pension payments to veterans and survivors who reside in Medicaid nursing homes. In total, the bill would decrease net direct spending by $12 million over the 2025‑2035 period

    Under current law, VA reduces pension payments to veterans and survivors who reside in Medicaid nursing homes to $90 per month. That required reduction expires November 30, 2031. Section 3 would extend that reduction for four months, through March 31, 2032. CBO estimates that extending that requirement would reduce VA benefits by $10 million per month. (Those benefits are paid from mandatory appropriations and are therefore considered direct spending.) As a result of that reduction in beneficiaries’ income, Medicaid would pay more of the cost of their care, increasing spending for that program by $6 million per month. Thus, enacting section 3 would reduce net direct spending by $16 million over the 2025-2035 period.

    Pay-As-You-Go Considerations

    The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 establishes budget-reporting and enforcement procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or revenues. The net changes in outlays that are subject to those pay-as-you-go procedures are shown in Table 1.

    Increase in Long-Term Net Direct Spending and Deficits

    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1578 would not increase net direct spending by more than $2.5 billion in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036.

    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1578 would not increase on‑budget deficits by more than $5 billion in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036.

    Mandates

    The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

    Federal Costs: Logan Smith

    Mandates: Lucy Marret

    Estimate Reviewed By

    David Newman
    Chief, Defense, International Affairs, and Veterans’ Affairs Cost Estimates Unit

    Christina Hawley Anthony
    Deputy Director of Budget Analysis

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 1969, No Wrong Door for Veterans Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    Bill Summary

    H.R. 1969 would extend the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) through fiscal year 2026 and authorize appropriations for that purpose. The bill also would clarify that VA may provide adaptive prosthetic devices for sports and recreational activities as a medical service. Finally, the bill would extend a temporary limitation on certain pension payments through January 2033.

    Estimated Federal Cost

    The estimated budgetary effects of H.R. 1969 are shown in Table 1. The costs of the legislation fall within budget functions 550 (health) and 700 (veterans benefits and services).

    Table 1.

    Estimated Budgetary Effects of H.R.1969
     

    By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

    		    
     

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    2031

    2032

    2033

    2034

    2035

    2025-2030

    2025-2035
     

    Increases or Decreases (-) in Direct Spending

    		    

    Estimated Budget Authority

    0

    10

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    -40

    -16

    0

    0

    10

    -46

    Estimated Outlays

    0

    9

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    -40

    -16

    0

    0

    10

    -46
     

    Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation

    		    

    Estimated Authorization

    0

    43

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    43

    43

    Estimated Outlays

    0

    39

    4

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    43

    43

    Basis of Estimate

    For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R. 1969 will be enacted in fiscal year 2025 and that outlays will follow historical spending patterns for affected programs.

    Provisions that Affect Spending Subject to Appropriation and Direct Spending

    Section 2 of the bill would reauthorize the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program through fiscal year 2026 and authorize the appropriation of $53 million for that year. The program makes grants to community organizations that provide suicide prevention services to at-risk veterans.

    CBO expects that some of the costs of implementing the bill would be paid from the Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF) established by Public Law 117-168, the Honoring our PACT Act. The TEF is a mandatory appropriation that VA uses to pay for health care, disability claims processing, medical research, and IT modernization that benefit veterans who were exposed to environmental hazards.

    Additional spending from the TEF would occur if legislation increases the costs of similar activities that benefit veterans with such exposure. CBO estimates that 19 percent of such additional funding would come from the TEF in 2026. That percentage is based on the amount of formerly discretionary appropriations that CBO projects will be provided through the mandatory appropriation as specified in the Honoring our PACT Act. CBO estimates that over the 2025-2035 period, implementing section 2 would increase spending subject to appropriation by $43 million and direct spending by $10 million.

    Direct Spending

    In addition to expanding benefits that would partly be covered by the TEF, CBO estimates that enacting the bill would affect direct spending by reducing pension payments to veterans and survivors who reside in Medicaid nursing homes. In total, the bill would decrease net direct spending by $46 million over the 2025‑2035 period

    Under current law, VA reduces pension payments to veterans and survivors who reside in Medicaid nursing homes to $90 per month. That required reduction expires November 30, 2031. Section 4 would extend that reduction for 14 months, through January 31, 2033. CBO estimates that extending that requirement would reduce VA benefits by $10 million per month. (Those benefits are paid from mandatory appropriations and are therefore considered direct spending.) As a result of that reduction in beneficiaries’ income, Medicaid would pay more of the cost of their care, increasing spending for that program by $6 million per month. Thus, enacting section 4 would reduce net direct spending by $56 million over the 2025-2035 period.

    Spending Subject to Appropriation

    The discussion above in “Provisions That Affect Spending Subject to Appropriation and Direct Spending” describes the authorization of appropriations for suicide prevention grants. That authorization would increase spending subject to appropriation by $43 million over the 2025‑2035 period.

    Section 3 would clarify that adaptive prostheses and terminal devices for sports and other recreational activities are included in the definition of medical services furnished to veterans. VA currently provides those types of adaptive devices; thus, CBO estimates that implementing section 3 would not affect the federal budget.

    Pay-As-You-Go Considerations

    The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 establishes budget-reporting and enforcement procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or revenues. The net changes in outlays that are subject to those pay-as-you-go procedures are shown in Table 1.

    Increase in Long-Term Net Direct Spending and Deficits

    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1969 would not increase net direct spending or on‑budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036.

    Mandates

    The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

    Estimate Prepared By

    Federal Costs:

    Noah Callahan (for veterans health care) 
    Logan Smith (for pensions)

    Mandates: Brandon Lever

    Estimate Reviewed By

    David Newman
    Chief, Defense, International Affairs, and Veterans’ Affairs Cost Estimates Unit

    Kathleen FitzGerald 
    Chief, Public and Private Mandates Unit

    Christina Hawley Anthony
    Deputy Director of Budget Analysis

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Maintaining Safer Roadways

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that the New York State Police, in collaboration with the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and other State and local law enforcement agencies, issued more than 3,300 tickets during the first-ever “Operation Plate Check.” A special enforcement effort that took place from Saturday, April 26 through Saturday, May 3, this operation sought to identify vehicles on New York State roadways with fictitious license plates and fake “temp tags” in response to an increase in the use of fraudulent plates.

    “The safety of New Yorkers is my top priority, and this enforcement campaign reinforces ongoing efforts to crack down on individuals who are using fake and defaced plates to avoid paying tolls or detection by law enforcement,” Governor Hochul said. “Thanks to the efforts of the New York State Police and our partners in local law enforcement, we are sending a clear message to drivers: if you attempt to alter your license plate to avoid traffic cameras and toll readers, you will be caught.”

    Over the last few years, law enforcement has observed an increase in the use of fraudulent plates, in addition to operators who are deliberately covering, obstructing and defacing license plates to avoid traffic enforcement cameras, license plate readers and tolls.

    Over the course of this campaign, a total of 3,308 tickets were issued for license plate violations and 83 tickets were issued for suspended registrations. In addition to the tickets that were issued, “Operation Plate Check” resulted in the recovery of 14 stolen vehicles.

    NYS Police Troop T, which patrols the New York State Thruway, issued a campaign high of 664 tickets for license plate violations.

    New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “I want to commend the work that our members, and our law enforcement partners put into this campaign. The use of fraudulent and obstructed or defaced plates undermines public safety and we will continue our efforts to hold those who are trying to cheat the system accountable for their actions.”

    New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “The collaborative effort to crack down on forged and altered license plates – often called “ghost plates” – has been an important one to protect the safety of New York’s roads and everyone who uses them. Not only does it help catch those who commit crimes in vehicles with those improper plates, it makes sure the people who try to avoid the tolls that help to maintain New York’s roads are held responsible for paying their fair share. I commend the efforts of our DMV team and all of our law enforcement partners in taking this operation to areas around the state, and look forward to the results we will see during future campaigns.”

    New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said, “The Thruway Authority takes toll evasion very seriously, and we fully support the efforts of our partners at New York State Police Troop T in “Operation Plate Check” targeting license plate violations. Motorists who deliberately alter license plates or use fraudulent plates to avoid paying tolls are breaking the law- and New York State Police will catch them. We thank our transportation partners for their support and participation in this and future enforcement campaigns.”

    In 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Bridges and Tunnels and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) launched a multi-agency City and State-led task force dedicated to removing “ghost cars” — cars that are virtually untraceable by traffic cameras and toll readers because of their forged or altered license plates — from New York City streets. Since March 11, 2024, the task force conducted 82 toll enforcement operations, resulting in 1,055 arrests, more than 46,000 summonses and 4,525 interdicted vehicles for suspended registrations and fraudulent, obstructed or altered license plates.

    NYS State Police and NYSDMV were assisted with “Operation Plate Check” by the MTA Police, the TBTA Police, the NYPD, the Taxi and Limousine Commission Police, New York State Park Police, Buffalo PD, Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, Cheektowaga PD, Rochester PD, Syracuse PD, Onondaga Sheriff’s Office, Utica PD, Rome PD, Orangetown PD, Haverstraw PD, Spring Valley PD, and the Rockland County Intelligence Center.

    The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles would like to encourage motorists with peeling and damaged license plates to visit the DMV website to learn more about replacing those plates.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: North East Point — Shelburne District RCMP charge man with multiple offences including Uttering Threats, Assault

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Shelburne District RCMP has charged a man with multiple offences, including Uttering Threats.

    On May 8, at approximately 12:30 a.m., Shelburne District RCMP responded to a report of uttering threats. Responding officers learned that a man had forcefully entered a residence on Seaview Crt. in North East Point and threatened the lone female occupant known to him before fleeing in a truck.

    Officers located the vehicle a short time later and attempted a traffic stop. The suspect drove away at a high rate of speed. Officers shut off their lights and sirens, and did not pursue the vehicle, in consideration of public safety. When the truck was located a second time, officers deployed a spike belt in an attempt to stop the vehicle. Again, the driver fled. Officers did not pursue the vehicle.

    Police then located the vehicle on Hwy. 103 near Oak Park Rd. and observed the driver run into a wooded area. RCMP Police Dog Services was dispatched to assist. Upon arrival, Police Dog Services tracked the suspect a short distance and safely arrested him. During the arrest, the man threatened the police dog and officers present.

    Grant Cottreau, 27, of Spryfield (formerly of Yarmouth), was transported to Yarmouth Rural RCMP Detachment where he received medical treatment for a non-life-threatening injury due to a police service dog bite.

    Cottreau has been charged with:

    • Break and Enter

    • Flight from Peace Officer (two counts)

    • Uttering Threats (three counts)

    • Being Unlawfully in a Dwelling-house

    • Mischief (two counts)

    • Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle (two counts)

    • Failure to Comply with Order (two counts)

    He was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in Yarmouth Provincial Court on May 27.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Rich List shows extremely wealthy must be taxed properly

    Source: Scottish Greens

    16 May 2025 Finance

    It is time for the super-rich to pay their fair share.

    More in Finance

    The Sunday Times Rich List shows that the extremely wealthy must be fairly taxed to save our public services, say the Scottish Greens.
     
    The call comes from the party’s finance spokesperson Ross Greer MSP, as the Sunday Times list put the combined wealth of the richest 350 people – including King Charles – at £772.8 billion.
     
    According to research from the Tax Justice Network, a 1% annual wealth tax on net assets over £10 million could raise almost £10 billion a year while only impacting the richest 0.4% of the population.
     
    Mr Greer said:

    “Over the last year Labour have used claims about the lack of money to justify cuts to pensioners’ Winter Fuel Payments and essential support for disabled people. At the same time, they are refusing to act while bills for everything from food to fuel skyrocket.
     
    “This Rich List shows this claim of a lack of money for what it is, a lie designed to protect the extremely wealthy from paying their fair share. The UK is one of the richest countries in the history of the world, but Westminster governments allow that wealth to be concentrated in the hands of a handful of elites instead of serving the public good.
     
    “This is wealth they couldn’t spend in a hundred lifetimes, but which we could use to fund our hospitals, schools and the services needed to end the scandal of child poverty. Instead, it’s spent on yachts, private jets and buying up land which should belong to communities.
     
    “In Scotland, Green MSPs have already delivered the most progressive income tax system in the UK, asking those who can afford it to pay a little more and delivering an extra £1.7 billion a year for the essential services we all rely on.
     
    “But the most important tax powers, which could be used to fairly redistribute the wealth of the super-rich, are still held at Westminster. And Labour have shown that they’d prefer to take food from the mouths of children and heating from the homes of the elderly than touch the assets of their billionaire friends and donors.
     
    “Future generations will look back at this absurd concentration of wealth and the displays of excess and greed that come with it, and ask why it was allowed to get so out of control. There’s no better time than now to start reversing course. That begins by taxing wealth fairly and using the money to build a fairer, greener society.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Maskwacis — Alberta RCMP officer involved shooting in Maskwacis

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On April 24, 2025, Maskwacis RCMP were asked to assist Edmonton Police Service with the investigation and subsequent arrest of occupants who fled from a stolen vehicle into a residence in Montana First Nation, Alta. Soon after, two suspects exited the house and were arrested. The third, who was believed to be in possession of a firearm, remained in the residence. The Alberta RCMP Emergency Response Team (ERT) was called in to assist.

    Soon after 10:50 p.m., a confrontation occurred between RCMP and the suspect, resulting in at least one officer discharging their service weapon. No officers were injured during this confrontation. Soon after, the residence caught fire and no one was observed exiting. The Maskwacis Fire Department was called as soon as the fire started and are still dealing with the property.

    In compliance with legislative requirements, the Director of Law Enforcement was immediately notified causing the deployment of ASIRT to conduct an independent investigation. The RCMP believes in accountability and transparency and in so doing will provide full support to the ASIRT investigators. Events like this are difficult for everyone involved.

    Independent of ASIRT’s investigation, the RCMP’s internal review process has been implemented to gather a full account of what took place during this incident. RCMP training, policy, police response, and the officer’s duty status will be subject to review. The RCMP is, of course, fully cooperating with ASIRT. All media inquiries about this incident should now be directed to ASIRT at 780-641-9099.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort McMurray — Alberta RCMP in custody death in Fort McMurray

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On April 30, 2025, at 4:14 p.m., Wood Buffalo RCMP were dispatched to a call regarding a man standing on the deck of a daycare causing a disturbance. Another report had come in minutes before from a nearby liquor store, stating similar facts. Officers responded, spoke with the man and, when he refused to leave, proceeded to his arrest, to which he resisted. The officers then noted that the man was in medical distress and began life-saving procedures while contacting EMS.

    Unfortunately, the man was declared deceased at the hospital.

    In compliance with legislative requirements, the Director of Law Enforcement was immediately notified causing the deployment of ASIRT to conduct an independent investigation. The RCMP believes in accountability and transparency and in so doing will provide full support to the ASIRT investigators. Events like this are difficult for everyone involved.

    Independent of ASIRT’s investigation, the RCMP’s internal review process has been implemented to gather a full account of what took place during this incident. RCMP training, policy, police response, and the officer’s duty status will be subject to review. The RCMP is, of course, fully cooperating with ASIRT. All media inquiries about this incident should now be directed to ASIRT at 780-641-9099.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Edmonton — Alberta RCMP work with partner agencies and launch new Community Response Teams to target illegal drug crimes

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On April 10, 2025, the Alberta RCMP met with partners in law enforcement, health, and government to discuss concerns around the use of illegal opioids, including fentanyl, across the province. Targeting drug and fentanyl related crimes is part of the Alberta RCMP’s Data 2 Action (D2A) current focus.

    D2A is an Alberta RCMP Crime Reduction Strategy that turns data and intelligence into actionable tasks focused on the four pillars of policing: targeted prevention, apprehension, suppression and offender management. The framework is designed to bring RCMP resources and supports alongside external partners across the province to tackle crime. D2A builds its intelligence by looking at where crime is being committed, what type of crime is impacting an area, and who is responsible for the most crime. By working together with local partners, and specialized agencies, the RCMP is able to develop strategies and coordinate resources to respond to the specific needs of communities.

    As part of this new focus, the Alberta RCMP will be working with agencies from across Alberta including ALERT, Edmonton Police Services, Calgary Police Services, Canada Border Services Agency, Alberta Crown Prosecution Services, Alberta Probation, Alberta Sheriffs, Alberta Association of Community, Peace Officers, Canada Post, Criminal Intelligence Service Alberta, Recovery Alberta, the Canadian Center of Recovery Excellence, and the Government of Alberta.

    “The Alberta RCMP is committed to doing all that we can to reduce the risk of opioids in our communities, but it isn’t just a police problem,” says Supt. Mike McCauley, Officer in Charge of the Alberta RCMP Crime Reduction Strategy. “Working with our partner agencies, we can develop a fulsome approach to address the underlying issues that lead to crime and the use of illegal fentanyl in our communities.”

    Some of the initial steps that the RCMP has taken to address the concerns of fentanyl in include establishing a new Community Response Team, which is a quick response crime reduction team designed to be able to swiftly tackle a variety of issues in support of detachments and districts. Community Response Teams combine focused outreach with targeted enforcement to improve safety, reduce victimization and address social determinants contributing to the root causes of crime. They work with frontline members and local partners in the community to address the driving causes of crime in a comprehensive, data driven, and targeted approach. Their support reduces drug related crime, enhances public safety, and engages support to create wrap around services and programs.

    Between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28, 2025, there were 87 occurrences in which fentanyl was seized in Alberta RMCP jurisdiction. Approximately 1.4 kilograms of solid fentanyl and over 600 tablets were seized. In 36 of the 87 occurrences where fentanyl was seized, weapons were also seized ranging from knives and brass knuckles to rifles, shotguns, and 3D printed gun parts. While the most instances of fentanyl seizures were in larger communities such as Grande Prairie and Red Deer, there were seizures made in 34 detachments areas across the province.

    “The misery that is caused to the people of Alberta due to illegal drugs and related crimes cannot be understated,” says S/Sgt. Luke Halvorson in Charge of Community Safety. “The Alberta RCMP is committed to using every resource available, whether it’s at the detachment level or involves specializes supports like our Community Response Teams, to target the root causes of crime and to meet the danger that Fentanyl and the illegal drug trade causes to the well-being of our community.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Calgary — Alberta RCMP Community Response Team and Cochrane Crime Reduction Unit seize fentanyl and firearm

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Your Alberta RCMP’s Community Response Team and the Cochrane Crime Reduction Unit (CRU), with assistance from the RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region, Sherriff Investigative Support Unit Surveillance Team, Calgary Police Tactical Unit, Calgary Police Service, Airdrie RCMP, and Cochrane RCMP, concluded a two-month drug trafficking investigation.

    On May 1, 2025, the Alberta RCMP Community Response Team, Cochrane CRU, and Calgary Police Tactical Unit arrested a 50-year-old individual, a resident of Calgary, and a 38-year-old individual, also a resident of Calgary, at the Sunridge Mall in Calgary. Information is yet to be sworn for the 38-year-old individual; therefore, the name cannot be released at this time.

    Subsequent to their arrest, three search warrants were executed, including:

    • A 2020 Chevrolet Malibu;
    • One Residence in Livingston, Calgary; and
    • One Apartment in Livingston, Calgary.

    As a result of the investigation and subsequent search warrants, the following was seized:

    • 271 grams of Fentanyl;
    • 20 grams of Methamphetamine;
    • 22 Oxycodone Pills;
    • One Prohibited Firearm;
    • Ammunition;
    • Cell Phones;
    • Scales;
    • Scoresheets;
    • Money Counter;
    • $6,852 Counterfeit Canadian Currency;
    • 60 Fraudulent Documents;
    • Computers, Printers, Card Scanner, and Embosser to create Fraudulent Documents; and
    • A 2020 Chevrolet Malibu.

    The 50-year-old and 38-year-old individuals were jointly charged with:

    • Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Fentanyl;
    • Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Methamphetamine;
    • Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Oxycodone;
    • Possession of Proceeds of Crime;
    • Possession of Property Obtained by Crime;
    • Possession of Identity Documents;
    • Unlawfully Make Counterfeit Money; and
    • Possession of Counterfeit Money.

    In addition, the 50-year-old individual was charged with:

    • Trafficking Fentanyl;
    • Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose;
    • Possession of a Firearm while being Prohibited;
    • Possession of a Prohibited Weapon while being Prohibited;
    • Possession of Ammunition while being Prohibited;
    • Possession of a Firearm without a licence;
    • Possession of a Firearm knowing he was not the holder of a licence; and
    • Possession of a Prohibited Weapon.

    And the 38-year-old individual was charged with:

    • Five counts of Fail to Comply with a Release Order.

    The 50-year-old individual was remanded into custody and appeared in the Alberta Court of Justice in Cochrane, Alta., on May 6, 2025. The 38-year-old individual was released and is to appear in the Alberta Court of Justice in Stony Plain, Alta., on June 24, 2025.

    As a part of your Alberta RCMP’s current Data 2 Action (D2A) focus, Community Response Teams have been established to address the concerns of fentanyl. D2A is an Alberta RCMP Crime Reduction Strategy that turns data and intelligence into actionable tasks focused on the four pillars of policing: targeted prevention, apprehension, suppression, and offender management. Community Response Teams combine focused outreach with targeted enforcement to improve safety, reduce victimization, and address the social determinants contributing to the root causes of crime.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Best Online Casinos Canada: JACKBIT Voted #1 As The Top Canadian Online Casino for Gamblers!

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, May 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In the fast-evolving world of online gambling, online casinos have become a top choice for Canadian players seeking secure, fast, and private gaming experiences. With the rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, the best online casinos in Canada are reshaping how players engage with real-money gaming.

    <<>>

    These platforms offer cutting-edge technology, generous bonuses, and a wide variety of games to provide unmatched entertainment. Among them, JACKBIT stands out as the top online casino Canada trusts in 2025, thanks to its player-focused approach and innovative features.

    For online casino enthusiasts, bonuses are a highly much wanted -after feature, offering a risk-free way to explore real-money gaming. These bonuses appeal especially to players eager to test a casino’s platform without spending their own money.

    Recognizing this demand, JACKBIT has elevated its offerings in 2025 by providing tailored bonuses for both newcomers and seasoned users. Setting a new industry standard with instant rewards and access to top-tier slots and table games, JACKBIT has become the best online casino Canada loves.

    How to Get Started with JACKBIT

    Joining JACKBIT is simple and tailored for Canadians eager to explore the best online casinos Canada has to offer:

    1. Visit the official JACKBIT website.
    2. Click “Sign Up” in the top-right corner.
    3. Enter basic details (email, password, preferred currency).
    4. Choose a payment method (crypto or fiat) and deposit.
    5. Claim your 30% Rakeback and 100 free spins.
    6. Start playing over 7,000 games or explore the sportsbook.

    This streamlined process makes JACKBIT the most accessible new online casino for Canadian players.

    Why JACKBIT Stands Out as the Best Online Casino Canada

    JACKBIT has earned the title of the best online casino in Canada for 2025 after a thorough evaluation by iGaming experts. This online casino Canada platform excels in delivering a seamless, secure, and rewarding experience, making it the top choice for players across the country.

    With over 7,000 games, a no-KYC policy, and a robust sportsbook, JACKBIT caters to every type of player, from casual gamers to high rollers.

    A Comprehensive Review Focused on Players

    The review process, which named JACKBIT the best online casino Canada offers, was centered on player needs. Experts evaluated key areas to ensure the platform delivers exceptional value:

    • Licensing and Regulation
    • Game Variety and Quality
    • Bonuses and Promotions
    • Payment Flexibility and Speed
    • Security and Fair Play
    • Mobile Gaming Experience
    • Customer Support Quality
    • Sportsbook Features
    • Responsible Gambling Tools
    • No-KYC Benefits

    JACKBIT outperformed its competitors in every category, proving why it’s the best online casino for Canadian players in 2025. Let’s explore each area to understand what makes this new online casino so special.

    Licensing: A Foundation of Trust

    JACKBIT operates under a Curacao Gaming License, a respected credential in the world of online casinos Canada. This license ensures adherence to strict fair play and security standards, with regular audits to maintain compliance.

    While some players may prefer licenses from Malta or Ontario’s iGaming authority, Curacao’s framework allows JACKBIT to serve a global audience, including Canadians, with transparency and reliability.

    • Global Reach: The Curacao license enables JACKBIT to welcome players from diverse regions, making it a versatile choice for Canadians.
    • Player Confidence: Regular audits ensure gameplay and funds are protected, allowing players to focus on the fun.
    • Balanced Regulation: Curacao offers flexibility while maintaining oversight, ideal for casino -focused platforms.

    For those searching for the best online casino in Canada, JACKBIT’s licensing provides a secure and trustworthy foundation.

    Game Variety: Endless Entertainment

    With over 7,000 games from 85 top providers like NetEnt, Evolution Gaming, Microgaming, and Pragmatic Play, JACKBIT’s game library is a key reason it’s hailed as the best online casino in Canada. The platform offers something for every player, ensuring endless entertainment.

    • Slots: Over 5,000 titles, including classic fruit machines, modern video slots like Gold Party, and 180+ Megaways games. Progressive jackpots like Mega Moolah offer life-changing payouts.
      • Why It’s Great: Diverse themes and massive jackpots keep every spin exciting.
    • Table Games: A wide selection of blackjack (Power Blackjack, Infinite Blackjack), roulette (European, Lightning), poker (Texas Hold’em), baccarat, and craps.
      • Why It’s Great: Multiple variants and strategic depth appeal to both casual and skilled players.
    • Live Dealer Games: Powered by Evolution Gaming, the live section includes Live Blackjack, Live Roulette, Live Baccarat, and game shows like Dream Catcher and Crazy Time.
      • Why It’s Great: Real-time interaction with dealers brings the casino floor to your screen.
    • Sportsbook: Covering 140+ sports with 82,000+ live monthly events and 4,500+ betting types, including hockey, basketball, and e-sports.
      • Why It’s Great: A strong focus on hockey resonates with Canadian fans, while live betting keeps the action intense.
    • Specialty Games: Casual options like bingo (Shamrock Bingo), scratch cards, and friendly mini-games like Aviator and Plinko.
      • Why It’s Great: Perfect for quick, low-stakes fun.
    • Virtual Sports: 24/7 betting on simulated events like virtual football, horse racing, and greyhound racing.
      • Why It’s Great: Realistic graphics and non-stop action keep the excitement going.

    This vast selection ensures JACKBIT remains a top Canadian online casino for players seeking variety and quality.

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    Bonuses and Promotions: Rewards That Pack a Punch

    JACKBIT’s generous promotions are a major reason it’s ranked as the best online casino Canada offers in 2025. New players start with a 30% Rakeback and 100 wager-free spins, with ongoing offers that keep the excitement alive:

    • Weekly Giveaways: $10,000 prize pools and 1000 free spins.
      • Why It’s Great: Frequent rewards keep players engaged without extra deposits.
    • VIP Rakeback: Up to 30%, scaling with loyalty tiers.
      • Why It’s Great: Rewards dedication with bigger cashback.
    • Pragmatic Drops & Wins: A €2,000,000 prize pool across multiple games.
      • Why It’s Great: Offers a shot at life-changing wins.
    • Social Media Bonuses: Engage on Twitter and Telegram for extra rewards.
      • Why It’s Great: Simple tasks like retweeting unlock bonuses.
    • Tournaments: Regular slot and table game events with cash prizes.
      • Why It’s Great: Adds a competitive edge for all skill levels.

    These high-value bonuses make JACKBIT a standout among online casinos Canada, ensuring players get more bang for their buck.

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    Payment Flexibility: Fast and Secure Transactions

    As an instant payout casino, JACKBIT supports over 17 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Solana, and Dogecoin. Crypto transactions are instant and fee-free, offering unmatched convenience. Traditional options include:

    • Visa and MasterCard: Instant deposits, withdrawals in 1-3 days.
    • Google Pay and Apple Pay: Instant mobile deposits.
    • Bank Transfers: Withdrawals in 3-5 days.

    With high withdrawal limits (up to $30,000 weekly) and robust SSL encryption, JACKBIT ensures secure and flexible banking, reinforcing its status as the best online casino Canada trusts.

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    Security: A Safe Gaming Environment

    Security is a top priority at JACKBIT, making it one of the safest online casinos Canada offers. The platform uses SSL encryption and blockchain technology to protect player data and transactions. Provably fair games and Random Number Generators (RNGs) ensure unbiased outcomes, while the no-KYC policy enhances privacy without compromising trust.

    • Blockchain Transparency: Verify transactions for peace of mind.
    • Certified Fairness: Independent audits confirm game integrity.
    • Why It’s Great: Players can game confidently, knowing their experience is secure.

    Mobile Gaming: Play Anywhere, Anytime

    JACKBIT’s mobile-optimized platform delivers a seamless experience on iOS and Android without requiring a dedicated app. Players can access the full game library, deposit instantly, and claim bonuses on the go. The responsive design ensures smooth navigation, making JACKBIT a top choice for mobile gamblers seeking the best online casinos Canada has.

    • Cross-Device Sync: Switch between devices without losing progress.
    • Intuitive Interface: Easy navigation on smaller screens.
    • Why It’s Great: Play wherever life takes you.

    Customer Support: Always There for You

    JACKBIT offers 24/7 live chat support in multiple languages, including English, French, and Spanish, resolving queries within minutes. Email support and a comprehensive FAQ section provide additional resources. The team’s professionalism strengthens JACKBIT’s reputation as the best Canadian online casino.

    • Bilingual Support: French options cater to Canada’s diverse population.
    • Fast Response: Issues are handled promptly, day or night.
    • Why It’s Great: Reliable help enhances the player experience.

    Sportsbook: Betting with a Canadian Twist

    JACKBIT’s sportsbook covers 140+ sports, including hockey, basketball, tennis, and e-sports, with 82,000+ live monthly events and 4,500+ betting types. Live streaming and competitive odds make it the best online casino for Canadian sports fans, with a strong focus on hockey to resonate with local passions.

    • Hockey Focus: Extensive NHL betting options for Canadian fans.
    • Live Action: Real-time updates keep bets engaging.
    • Why It’s Great: Perfect for sports betting enthusiasts.

    Responsible Gambling: Prioritizing Player Well-Being

    JACKBIT promotes safe gaming with tools like deposit limits, self-exclusion, reality checks, and links to organizations like GamCare and Gambling Therapy. These features ensure a fun and controlled experience, aligning with the standards of safe online casinos Canada trusts.

    • Proactive Tools: Set boundaries to prevent issues.
    • Support Resources: Help is always a click away.
    • Why It’s Great: Keeps gaming enjoyable and responsible.

    No-KYC Benefits: Privacy and Convenience

    JACKBIT’s no-KYC policy allows anonymous play and withdrawals, a major draw for privacy-conscious players. Paired with fast payouts, this feature makes JACKBIT the best online casinos Canada offers for discreet gaming.

    • Hassle-Free: Skip ID checks and play instantly.
    • Secure Anonymity: Your data stays private without compromising safety.
    • Why It’s Great: Ideal for players valuing personal freedom.

    Crypto Gambling Trends Shaping Canada’s iGaming Scene

    The rise of crypto gambling in Canada is driven by several key trends that align perfectly with JACKBIT’s offerings, making it the best online casino for 2025:

    • Growing Crypto Adoption: More Canadians are holding Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies, making the best online casinos in Canada a natural fit for seamless transactions.
    • Demand for Privacy: No-KYC platforms like JACKBIT cater to players seeking discretion in their gaming activities.
    • Technological Advancements: Blockchain technology and fast transactions enhance the gaming experience, offering transparency and security.
    • Why JACKBIT Excels: Its crypto-first approach positions it as the leader among Canadian online casinos, meeting the needs of modern players.

    By staying ahead of these trends, JACKBIT continues to dominate as the best online casinos Canada embraces.

    Why Canadians Love JACKBIT: A Psychological Perspective

    Canadian players are drawn to JACKBIT for reasons that go beyond games and bonuses. The platform taps into key psychological drivers that make it the top Canadian online casino:

    • Control and Freedom: No-KYC policies and instant payouts give players full control over their gaming experience.
    • Balanced Risk-Reward: Bonuses like Rakeback offer rewards without requiring high stakes, appealing to cautious players.
    • Community Connection: Social media bonuses and tournaments foster a sense of belonging, enhancing player loyalty.
    • Why It Works: JACKBIT understands what motivates players, making it the best online casino Canada adores.

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    JACKBIT’s Community Engagement

    JACKBIT goes beyond gaming to build a vibrant community, further solidifying its status as the best online casino Canada offers:

    • Charity Initiatives: Partners with Canadian organizations to support local causes, giving back to the community.
    • Player Events: Hosts virtual meetups for fans to connect and share their experiences.
    • Feedback Forums: Actively incorporates player suggestions to improve the platform.
    • Why It Matters: These efforts create a loyal, engaged player base, making JACKBIT an online casino Canada loves.

    Navigating Canada’s Regulatory Landscape

    Canada’s gambling laws are evolving, with provinces like Ontario regulating online gaming while crypto remains a gray area. JACKBIT’s Curacao license ensures compliance with international standards, but future regulations could shape the industry:

    • Potential Crypto Rules: Provinces may introduce specific regulations for online gambling.
    • Enhanced Protections: New safeguards could boost player trust in online casinos Canada.
    • JACKBIT’s Advantage: Its global license and no-KYC model provide flexibility, keeping it at the forefront as the best online casino Canada trusts.

    By staying adaptable, JACKBIT is well-positioned for long-term success in the Canadian market.

    JACKBIT’s Innovation Roadmap

    JACKBIT is committed to staying ahead of the curve with exciting enhancements planned for the future, ensuring it remains the best online casino Canada looks to:

    • New Cryptocurrencies: Adding support for emerging coins like Cardano to expand payment options.
    • AR/VR Gaming: Exploring immersive slot and live dealer experiences for a next-level gaming experience.
    • AI Personalization: Tailoring game recommendations based on player preferences for a customized experience.
    • Why It’s Exciting: These innovations keep JACKBIT at the cutting edge of Canadian online casinos.

    Why JACKBIT Is the Ultimate Choice for 2025

    JACKBIT’s combination of no-KYC freedom, instant payouts, and an unmatched game library makes it the best online casino Canada has in 2025. Its focus on security, rewarding bonuses, and innovative features creates a gaming experience that’s hard to beat, whether you’re a casual player or a high roller. From its extensive sportsbook to its community-driven initiatives, JACKBIT delivers on every front, setting a new standard for online casinos Canada.

    Final Thoughts on the Best Online Casino Canada

    JACKBIT has redefined online gaming with its anonymous, no-KYC gameplay, lightning-fast payouts, and vast game selection. Its generous promotions, robust security measures, and player-first approach offer both excitement and peace of mind.

    While its Curacao license may not be the strictest, JACKBIT builds trust through transparent practices and a strong commitment to responsible gambling. As a relatively new name in the industry, JACKBIT has quickly risen to become a leader among Canadian online casinos, delivering a seamless experience for all types of players.

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    Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Online Casinos Canada

    Is JACKBIT considered one of the best online casinos in Canada?

    Yes, JACKBIT is recognized as one of the top online casinos in Canada due to its extensive game library, fast online payouts, and user-friendly platform.

    Are crypto deposits and withdrawals at JACKBIT safe and secure?

    Absolutely. JACKBIT uses advanced blockchain technology and encryption to ensure all transactions are fast, transparent, and secure.

    Can I play at JACKBIT without completing a lengthy verification process?

    Yes, JACKBIT offers a streamlined signup process with optional KYC for most users, enabling anonymous gaming while complying with regulatory standards.

    Does JACKBIT offer localized support for Canadian players?

    Yes, JACKBIT provides customer support tailored for Canadian users, including support in English and French, and supports Canadian dollars for fiat transactions.

    What makes JACKBIT stand out among other online casinos in 2025?

    JACKBIT excels with over 7,000 games, instant payouts, frequent promotions, and a strong focus on user experience, making it a leading choice for Canadian online gamblers.

    Contact: support@jackbit.com

    Disclaimer & Affiliate Disclosure

    This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Gambling carries risks; verify information and play responsibly. You must be 19 (or 18 in some provinces) to gamble legally in Canada. Laws vary, so comply accordingly. We may earn commissions from links at no extra cost to you. Our JACKBIT review is unbiased, based on thorough research.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5a2f43ee-df37-4d2c-9822-5c827ed79663

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2990cac1-07b3-4196-885a-1c3ce14e3830

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6eef5186-5de5-49f9-b0f9-24997f8279c6

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces Director of Charlotte Office

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces Director of Charlotte Office

    Governor Stein Announces Director of Charlotte Office
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today Governor Stein announced that Walter L. Bowers, Jr., will join his team as Director of the Governor’s Charlotte Office.  

    “Pastor Bowers has a broad and rich understanding of our state’s largest city, and I look forward to his service connecting people with the support they need from their state government and making the region safer and stronger,” said Governor Josh Stein. 

    Walter L. Bowers, Jr., is the Senior Pastor of Chosen City Church in Charlotte. Bowers is a former United States Army officer and a partner at Wooden Bowers Law PLLC. Prior to practicing law, Bowers served with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department as a patrol officer and an attorney within its legal division. Pastor Bowers holds a B.S. in Computer Information Systems from Miles College, a M.A. in Biblical Studies from New Life Theological Seminary, and a J.D. from Charlotte School of Law. Pastor Bowers will serve in the Governor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.  

    May 16, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boy jailed for 20 years for murder of teenager

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A teenager has been jailed for murdering another boy.

    A judge at the Old Bailey sentenced the 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to 20 years in prison. He was found guilty of murder and possession of a bladed article at the same court on Tuesday, 21 January.

    The boy killed 16-year-old Kamari Johnson in Bourne Avenue, Hayes, on Friday, 24 May, 2024.

    Detective Chief Inspector Alex Gammampila, who led the investigation, said: “Our thoughts are with Kamari’s loved ones. Though nothing can bring him back, this sentence removes a cold-blooded killer from the streets.

    “The murder was committed in broad daylight, and members of the public tried in vain to save Kamari’s life as he lay dying.

    “Shockingly, the motive appears to have been a dispute over a £180 moped. This case illustrates how petty disagreements can spiral into murderous violence when knives are carried.”

    Police attended Bourne Avenue just after 13:30hrs on Friday, 24 May, 2024. Kamari had been stabbed moments before, and had crashed his moped in the street while attempting to flee the killer, who had pursued him on foot. The chase was captured on video.

    The killer handed himself into Hayes Police Station on Saturday, 25 May, 2024. At interview, he maintained that he had acted in self-defence – leading investigators on a hunt for CCTV evidence and witness testimony.

    With the assistance of phone records, police were able to establish that Kamari and the killer had been involved in a dispute over the sale of a moped for just £180.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LaLota Votes to Pass Three Key Bills to Support and Protect Law Enforcement Officers

    Source: US Representative Nick LaLota (NY-01)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Nick LaLota (NY-01) a steadfast advocate for Law Enforcement and a proud son and grandson of Nassau County and NYPD Officers, voted to pass the Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act, the LEOSA Reform Act, and the Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act of 2025. These three critical pieces of legislation increase data collection to help prevent Officer injuries and suicides, permit qualified Officers to carry concealed firearms nationwide, and allow retired Officers the option to purchase their service weapons.

    “As a committed advocate for public safety and our men and women in blue, I proudly voted for three bipartisan bills that support those who wear—and have worn—the badge: the Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act, the LEOSA Reform Act, and the Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act of 2025,” said LaLota. “These commonsense measures enhance officer safety, cut needless red tape, and honor their service. Better data helps prevent tragedy by shaping smarter policy. Expanding carry rights ensures officers can respond to threats wherever they arise. And giving retired officers the chance to keep their service weapons is a meaningful way to recognize a lifetime of dedication to public safety.”

    To read the full text of the Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act, click HERE.

    To read the full text of the LEOSA Reform Act, click HERE. 

    To read the full text of the Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act of 2025, click HERE. 

    Background:

    The Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act directs the Department of Justice to report on targeted attacks against Law Enforcement Officers, the feasibility of tracking those attacks through existing crime reporting systems, and the mental health resources currently available to support Officers.

    The LEOSA Reform Act allows qualified active and retired Law Enforcement Officers to carry concealed firearms across state lines.

    The Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act of 2025 allows current federal Law Enforcement Officers in good standing to purchase a retired service weapon at market value from a federal agency.

    Congressman LaLota has been a steadfast advocate for Law Enforcement, supporting legislation to increase funding for officer training, mental health resources, and advanced equipment. He has also championed initiatives aimed at combating gang violence and enhancing coordination between federal, state, and local Law Enforcement agencies. Additionally, Congressman LaLota has worked to secure grants that provide the Suffolk County Police Department with the tools necessary to address the growing challenges they face.

    In January 2025, LaLota signed on to co-sponsor H.R. 31 – the POLICE Act of 2025, which would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to designate the assault of a Law Enforcement Officer as a deportable offense. 

    In January 2024, LaLota introduced theCOPS on the Beat Grant Program Reauthorization and Parity Act of 2024, a bipartisan bill aimed at reauthorizing and enhancing the COPS on the Beat Grants Program. This legislation seeks to support local Law Enforcement in hiring new Officers and improving community policing and training efforts.

    In both the 118th and 119th Congress, LaLota co-sponsored the Protect and Serve Act, which protects Law Enforcement Officers by increasing penalties for those who target them. 

    In January 2023, LaLota co-sponsored and introduced the Back the Blue Act, which enhances penalties for those who seek to harm Law Enforcement Officers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch, Moody, Baldwin Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Give Tax Relief to Victims of Fraud, Scams, Theft, and Disasters

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) this week introduced the Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams, and Disasters Act, bipartisan legislation to give relief to those who have been victims of fraud, scams, thefts, accidents, and other personal casualty losses. The Senators’ bill would reinstate the tax deduction for personal casualty and theft losses and ensure victims of scams, robberies, storms, and fires do not have to pay taxes on stolen assets and further wipe out their hard-earned savings and financial security.  
    “It’s outrageous that folks scammed out of their life’s savings are hit with large tax bills.  I’m proud to introduce this bill to reinstate this important tax deduction to provide crucial financial relief to those victimized by scams and theft,” said Senator Welch. “Vermont experienced catastrophic floods in July of 2023 and 2024. We know firsthand that victims of floods, storms, and fires go through so much—the last thing they should worry about is being penalized for a natural disaster.”  
    “As hurricane season is around the corner, I will continue supporting policies that protect Floridians from scammers and fraudsters,” said Senator Moody. “My Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams and Disasters Act will provide commonsense tax relief for victims, often seniors, who have been financially devastated by scams, crimes or destruction from disasters. This legislation will help folks get back on their feet when they experience hardship. When I was Attorney General of Florida, I made sure to fight for Floridians who fell victim to scams, and I will continue bringing this fight to D.C. so that folks have the protections they need.” 
    “When Wisconsinites fall victim to a fraud or scam, the last thing they should have to worry about is being slapped with an unexpected tax bill once tax season rolls around,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to work with my Republican and Democratic colleagues to introduce this commonsense bill to help make sure if someone is down and out, they have one less thing to worry about than being hit with a tax bill.” 
    “The Elder Justice Coalition commends Senators Baldwin, Moody and Welch for introducing the Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams, and Disasters Act,” said Bob Blancato, National Coordinator of the Elder Justice Coalition. “It is unconscionable that older scam victims who lose hundreds of thousands of dollars face the compounded misery of having to pay taxes on the money lost.  Scams are rampant in this nation and serve to exploit the most vulnerable older adults. We hope Senator Baldwin’s bill can be made part of a future tax package. Tax relief for scam victims is tax fairness.”  
    “The Financial Services Institute (FSI) is proud to support the Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams and Disasters Act,” said Dale Brown, President & CEO of Financial Services Institute. “Owing taxes on stolen retirement funds makes an already painful situation worse. Main Street Americans cannot afford to lose their life savings, which they rely upon for a financially secure retirement. This bill will provide some relief to victims and mitigate damages as they work with their trusted financial advisor to recover losses and regain their financial footing.” 
    “With widespread financial fraud and scams impacting many Americans’ retirement security and financial livelihoods, CFP Board enthusiastically supports this critical piece of legislation that would lessen the impact of financial loss. We look forward to seeing this bill get to the finish line,” said Erin Koeppel, Managing Director of Government Relations and Public Policy Counsel at CFP Board.  
    Until 2018, the federal government allowed victims of crimes and unexpected, uninsurable disasters to deduct these losses from their taxes with a provision called the Casualty and Theft Loss Deduction. Today, scam victims and homeowners are on the hook for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal taxes unless their misfortunes meet a narrow set of criteria.  
    The growing sophistication of cybercriminal networks has led to a rapid proliferation in fraud for the past five years. In 2024 alone, American taxpayers reported $16.6 billion in cyber fraud to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The average victim of elder fraud lost $83,000. Natural disasters are also on the rise during a period of increasing insurance premiums and unexpected claim denials.  
    Without a reinstatement of the casualty and theft loss deduction, Americans who are victims of theft and non-federally declared disasters will continue to face hefty federal tax bills that the IRS is obligated to enforce. 
    The Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams, and Disasters Act:  
    Reinstates the tax deduction for personal casualty loss and provides retroactive coverage to taxpayers who suffered losses in the years that followed.  
    Ensures that victims who suffered losses since 2017 are able to file an amended tax return accounting for their personal casualty loss.  
    Companion legislation will be introduced in the U.S. House by Representatives Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08) and Greg Steube (R-FL-17). 
    The legislation is endorsed by the AARP, The Elder Justice Coalition, the National Association of Consumer Advocates, AICPA-CIMA, National Association of Enrolled Agents, National Association of Realtors, American Land Title Association, CFP Board, Investment Advisers Association, Financial Services Institute, Aspen Institute Financial Security Program, Association of Mature American Citizens, National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators, Operation Shamrock, and SPARK Institute. 
    As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Senator Welch voted against the 2017Republican tax bill, which repealed a tax deduction previously available to victims of scams, thefts, accidents, and other property casualty losses. In turn, reporting has revealed a pattern of Americans ending up with a tax bill after losing money through scams, thefts, and other similar events.   
    Learn more about the Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams, and Disasters Act. 
    Read and download the full text of the bill.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: UPDATE: Man jailed for life after fatal stabbing of mother at Carnival

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    UPDATE: On Friday, 16 May at the Old Bailey, Shakeil Thibou was given a life sentence. He must serve a minimum of 29 years, less the 261 days he has spent on remand, before he will be eligible for release.

    The press release issued following his conviction is below.

    A man who was caught on camera stabbing a mother in front of her three-year old daughter at last year’s Notting Hill Carnival has been found guilty of murder.

    Cher Maximen, who was 32, was with friends and her daughter just off the Carnival parade route on Sunday, 25 August 2024 when she was caught up in a fight involving multiple men. She was stabbed and died in hospital six days later.

    On Wednesday, 9 April at the Old Bailey, Shakeil Thibou, 20 (29.05.04), of Masbro’ Road, Hammersmith and Fulham, was convicted of Cher’s murder, attempted GBH with intent and possession of an offensive weapon.

    Detective Chief Inspector Alex Gammampila, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “My heart goes out to Cher’s family and friends. She was a loving mother who went to Notting Hill Carnival to enjoy what should have been a carefree day in the company of friends and her young daughter. Her life was ended in the most senseless way.

    “In stark contrast, Shakeil Thibou went to Carnival not to be part of the celebration, but to engage in violence. Why else would he have arrived armed with a large knife and seeking confrontation?

    “His dangerous actions took Cher’s life and narrowly avoided killing a second man too.

    “The investigation team has worked diligently and tirelessly to build a case against him. Their work has made sure Cher’s family and friends have been able to get justice.

    “They had to go through the pain of witnessing her final moments throughout the trial. I commend their bravery and the dignified way they have handled this tragedy. I hope that today’s result brings some small amount of closure for them.”

    Vyleen Maximen, Cher’s grandmother, said: “Cher, my first born grandchild, my friend. I held you in my arms when you were born. 32 years of loving, of laughing, playing, crying and holidaying with you. I will no longer have that pleasure ever again. Not seeing you get married or have more children.

    “Life will never be the same. Ever. We just have to live life, the best that we can and I will raise your daughter Cher, until my last breath. I will never hear your key opening my front door and shouting ‘Hello Nanny’.”

    TJ Jacobs, relative of Cher and Godmother to Cher’s daughter, said: “We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the jury for helping ensure justice is served for our beloved Cher Maximen – affectionately known to us as Princess Cher, Ri Ri, Churbs, Churburt, Cher Bear and Bear.

    “What happened to us has completely turned our lives upside down. Losing Cher has filled our hearts with immeasurable sadness.

    “Cher was pure magic – radiant, loving, passionate, and kind. She brought creativity, style and flawless flair to everything she did. She was a dedicated mother, a devoted granddaughter, niece, sister, and friend. This senseless act of violence has cut short a life that had so much more to offer the world and was only just beginning to blossom. Like many young adults, life hadn’t always been easy for Cher, but she was just discovering who she was and who she could become.

    “Even when life felt unfair, Cher remained kind, caring, and a fierce protector of those she loved – qualities that were evident even in her final moments. Her smile lit up every corner of every room, and her laugh echoed through hallways. Her journey was an example of resilience against the odds, showing that no matter the challenges, young people can emerge with strength, determination, and the will to strive for better.

    “We will never recover from this loss, but we are determined to ensure that Cher’s daughter – now being raised by her beloved great-grandmother (Cher’s much-loved grandmother), along with her village of aunties, uncles, and Godparents – receives the love, support, and care she needs as we navigate life without her. Cher’s four-year-old daughter was her everything – her reason, her drive, and now her legacy. Cher’s unwavering devotion to her role as a mother was evident to all who knew her.

    “Our family is devastated, but we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the emergency responders, medical professionals, and law enforcement officers involved in this case.

    “Knife crime continues to devastate communities across the UK. The government must urgently address the root causes – the systemic failures in education, children’s services, youth services, mental health services impacting the many disengaged and disenfranchised young people. Offering them the tools to overcome challenges rather than fall victim to them. This is not just about reducing crime; it’s about saving lives, restoring hope, and building safer, stronger communities.”

    The court heard that Cher had spent the afternoon with her daughter and her friends among a crowd in Golborne Road which was just off the parade route.

    Just before 18:00hrs, a fight broke out in the crowd. CCTV and police officers’ body worn video footage shown during the trial shows Shakeil attempting to stab a man in the abdomen. Cher was caught up in the melee and knocked to the floor, grabbing onto Shakeil’s coat as she tried to get back to her feet.

    In an effort to defend herself and her daughter, Cher kicked out and was stabbed in the groin as she did so, falling to the ground.

    Officers rushed to her aid and provided emergency medical treatment until the arrival of paramedics. She was transported to hospital in a critical condition but despite the efforts of medical teams she died on Saturday, 31 August.

    Video footage showed that moments before Cher was stabbed, Shakeil’s brothers – Sheldon Thibou and Shaeim Thibou, along with an unidentified male, fought with one man. Sheldon can be seen wielding an illegal stun gun. An officer who intervened to try to break up the fight was assaulted by both brothers.

    The three brothers and an associate fled the scene, but CCTV footage recovered during the investigation showed that Shakeil, when leaving carnival was captured on CCTV changing his outer clothing with an associate and calmly making his way out of the area.

    An investigation started immediately after the incident, with officers running images captured on bodyworn video cameras through facial recognition software, revealing a match for Sheldon and Shaeim Thibou. Further research identified Shakeil.

    A significant manhunt was launched which saw officers search a number of addresses across west London.

    Shakeil was found lying on the floor under a sleeping bag when officers found him in the early hours of Tuesday, 27 August. During a search of the address they found a distinctive bag he’d been seen wearing on footage captured at Carnival.

    His jacket had been discarded at the scene after it came off in the struggle. It was sent for forensic testing and DNA found on it was a 1 in a billion match for Shakeil – further proof that he had committed the stabbing.

    Detectives would also spend weeks trawling through hundreds of additional hours of CCTV and body worn video footage, as well as messages on mobile phones recovered at the time of the brothers’ arrest.

    This helped to further establish a watertight case that Shakeil and his brothers were at Carnival at the time of Cher’s murder.

    Sheldon Thibou, 25 (23.01.00), of Star Road, Hammersmith and Fulham and Shaeim Thibou, 22 (20.02.03), of Charleville Road, Hammersmith and Fulham stood trial alongside their brother.

    Sheldon was found guilty of violent disorder. He had also previously pleaded guilty to the possession of an illegal stun gun.

    Sheldon and Shaeim were both found guilty of assaulting an emergency worker. 

    Shakeil and Shaeim will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday, 16 May.

    Sheldon will be sentenced in due course at a court that is yet to be confirmed.

    TJ Jacobs and Vyleen Maximen added:

    “We would also like to say a special thank you to:

    “Police officers Alex Gammampila, Charlotte Carter, Andy Miller, Kevin Newton, Dan Hobbs and Dave Davies.

    “Emma Currie and Peter Hutton from the Crown Prosecution Service.

    “Prosecuting Counsel Edward Brown KC and Phillip McGhee.

    “Sharon Macaulay, Ravandeep Khela and Wendy Rixon from Taylor Rose Solicitors.

    “Barrister Oliver Wooding from St John’s Chambers.

    “Gulizar Candemir from the Children’s Team at Freeman Solicitors.

    “Barrister Alison Brooks from Staple Inn Chambers.

    “These individuals have supported us tirelessly throughout this unimaginable experience. Their efforts and dedication have been a source of comfort during this dark and painful time.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Laredo, federal partners arrest 31 illegal aliens during a 1-day targeted worksite enforcement operation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    LAREDO, Texas — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, conducted a targeted worksite enforcement operation at a business and two construction sites in South Texas. The one-day operation, aimed at bolstering public safety, resulted in the arrest of 31 individuals for immigration-related violations.

    During the operation, ICE Homeland Security Investigations conducted records checks and found that several of those arrested had prior criminal convictions. Offenses included aggravated criminal sexual assault, bodily harm, possession of a controlled substance, probation violations, evading arrest, transporting noncitizens, domestic violence/strangulation, terroristic threats against family or household members, possession of prohibited weapons in a weapons-free zone, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and evading arrest or detention in the United States.

    The individuals arrested were citizens of Mexico, Honduras and El Salvador, and illegally present in the United States. All have been transferred to ICE custody and are pending removal proceedings.

    Federal law requires employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all individuals they hire, using the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9. ICE uses the I-9 inspection program to promote compliance with these requirements, as part of a broader strategy to address and deter the employment of unauthorized workers. These inspections are among the federal government’s most effective tools to enforce U.S. employment laws.

    HSI’s worksite enforcement strategy includes leveraging the agency’s full range of investigative capabilities. Worksite investigations often uncover additional criminal activity such as alien smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, document fraud, worker exploitation, and substandard wages or working conditions.

    This investigation was conducted by HSI with support from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations; CBP Air and Marine Operations; the Webb County Sheriff’s Office; the Zapata County Sheriff’s Office; and the Laredo Police Department.

    Members of the public can report crimes or suspicious activity by calling the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or by completing the online tip form.

    For more information about HSI San Antonio and its public safety efforts in Central and South Texas, follow HSI San Antonio on X at @HSI_SanAntonio.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Reintroduces Humane Accountability Act with Support from New Mexico Advocates

    Source: US Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – On May 15, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) announced the re-introduction of the Humane Accountability Act alongside key New Mexican groups including El CENTRO de Igualdad y Derechos, NM Comunidades en Acción y de Fe, Center for Civic Policy, and New Mexico Immigration Law Center. 

    WATCH: VASQUEZ UNVEILS BILL TO HOLD DHS ACCOUNTABLE

    “Today, I’m proud to announce the updated Humane Accountability Act because due process, transparency, and accountability are not optional in a democracy,” said Vasquez. “This bill is about making sure that every person is treated humanely, that Congress is informed, and that our constitutional values are upheld no matter who’s in power.”

    The bill, which was previously introduced in the 118th Congress, has been updated to address new immigration enforcement concerns. U.S. Representatives Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) and Juan Vargas (D-CA-52) have co-sponsored the legislation. 

    “Every single person in this country has the right to due process and should be treated with dignity and humanity. That includes migrants in detention centers. As Trump continues to ramp up his attacks on immigrants and the rule of law, it’s on all of us to stand up for our constitutional rights and this nation’s values,” said Rep. Juan Vargas. “We need the Humane Accountability Act to help increase oversight, hold immigration detention centers accountable, and protect due process for all.”

    “Reforming our broken immigration system while securing our borders has long been one of my top priorities,” said Rep. Nikki Budzinski. “But the Trump administration’s recent actions, including the unlawful detention of U.S. Citizens, has proven that Congress must strengthen oversight and demand greater transparency from ICE. The Humane Accountability Act seek to do just that—establishing clear accountability measures to ensure detainees are treated fairly and humanely, and that the administration is following the rule of law.”

    The legislation includes three key provisions:

    • Transparency on Detention and Removal: DHS would be required to provide Congress with specific data on all encounters, detentions, and removals that have occurred since January, including the legal authority for removals and any transfers to detention centers located outside the territorial U.S.
    • Oversight of Detention Conditions: The bill mandates comprehensive reporting on abuses, deaths, injuries, lack of legal access, enforcement in sensitive locations, and the whereabouts of individuals in custody.
    • Notification for Non-Traditional Detention Sites: DHS would be required to notify Congress before using any non-traditional site, such as military installations, Tribal lands, or locations outside the territorial lands, for immigrant detention. 

    Multiple key organizations in New Mexico have endorsed the bill. 

    “My parents fled a war-torn nation to the United States, knowing that they would be guaranteed freedom and constitutional rights. Now, our community is facing dire threats as they are being detained without due process, not receiving proper notification or information in their own languages, and potentially being sent to countries they have never lived in. As the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, the Humane Accountability Act speaks to the needs of transparency and language access as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Representative Gabe Vasquez’s leadership on this issue is crucial, as it shines a light on the darkest corners of our immigration system and demands accountability from those in power.” Lan Sena, MHA Policy Director, Center for Civic Policy

    “As the Trump administration pursues its terrifying vision of mass deportation—including the removal of essential workers who haven’t been convicted of any crime, sometimes to countries where they aren’t even citizens—and even considers suspending habeas corpus, the constitutional right to challenge unlawful detention, it is more urgent than ever to pass the Humane Accountability Act,” said Fabiola Landeros, immigrants’ rights organizer with El CENTRO de Igualdad y Derechos. “This legislation would strengthen oversight, ensure due process, and mandate humane conditions in detention centers. These are New Mexico values—values our country should aspire and fight to uphold, no matter our political affiliation.”

    “The Humane Accountability Act is a bold step toward shining a light on unchecked abuses and bringing transparency and oversight to the Department of Homeland Security — whose agencies ICE and CBP have blatantly violated the due process and human rights of immigrants, asylum seekers and even U.S. citizens — including a citizen from New Mexico,” said NM Comunidades en Acción y de Fe. “We applaud Rep. Vasquez for defending the civil liberties of our people and for demanding that our federal government follows the Constitution and the rule of law. This bill, if passed, would expose the deplorable conditions in New Mexico’s private immigrant detention centers and help prevent unlawful deportations of immigrants like Kilmar Obrego Garcia. It’s not just necessary — it’s the moral imperative.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two California Businesses and Their Owners Resolve Allegations They Misrepresented Businesses’ Size to Obtain Paycheck Protection Program Loans

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    JEV&B Services LLC and D4 Inc., two entities with their principal places of business in California, and their owners — William Nelson and Vicki Rollins — have agreed to pay $153,598.90 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false statements and certifications to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for which the entities were not eligible.

    The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA), was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the SBA. In addition to the SBA’s guarantee, the PPP protected and supported financial institutions by reimbursing the lender’s costs of processing PPP applications. Regulations and legislation passed by Congress set various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including limitations on the size of eligible businesses, so that the limited PPP funds would reach small businesses. In 2021, when Congress authorized a second round of PPP loans, it imposed even stricter size limits. The second-draw PPP loans were limited to businesses with 300 employees or less, including the employees of the applicant’s affiliated businesses.

    On their PPP loan applications, borrowers were required to disclose their affiliated companies and to state the combined number of employees. Borrowers also certified that they were eligible for the PPP loan and that the information provided was accurate.

    The United States alleged that JEV&B Services and D4 are companies that, through Nelson and Rollins, have common ownership and management with numerous other companies. Like several of Nelson’s and Rollins’ other businesses, JEV&B Services and D4 obtained first-draw PPP loans, which the SBA later forgave in full. JEV&B Services and D4 also obtained second-draw PPP loans. The United States alleged that JEV&B Services and D4 were not eligible for any second-draw PPP loans because they far exceeded the size limits that Congress placed on second-draw PPP loans. The United States further contended that JEV&B Services and D4 knowingly misled their lender to get the second-draw loans, including by under-reporting the total number of employees, not disclosing their affiliated companies to the lender, falsely certifying that they were eligible for the second-draw PPP funds, and certifying that the information on their applications was accurate when, in fact, it was not.

    JEV&B Services, D4, Nelson, and Rollins will pay $153,598.90 to redress these allegations, including paying the SBA for the processing fees that the lender incurred and that were reimbursed by the SBA. The companies have also agreed to repay the loans in full, relieving the SBA of liability to the lender for the federal guaranty of the improper loans.  

    The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Ashwani Chawla. Under those provisions, private parties may initiate an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The lawsuit is captioned U.S. ex rel. Ashwani Chawla v. Agathos Support Service, Inc., et al., Civil No. LACV 22-2798 KK (JCx) (C.D. Cal.). Chawla will receive $11,519.92 in connection with this settlement.

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the SBA Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of Capital Access.

    Trial Attorney Christopher Belen of the Justice Department’s Civil Division handled the matter.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Assisted dying: five questions that need answering before it can work in practice

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Suzanne Ost, Professor of Law, Lancaster University

    Collagery/Shutterstock

    An attempt to make assisted dying legal in England in Wales continues to make its way through parliament, with MPs currently scheduled to have a final vote on the bill in June.

    The bill has sparked both passionate support and strong opposition, raising vital questions: how would such a law work in practice? Who would deliver it? And what would it cost?

    While much attention has focused mostly on the ethics of assisted dying, the government’s recently published impact assessment looks at the practical side and it deserves closer attention.

    Of course, we shouldn’t base a decision about life and death solely on financial or logistical grounds. But if assisted dying is to become part of the law in England and Wales, we need to understand how it would work in reality. The report highlights a number of key challenges:

    1. The medication question

    The assessment draws mainly on data from 11 other jurisdictions, especially Oregon, where assisted dying has been legal for years. It found that the drugs used can lead to prolonged and unpredictable deaths, in part due to inconsistent drug availability.

    However, the report doesn’t compare this to Switzerland, where assisted dying must be self-administered and is tightly regulated. There, a single barbiturate is typically used, leading to death within two to ten minutes depending on whether it’s taken orally or via injection. This raises questions about what kind of medications would be used in the UK and how reliably they would work.

    2. Opt-outs: who will deliver the service?

    Experience from countries like Canada shows that most doctors opt out of providing assisted dying. In Canada, over 5,000 assisted deaths were carried out by just 80 people. Similarly, in the US and New Zealand, entire institutions – especially palliative care services – have opted out.

    Kim Leadbeater, the MP sponsoring the bill, has confirmed that it would not oblige hospices to participate. While this protects individual conscience, it may leave patients struggling to find willing clinicians or being discharged home to die.

    3. Can the NHS cope with a new service?

    The bill assumes the NHS would be responsible for delivering assisted dying. But is the system ready?

    Switzerland uses volunteer doctors outside the healthcare system, which may be more sustainable. In the UK, oversight is expected to come from a panel including a senior judge or lawyer, a psychiatrist and a social worker.

    However, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) has raised serious concerns, both about the role psychiatrists would play and whether there are enough professionals to fulfil that role. The RCP currently opposes the bill.

    4. Funding: a two-tier system?

    The impact assessment suggests assisted dying would be free at the point of delivery. Yet palliative care – the alternative end-of-life support – often receives less than 40% government funding, relying heavily on charity.

    Could this create a two-tier system, where assisted dying is fully funded while palliative care remains under resourced?

    5. Legal costs and challenges

    If passed, the bill could trigger human rights challenges, particularly around mental capacity and access. Legal experts suggest several grounds on which it might be contested and these cases would need to be defended, incurring additional costs.

    Families might also seek judicial review of a panel’s decision to permit a request for assisted dying. And public protests outside clinics or hospitals offering the service could require increased policing and security – all of which have financial and social implications.

    This bill tackles one of the most morally sensitive issues in society. But if it is to succeed, and be implemented safely, it must be built on more than good intentions.

    The government’s impact assessment lays out the many practical hurdles: medication protocols, workforce readiness, conscientious objection, legal protections, and funding disparities. These aren’t technicalities. They’re the framework that would determine whether assisted dying is accessible, safe and ethically delivered.

    As the bill progresses, the debate must move beyond principle alone. The future of this legislation – and its real world impact – will depend on how well we address these deeply human, and deeply complex, practicalities.

    Suzanne Ost has previously received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy for research that she has conducted.

    Nancy Preston receives funding from Horizon Europe but not for her work on assisted dying. She is affiliated with European Association of Palliative Care where she Co-Chairs the Task Force on the role of palliative care professionals in supporting patients and families considering assisted dying.

    – ref. Assisted dying: five questions that need answering before it can work in practice – https://theconversation.com/assisted-dying-five-questions-that-need-answering-before-it-can-work-in-practice-256270

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Cultivating obedience: Using the Justice Department to attack former officials consolidates power and deters dissent

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Joe Wright, Professor of Political Science, Penn State

    Miles Taylor, center, a Homeland Security official during the first Trump administration, wrote an op-ed in September 2018 that criticized Trump. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

    During President Donald Trump’s first three months in office, his administration has targeted dozens of former officials who criticized him or opposed his agenda.

    In April 2025, Trump directed the Department of Justice to investigate two men who served in his first administration, Miles Taylor and Chris Krebs, because they spoke out against his policies and corrected his false claims about the 2020 election that he lost.

    Further, Trump revoked the security clearances for advisers and retired generals who publicly criticized him during the 2024 election campaign.

    On their face, such moves appear to be a coordinated campaign of personal retribution. But as political science scholars who study the origins of elected strongmen, we believe Trump’s use of the Justice Department to attack former officials who stood up to him isn’t just about revenge. It also deters current officials from defying Trump.

    More than revenge

    Like all presidents, Trump needs allies who will faithfully implement his policy agenda. For most presidents, this means surrounding themselves with longtime friends.

    For example, Don Evans, George W. Bush’s commerce secretary and close confidant, worked with Bush for decades before becoming a fixture in his White House.

    But to carry out a power grab, incumbent leaders also need allies who will stay silent or, better yet, endorse their attempts to consolidate control.

    In El Salvador, for example, President Nayib Bukele’s legislative allies gave him free rein in 2023 to run for president a second time despite constitutional provisions banning reelection.

    Recall that Trump only left office in January 2021 because key Republican officials defied his attempts to overturn an election he lost.

    Former Vice President Mike Pence, facing violent threats from a Trump-fueled mob, refused Trump’s request to overturn the election he lost. And Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger refused Trump’s entreaties to stuff the ballot boxes in Georgia with another 11,000 votes for Trump.

    An audio recording of President Donald Trump talking to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is played in Washington, D.C., on Oct, 13, 2022.
    Alex Wong/Getty Images

    Notably, both men first won political office on their own, without an endorsement from Trump. This means they were less reliant on Trump for access to political power. Therefore, they were more likely to prioritize their loyalty to the Constitution over their loyalty to Trump.

    Attacks enforce loyalty

    In authoritarian contexts, loyalty is not an intrinsic quality. Authoritarian leaders do not necessarily select those with whom they have long work experience that leads to mutual trust.

    For instance, during Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship in the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961, the head of intelligence, Johnny Abbes, was plucked from obscurity in Mexico and in 1958 began to lead the dictator’s repression machine.

    Instead, the challenge for authoritarian leaders is finding people to do their bidding. And the best people for this job are those who never would have earned their position in politics without the leader’s influence.

    Unqualified appointees who can’t ascend to political power based on their merits have little choice but to stick with the leader. These people appear loyal, but only because their careers are tied to the leader staying in power.

    A litany of failed politicians

    This logic, where people with few career prospects outside of the leader express the most loyalty, explains why Trump has appointed a number of political candidates who have lost elections.

    The head of the Small Business Administration, Kelly Loeffler, though briefly appointed as a U.S. senator from Georgia, lost her first Senate election to Raphael Warnock in 2021.

    Doug Collins, Trump’s secretary of Veterans Affairs, lost to Loeffler in a Georgia Senate primary during the same election cycle.

    Dan Bongino, the deputy director of the FBI, lost a 2016 primary contest for a congressional seat in a heavily Republican district in Florida.

    And don’t forget Jeanine Pirro, Trump’s nominee to head a politically crucial federal judicial office. Her political career derailed 20 years ago when she came under federal investigation for “scheming to catch a cheating spouse in the act.” She lost an attorney general race in New York in 2006 to Andrew Cuomo.

    Jeanine Pirro lost the 2006 New York attorney general race.
    AP Photo/Dima Gavrysh

    Trump also picked two politicians who had failed presidential runs as Democrats – Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – to act as director of national intelligence and secretary of Health and Human Services.

    For appointees who can’t win elections, the only shot at power is steadfast alignment with the leader. This dynamic, in turn, provides a strong incentive for these officials to remain loyal, even when the leader breaks the law or orders them to do the same.

    When leaders place loyalists in charge of federal law enforcement, attempts to conjure votes for the president out of thin air or to seize ballot boxes in opposition districts are more likely to succeed.

    The Trump administration’s attacks on former Republican officials who criticized him, such as Taylor and Krebs, reinforces this dynamic. It sends a signal of future punishment to current Justice Department officials should they speak out against Trump or refuse to carry out illegal orders.

    Attacks also target opposition power

    Of course, the Trump administration’s political attacks haven’t stopped with officials in his previous administration who have fallen out of favor.

    They have expanded to include independent institutions such as universities, not-for-profit media and law firms.

    As research on authoritarian regimes shows, the goal of attacking independent institutions this way is to sap their capacity to resist the incumbent government’s attempts to cheat in future elections.

    After Hungary’s leader, Viktor Orban, had rewritten his country’s Constitution and reined in the courts, he changed the electoral rules to ensure he won reelection in 2022. Along the way, Orban forced an entire university into exile after failing to subdue it.

    In these ways, incumbents’ acts of retribution toward people and organizations that oppose their agenda reinforce loyalty among their allies. They also undermine and weaken their opponents and ultimately facilitate incumbents’ efforts to consolidate power.

    Joe Wright has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, and private foundations.

    Erica Frantz has received funding from the US Agency for International Development and private foundations.

    – ref. Cultivating obedience: Using the Justice Department to attack former officials consolidates power and deters dissent – https://theconversation.com/cultivating-obedience-using-the-justice-department-to-attack-former-officials-consolidates-power-and-deters-dissent-256397

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Two California Businesses and Their Owners Resolve Allegations They Misrepresented Businesses’ Size to Obtain Paycheck Protection Program Loans

    Source: US State of Vermont

    JEV&B Services LLC and D4 Inc., two entities with their principal places of business in California, and their owners — William Nelson and Vicki Rollins — have agreed to pay $153,598.90 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false statements and certifications to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for which the entities were not eligible.

    The PPP, an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA), was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the SBA. In addition to the SBA’s guarantee, the PPP protected and supported financial institutions by reimbursing the lender’s costs of processing PPP applications. Regulations and legislation passed by Congress set various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including limitations on the size of eligible businesses, so that the limited PPP funds would reach small businesses. In 2021, when Congress authorized a second round of PPP loans, it imposed even stricter size limits. The second-draw PPP loans were limited to businesses with 300 employees or less, including the employees of the applicant’s affiliated businesses.

    On their PPP loan applications, borrowers were required to disclose their affiliated companies and to state the combined number of employees. Borrowers also certified that they were eligible for the PPP loan and that the information provided was accurate.

    The United States alleged that JEV&B Services and D4 are companies that, through Nelson and Rollins, have common ownership and management with numerous other companies. Like several of Nelson’s and Rollins’ other businesses, JEV&B Services and D4 obtained first-draw PPP loans, which the SBA later forgave in full. JEV&B Services and D4 also obtained second-draw PPP loans. The United States alleged that JEV&B Services and D4 were not eligible for any second-draw PPP loans because they far exceeded the size limits that Congress placed on second-draw PPP loans. The United States further contended that JEV&B Services and D4 knowingly misled their lender to get the second-draw loans, including by under-reporting the total number of employees, not disclosing their affiliated companies to the lender, falsely certifying that they were eligible for the second-draw PPP funds, and certifying that the information on their applications was accurate when, in fact, it was not.

    JEV&B Services, D4, Nelson, and Rollins will pay $153,598.90 to redress these allegations, including paying the SBA for the processing fees that the lender incurred and that were reimbursed by the SBA. The companies have also agreed to repay the loans in full, relieving the SBA of liability to the lender for the federal guaranty of the improper loans.  

    The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Ashwani Chawla. Under those provisions, private parties may initiate an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The lawsuit is captioned U.S. ex rel. Ashwani Chawla v. Agathos Support Service, Inc., et al., Civil No. LACV 22-2798 KK (JCx) (C.D. Cal.). Chawla will receive $11,519.92 in connection with this settlement.

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the SBA Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of Capital Access.

    Trial Attorney Christopher Belen of the Justice Department’s Civil Division handled the matter.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Can One Be Just in an Unjust Society? A Graduate Conference on Ethics and Politics

    Source: Universities – Science Po in English

    What happens when ethics meet politics? A new generation of political theorists is rethinking classic notions and divides dating back from Ancient Philosophy and the Age of Enlightenment. On the occasion of the eleventh edition of Sciences Po’s Graduate Conference in Political Theory, in May 2025, we spoke with its organisers, Sciences Po School of Research’s PhD students Cloé Artaut, Thomas Charrayre, Sibylle Léonard and Ciara Luxton. From ancient ideals of the just city to contemporary struggles over global justice, they walk us through the Conference’s purpose and programme.

    Why did you choose to bring together these two concepts, “ethics” and “politics”, for this eleventh doctoral conference?

    Thomas Charrayre: Going back – perhaps in a somewhat textbook-like way – to ancient philosophy, we see that the notions of ethics and politics have long been closely intertwined. For instance, Plato develops the idea of an organic unity between the good life and the just city: a well-organised society was seen as a necessary condition for a happy life, and, conversely, the virtue of citizens as essential to the establishment of justice.

    In the modern world, this unity dissipates: we tend to draw a clear line between private and public life, between what we do as individuals and what we do as citizens. We assume that it is possible to act justly even within an unjust society. Our moral imagination is, in fact, full of heroic figures who manage to follow their own ethical code despite living in politically unjust contexts – think, for example, of the Righteous Among the Nations.

    This separation between ethics and politics is also reflected in the academic world. We distinguish between ethical philosophy and political philosophy, political theory and political science, as though ethics were solely concerned with right and wrong, while politics dealt only with what is or isn’t possible. Indeed, when we ask for an ethical analysis of a situation, we expect a moral judgement; whereas a political analysis is supposed to describe power dynamics and potential outcomes.

    The conference we are organising seeks to revisit these distinctions, which we often take for granted, without necessarily advocating a return to the Greek conception of the good. That is why it revolves around three key areas, all aimed at showing just how blurred the boundary between ethics and politics can be. The first area brings together presentations focused on the historical study of the relationship between ethics and politics, in order to illustrate how this relationship varies depending on context. The second explores the possible need to “moralise” politics – that is, to view it as a domain governed first and foremost by ethical norms. Lastly, the third area features contributions that offer a political critique of moral norms, analysing the political implications of our ethical beliefs.

    Participants in the conference come from France, but also from Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Quebec, and the United Kingdom. What does this international perspective bring?

    Ciara Luxton: Having spent time in France and elsewhere in Europe as a visiting fellow, Nancy Fraser, our the guest of honour for this edition, has shown how much scholarship can benefit from engagement with ideas that are culturally embedded. Her work demonstrates a deep appreciation both for what is specific to national contexts and for the perspectives that intersect around questions of global justice. Inspired by Nancy Fraser’s example, we have put together panels ranging from the intimate ethics of the body and sexuality to intrinsically collective issues such as planetary justice and climate transition. The international outlook of our conference therefore enriches these reflections on the connections and tensions between ethics and politics.

    Intercultural exchange offers us a unique opportunity to challenge our intuitions – often shaped by national and cultural inheritances – and to rethink them in light of other traditions. We have the privilege and the pleasure of welcoming to Sciences Po – an institution that is resolutely international and multilingual – young researchers from far and wide, brought together by a shared language of political and moral theory. The bilingual nature of the event (French–English) facilitates direct and inclusive dialogue between participants, reflecting our shared commitment to advancing research together. Here, political theory takes on a truly global dimension: our conclusions, far from being confined to a single country, engage with the realities of diverse societies. In a connected world, our analyses are interdependent: an idea originating in Quebec can inspire reform in Italy, just as a moral insight from Ireland can cast new light on a political hypothesis from France.

    In this way, we are creating a space for exchange among a new generation of scholars, who will continue this dialogue throughout their careers. Together, we will develop new ways of thinking about politics and ethics, experiment with more flexible and inclusive methodologies, and build conceptual tools suited to a globalised world.

    Nancy Fraser, Professor of Philosophy at the New School in New York, will be giving a public lecture during your event. She has worked extensively on social justice, feminism, and equality. What perspective will she bring?

    Sibylle Léonard: Nancy Fraser is the guest of honour for this edition. She brings a fundamentally critical perspective to the theme of “Ethics and Politics.” Like many feminist theorists, she challenges the classical Enlightenment-era separation between the ethical and political spheres – a division that sees ethics as a matter of individual conscience, while politics is understood as an impersonal domain concerned with government systems, laws, public policy, and quantifiable data such as votes and taxes. I am thinking in particular of Iris Marion Young’s book Justice and the Politics of Difference, which addresses this issue.

    In her approach to social justice, Nancy Fraser puts forward the ethical-political norm of parity of participation: everyone must be able to take part, on an equal footing, in social, economic, and political life. This is an ethical norm in that it defines what it means to treat individuals as equals; but it is also – and above all – political, insofar as it demands institutions that can guarantee the real-world conditions for such equality. This demand is expressed through her tripartite conception of justice – redistribution, recognition, and representation – which she sets out in her book Scales of Justice. According to Fraser, these three dimensions are co-constitutive; they cannot be ranked or addressed in isolation. It is their imbrication that enables a nuanced analysis of contemporary injustices.

    Thus, against single-issue approaches that fragment social struggles, Nancy Fraser advocates for an integrative way of thinking, at the intersection of theory and practice, ethics and politics. She stands within a critical tradition that combines insights from Marxism, materialist feminism, anti-racist and anti-imperialist struggles, and democratic and ecological theory. The cross-cutting nature of her thought explains its deep resonance with the wide range of topics addressed during this graduate conference.

    A highlight of the conference will be Nancy Fraser’s lecture on 19 May, titled “Politics and Ethics in Extremis: A View from Trump’s America.” It will echo her recent analyses of the rise of authoritarian right-wing movements, the impasses of liberal progressivism, and the need to build counter-hegemonic blocs capable of advancing a genuine emancipatory project – themes she explores in her 2019 book The Old Is Dying and the New Cannot Be Born.

    What will you take away from organising this major conference?

    Cloé Artaut: The Graduate Conference is part of a well-established tradition within Sciences Po’s doctoral programme in political theory. Organising its eleventh edition, in May 2025, has been both a unique and formative intellectual and collective experience for us. We now fully appreciate just how valuable it is to have the opportunity, early in our research careers, to organise an academic event of this scale. It is a real learning experience, and one that reflects an essential aspect of the work of a scholar.

    From an organisational point of view, it allowed us to strengthen our skills in scientific coordination, learning how to balance intellectual rigour with logistical constraints and the expectations of participants. On the intellectual front, our aim was to create a space for international and interdisciplinary dialogue around a theme we saw as both classical and timely: the relationship between ethics and politics. Drawing on a line of thinking that dates back to ancient philosophy, as Thomas reminded us, but has undergone many developments in the contemporary era, we wanted to explore how these two concepts – and the links between them – continue to shape our political practices and analyses. This meant building a conference programme that reflected that ambition, giving equal space to both historical approaches and more modern reinterpretations.

    While we feel we largely achieved that goal, it was both surprising – and very rewarding – to discover that some of the proposals we received were quite far from what we had initially imagined when drafting the call for papers, yet still highly relevant to our theme. The gap between what we anticipated and what actually emerged proved to be immensely fruitful, allowing us to construct a rich and diverse programme that we are ultimately very proud of!

    Following the conference, we are considering coordinating a special journal issue dedicated to the conference theme. This project would allow us to extend the conversation we began, showcase the research presented, and continue fostering dialogue among the young scholars involved.

    En savoir plus 

    Cover image caption: Sibylle Léonard, Cloé Artaut, Ciara Luxton et Thomas Charrayre, PhD students at Sciences Po (credits: Sciences Po)

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Law War Memorial rededication

    Source: Scotland – City of Dundee

    A programme of conservation and renovation work on the Dundee Law war memorial has been carried out in time to mark its 100th anniversary.

    And to highlight the occasion Lord Provost Bill Campbell has joined other dignitaries and veterans for the rededication of the refurbished city cenotaph.

    Backed by grant funding from the War Memorials Trust and Dundee City Council, the stonework has been sensitively steam cleaned, repairs carried out and the monument fully repointed.

    The existing light fittings to illuminate the cenotaph have been replaced with low energy LED feature lighting, and the gas installation has also been fully restored allowing the living flame to be lit on ceremonial occasions.

    This will allow the monument to be lit during the hours of darkness and on special commemorative days, such as the anniversary of the start of the Battle of Loos in September.

    Lord Provost Campbell said: “These works are an exciting development which reinstate the significance and importance of what is perhaps one of the most prominent monuments in the country due to its location.

    “When the beacon is lit it is visible from so many places in Dundee that it is a fitting and poignant reminder of the sacrifice of previous generations from the city.

    “On behalf of the people of Dundee, I want to thank the contractors SCAN Building Services, VF Electrical Services and Ecoguard Scotland for their hard work and focus on this unique project.”

    Rev Bob Wightman, Ex-Services Association Chaplain performed the rededication service.

    The city’s war memorial was designed by Thomas Braddock, London with work getting underway in 1921.  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Dominican Nationals Indicted for Drug Conspiracy Involving Fentanyl and Crack Cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A federal grand jury in Boston has indicted four Dominican nationals residing in Lawrence, Mass., on drug charges.

    Juana Luduvina Aguasvivas, 66, Richard Arias-Aguasvivas, 38, Ariel Ruiz, 31, and Yonelin Baez Soto, 30, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Arias-Aguasvivas, Ruiz and Baez were also charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and/or crack cocaine. All four defendants are scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston on May 29, 2025.

    According to the charging documents, in April 2021, an investigation began into a drug trafficking organization operating in Lawrence that was supplying fentanyl, cocaine base and cutting agents to customers. Between April 2021 and February 2025, investigators conducted controlled purchases, during which Aguasvivas, Arias-Aguasvivas, Ruiz and Baez collectively sold more than 800 grams of fentanyl, more than 80 grams of crack cocaine and copious amounts of cutting agents.

    In May 2025, Baez pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry and is scheduled to be sentenced on those charges on Aug. 6, 2025.

    Arias-Aguasvivas, Ruiz and Baez each face at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $10 million fine. Aguasvivas faces at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $5 million fine. The defendants are subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.  

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in charge for the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police, Essex County District Attorney’s Office, North Andover Police Department, Billerica Police Department, Lowell Police Department, Haverhill Police Department, Methuen Police Department, Internal Revenue Service and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna of the Criminal Division is prosecuting this case. 

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

    The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fifth Resident from Pierre, South Dakota, Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Pierre, South Dakota woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on May 14, 2025.

    Heather Stahlhoefer, age 38, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $1000 fine, as well as a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Stahlhoefer was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. She pleaded guilty on March 10, 2025.

    This conviction stemmed from a drug distribution conspiracy beginning in June 2023 and continuing until September 2024. Heather Stahlhoefer and co-defendant Misty Stahlhoefer were the source of supply to several other individuals in the Pierre area. The Stahlhoefers would acquire up to 1 pound of methamphetamine per trip to be further distributed by themselves and others including Whitney Marrowbone, Wendy Mealer, Brent Larvie, and David Rinehart. The conspiracy involved between 10,000 and 30,000 kilograms of converted drug weight, including 550 grams of pure methamphetamine that was recovered during a traffic stop of Heather Stahlhoefer.

    Misty Stahlhoefer is scheduled to be sentenced July 14, 2025. Marrowbone, Mealer, Larvie and Reinhart were previously sentenced on May 5, 2025. Marrowbone was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison; Mealer was sentenced to six years in federal prison; Larvie was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison; and Rinehart was sentenced to two years in federal prison.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, the Chamberlain Police Department, and the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meghan Dilges.

    Stahlhoefer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Assisted dying: five questions that need answering before it can work in pratice

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Suzanne Ost, Professor of Law, Lancaster University

    Collagery/Shutterstock

    An attempt to make assisted dying legal in England in Wales continues to make its way through parliament, with MPs currently scheduled to have a final vote on the bill in June.

    The bill has sparked both passionate support and strong opposition, raising vital questions: how would such a law work in practice? Who would deliver it? And what would it cost?

    While much attention has focused mostly on the ethics of assisted dying, the government’s recently published impact assessment looks at the practical side and it deserves closer attention.

    Of course, we shouldn’t base a decision about life and death solely on financial or logistical grounds. But if assisted dying is to become part of the law in England and Wales, we need to understand how it would work in reality. The report highlights a number of key challenges:

    1. The medication question

    The assessment draws mainly on data from 11 other jurisdictions, especially Oregon, where assisted dying has been legal for years. It found that the drugs used can lead to prolonged and unpredictable deaths, in part due to inconsistent drug availability.

    However, the report doesn’t compare this to Switzerland, where assisted dying must be self-administered and is tightly regulated. There, a single barbiturate is typically used, leading to death within two to ten minutes depending on whether it’s taken orally or via injection. This raises questions about what kind of medications would be used in the UK and how reliably they would work.

    2. Opt-outs: who will deliver the service?

    Experience from countries like Canada shows that most doctors opt out of providing assisted dying. In Canada, over 5,000 assisted deaths were carried out by just 80 people. Similarly, in the US and New Zealand, entire institutions – especially palliative care services – have opted out.

    Kim Leadbeater, the MP sponsoring the bill, has confirmed that it would not oblige hospices to participate. While this protects individual conscience, it may leave patients struggling to find willing clinicians or being discharged home to die.

    3. Can the NHS cope with a new service?

    The bill assumes the NHS would be responsible for delivering assisted dying. But is the system ready?

    Switzerland uses volunteer doctors outside the healthcare system, which may be more sustainable. In the UK, oversight is expected to come from a panel including a senior judge or lawyer, a psychiatrist and a social worker.

    However, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) has raised serious concerns, both about the role psychiatrists would play and whether there are enough professionals to fulfil that role. The RCP currently opposes the bill.

    4. Funding: a two-tier system?

    The impact assessment suggests assisted dying would be free at the point of delivery. Yet palliative care – the alternative end-of-life support – often receives less than 40% government funding, relying heavily on charity.

    Could this create a two-tier system, where assisted dying is fully funded while palliative care remains under resourced?

    5. Legal costs and challenges

    If passed, the bill could trigger human rights challenges, particularly around mental capacity and access. Legal experts suggest several grounds on which it might be contested and these cases would need to be defended, incurring additional costs.

    Families might also seek judicial review of a panel’s decision to permit a request for assisted dying. And public protests outside clinics or hospitals offering the service could require increased policing and security – all of which have financial and social implications.

    This bill tackles one of the most morally sensitive issues in society. But if it is to succeed, and be implemented safely, it must be built on more than good intentions.

    The government’s impact assessment lays out the many practical hurdles: medication protocols, workforce readiness, conscientious objection, legal protections, and funding disparities. These aren’t technicalities. They’re the framework that would determine whether assisted dying is accessible, safe and ethically delivered.

    As the bill progresses, the debate must move beyond principle alone. The future of this legislation – and its real world impact – will depend on how well we address these deeply human, and deeply complex, practicalities.

    Suzanne Ost has previously received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy for research that she has conducted.

    Nancy Preston receives funding from Horizon Europe but not for her work on assisted dying. She is affiliated with European Association of Palliative Care where she Co-Chairs the Task Force on the role of palliative care professionals in supporting patients and families considering assisted dying.

    – ref. Assisted dying: five questions that need answering before it can work in pratice – https://theconversation.com/assisted-dying-five-questions-that-need-answering-before-it-can-work-in-pratice-256270

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Gang Members from Lowell Sentenced for Trafficking Methamphetamine Pills

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendants sold thousands of counterfeit “Adderall” pills supplied by the Asian Boyz gang

    BOSTON – Two members of the Asian Boyz gang have been sentenced in federal court in Boston for trafficking homemade imitations of the pharmaceutical drug, Adderall, containing methamphetamine.

    Erickson Dao, a/k/a “Silent,” 32, of Lowell, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 85 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. . In January 2025, Dao pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine. Bill Phim, a/k/a “Bonez,” 37, also of Lowell, was sentenced by Judge Gorton to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In February 2025, Phim pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine and two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine.  

    A long-term investigation proved that Asian Boyz gang members and associates allegedly had access to a plentiful supply of counterfeit methamphetamine pills marketed as “Adderall.” These pills were similar in shape, size and appearance to genuine Adderall. On 12 different dates in 2022, Phim sold these counterfeit “Adderall” pills to an undercover agent. In total, Phim sold the undercover agent over 10,000 pills for more than $36,000.

    Dao was identified as one of Phim’s suppliers of the methamphetamine pills. Between February 2022 and April 2022, Dao delivered the counterfeit pills to Phim on at least five occasions. Phim then sold the pills to an undercover federal agent for more than $11,000. Chemical testing confirmed that the pills were a dangerous compound of methamphetamine and caffeine. When investigators searched Dao’s residence, they discovered thousands more counterfeit “Adderall” pills and large quantities of cocaine.

    In other drug transactions with the undercover officer, Phim admitted that he coordinated the supply of methamphetamine pills with other Asian Boyz gang members and associates, including Brian Gingras, a/k/a “Cheech.” Between May 2022 and September 2022, Gingras met Phim prior to the planned deals to personally deliver the pills. Gringas pleaded guilty in January 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4, 2025. 
     
    U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Superintendent Gregory C. Hudon of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Billerica, Haverhill, North Andover and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is 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 https://www.justice.gov/PSN.

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Everett Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Four Victims

    Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

    BOSTON – An Everett man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to four counts of an indictment charging him with sex trafficking four separate female victims.   

    Trevor Jones, 47, pleaded guilty to four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Aug. 12, 2025. In May 2023, Jones was indicted by a federal grand jury. Jones was arrested on related state charges on March 23, 2023 and has remained in state custody since.

    According to the charging documents, from at least 2016 until 2023, Jones ran a sex trafficking operation targeting victims who were suffering from substance use disorder. As part of his sex trafficking operation, Jones provided his victims with controlled substances, including heroin, fentanyl and cocaine to intensify their drug dependance and gain their compliance, while prohibiting the victims from obtaining controlled substances from other sources. Jones demanded “loyalty” and “dedication” from his victims. He allegedly enforced his requirements by punishing victims with acts of violence, threats of violence and withholding controlled substance from drug-dependent victims. As outlined in court, Jones beat one victim with a belt causing bruising throughout her body. When confronted with the injuries he caused, Jones told the victim that she deserved the abuse. Jones was verbally abusive toward another victim, locking her out of the house, demanding to know where her “loyalty” was and berating her for not “contributing everything” she was making. Another victim experienced degradation from Jones, with him telling her that she needed to “make daddy proud” and scolding her for being “disobedient.”

    The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Revere, Arlington and Boston Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley, Chief of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit and Assistant United States Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Unit are prosecuting the case along with Essex County Assistant District Attorneys Jessica Strasnick and Marina Moriarty, who were sworn in as Special Assistant United States Attorneys.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Pope Leo to the Diplomatic Corps: Peace, Justice and Truth, ‘key words’ of papal diplomacy

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    VaticanMedia

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – Peace, Justice, Truth. These are the three words Pope Leo XIV chose in his address to members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See. Peace which is “the first gift of Christ”, an “active and demanding gift. It engages and challenges each of us”. Justice, which is also denied by “global inequalities – between opulence and destitution – that are carving deep divides between continents, countries and even within individual societies”. Truth, which “can never be separated from charity, always has at its root a concern for the life and well-being of every man and woman”.The “sui generis” Nature of Papal DiplomacyPope Leo began by thanking the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, for his cordial greeting, and recalling the tireless work that he has carried out with his characteristic energy, commitment and kindness”, stressing that papal diplomacy is “an expression of the very catholicity of the Church. In its diplomatic activity, the Holy See is inspired by a pastoral outreach that leads it not to seek privileges but to strengthen its evangelical mission at the service of humanity.” For this reason it appeals to consciences, as witnessed by the constant efforts of my venerable predecessor, ever attentive to the cry of the poor, the needy and the marginalized, as well as to contemporary challenges, ranging from the protection of creation to artificial intelligence”. The Pope born in Chicago then referred to his “own life experience, which has spanned North America, South America and Europe, has been marked by this aspiration to transcend borders in order to encounter different peoples and cultures. Through the constant and patient work of the Secretariat of State”, Pope Leo continued, “I intend to strengthen understanding and dialogue with you and with your countries, many of which I have already had the grace to visit, especially during my time as Prior General of the Augustinians. I trust that God’s providence will allow me further occasions to get to know the countries from which you come and enable me to have occasions to confirm in the faith our many brothers and sisters throughout the world and to build new bridges with all people of good will”.Human Nature and the Gift of PeaceThen, recognizing, with the Christian realism with which Saint Augustine and the Fathers of the Church also contemplated the condition of the human race, marked by Original Sin, the Pope said: “it is part of human nature and always accompanies us, pushing us too to live in a constant “state of conflict” at home, at work and in society”. And “no matter how hard we try, tensions will always be present, a little like embers burning beneath the ashes, ready to ignite at any moment”.In this state of affairs – the Bishop of Rome added – “peace is first and foremost a gift. It is the first gift of Christ”. Yet it is “an active and demanding gift. It engages and challenges each of us, regardless of our cultural background or religious affiliation, demanding first of all that we work on ourselves. Peace – he added -is built in the heart and from the heart, by eliminating pride and vindictiveness and carefully choosing our words. For words too, not only weapons, can wound and even kill”. Looking at global scenarios, Pope Leo recognized “the fundamental contribution to fostering a climate of peace. This naturally requires full respect for religious freedom in every country, since religious experience is an essential dimension of the human person. Without it, it is difficult, if not impossible, to bring about the purification of the heart necessary for building peaceful relationships”. The Pontiff also reiterated that “there is a need to give new life to multilateral diplomacy and to those international institutions conceived and designed primarily to remedy eventual disputes within the international community”. Furthermore – he added – “there must also be a resolve to halt the production of instruments of destruction and death, since, as Pope Francis noted in his last Urbi et Orbi Message: No peace is “possible without true disarmament [and] the requirement that every people provide for its own defence must not turn into a race to rearmament.”Justice and the faces of the new “Social Question”“I chose my name,” Pope Leo XIV repeated, introducing the reflections on justice – “thinking first of all of Leo XIII, the Pope of the first great social Encyclical, Rerum Novarum. In this time of epochal change, the Holy See cannot fail to make its voice heard in the face of the many imbalances and injustices that lead, not least, to unworthy working conditions and increasingly fragmented and conflict-ridden societies.”To build “harmonious and peaceful civil societies”- the Pontiff underlined in this passage of his speech – it is necessary to invest “in the family, founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman”, and to ensure that “respect for the dignity of every person, especially the most frail and vulnerable, from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike. My own story”, he added, making another reference to his personal story in his speech, “is that of a citizen, the descendant of immigrants, who in turn chose to emigrate. All of us, in the course of our lives, can find ourselves healthy or sick, employed or unemployed, living in our native land or in a foreign country, yet our dignity always remains unchanged: it is the dignity of a creature willed and loved by God”.Truth is an encounter“Truly peaceful relationships cannot be built, also within the international community,” the Pontiff remarked, dwelling on the third key word of his speech – apart from truth. Because “where words take on ambiguous and ambivalent connotations, and the virtual world, with its altered perception of reality, takes over unchecked, it is difficult to build authentic relationships, since the objective and real premises of communication are lacking.” The Church, for her part –Pope Prevost added – “can never be exempted from speaking the truth about humanity and the world, resorting whenever necessary to blunt language that may initially create misunderstanding. Yet truth can never be separated from charity, which always has at its root a concern for the life and well-being of every man and woman”. And from the Christian perspective – the Pontiff clarified – “truth is not the affirmation of abstract and disembodied principles, but an encounter with the person of Christ himself, alive in the midst of the community of believers. Truth, then, does not create division, but rather enables us to confront all the more resolutely the challenges of our time, such as migration, the ethical use of artificial intelligence and the protection of our beloved planet Earth”. (GV) (Agenzia Fides, 16/5/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –