Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
One person has died following a crash in Ruawai this afternoon.
The single vehicle crash on State Highway 12 was reported just after 2pm.
The sole occupant of the vehicle died at the scene.
State Highway 12 between Jellicoe Road and Hodgson Road remains closed.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
New Zealand Police, in partnership with Z Energy (Z), New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and ACC, are urging drivers to be safe on our roads and not to risk their lives or others.
This Easter weekend, increased activity on our roads is likely, with many people all over the country expected to capitalise on the two long weekends and school holidays.
Inspector Peter McKennie of the National Road Policing Centre says this partnership with Z is aimed at reminding people travelling to keep road safety top of mind.
“So far in 2025, we’ve seen far too many people lose their lives on our roads. This ongoing initiative is another means of reminding drivers and riders of the everyday dangers you face on your journey and how your behaviour can influence the safest outcome.
“Road safety is simply something we all have to take a greater responsibility for if we’re genuinely serious about reducing harm on our roads.
Police can’t control the actions of every driver 24/7. Our staff can’t be beside you in the car telling you to slow down, or to put your seatbelt on.”
It’s a responsibility Z, with a network of over 180 retail sites across New Zealand, has taken on board. That’s why they’re sharing road safety messages in-store and on the forecourts.
“At Z we believe when you are part of a community, you look out for it. And as we have the privilege to be part of many communities across Aotearoa, this partnership allows us to help remind our customers of the great safety messages Police, NZTA and ACC have developed,” says Z’s GM Corporate Affairs, Haley Mortimer.
“As the majority of our customers visit us by car, it just makes good sense for us to provide them with a timely reminder of a road safety message right before they get back on the road,” continues Haley.
Inspector McKennie says initiatives like this can only be positive and hopes many road users can rethink their behaviour on the road when they do stop to refuel or recharge.
“We are all working together in an effort to ensure everyone on the road is safe. Although we want to be clear, if road users are detected to be displaying unsafe behaviours, they will be ticketed.
You can expect to see Police anywhere, anytime on the road to deter any dangerous behaviour that impacts the safety of road users.”
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Police are asking for witnesses to come forward after a cyclist died following a crash in New Plymouth last week.
Emergency services were called to the scene at the intersection of Powderham Street and Mt Edgecumbe Street about 12.35pm on Saturday 12 April.
The cyclist was transported to hospital, where they sadly died on Tuesday.
Police are now working to establish the full circumstances of the crash and are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage.
If you were in the area at the time, and saw a man riding a bicycle carrying fishing gear, or may have footage of the incident, please come forward and speak to us.
You can do so by calling 105 and quoting reference number 250415/6545.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New South Wales Community and Justice
Road safety police operations in state’s south
Friday, 18 April 2025 – 1:34 pm.
Southern Road Policing have had a busy morning undertaking vehicle safety checks and alcohol and drug testing over two stationary road safety sites.
500 drug and alcohol tests and vehicle checks were conducted on the Tasman Highway, Cambridge:
• Pleasingly, no drug or alcohol affected drivers were detected.• 1 P plater was issued an infringement for failing to wear a seatbelt• 1 driver was issued an infringement for failing to safely secure their load
150 drug and alcohol tests and vehicle checks were conducted on the Midland Highway at Pontville:
• No drug or alcohol affected drivers were detected• 1 driver was issued an infringement notice for their vehicle being unregistered
Tasmania Police is out in force over the Easter break, targeting dangerous driving behaviours.Operation Safe Arrival will feature both high-visibility and covert patrols across Tasmania’s highways, main roads, rural routes, and back streets.Anyone who witnesses dangerous driving behaviour should report it immediately to police on 131 444 to enable officers to respond in a timely way.If it’s an emergency or life-threatening situation call Triple Zero (000).If you can’t report it at the time but have footage, submit it to the police evidence portal online.The evidence portal can be found at https://www.police.tas.gov.au/report/
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Freyberg Road/State Highway 12 is closed between Jellicoe Road and Hodgson Road following a crash.
The single-vehicle crash was reported just after 2pm.
Initial indications are that there are serious injuries.
Detours are in place, motorists are advised to avoid the area.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Moutere Highway is closed between George Harvey Road and Neudorf Road, while a truck involved in an earlier crash is removed.
No others vehicles were involved in the crash and nobody was hurt.
Detours are in place, motorists are advised to avoid the area.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 18, 2025.
Labor’s poll surge continues in YouGov, but they’re barely ahead in Freshwater
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Labor increased their lead again in a YouGov poll, but Freshwater put them ahead by just 50.3–49.7. This article also covers the final WA upper house results
Why Kinshasa keeps flooding – and why it’s not just about the rain
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gode Bola, Lecturer in Hydrology, University of Kinshasa The April 2025 flooding disaster in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, wasn’t just about intense rainfall. It was a symptom of recent land use change which has occurred rapidly in the city, turning it into
Grattan on Friday: Peter Dutton’s tax indexation ‘aspiration’ has merit – so why didn’t we hear about it before?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Peter Dutton, now seriously on the back foot, has made an extraordinarily big “aspirational” commitment at the back end of this campaign. He says he wants to see a move to indexing personal income tax – an assault on the
Keith Rankin Essay – Barbecued Hamburgers and Churchill’s Bestie
Essay by Keith Rankin. Operation Gomorrah may have been the most cynical event of World War Two (WW2). Not only did the name fully convey the intent of the war crimes about to be committed, it, also represented the single biggest 24-hour murder toll for the European war that I have come across. On the
Public toilets could be the jewels in our cities’ crowns – if only governments would listen
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Tietz, Senior Lecturer in Industrial Design, UNSW Sydney A New South Wales Senate inquiry into public toilets is underway, looking into the provision, design and maintenance of public toilets across the state. Whenever I mention this inquiry, however, everyone nervously laughs and the conversation moves on.
Bad news – why Australia is losing a generation of journalists
Shrinking budgets and job insecurity means there are fewer opportunities for young journalists, and that’s bad news, especially in regional Australia, reports 360info ANALYSIS: By Jee Young Lee of the University of Canberra Australia risks losing a generation of young journalists, particularly in the regions where they face the closure of news outlets, job insecurity,
Why do scientists want to spend billions on a 70-year project in an enormous tunnel under the Swiss Alps?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tessa Charles, Accelerator Physicist, Monash University An artist’s impression of the tunnel of the proposed Future Circular Collider. CERN The Large Hadron Collider has been responsible for astounding advances in physics: the discovery of the elusive, long-sought Higgs boson as well as other new exotic particles, possible
Could you accidentally sign a contract by texting an emoji? Here’s what the law says
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer McKay, Professor in Business Law, University of South Australia Parkova/Shutterstock Could someone take you to court over an agreement you made – or at least appeared to make – by sending a “👍”? Emojis can have more legal weight than many people realise. A search of
Why healthy eating may be the best way to reduce food waste
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Trang Nguyen, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Global Food and Resources, University of Adelaide Stokkete, Shutterstock Australians waste around 7.68 million tonnes of food a year. This costs the economy an estimated A$36.6 billion and households up to $2,500 annually. Much of this food is wasted at
Why can’t I keep still after intense exercise?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ken Nosaka, Professor of Exercise and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock Do you ever feel like you can’t stop moving after you’ve pushed yourself exercising? Maybe you find yourself walking around in circles when you come off the pitch, or squatting and standing and squatting
‘We get bucketloads of homework’: young people speak about what it’s like to start high school
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Stevens, PhD Candidate, Education, Murdoch University Rawpixel.com Starting high school is one of the most significant transitions young people make in their education. Many different changes happen at once – from making new friends to getting used to a new school environment and different behaviour and
How to tackle the ‘gender play gap’: 4 ways to encourage young women back into sport
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Kay, PhD Candidate at the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University matimix/Shutterstock Women’s sport has recently enjoyed unprecedented success in Australia. We have seen the Matildas sell out 16 successive home games, a world-record attendance for a women’s Test cricket match at the
Want straighter teeth or a gap between? Don’t believe TikTok – filing them isn’t the answer
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland After decades of Hollywood showcasing white-picket-fence celebrity smiles, the world has fallen for White Lotus actor Aimee Lou Wood’s teeth. Wood was bullied for her looks in her youth and expressed gratitude for
1 in 6 New Zealanders is disabled. Why does so much health research still exclude them?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachelle Martin, Senior Lecturer in Rehabilitation & Disability, University of Otago Getty Images Disabled people encounter all kinds of barriers to accessing healthcare – and not simply because some face significant mobility challenges. Others will see their symptoms not investigated properly because it’s assumed a problem is
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Ranking Members Padilla, Morelle Continue Pressing for Answers on Trump’s Pause on Critical Election Security Work
Lawmakers demand copy of CISA’s review of its election security work after insufficient responses, blown deadlines to multiple letters regarding CISA firings and termination of election security efforts
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and U.S. Representative Joe Morelle (N.Y.-25), Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, sent another letter demanding answers from senior officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on the status of their election-related work, including a copy of CISA’s review of its election security work.
The Ranking Members sent two previous letters to CISA leadership regarding CISA’s pause on all election security-focused activities, the termination of funding for the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC), and the firings of CISA employees who previously worked on election security, including misinformation and disinformation issues. The lawmakers note in their letter that the agency’s response “offered little insight into the status of election security work at CISA” and that CISA still has not fulfilled their request for a copy of the agency’s review more than a month after the deadline.
“These staff and funding cuts raise grave concerns about the security and integrity of upcoming elections, where states and localities with limited budgets must protect their systems against foreign nation-states,” wrote the lawmakers. “Yet, during this time, we have received no additional updates or information from CISA about the status of this review.”
CISA reportedly completed its review of all election security-related funding, products, services, and positions early last month and shared it with officials at the Department of Homeland Security. After the Department of Government Efficiency was deployed to CISA, the agency is also preparing to fire a third of its workforce — 1,300 employees — threatening vital election security efforts. Padilla and Morelle also expressed that the permanent termination without notice of federal funds for EI-ISAC will lead to assistance for state and local election officials “being systematically dismantled.”
The lawmakers concluded by reminding CISA’s leadership of its responsibility to the congressional committees of jurisdiction. In addition to a copy of CISA’s review, Padilla and Morelle also asked for a substantive response to their two prior letters and a briefing on the findings of CISA’s assessment.
“The Department and CISA have a responsibility to be transparent and responsive to the House and Senate Committees with jurisdiction over federal elections regarding proposed changes that threaten election integrity,” concluded the lawmakers. “To that end, we expect a comprehensive response, including the final or latest copy of CISA’s review, no later than Friday, May 2.”
Ranking Members Padilla and Morelle have strongly opposed efforts by the Trump Administration to undermine federal agencies’ election security work. In addition to their previous letters to CISA leadership, Padilla and Morelle expressed serious concerns about the dangerous implications for elections following President Trump’s executive order purporting to bring independent regulatory agencies under total control of the White House. Padilla previously denounced the illegal firing of Federal Election Commission Chair Ellen Weintraub and led 10 Democratic Senators to demand President Trump rescind his attempt to fire Weintraub.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Ms. Bean and Ms. Harrington:
We are writing for a third time seeking urgent updates on the status of election-related work at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), including for a copy of CISA’s review of its election security work.
The agency’s March 7 response to our February 13 and March 4 letters offered little insight into the status of election security work at CISA, except for confirmation that CISA has paused all election security-focused activities pending this review and had already terminated federal funding in support of the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC). Following that March 7 response, House and Senate committee staff also made a specific document request in writing for CISA’s review of its election security activities.
Recent reporting indicates that this review conducted by CISA of all election security related funding, products, services, and positions was completed in early March and has been shared with officials at the Department of Homeland Security. Other reports indicate that CISA is preparing to cut nearly one-third of its workforce, or 1,300 people, following the deployment of DOGE staff to the agency— a potentially devastating blow to election security. Funding cuts to ISACs mean that help for state and local election administrators is “being systematically dismantled.”
These staff and funding cuts raise grave concerns about the security and integrity of upcoming elections, where states and localities with limited budgets must protect their systems against foreign nation-states. Yet, during this time, we have received no additional updates or information from CISA about the status of this review.
Now, more than one month after the deadline set out in our March 4 letter, we again request a copy of CISA’s review, a substantive response to both letters, and a briefing on the findings of the agency’s assessment, including a discussion of any proposed changes occurring at the agency and an explanation of the rationale behind such changes.
The Department and CISA have a responsibility to be transparent and responsive to the House and Senate Committees with jurisdiction over federal elections regarding proposed changes that threaten election integrity. To that end, we expect a comprehensive response, including the final or latest copy of CISA’s review, no later than Friday, May 2.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
TYLER, Texas – An Alto man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Robert Jessie Martin, 47, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 220 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on April 17, 2025. Judge Barker also entered an order forfeiting to the government Martin’s 75 acre property located in Cherokee County.
According to information presented in court, Martin conspired with others to distribute five kilograms or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. As part of the conspiracy, Martin set up rotary tablet pill presses on his property near Alto to manufacture and press out hundreds of thousands of counterfeit pills laced with methamphetamine that were then distributed throughout the United States for profit. Martin recruited and supplied wholesale and mid-level distributors of the pills he manufactured.
On July 11, 2023, law enforcement executed a federal search and arrest warrant on Martin’s property located near Alto and seized five firearms, five rotary pill presses, 111.22 grams of actual methamphetamine, approximately 7,669 grams of methamphetamine in powder form, and 29,283 methamphetamine-laced pills.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); HSI Currency Narcotics Enforcement Team-Houston; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office; the Jacksonville Police Department; and the Texas Department of Public Safety. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Hurst.
###
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
WASHINGTON – Kenneth Amedola Olugbenga, 29, a leader of and money launderer for the violent Kennedy Street Crew (KDY), was sentenced today to 160 months in federal prison for his role in a massive drug trafficking organization that operated open-air markets in Northwest Washington D.C.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division, Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office , and ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – Washington Field Division.
Olugbenga, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty Sept. 20, 2024, to a two-count Superseding Information, charging him with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, cocaine base, and marijuana and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. In addition to the 160-month prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell ordered Olugbenga to serve four years of supervised release. Judge Howell also ordered Olugbenga to forfeit $374,598.00 as part of his sentence.
KDY members operated open-air drug markets on an 11-block stretch of Kennedy Street in Northwest Washington, D.C., as well as surrounding streets. Like many drug trafficking organizations (DTOs), KDY armed itself with fire power to facilitate the drug trade defend its territory from rival crews and commit other violent crimes. Olugbenga was arrested in June 2023 as part of a coordinated arrest operation in this case and has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
According to court documents, and by his own admission, Olugbenga served as an organizer and leader of the Kennedy Street Crew. Olugbenga was one of the originators of KDY’s drug trafficking operation via commercial flights from California. He served as the lead money launderer for the crew, establishing phony companies that included an auto detailing business to project an illusion of legitimacy for the crew’s drug trafficking. From 2019 until the date of his arrest, Olugbenga also used a local casino to launder $1.8 million in illegal proceeds from drug trafficking. In addition, Olugbenga used one of the phony businesses to apply for and receive a forgivable Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the Small Business Administration during the COVID-19 pandemic. He used the SBA funds to buy more bulk narcotics.
Olugbenga took nearly six dozen roundtrip flights to the West Coast over the course of the four-year conspiracy and spent more than $21,000 on one-way airline tickets in one year alone.
Olugbenga was a bulk supplier of cocaine, both powdered and crack, along with marijuana. He regularly referred customers to other KDY drug trafficking operations when they sought pills or other narcotics that he himself was unable to readily access. He tracked drug expenses and debts within the crew, pooling resources and noting law enforcement seizures over the course of the four-year conspiracy.
He also engaged in drug activity on KDY turf. Within the open-air drug market in Kennedy Street territory, MPD officers conducted 15 controlled purchases from Olugbenga totaling 52.3 grams of cocaine base.
On February 20, 2023, in the 500 block of Emerson Street NW, the MPD’s Fourth District Crime Suppression Team observed a Ford Econoline van driving recklessly as it swerved into oncoming traffic to pass a bicyclist. This van was the same vehicle that Olugbenga had been seen using around the open-air drug market on Kennedy Street since the beginning of the investigation. MPD officers attempted to stop the van, chasing it as it fled. The vehicle eventually stopped near the intersection of 7th and Longfellow Streets NW. Olugbenga abandoned the van and fled on foot. The van was subsequently searched, and law enforcement recovered distribution quantities of crack cocaine and marijuana, a loaded Glock handgun, a drug ledger, and a brochure for one of Olugbenga’s shell companies.
On June 27, 2023, law enforcement arrested Olugbenga and served search warrants at two residences associated with him. At his residence in KDY territory, officers recovered five kilos of marijuana, nearly a kilo of cocaine, and various scales.
Of the 17 KDY members charged in connection with the investigation, 16 have now been sentenced. Co-defendant Jovan Williams, aka Chewy, will be sentenced tomorrow, April 18.
This investigation was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, the DEA’s Washington Division, the IRS Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C. Field Office, and ATF’s Washington Field Division.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey and Sitara Witanachchi, of the of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
KDY DEFENDANTS
|
NAME |
AGE |
CHARGES/SENTENCES |
| Kenneth Ademola Olugbenga | 29 | Sentenced March 17, 2025, to 360 Months in Prison after Pleading Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or more of Cocaine Base, and a Detectable Amount of Marijuana; and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense. |
| Khali Ahmed Brown, aka “Migo Lee” | 24 | Sentenced January 16, 2025, to 168 Months after Pleading Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana and 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl and Oxycodone; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense; and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. |
| Keion Michael Brown | 21 | Sentenced January 16, 2025, to 147 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana and Oxycodone and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. |
| Miasiah Jamal Brown, aka “Michael Jamal Crawford” | 23 | Sentenced August 16, 2024, to Five Years for Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. |
| Tristan Miles Ware, aka “Greedy” | 24 | Sentenced December 13, 2024, to 120 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilos of Marijuana; and Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime. |
| Jovan Williams, aka “Chewy” and “Choo” | 20 | Sentencing Scheduled for April 18, 2025. Pleaded Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana and Armed Carjacking. |
| Herman Eric-Bibmin Signou, aka “Herman Signour” | 25 | Sentenced March 22, 2024, to 40 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 100 Kilograms of More of Marijuana |
| Cameron Xavier Reid | 28 | Sentenced May 31, 2024, to 60 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms of More of Marijuana. |
| Warren Lawrence Fields, III, aka B-Dub | 26 | Sentenced May 16, 2024, to 60 Months for Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense and for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. |
| Juwan Demetrius Clark, aka “Squirrel” | 28 | Sentenced January 10, 2025, to 37 Months for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. |
| Aaron DeAndre Mercer, aka “Curby,” | 34 | Sentenced September 13, 2024, to 120 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, Marijuana, and Cocaine Base. |
| David Penn, aka “Turtle” | 32 | Sentenced November 15, 2024, to 220 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana, 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl, and a Mixture of Cocaine Base; and Two Counts of Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense. |
| Ronald Lynn Dorsey, aka “Ron G” and “HBGeezy” | 31 | Sentenced September 13, 2024, to 30 Months for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. |
| Antonio Reginald Bailey, aka “Boy Boy,” and “Fellow King” | 24 | Sentenced February 8, 2024, to 24 Months for Receiving a Firearm While Under Indictment. |
| Anthony Trayon Bailey, aka “Fat Ant,” and “Bizzle” | 29 | Sentenced April 26, 2024, to 15 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute 100 Kilograms or More of Marijuana, 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl, and a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base. |
| Angel Enrique Suncar, aka “Coqui” | 31 | Sentenced December 12, 2024, to 60 Months for Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime. |
| Adebayo Adediji Green | 31 | Sentenced August 16, 2024, to 60 Months for Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. |
Defendant Cameron Reid is from Falmouth, VA; all remaining defendants are from Washington, D.C.
Kenneth Olugbenga photographed at the local casino where he laundered illicit drug proceeds.
Olugbenga frequented the open-air drug market in the Kennedy Street Corridor, often with his panel van or one of several sedans he operated.
At Olugbenga’s residence in KDY territory, officers recovered nearly five kilograms of marijuana, and nearly a kilogram of cocaine.
23cr202
##
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne
Labor increased their lead again in a YouGov poll, but Freshwater put them ahead by just 50.3–49.7. This article also covers the final WA upper house results for the March 8 election.
A national YouGov poll, conducted April 11–15 from a sample of 1,506, gave Labor a 53–47 lead, a 0.5-point gain for Labor since the April 4–10 YouGov poll. It’s Labor’s biggest lead in YouGov for 18 months. Primary votes were 33% Labor (up one), 33% Coalition (down 0.5), 7% One Nation (down 1.5), 2% Trumpet of Patriots (up one), 9% independents (steady) and 3% others (steady).
Using 2022 election preference flows would give Labor about a 54.5–45.5 lead from these primary votes. YouGov is applying preference flows from its previous poll that was conducted from late February to late March.
However, recent polls that use respondent preferences suggest the gap in the Coalition’s favour between respondent and 2022 preference flows has dropped to nearly zero. This means YouGov’s current preference assumptions may be too pro-Coalition. Analyst Kevin Bonham has more on this.
In contrast to voting intentions, leaders’ ratings moved to Peter Dutton and against Anthony Albanese. Albanese’s net approval was down four points to -6, with 49% dissatisfied and 43% satisfied. Dutton’s net approval was up five points to -10. Albanese had a 48–38 better PM lead over Dutton (48–37 previously).
I’ve said before that changes in leaders’ ratings may indicate the next change in voting intentions in a poll, though this doesn’t always follow.
While YouGov shows Labor’s surge continuing, the Freshwater poll below only gave Labor a 50.3–49.7 lead. However, this was still a gain for Labor from the post-budget Freshwater poll. Freshwater has the Coalition primary vote at 39%, four points higher than in any other poll in the past week.
Here is the poll graph. I’m using the unrounded two-party numbers for Freshwater’s last two polls, improving Labor from a 51–49 deficit in the post-budget poll to a 50.6–49.4 deficit. There’s a big difference between this week’s Freshwater and all other national polls taken in the past week.
A national Freshwater poll for The Financial Review, conducted April 14–16 from a sample of 1,062, had a 50–50 tie by respondent preferences, a one-point gain for Labor since the Freshwater poll conducted after the March 25 budget. Before rounding, Labor led by 50.3–49.7.
Primary votes were unchanged at 39% Coalition, 32% Labor, 12% Greens and 17% for all Others. By 2022 election flows, this poll would give about a 50–50 tie.
Albanese’s net approval was up one point to -10, while Dutton’s was steady at -11. Albanese led as preferred PM by 46–41 (46–45 previously).
The Coalition’s lead over Labor on cost of living has been cut from a high of 14 points last October to two points in this poll. The Coalition held a 17-point lead on economic management last November, which has been reduced to six points. Cost of living remained the most important issue, with 73% citing it as a top issue.
To gauge the popularity of Labor and the Coalition’s housing policy announcements at their April 13 campaign launches, a Resolve poll for Nine newspapers was conducted April 14–15 from a sample of 801. This poll didn’t report voting intentions, which were assessed in the April 9–13 Resolve poll.
By 40–34, voters preferred Labor’s tax policy to the Coalition’s, which were both announced the week of the March 25 budget. By 40–27, they preferred Labor’s housing policy.
The Greens hold three seats in Brisbane: Ryan (by 52.6–47.4 vs the Liberal National Party), Brisbane (by 53.7–46.3) and Griffith (by 60.5–39.5). The Poll Bludger reported Thursday that JWS polls for Australian Energy Producers gave the LNP a 57–43 lead over Labor in Ryan with the Greens a distant third on primary votes.
In Brisbane, Labor led the LNP by 51–49 with the Greens once again a distant third. In Griffith, Labor led the LNP by 51–49, but the LNP led the Greens by 53–47.
Seat polls conducted by JWS Research have had very strong results for the Coalition. While the Greens could lose these seats to Labor, I believe the massive swings to the LNP shown here are unrealistic. I expect inner city seats to be good for left-wing parties relative to the national swing.
A national poll by Redbridge and Accent Research, using MRP methodology and reported by the News Corp tabloids, was conducted from February 3 to April 1 from a sample of 9,953. Labor was still polling poorly in February before they started to lift from early March.
The most likely outcome was 72 of the 150 House of Representatives seats for Labor, four short of a majority, 63 for the Coalition and 15 for all Others. The previous MRP poll by Redbridge and Accent Research in December had the most likely outcome as 71 Coalition seats to 65 for Labor.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported Thursday that the unemployment rate was 4.1% in March, unchanged from February, with over 32,000 jobs added. The employment population ratio (the percentage of eligible Australians that are employed) was steady at 64.1% after dropping from a near-record high of 64.4% in January.
The button was finally pressed on Wednesday to electronically distribute preferences for the upper house for the March 8 Western Australian state election. The upper house used a reformed system with 37 members elected statewide by proportional representation with preferences. A quota was just 1/38 or 2.63%.
Labor won 16 of the 37 seats (down six on 2021 when they won their first WA upper house majority on a massive landslide), the Liberals won ten seats (up three), the Nationals two (down one), the Greens four (up three), One Nation two (up two), Legalise Cannabis one (down one), Australian Christians one (up one) and Animal Justice one (up one). Overall, left-wing parties won the upper house by 22–15 over right-wing parties.
Final primary votes gave Labor 15.54 quotas, the Liberals 10.3, the Nationals 2.1, the Greens 4.2, One Nation 1.45, Legalise Cannabis 1.1, Australian Christians 1.0, an independent group 0.51 and Animal Justice 0.46.
After distribution of preferences, One Nation’s second candidate had 0.83 quotas Labor’s 16th candidate 0.70 quotas, Animal Justice’s top candidate 0.66 quotas and Sophia Moermond, the independent group’s top candidate, 0.63 quotas. Owing to exhaustion, the top three were elected to the last three seats short of a quota.
Adrian Beaumont does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Labor’s poll surge continues in YouGov, but they’re barely ahead in Freshwater – https://theconversation.com/labors-poll-surge-continues-in-yougov-but-theyre-barely-ahead-in-freshwater-254708
Source: New South Wales Community and Justice
Death following Hobart CBD crash
Friday, 18 April 2025 – 10:36 am.
Sadly, police can confirm a 75-year-old man has died following a pedestrian crash in Hobart’s CBD on 8 April.
The man was crossing the road just down from the traffic lights when he was hit by a vehicle travelling along Davey St.Following the crash the man was taken to hospital in a critical condition and has since passed away.
A report will be prepared for the Coroner.
Our thoughts are with the man’s family and loved ones at this difficult time.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
PORTLAND, Ore.—The owner and operator of La Popular, a money service business with locations in Oregon and Washington, was arraigned in federal court today after she was charged with laundering drug proceeds.
Brenda Lili Barrera Orantes, 39, a Guatemalan national residing in Beaverton, Oregon, has been charged by criminal complaint with money laundering.
According to court documents, between 2021 and 2024, Barrera Orantes is alleged to have accepted cash from drug proceeds and wired the funds through La Popular stores in Oregon and Washington. In return, Barrera Orantes charged a ten percent commission. Barrera Orantes is further alleged to have worked with others to divide large sums of money into several smaller transactions and used fictitious sender information to conceal her money laundering activities. Financial records indicate that Barrera Orantes transferred more than $89 million through her La Popular stores, including $18.5 million to regions in Mexico and Honduras that are associated with drug trafficking organizations.
“This investigation has revealed the pivotal role that money service businesses play in laundering the enormous proceeds of trafficking illegal drugs in our community,” said Katie de Villiers, Chief of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Division for the District of Oregon. “The amount of dirty money allegedly flowing through these small businesses and back to Mexico and Honduras is truly staggering. We intend to hold accountable the operators of these businesses who profit by assisting drug trafficking organizations in laundering their proceeds.”
“Because crime is such a coordinated effort, it is critical that we respond in kind,” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Seattle Field Office. “IRS-CI specializes in fighting illicit financial activity, and we are proud to partner closely with our law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe.”
“Money laundering allows drug traffickers to thrive in the shadows, and by severing their cash flow we are striking at the very thing that incentivizes their illicit pursuits,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy. “By stopping those that try to conceal criminal profits, communities are protected from the violence, addiction, and instability caused by the drug trade.”
“The defendant in this case is suspected of providing financial support to overseas drug organizations under the guise of business transactions,” said FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson. “These are serious allegations that cause significant harm to our communities. We will never tolerate individuals who profit from activities that support a drug epidemic that harms our citizens.”
On April 16, 2025, investigators executed federal search warrants at Barrera Orantes’ residence and three La Popular stores located in Beaverton, Hillsboro, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. Barrera Orantes was arrested in Beaverton without incident.
Barrera Orantes made her first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
If convicted, Barrera Orantes faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, five years’ supervised release, and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the money laundered.
This case is being investigated by the IRS-CI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), FBI, and the Westside Interagency Narcotics team. It is being prosecuted by Christopher L. Cardani and Julia Jarrett, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
The Westside Interagency Narcotics team is a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and is composed of members from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Beaverton Police Department, Hillsboro Police Department, FBI, HSI, and the Oregon National Guard. The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Since 2018, IRS-CI has maintained a Third Party Money Laundering (3PML) Project. This project focuses on Complicit Money Service Businesses (MSB) working for Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations. The purpose of this project is to develop high-impact 3PML cases for IRS-CI and other agencies across the United States, by utilizing data analytics.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
04.17.25
Cantwell Celebrates Wenatchee Confluence Parkway Groundbreaking, Made Possible by Her Freight-Focused Grant Program
Project is part of the Apple Capital Loop, which received $92M from Cantwell-led program & will help Central WA’s tree fruit growers get their products to market faster; Cantwell: “I can tell you one thing: Wenatchee is on the move”
WENATCHEE – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined local leaders in a groundbreaking celebration for the Confluence Parkway Phase I project, the next step of the Wenatchee Valley’s 15-year effort to expand its transportation network.
“When you’re making infrastructure investment, you should try to prioritize projects that move freight – and that is because they grow jobs, they grow the economy, they help us get products to market,” Sen. Cantwell said. “I just want to give my congratulations today to everybody that’s been working hard on this. I know that the Confluence project obviously is going to solve some of those transportation challenges by reducing that congestion – 4,000 trucks travel through the area each day, as well as 24 trains […] all of this is going to make Wenatchee a little bit better, from this transportation infrastructure investment.”
“What a great day for the Confluence Project. What a great day for Wenatchee,” she continued. “I can tell you one thing: Wenatchee is on the move.”
Phase I of the Confluence Parkway Project will include:
Elimination of two highway rail grade crossings by constructing an underpass at McKittrick Street and an overpass North Miller Street
1.25 miles of new street for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists
Extension of McKittrick Street from North Wenatchee Ave to the waterfront
New signalized intersection at Maple Street
New roundabout intersection
Direct access to parks and trails
The Confluence Parkway project is part of the Wenatchee’s transformative Apple Capital Loop, a network of projects that make up the transportation backbone for Chelan and Douglas Counties and includes several key components that provide connectivity for freight, vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. Planning for the Apple Capital Loop began 15 years ago when the City of Wenatchee and regional partners started working on a transportation solution to meet the demands of the local Wenatchee Valley, which is the economic, government, medical, and services center of the region. Overall, Apple Capital Loop project will increase the traffic capacity of the Loop by about 60,000 vehicles per day, saving freight and motorists 32 million hours over the next 20 years – that’s 4,000 fewer hours spent in traffic, every day, for the next two decades. The project will also significantly improve wildfire safety for the region by adding two new evacuation routes out of Wenatchee.
In 2021, the project received a $92 million federal grant from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program, $80 million of which is being used by this Phase I of the Confluence Parkway project. The reminder will be used to support future phases. The INFRA grant program was imagined, developed, and pushed through Congress by Sen. Cantwell as part of the FAST Act of 2015 and received a 78% funding increase in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, bringing the program’s total funding $8 billion. The INFRA Program provides financial support to nationally and regionally significant freight and highway projects. In 2022, Sen. Cantwell joined then-Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in Wenatchee to celebrate the $92 million INFRA grant award.
The Wenatchee Valley is a key transportation hub for Washington state’s $2.6 billion tree fruit industry. According to the City, $1 billion worth of tree fruit travels through Wenatchee’s transportation network annually in order to reach terminals around the Puget Sound for distribution. This activity has resulted in increased congestion and delayed freight access to nearby cold storage facilities and fruit packing warehouses on North Wenatchee Avenue.
Video of the press conference is available HERE; audio is HERE; and a transcript of Sen. Cantwell’s speech is HERE.
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Police making inquiries to locate a woman missing in Dunedin are seeking help from the public.
Heather was last seen at her home in Maori Hill on Thursday around 2:30pm. and there are concerns for her welfare.
Police believe the 75-year-old may have been in the Ross Creek area yesterday afternoon, and are in particular seeking information from anyone who in and around this area at the time.
It is unclear what she may have been wearing, but possibly a green knitted cardigan and beige sandshoes.
Police are appealing to anyone who may have information that could help to call 111 and quote event number P062274708.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
PORTLAND, Ore.— Juan Jose Varela-Espinoza, 31, a Honduran national residing in Portland, was sentenced Wednesday to 120 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for possessing nearly 16 pounds of powdered fentanyl, 57,700 fentanyl pills, and a stolen firearm.
According to court documents, in July 2023, the Multnomah County Dangerous Drug Team (DDT) learned that Varela-Espinoza was distributing thousands of fentanyl pills in Portland.
On July 25, 2023, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) requested assistance from Multnomah County DDT with locating and arresting Varela-Espinoza on an outstanding felony warrant for distributing dangerous drugs in Colorado. The same day, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant on Varela-Espinoza’s residence and vehicles. Investigators arrested Varela-Espinoza and seized nearly 16 pounds of powdered fentanyl, 57,700 fentanyl pills, $5,042 in cash, a stolen firearm, ammunition, and two pill press machines.
On August 8, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Varela-Espinoza with conspiracy to possess and possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On December 10, 2024, Varela-Espinoza pleaded guilty to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
This case was investigated by the Multnomah County DDT and was prosecuted by Kemp L. Strickland, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The Multnomah County DDT is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and is composed of members from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Multnomah County Parole and Probation, Gresham Police Department, the FBI and USMS.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.
Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)
“The Pennsylvania State Police has now confirmed that the Passover attack on Governor Shapiro and his family was motivated by antisemitism.
“Governor Shapiro is the Governor of Pennsylvania and has nothing to do with Israel’s foreign policy, yet he was targeted as an American Jew by a radicalized extremist who blames the Governor for Israel’s actions. That is textbook antisemitism.
“As Jews across the globe celebrate Passover, a holiday commemorating the liberation of the Jewish people from bondage and oppression, this attack is a bitter reminder that persecution of Jews continues.
“As co-chairs of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, we strongly condemn this antisemitic violence and urge all Americans to oppose antisemitism in all its forms. We are thankful that Governor Shapiro and his family were physically unharmed, and we hope that this individual will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
###
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
MEDFORD, Ore.—A Romanian national residing in Garden Grove, California, was sentenced to federal prison today for stealing more than $176,000 by installing Automated Teller Machine (ATM) skimming devices throughout Oregon and Maine.
Florin George Ionita, 45, was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $176,922 in restitution to his victims.
According to court documents, between June and August 2023, Ionita installed skimming devices on ATMs and used the devices to steal account information and Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) from customers who conducted transactions at the ATMs. Ionita used the stolen information to produce counterfeit debit cards and withdraw cash from victims’ accounts. Over the course of his scheme, Ionita accessed hundreds of bank accounts and stole more than $176,000 from victims in Oregon and Maine.
On August 22, 2023, the Medford Police Department (MPD) received a report of a masked individual installing a skimming device. Investigators received photos of the man and distributed a law enforcement bulletin to identify the unknown individual. The following day, investigators from Kennebunk Police Department in Kennebunk, Maine, identified Ionita and informed MPD investigators of their investigation of Ionita installing skimming devices in Maine. Investigators learned that due to his immigration status, Ionita was required to wear a Global Positioning System (GPS) monitor which confirmed his location at several banks where the ATM skimming devices were installed.
On November 2, 2023, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a nine-count indictment charging Ionita with bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
On March 20, 2024, a federal grand jury in the District of Maine returned a fifteen-count indictment charging Ionita with bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
On December 6, 2024, Ionita pleaded guilty to one count each of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft for his crimes in Oregon, and one count each of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft for his crimes in Maine.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service New England Cyber Fraud Task Force, the Medford Police Department Criminal Investigative Division, the Kennebunk Police Department, and the Freeport Police Department. It is being prosecuted by John C. Brassell, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine.
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements
Living conditions for families in military housing will be transformed under a new Consumer Charter, as Defence Secretary John Healey promised to “stop the rot” in military housing.
Defence Secretary John Healey visits military housing
The Charter will be part of a new Defence Housing Strategy, to be published later this year, which will set out further plans to improve the standard of service family homes across the country.
Under the Charter, basic consumer rights, from essential property information and predictable property standards, to access to a robust complaints system, will be rapidly introduced. These will be underpinned by new, published satisfaction figures, putting forces families front and centre.
The wider Defence Housing Strategy – overseen by the Defence Secretary and the Minister for Veterans and People, Al Carns – will also turbocharge the development of surplus military land, creating opportunities for Armed Forces homeownership. It will further support the delivery of affordable homes for families across Britain as part of the government’s Plan for Change.
It follows the Government’s landmark deal, completed in January, to bring back 36,000 military homes into public ownership, reversing a 1996 sale described by the Public Accounts Committee as “disastrous”, and saving the taxpayer £600,000 per day by eliminating rental payments to a private company.
The announcement follows the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to deliver “homes for heroes” and means that under this government, support will be there for veterans at risk of homelessness. This included removing local connection tests for veterans seeking social housing, meaning as of November, veterans will have access to the housing support they need.
Our Armed Forces serve with extraordinary dedication and courage to keep us safe. It is only right that they and their families live in the homes they deserve.
For too long, military families have endured substandard housing without the basic consumer rights that any of us should expect in our homes. That must end and our new Consumer Charter will begin to stop the rot and put families at the heart of that transformation.
We cannot turn around years of failure on forces housing overnight, but by bringing 36,000 military homes back into public ownership, we’ve already taken greater control and are working at pace to drive up standards. This is about providing homes fit for the heroes who serve our nation, and I’m determined to deliver the decent, affordable housing that our forces families have every right to expect.
The new Consumer Charter will include the following commitments:
A strengthened move-in standard so families can have confidence that the home they are moving into will be ready on time and will be clean and functional.
Improved, clearer information for families ahead of a move, including photographs and floor plans of all homes when a family applies for housing.
More reliable repairs, including an undertaking to complete urgent repairs within a set timeline consistent with Awaab’s Law, and a new online portal for service personnel to manage repairs.
Raising the minimum standard of forces family housing with a new programme of works targeted at the worst homes, with up to 1,000 refurbished as a downpayment on the broader programme of renewal to be set out in the Defence Housing Strategy.
Better and clearer communication for families, including a named housing officer for every service family who they can contact for specific housing related queries.
A new, simpler complaints process that will shorten the process to two stages in line with industry best practice, so that service personnel and families have a quicker resolution, backed up by the new Armed Forces Commissioner.
Modernising policies to allow more freedom for families to make improvements, giving them a greater sense of pride in their homes.
These improvements will be in place by the one-year anniversary of the announcement to buy back military homes last December, with final detail to be set out in the Defence Housing Strategy following consultation with military personnel and their families.
Many of the commitments in the Charter will be achieved by driving better performance – and better value for the taxpayer – from existing suppliers of maintenance and support for service family housing.
The new standards will be underpinned by new published customer satisfaction measures and enhanced accountability so families can have confidence in the improvements being made. This will sit alongside an independently conducted stock survey, as recommended by the Kerslake review of military housing which was published last year.
The Defence Housing Strategy will be driven by an independent review team whose members have been announced today, and which will be chaired by former Member of Parliament and housing expert Natalie Elphicke Ross OBE, drawing on expertise from industry and forces families.
In the meantime, the Defence Secretary and the Minister for Veterans and People have instructed the MOD to immediately plan improvements for the new Consumer Charter, as part of a short-term action plan to enhance the family homes after years of neglect.
Our pride in our armed forces must include pride in our military homes. Delivering better housing, boosting home ownership opportunities for service personnel and improving the experiences of service families will be at the heart of our work.
We are dedicated to making changes that will bring real improvements to the lives of families living in military homes and the plans set out in the new charter are an important step towards doing this.
The advisory team, announced today, brings together an exceptional group of individuals, who through their expertise and experience will help ensure our housing strategy maximises benefits, not just to families living in military homes, but to communities and industry more widely.
Our Armed Forces community are the backbone of our society, so improving the standard of service family housing is essential if we are to continue to retain and recruit the soldiers, sailors and aviators that protect us selflessly, every day. I welcome this consumer charter as a starting point to give our military families an improved service, and homes they deserve.
The members appointed to the Defence Housing Strategy review team are:
Chair, Natalie Elphicke Ross OBE, Director and Head of Housing at The Housing & Finance Institute. Previously Natalie chaired the New Homes Quality Board on standards and redress for customers of new build homes, co-chaired the Elphicke-House Report 2015 on the role of local authorities in housing supply and served as an expert adviser on the development of the national strategy for estate regeneration. A former law firm partner specialising in housing finance, Natalie’s experience includes advising central and local governments, lenders, developers and housing associations on financing, structuring and delivering homes across all tenures.
Bill Yardley, Chair of McCarthy Stone Shared Ownership Limited. Bill serves as Chair of a regulated residential development company and is a Non- Executive Director at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, in the Houses of Parliament and at the Surrey Property Group Limited. He has previously worked at board level in the public and private sectors in residential development, regulated housing, property investment, education and the NHS and has been a public member of Network Rail and chaired a charity. Bill has also served as a Crown Representative and on the Government Construction Board.
Cat Calder, Housing Specialist, Army Families Federation. Cat is a housing professional with over 13 years of experience advocating for improved living conditions for families in military accommodation. She has held key positions within the Army Families Federation and has direct experience of military housing, having previously lived in service family accommodation for a number of years.
Nigel Holland, former Divisional Chair, Taylor Wimpey and Non-Executive Director of The Riverside Group. Formerly a Divisional Chair of Taylor Wimpey, one of the UK’s largest residential developers. Nigel is also a Non-Executive Director of The Riverside Group, a major provider of affordable housing, care and support services in England and Scotland, with more than 75,000 homes in management. He has a wealth of experience in the homebuilding industry, leading large-scale developments in the UK and overseas.
Alex Notay, Chair and Commissioner, Radix Big Tent Housing Commission. Alexandra is an internationally recognised expert on housing, placemaking and ESG. She has 20 years’ strategic advisory and investment experience across four continents and in August 2024 took over as Chair of the Radix Big Tent Housing Commission. Until July 2024 she was Placemaking and Investment Director at Thriving Investments, the fund and asset management arm of Places for People Group, overseeing a UK-wide residential strategy.
James Hall, Housing and Land, Greater London Authority. James has over a decade’s experience in housing and development, working with the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. He worked extensively on strategy, policy and communications in Westminster and Whitehall, and most recently worked at the Greater London Authority on housing policy and delivery.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Carter Lake man was sentenced on March 12, 2025, to 84 months in in federal prison for receiving child pornography.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip that an account, later determined to be associated with Jay McCall Schnider, 52, received and uploaded files containing child sexual abuse material between April 2020 and July 2023. Law enforcement seized an electronic device during the execution of a search warrant of Schnider’s Carter Lake residence. A forensic examination of the seized electronic device showed that Schnider used the device to receive images and videos containing child sexual abuse material.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Schnider will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
CLEVELAND – A federal grand jury has charged Behrouz Parsarad, an Iranian national, for his role as the creator and operator of Nemesis Market, a dark web marketplace designed to enable users to buy and sell illegal drugs and other illicit goods and criminal cyber-services, such as obtaining stolen financial information, fraudulent identification documents, counterfeit currencies, and computer malware.
According to the indictment, Parsarad, 36, of Tehran, Iran, launched Nemesis Market in or around March 2021. Nemesis Market operated on the dark web, a network that uses The Onion Router (TOR) to encrypt traffic and hide users’ Internet Protocol (IP) address. At its peak, Nemesis Market had over 150,000 users and more than 1,100 vendor accounts registered worldwide. Between 2021 and 2024, Nemesis Market processed more than 400,000 orders, including more than 60,000 orders in 2022 and more than 250,000 orders in 2023. Of these, more than 55,000 orders were categorized as stimulants, which included sub-categories for methamphetamine, cocaine, cocaine base (crack), and other controlled substances. More than 17,000 orders were categorized as opioids, which included sub-categories for fentanyl, heroin, and oxycodone. All of the substances covertly purchased by the government and marketed on Nemesis as “isotonitazene,” “M30s” (purporting to be oxycodone), and “Percs” (purporting to be Percocet) were confirmed by laboratory reports to be mixtures and substances containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance and/or acetylfentanyl, heroin, and/or protonitazene, each a Schedule I controlled substance.
“The allegations in this indictment span over four hundred thousand transactions involving fentanyl, other dangerous drugs, and a wide range of contraband made accessible on the darknet for more than three years,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through cooperation with German and Lithuanian partners, the alleged administrator of this marketplace has been charged, servers and other infrastructure have been seized, and dangerous drugs and other contraband have been stopped from entering the United States. This case demonstrates the Department’s tireless commitment to protecting U.S. communities from the harms caused by fentanyl and darknet marketplaces and pursuing accountability for those who would endanger our communities no matter where they are located.”
“Anyone who tries to profit from the sale of illegal drugs – whether it’s on the streets or online – will face consequences. Whether you sell or help others sell these dangerous drugs, you will be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio. “I want to acknowledge the excellent investigative work of our federal agency partners here in Ohio who helped us to bring the charges in this case. Together, we remain committed to keeping our neighborhoods safe and our streets free from illegal narcotics.”
“This indictment, made possible by the assistance of our German and Lithuanian allies, underscores the importance of global partnerships and international collaboration,” said FBI Cleveland Acting Special Agent in Charge Charles Johnston. “Nemesis Market, through the darknet, was a borderless powerhouse of criminal activity that not only fueled the drug epidemic, but also a multitude of illegal acts with the capacity to harm our citizens and destroy our communities. The FBI stands firm in its commitment to identify and investigate unlawful individuals and dismantle their networks operating with criminal intent.”
Parsarad is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances in the Northern District of Ohio and elsewhere. In addition, Parsarad is also charged with money laundering conspiracy for both using proceeds to promote illegal drug dealing and for offering money laundering services through Nemesis Market by mixing cryptocurrencies used to pay for goods and services to obscure their origins. Nemesis users were not allowed to conduct transactions in official, government-backed currencies.
On March 20, 2024, U.S. law enforcement, in cooperation with German and Lithuanian authorities, seized Nemesis Market and stemmed the flow of these drugs into the United States and elsewhere. In March 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against Parsarad for his role as the administrator of Nemesis Market. According to OFAC, Nemesis Market facilitated the sale of nearly $30 million worth of drugs between 2021 and 2024.
If convicted, Parsarad faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life.
The FBI Cleveland Division is investigating the case with assistance from the DEA and IRS-CI. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Cybercrime Liaison Prosecutor to Eurojust provided significant assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Segev Phillips for the Northern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Gaelin Bernstein of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorneys Offices for the Northern District of Illinois and District of Massachusetts.
This case was investigated as part of an FBI-led interagency Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) operation. J-CODE brings together experts from the DEA, the Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the Department of Defense and the Customs and Border Protection, along with the FBI. The Justice Department appreciates the cooperation and significant assistance provided by law enforcement partners in the British Virgin Islands, Germany, Lithuania, and Türkiye.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)
As White House Slashes Essential Federal Programs, Pressley Reintroduces the STRONG Support for Children Act to Invest in Children’s Mental Health and Trauma Recovery
Bill Text
WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) reintroduced the STRONG Support for Children Act. This bill would support communities in addressing childhood trauma through healing-centered, neighborhood-based, gender-responsive, culturally specific, and trauma-informed approaches that acknowledge the impact of systemic racism and inequities over generations.
“Every child deserves to thrive,” said Rep. Pressley. “The STRONG Support for Children Act would provide critical resources and approach childhood trauma through a reparative, healing-centered, and trauma-informed lens. Children too often carry the weight of trauma throughout their entire lives because these wounds don’t just heal on their own. With this legislation, we will invest in breaking cycles of intergenerational trauma and ensure children are supported.”
With over two-thirds of children experiencing at least one traumatic event by age 16, the urgency to address childhood trauma demands a comprehensive approach. Instead, the Trump Administration has slashed $1 billion from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) through canceled grants and reduced staff by 50%, leaving critical trauma-focused programs—including suicide prevention hotlines, opioid addiction treatment, and crisis stabilization services— to face imminent shutdowns.
Unaddressed childhood trauma is linked to several leading causes of death in America, including heart disease, lung disease, substance use, and suicide. Studies show that exposure to poverty, homelessness, food insecurity and malnutrition, discrimination, family separation, and deportation increase the likelihood of negative health outcomes and can lead to complex trauma and toxic stress.
The Services and Trauma-Informed Research of Outcomes in Neighborhood Grants (STRONG) for Support for Children Act would establish two new grant programs under the Department of Health and Human Services to support local public health departments in addressing trauma and ensure that programming is conveniently located and accessible to all children and families regardless of immigration status, ability to pay, and prior involvement in the criminal legal system. The legislation would prohibit grant recipients from using funds to increase surveillance and policing of vulnerable communities.
Joining Rep. Pressley in introducing the STRONG Support for Children Act are Representatives Shri Thanedar, Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Rashida Tlaib.
This legislation is endorsed by the following organizations: Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice (CTIPP); The National Prevention Science Coalition to Improve Lives; Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice; American Academy of Pediatrics; Regina Triplett, MD, MS; and Ujima Inc.
A copy of the bill text can be found here.
Throughout her career, Congresswoman Pressley has been a tireless advocate for trauma-conscious policymaking.
Last week, she reintroduced the Ending PUSHOUT Act and Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act to collectively end the discriminatory treatment of Black and brown students, LGBTQIA+ students, and students with disabilities in schools, and invest in safe, nurturing learning environments for all students.
In February 2024, Rep. Pressley sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services to address the growing crisis of childhood trauma that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March 2023, Rep. Pressley celebrated $250,000 in Community Project Funding she secured for Big Sister Association of Greater Boston (Big Sister) to support its one-to-one mentoring and enrichment programs for girls.
In March 2021, Rep. Pressley sent a letter to President Biden calling on him to address the nation’s growing trauma crisis and laying out a series of steps the administration should take to confront the far-reaching hurt plaguing our communities and our nation. In April 2021, she published an op-ed where she reflected on the collective pain experienced by communities in her district over the past year.
In July 2019, she worked with Chairman Cummings to convene the first-ever Congressional hearings on childhood trauma. Watch Congresswoman Pressley’s full question line and follow-up questions here and here.
As a Boston City Councilor, she convened the Council’s first-ever listening-only session to hear directly from those impacted by the trauma of community gun violence.
###
Source: US State of California
A federal grand jury has charged Behrouz Parsarad, an Iranian national, for his role as the founder and operator of Nemesis Market, a dark web marketplace for illegal drugs and criminal cyber-services, such as stolen financial information, fraudulent identification documents, counterfeit currencies, and computer malware.
According to the indictment, Parsarad, 36, of Tehran, launched Nemesis Market on the dark web in March 2021. At its peak, Nemesis Market had over 150,000 users and more than 1,100 vendor accounts registered worldwide. Between 2021 and 2024, Nemesis Market processed more than 400,000 orders. Of these, more than 55,000 orders were categorized as orders for stimulants, including methamphetamine, cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine), and other controlled substances. An additional 17,000 orders were categorized as orders for opioids, including fentanyl, heroin, and oxycodone. Certain substances covertly purchased by the government from Nemesis were confirmed by laboratory reports to be mixtures and substances containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and/or acetylfentanyl, heroin, and/or protonitazene, each a Schedule I controlled substance.
“The allegations in this indictment span over four hundred thousand transactions involving fentanyl, other dangerous drugs, and a wide range of contraband made accessible on the darknet for more than three years,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through cooperation with German and Lithuanian partners, the alleged administrator of this marketplace has been charged, servers and other infrastructure have been seized, and dangerous drugs and other contraband have been stopped from entering the United States. This case demonstrates the Department’s tireless commitment to protecting U.S. communities from the harms caused by fentanyl and darknet marketplaces and pursuing accountability for those who would endanger our communities no matter where they are located.”
“Anyone who tries to profit from the sale of illegal drugs – whether it’s on the streets or online – will face consequences. Whether you sell or help others sell these dangerous drugs, you will be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio. “I want to acknowledge the excellent investigative work of our federal agency partners here in Ohio who helped us to bring the charges in this case. Together, we remain committed to keeping our neighborhoods safe and our streets free from illegal narcotics.”
“This indictment, made possible by the assistance of our German and Lithuanian allies, underscores the importance of global partnerships and international collaboration,” said FBI Cleveland Acting Special Agent in Charge Charles Johnston. “Nemesis Market, through the darknet, was a borderless powerhouse of criminal activity that not only fueled the drug epidemic, but also a multitude of illegal acts with the capacity to harm our citizens and destroy our communities. The FBI stands firm in its commitment to identify and investigate unlawful individuals and dismantle their networks operating with criminal intent.”
Parsarad is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances in the Northern District of Ohio and elsewhere. In addition, Parsarad is also charged with money laundering conspiracy for both using proceeds to promote illegal drug dealing and for offering money laundering services through Nemesis Market by mixing cryptocurrencies used to pay for goods and services to obscure their origins. Nemesis users were not allowed to conduct transactions in official, government-backed currencies.
On March 20, 2024, U.S. law enforcement, in cooperation with German and Lithuanian authorities, seized Nemesis Market and blocked the flow of these drugs into the United States and elsewhere. In March 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against Parsarad for his role as the administrator of Nemesis Market. According to OFAC, Nemesis Market facilitated the sale of nearly $30 million worth of drugs between 2021 and 2024.
If convicted, Parsarad faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life.
The FBI Cleveland Division is investigating the case with assistance from the DEA and IRS-CI. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Cybercrime Liaison Prosecutor to Eurojust provided significant assistance.
Trial Attorney Gaelin Bernstein of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Segev Phillips for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorneys Offices for the Northern District of Illinois and District of Massachusetts.
This case was investigated as part of an FBI-led interagency Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) operation. J-CODE brings together experts from the DEA, the Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the Department of Defense and the Customs and Border Protection, along with the FBI. The Justice Department appreciates the cooperation and significant assistance provided by law enforcement partners in the British Virgin Islands, Germany, Lithuania, and Türkiye.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Mercadys A. Perkins is the first defendant sentenced from trafficking organization
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Mercadys A. Perkins, 32, Weston, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 6 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Perkins pleaded guilty to this charge on January 21, 2025.
In early 2024, investigators with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force began investigating a group of individuals who were distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in the Marathon County area. Perkins was identified as a distributor for the group.
In March and April of 2024, Perkins sold methamphetamine three times to an informant, the largest sale being 230 grams. On April 16, 2024, task force officers executed a search warrant at Perkins’s residence in Weston. Officers found over 300 grams of methamphetamine, over $2,000 in cash, drug ledgers, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia during the search. Perkins later admitted to trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine.
Further investigation revealed that between February 18, 2024, and April 12, 2024, a co-conspirator provided Perkins and another individual approximately 16 pounds of methamphetamine and 6 ounces of cocaine intended for further distribution.
At the time of these events, Perkins was serving a term of state probation for a methamphetamine possession conviction and was out on bond on four open state cases, three of which involved methamphetamine trafficking. Her state probation was revoked, and she was sentenced to 2 years in state prison, which she is currently serving. Judge Conley ordered the federal sentence to run concurrently with the remainder of Perkins’ state prison sentence.
At sentencing, Judge Conley said Perkins participated with her co-defendants to distribute significant quantities of methamphetamine in an around Marathon County. He said he weighed this serious conduct against some mitigating factors including her profound drug addiction.
Three others were charged in connection with this drug trafficking conspiracy. Co-defendants Joshua Lake, Jessica Colby, and Dustin Brunker have all pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming weeks.
The charge against Perkins was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and the Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Source: ACT Party
Kiwis caught flat-footed this weekend by patronising rules around alcohol should make a submission on legislation currently being considered by Parliament’s Justice Committee, says ACT MP Cameron Luxton.
“This Friday and Sunday, pubgoers will have to order a ‘substantial meal’ just to have a wine or beer. There’s also an arbitrary ban on buying a drink more than an hour before or after eating.
“Then there’s the total ban on off-licence alcohol sales. Even grocery stores that are allowed to open on Easter can’t sell alcohol, forcing people to stock up for supplies on the Thursday and Saturday.
“So many Kiwis are fed up with being treated like children, and I know hospitality staff hate having to enforce the silly rules. I’ve been campaigning for Easter freedom for a while now, and finally, a bill to ditch the alcohol rules has passed first reading – but its future is uncertain.
“If you’re sick of being denied choice on Easter, I’d strongly urge you to make an online submission in support of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Sales on Anzac Day Morning, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day) Amendment Bill.
“I’ll be making a submission myself, and I’ll be lobbying my colleagues across Parliament to support the legislation into law.
“The government shouldn’t get to choose your values. Whether Easter means going to church or having a pint, that should be up to you.”
Editor’s note: Cameron Luxton previously had a member’s bill drawn from Parliament’s ballot to reform both alcohol restrictions and wider shop trading restrictions. Luxton’s bill was voted down, so he and ACT are now leading the campaign in support of Kieran McAnulty’s narrower bill.
A video of Cameron Luxton’s speech on the Bill is available here.
Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –
Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect
HTTPS: //VVV. MOEX.K.MO/N89567
Categoris24-7, Miles, Moscow, Moscow Stotsk Exchang, Russians savings, Russians Federal, Russians Language, Russian economy
Previous PostPrevious Financial news: 04/17/2025, 10-20 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the security RU000A0ZZRY2 (RZhD 1P-09R) were changed.
Next PostNext Moscow’s tram fleet to be fully renewed by 2026
Archives Police Privces Guide I would turn the WordPress
| Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Date of the deposit auction | 04/17/2025 |
| Placement currency | Rub |
| Maximum amount of funds placed (in placement currency) | 120,000,000.00 |
| Placement period, days | 52 |
| Date of deposit | 04/18/2025 |
| Refund date | 06.06.2025 |
| Minimum placement interest rate, % per annum | 20.90 |
| Conditions of imprisonment, urgent or special | Urgent |
| Minimum amount of funds placed for one application (in placement currency) | 120,000,000.00 |
| Maximum number of applications from one Participant, pcs. | 1 |
| Auction form, open or closed | Open |
| Basis of the Treaty | General Agreement |
| Schedule (Moscow time) | |
| Preliminary applications | from 10:30 to 10:40 |
| Applications in competition mode | from 10:40 to 10:45 |
| Setting a cut-off percentage or declaring the auction invalid | until 10:55 |
| Additional terms | |
Source: United States Department of Justice
A federal grand jury has charged Behrouz Parsarad, an Iranian national, for his role as the founder and operator of Nemesis Market, a dark web marketplace for illegal drugs and criminal cyber-services, such as stolen financial information, fraudulent identification documents, counterfeit currencies, and computer malware.
According to the indictment, Parsarad, 36, of Tehran, launched Nemesis Market on the dark web in March 2021. At its peak, Nemesis Market had over 150,000 users and more than 1,100 vendor accounts registered worldwide. Between 2021 and 2024, Nemesis Market processed more than 400,000 orders. Of these, more than 55,000 orders were categorized as orders for stimulants, including methamphetamine, cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine), and other controlled substances. An additional 17,000 orders were categorized as orders for opioids, including fentanyl, heroin, and oxycodone. Certain substances covertly purchased by the government from Nemesis were confirmed by laboratory reports to be mixtures and substances containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and/or acetylfentanyl, heroin, and/or protonitazene, each a Schedule I controlled substance.
“The allegations in this indictment span over four hundred thousand transactions involving fentanyl, other dangerous drugs, and a wide range of contraband made accessible on the darknet for more than three years,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through cooperation with German and Lithuanian partners, the alleged administrator of this marketplace has been charged, servers and other infrastructure have been seized, and dangerous drugs and other contraband have been stopped from entering the United States. This case demonstrates the Department’s tireless commitment to protecting U.S. communities from the harms caused by fentanyl and darknet marketplaces and pursuing accountability for those who would endanger our communities no matter where they are located.”
“Anyone who tries to profit from the sale of illegal drugs – whether it’s on the streets or online – will face consequences. Whether you sell or help others sell these dangerous drugs, you will be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio. “I want to acknowledge the excellent investigative work of our federal agency partners here in Ohio who helped us to bring the charges in this case. Together, we remain committed to keeping our neighborhoods safe and our streets free from illegal narcotics.”
“This indictment, made possible by the assistance of our German and Lithuanian allies, underscores the importance of global partnerships and international collaboration,” said FBI Cleveland Acting Special Agent in Charge Charles Johnston. “Nemesis Market, through the darknet, was a borderless powerhouse of criminal activity that not only fueled the drug epidemic, but also a multitude of illegal acts with the capacity to harm our citizens and destroy our communities. The FBI stands firm in its commitment to identify and investigate unlawful individuals and dismantle their networks operating with criminal intent.”
Parsarad is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances in the Northern District of Ohio and elsewhere. In addition, Parsarad is also charged with money laundering conspiracy for both using proceeds to promote illegal drug dealing and for offering money laundering services through Nemesis Market by mixing cryptocurrencies used to pay for goods and services to obscure their origins. Nemesis users were not allowed to conduct transactions in official, government-backed currencies.
On March 20, 2024, U.S. law enforcement, in cooperation with German and Lithuanian authorities, seized Nemesis Market and blocked the flow of these drugs into the United States and elsewhere. In March 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against Parsarad for his role as the administrator of Nemesis Market. According to OFAC, Nemesis Market facilitated the sale of nearly $30 million worth of drugs between 2021 and 2024.
If convicted, Parsarad faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life.
The FBI Cleveland Division is investigating the case with assistance from the DEA and IRS-CI. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Cybercrime Liaison Prosecutor to Eurojust provided significant assistance.
Trial Attorney Gaelin Bernstein of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Segev Phillips for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorneys Offices for the Northern District of Illinois and District of Massachusetts.
This case was investigated as part of an FBI-led interagency Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) operation. J-CODE brings together experts from the DEA, the Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the Department of Defense and the Customs and Border Protection, along with the FBI. The Justice Department appreciates the cooperation and significant assistance provided by law enforcement partners in the British Virgin Islands, Germany, Lithuania, and Türkiye.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –
Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect
HTTPS: //VVV. MOEX.K.MO/N89591
Categoris24-7, Miles, Moscow, Moscow Stotsk Exchang, Russians savings, Russians Federal, Russians Language, Russian economy
Previous PostPrevious Financial News: On the start of trading in securities on April 18, 2025
Next PostNext Alexander Novak congratulated the faculty, students and graduates of the Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas on its 95th anniversary
Archives Police Privces Guide I would turn the WordPress
| Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Date of the deposit auction | 04/18/2025 |
| Placement currency | Rub |
| Maximum amount of funds placed (in placement currency) | 1 100 000 000.00 |
| Placement period, days | 32 |
| Date of deposit | 04/18/2025 |
| Refund date | 05/20/2025 |
| Minimum placement interest rate, % per annum | 20.00 |
| Conditions of imprisonment, urgent or special | Urgent |
| Minimum amount of funds placed for one application (in placement currency) | 1 100 000 000.00 |
| Maximum number of applications from one Participant, pcs. | 1 |
| Auction form, open or closed | Open |
| Basis of the Treaty | General Agreement |
| Schedule (Moscow time) | |
| Preliminary applications | from 10:30 to 10:40 |
| Applications in competition mode | from 10:40 to 10:50 |
| Setting a cut-off percentage or declaring the auction invalid | until 11:30 |
| Additional terms | |
Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Previous news Next news
Dmitry Chernyshenko held a meeting dedicated to the organization of summer children’s recreation in 2025
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko held a meeting dedicated to the organization of summer children’s recreation in 2025. The meeting was attended by Minister of Education Sergei Kravtsov, Deputy Chairperson of the State Duma Anna Kuznetsova, First Deputy Chairperson of the Federation Council Committee on Federal Structure, Regional Policy, Local Government and Northern Affairs Galina Karelova, representatives of relevant federal departments and organizations, as well as heads of regions.
Dmitry Chernyshenko emphasized that the organization of summer children’s recreation is one of the priority areas of the national project “Youth and Children” and requires special attention to issues of quality and safety.
“President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin said that special attention should be paid to the quality and safety of children’s recreation. To do this, we must implement comprehensive measures in these areas. The task is very large-scale. This year, more than 40.5 thousand camps should accept about 6 million schoolchildren. In the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland, we must take care of the recreation of all children, and especially the children of our heroes – participants in the special military operation. I ask you to keep this issue under constant control. Patriotic shifts dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory must be held in all federal children’s centers. It is extremely important that our current heroes – participants of the SVO – tell the story of glorious victories,” said Dmitry Chernyshenko.
The Deputy Prime Minister added that last year, approximately 165 thousand children of SVO participants spent their holidays in children’s camps.
During the meeting, it was also noted that a federal law had come into force, obliging regions to establish quotas for disabled children and children with limited health capabilities in state and municipal camps. Rospotrebnadzor updated its guidelines for children’s nutrition.
Dmitry Chernyshenko noted that, on the instructions of the President, this year information and analytical panels will be introduced that will help monitor the progress of the health campaign.
“This is a single digital platform where key data will be concentrated: camp occupancy, fulfillment of quotas for children with disabilities, compliance with safety standards, financial accounting, and others. I ask the Ministry of Education to launch this tool across the country as early as June 1,” he added.
Dmitry Chernyshenko emphasized that the upcoming summer season is rich in anniversary events – the 100th anniversary of Artek, the 40th anniversary of the All-Russian Children’s Center Smena and the 65th anniversary of the All-Russian Children’s Center Orlyonok, and noted the special role of these centers in forming the correct attitude to history and spiritual and moral values among young people.
The Deputy Prime Minister expressed gratitude to all participants in the preparation for the summer season, including the State Duma deputies and personally its Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, as well as the Chairman of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko.
As a result, instructions were given aimed at further improving the quality, safety and accessibility of children’s summer recreation, including the launch of a camp monitoring system and collecting feedback.
“In general, the education system is ready for the summer health campaign. It is important to make every effort to ensure that children’s recreation this year is organized efficiently and safely. The federal law “On the Basic Guarantees of Children’s Rights in the Russian Federation” has been amended to require websites and educational programs in children’s camps. They came into force on April 1. By summer, each camp must have its own website, developed taking into account our approximate structure and containing all the necessary information. All subjects have been sent methodological recommendations on the development of educational programs, containing event scenarios,” the Minister of Education said.
Sergei Kravtsov noted that the ministry is holding district seminars for directors of children’s camps and representatives of regional resource centers, where current issues of preparation for the summer are explained.
The Minister of Education reported that the federal infrastructure modernization program is being implemented. He drew the attention of regional representatives to the importance of concluding contracts and starting work within the program, and also instructed them to take measures to return previously repurposed organizations to ownership.
Sergei Kravtsov pointed out that in the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland, special attention should be paid to events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, and corresponding thematic days should be held in each camp.
Deputy Minister of Transport Alexey Shilo noted that, in accordance with the Government Resolution, since March the cost of travel on long-distance trains for all children aged 10 to 18 has been half the cost of an adult ticket. Since March 5, more than 1.1 million tickets have been issued. In addition to federal benefits, carriers and the Russian Railways holding company offer bonus programs and promotions. This is the year-round tariff plan “Big Family”, which provides a 15% discount on travel in compartment cars for families with three or more children.
Chairman of the Board of the Movement of the First, Hero of Russia Artur Orlov emphasized that for the specialized shifts, the Movement of the First, together with the scientific and pedagogical community and federal children’s centers, has developed 19 programs in various areas of activity. The content of the shift programs includes events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland, events that allow you to get acquainted with the mission, values, and flagship projects of the Movement of the First.
Representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor General’s Office, Rospotrebnadzor, Rosmolodezh, the International Children’s Center “Artek” and the “Movement of the First”, the heads of the Republic of Mari El, the Republic of Crimea, Krasnodar Krai and others also spoke during the meeting.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The following issues are planned to be considered at the meeting:
1. On the progress of preparations for spring field agricultural work in 2025
2. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Articles 105 and 112 of the Federal Law “On Enforcement Proceedings””
The bill is aimed at eliminating the risk of debtors-budget recipients incurring debt on enforcement fees, which are a penalty for failure to comply with the requirements of non-property enforcement documents.
3. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Articles 17.15 and 23.68 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offenses”
The bill is aimed at establishing administrative liability of budget recipient debtors for their failure to comply with the requirements of non-property enforcement documents.
4. On the draft amendment of the Government of the Russian Federation to the draft federal law No. 699828-8 “On Amendments to the Federal Law “On Concession Agreements””
The draft amendments are aimed at clarifying the proposed procedure for concluding a new concession agreement, the object of which is heat supply facilities, centralized hot water supply systems, cold water supply and (or) sanitation systems, individual facilities of such systems, before the expiration of the current concession agreement, including the implementation no earlier than 24 months before the expiration of the agreement of the preemptive right of the person who is the concessionaire under the current concession agreement.
5. On the allocation by the Ministry of Energy of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation of budgetary appropriations for the provision of a subsidy to the joint-stock company South-West Electric Grid Company
The draft order is aimed at implementing measures to restore distribution networks within the framework of the program of socio-economic development of the Donetsk People’s Republic, Lugansk People’s Republic, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions.
Moscow, April 17, 2025
The content of the press releases of the Department of Press Service and References is a presentation of materials submitted by federal executive bodies for discussion at a meeting of the Government of the Russian Federation.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.