NewzIntel.com

Category: Technology

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Cleveland Seeking Candidates to Fill Two Mission Critical Positions for Its Downtown Cleveland Location

    Source: US FBI

    CLEVELAND, OH—FBI Cleveland announced it is seeking candidates to fill two positions during a mission-critical hiring campaign for its downtown Cleveland field office:

    Data Analyst

    This on-site role is well suited for the candidate with coding, mathematics, statistics, data analysis, and data visualization experience. Candidates must have the following education or combination of education and work experience, including a bachelor’s degree from a U.S.-accredited college or university in:

    • Computer Science
    • Engineering
    • Information Science
    • Information Systems Management
    • Mathematics
    • Operations Research
    • Statistics – Technology Management

    or, a combination of education and experience, to include 24 course hours in one or more of the fields above. Starting at $44k – range to $123,584

    Digital Operations Specialist

    This role is ideal for the technical expert who will serve on our investigative teams and specialize in criminals’ use of technology. The incumbent will be skilled in computer science and familiarity with different operating systems, physical computer components and architectures, virtual machines, and scripting. Additionally, have knowledge of networking and routing protocols, network securities methodologies, and operations of various communications media, and knowledge of common computer and network methods of infection, and attack methods and techniques.

    Candidates must have a combination of education and work experience, including a bachelor’s degree from a U.S.-accredited college in a related discipline. Starting at $55k – range to $90k.

    The FBI offers a full suite of benefits, including annual leave, 11 federal holidays, sick leave starting at 13 days, Military and Parental leave, wellness hours, and free on-site parking. For a complete listing of benefits and FBI employment eligibility requirements, visit FBIjobs.gov.

    Interested candidates for these positions can send their resumes directly to the hiring manager at Applicants.cv@fbi.gov with the name of the position in the subject line. No phone calls, please.

    The FBI is the nation’s premier law enforcement agency with a worldwide presence and 56 field offices across the United States and serves to uphold the U.S. Constitution and protect the American Public. FBI Cleveland covers the 40 northern-most counties of the state encompassing close to 6 million people and is home to over 300 Special Agents and professional staff among its downtown Cleveland headquarters and eight resident agencies.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brazilian Man Charged with Making Extortionate Threats to Publicize Stolen Data Obtained by Unlawful Computer Intrusion

    Source: US FBI

    Newark, N.J. – A citizen and resident of Brazil was charged with making extortionate threats to publicize data stolen from the Brazilian subsidiary of a New Jersey company, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

    Junior Barros De Oliveira, 29, of Curitiba, Brazil was charged with four counts of extortionate threats involving information obtained from protected computers in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1030(a)(7)(B) and four counts of threatening communications in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(d) in an indictment unsealed today in Newark federal court.

    According to the Indictment:

    In March 2020, De Oliveira gained unauthorized access and exceeded authorized access to the computer systems of Victim 1-Brazil, the Brazilian subsidiary of a New Jersey company.  Exploiting this access, De Oliveira obtained confidential customer information relating to approximately 300,000 customers of Victim 1-Brazil.  In September 2020, De Oliveira began contacting U.S. representatives of Victim 1, including its CEO, in an attempt to extort money from Victim 1-Brazil.  De Oliveira demanded over approximately $3,000,000 in Bitcoin in exchange for keeping the stolen data confidential and not publicizing it.

    Each of the four counts of making extortionate threats in relation to information obtained from protected computers carry a maximum prison term of 5 years, and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the value of any gain or loss, whichever is greater.  Each of the four counts of threatening communications carry a maximum prison term of 2 years, and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the value of any gain or loss, whichever is greater.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”)’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Malagold of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Birmingham Attorney Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    Birmingham, Ala. – A federal judge sentenced a Birmingham attorney today for possession of child pornography announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.

    U.S. District Court Judge Annemarie Axon sentenced Chase Tristian Espy, 36, of Vestavia, to 97 months in prison followed by 20 years supervised release. Espy pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in October 2022. Espy was also ordered to pay additional special assessments of $15,000.00 pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act and $5,000.00 pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.  Assessments collected under these statutes are used to fund and enhance victim services. Espy was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal.

    “No one is above the law, and today’s sentence sends a message to anyone who preys on innocent children.  We will use every tool available to us to investigate and prosecute those who target children for abuse,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said.  “I commend the hard work and commitment of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to bring this defendant to justice.” 

    In October 2022, Espy pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography arising out of events that occurred from March 2021 to August 2021.  Court documents reveal that the investigation was initiated when Espy engaged in online chats with an undercover law enforcement officer whom Espy believed was a 15-year-old girl.  Upon being arrested, Espy’s cell phone was seized, and a search warrant was obtained.  From this search, approximately 69 videos and four images of child sexual abuse material were found.

    The FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF), the Homewood Police Department, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) participated in this investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Leann White and Jonathan Cross are prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Seven Indicted for Role in Prison-Based Phone Scam and Paying Bribes to Corrections Officers at the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility

    Source: US FBI

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal indictment unsealed yesterday charges seven individuals for their participation in a prison-based telephone scam and conspiring to smuggle cell phones, controlled substances, and other contraband to inmates at the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility (Donaldson) in Bessemer, Alabama, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis. 

    A seventeen-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Keith Devon Perry, aka “Keep Paper,” 30, of Anniston, Kierro Deandrew Nelson, aka “10K,” 32, of Montgomery, Shedrick Romon Johnson, aka, “Cett,” 43, of Montgomery, Deangelo Lamon Russell, aka “Dee,” 31, of Anniston, Desmond Arterrio Nelson, aka “Dez,” 35, of Montgomery, and Aleshia Nelson,” aka “Leshia,” 30, of Montgomery, with conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, using a facility in interstate commerce in furtherance of an unlawful activity, and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Perry, Kierro Nelson, Johnson, and Brantley Glen Wheatley, aka “Queen B,” 29, of Tuscaloosa, are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Perry, Johnson, and Wheatley are charged with wire fraud. Perry and Wheatley are charged with aggravated identity theft. Perry, Kierro Nelson, Johnson, Wheatley, and Russell are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.

    The defendants include current and former inmates at Donaldson, as well as family members of two inmates. The charges stem from a larger investigation into fraud and corruption at Donaldson that has to date resulted in nine additional individuals being charged. Those individuals include Wilson Brian Clemons, Ricardo Poole, Sr., Kortney Jovan Simon, Otis Lee Bowers, Terry Ray Bradshaw, Rennita Renee Perry, Kiara Reshell Anderson, Ricardo Poole, Jr., and Rhonda Thompson Poole.

    According to the indictment, between July 2021 and February 2022, the defendants used contraband cell phones, social engineering techniques, and spoofing technology to trick retailers into transferring them funds under fraudulent pretenses. The proceeds of these telephone scams were then used to, among other things, finance the purchase of controlled substances and to pay bribes to corrections officers at Donaldson.

    The charges of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and use of a facility in interstate commerce in furtherance of illegal activity both carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison The charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison.

    The U.S. Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward J. Canter and John M. Hundscheid are prosecuting the case. The Alabama Department of Corrections Law Enforcement Services Division, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have assisted in the investigation.

    An indictment contains only charges. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Travel with Intent to Engage in Unlawful Sexual Activity

    Source: US FBI

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Frank Twing, Sr., age 33, of West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, pled guilty today to one count of sexual exploitation of a child involving a then-15-year-old victim and one count of travel with intent to engage in unlawful sexual conduct involving an approximately 12-year-old victim. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

    Twing admitted that he engaged in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old child during which he created sexually explicit videos depicting that child. He also admitted to traveling from his home in Massachusetts to New York, planning to have sex with an approximately 12-year-old child.

    At sentencing scheduled for March 6, 2025, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, Twing faces a mandatory minimum imprisonment term of 15 years and a maximum imprisonment term of 60 years, post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life, a fine of up to $250,000, special assessments, restitution to the victims, and forfeiture of the property he used to commit he offenses. Twing also will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

    This case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the New York State Police, and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office, which itself also assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Benjamin A. Gillis are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.

    Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).  Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ketchikan Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    JUNEAU – A Ketchikan man pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography charges.

    According to court documents, Walter William Onstad, of Ketchikan, plead guilty to a charge of  distribution of child pornography.  Onstad admitted in court that he was an administrator of a Kik group “Anything Goes,” which was used exclusively for the purpose of distributing child pornography.  As administrator of the group, Onstad solicited images of child pornography to be posted to the group from others as a requirement to be admitted to the group. Once images were verified and approved by Onstad, those individuals were admitted to the group where they had complete access to images of children being sexually exploited on the Kik group “Anything Goes.”

    Onstad was detained at his change of plea hearing pending his sentencing scheduled on August 17, 2023. Onstad faces a mandatory minimum of five years and/or maximum penalty of life in prison and five years to life on supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt is prosecuting the case.

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

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    usao/ak/23-035

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Alaska Couple Charged in $700,000 Investment Fraud Scheme Based on Fictitious Alaska Marijuana ‘Bud and Breakfast’

    Source: US FBI

    FAIRBANKS – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a husband and wife from Delta Junction, Alaska, with conspiracy and wire fraud for perpetrating a years’ long scheme that defrauded nearly two-dozen investors out of over $700,000 dollars.

    According to court documents, from 2017 until 2020, Brian Keith Corty, 52, and his wife Candy Corty, 47, used false and fraudulent claims to solicit investors to buy shares of stock in Ice Fog Holdings, LLC, a company purportedly established to grow, extract, develop, manufacture, and sell products in the medical and recreational marijuana markets in Alaska and other future markets. The defendants purchased the Midway Lodge along the Richardson Highway near Delta Junction, Alaska, and represented to investors that their money would be used to turn it into a “Bud and Breakfast” that would be a “marijuana theme park” and include glass ceilings so Ice Fog’s customers could lie in bed and watch the northern lights. Defendants also represented that they would grow, cultivate, and sell marijuana from the location.

    The defendants and their co-conspirators made numerous material misrepresentations to Ice Fog investors, including that Ice Fog was already generating income via contracts for security services, that Ice Fog would make over $3.85 million in annual sales by year one; over $13.05 million in annual sales by year two; and over $23.24 million by year three with an expected return to investors of 30 times their initial investment. The defendants also represented that inspectors from the Alaska Marijuana Control Office had performed inspections on the Midway Lodge to create the impression that their application to become a licensed marijuana grow and dispensary was in the final stages of approval. Defendants made these representations while knowing that Ice Fog had no meaningful current or prospective revenue stream and little to no prospect to obtain a license from the Alaska Marijuana Control Office.

    Over the course of the scheme, the defendants caused at least 22 individuals to invest in Ice Fog, and raised approximately $722,000 dollars through the sale of “shares” in Ice Fog Holdings, the majority of which the defendants misappropriated for their own personal use.

    U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case with assistance from investigators at the Alaska Department of Law. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Tansey and Tom Bradley for the District of Alaska are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Business leaders: MBA students graduated from the State University of Management

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On May 21, 2025, the Higher School of Business and Technology of the State University of Management hosted the graduation of students of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. For the State University of Management, this is already the 57th graduation of students of the MBA program.

    The MBA program of the State University of Management is aimed at developing management competencies, strategic thinking and decision-making skills. The target audience of the MBA program is business owners, entrepreneurs working on expanding their business and entering new markets, top and middle managers. The MBA program is based on the principles of developing management skills, forming new interaction chains, developing new technological solutions, flexible response and introducing new knowledge. The main focus of the MBA program is the joint development of applied business solutions by the best practitioners in their industry, faculty and students. It is on this paradigm that the practice of training at the Higher School of Business and Technology of the State University of Management is based.

    The graduates highly appreciated the quality of the program, the organization of the educational process, thanked the entire university staff for the knowledge, skills and abilities they had received, and received MBA diplomas. Over the two years of study, MBA students studied various disciplines reflecting the practical foundations of organizing and running a business, managing a modern organization, managing finances, marketing and human resources, strategic management and change management, digital transformation of business, personal development of managers, and various business technologies.

    With the completion of the MBA program, graduates begin a new interesting chapter in their lives, associated not only with professional and personal growth, but also with a significant increase in income. And, according to tradition, having thrown their confederate caps into the sky from the steps of the main academic building of the State University of Management, the graduates of the MBA program made their wishes.

    The staff of the State University of Management wishes each graduate professional achievements, personal growth and sincerely hopes to meet again – on other programs and joint projects.

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Birmingham Attorney Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Chase Tristian Espy, 36, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography arising out of events that occurred from March 2021 to August 2021, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Felix A. Rivera-Esparra.

    U.S. District Judge Annemarie Carney Axon accepted the plea and set sentencing for January 24, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.

    The plea agreement filed states the investigation was initiated when Espy engaged in online chats with undercover law enforcement whom Espy believed was a 15-year-old girl.  Upon being arrested, Espy’s cell phone was seized, and a search warrant was obtained.  From this search, approximately 69 videos and four images of child sexual abuse material were found.

    “The hard work of the agents involved in this case reflect how local, state, and federal law enforcement are committed to protecting children from predators,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said.  “Possessing child pornography is not a ‘victimless’ crime. Each time images of the innocent are shared or viewed, the child is re-victimized.”

    “The FBI is committed to protecting our children from sexual abuse and exploitation, and we will continue to work with our partners to bring to justice those who would prey on our most vulnerable,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Rivera said. “I want to thank the members of the FBI Birmingham Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force and our partners for their outstanding work in this case.”

    Possession of Child Pornography carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will seek imprisonment of Espy consistent with the high end of the advisory United States Sentencing Guideline range as calculated by the Court at the time of sentencing.

    The FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF), the Homewood Police Department, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) participated in this investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Leann White and Jonathan Cross are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chugiak Man Indicted for Sexually Exploiting Children

    Source: US FBI

    ANCHORAGE – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on February 23, 2023, charging Jeremy Scott Daniels, 37, of Chugiak for crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children.

    The indictment and additional details set out in court documents filed by the government allege that, in December 2021, Daniels used social media to entice and induce a minor to engage in sexually explicit activity and produce child pornography with him. The filings further allege that in October 2010, Daniels communicated online with undercover law enforcement, unbeknownst to him, and attempted to entice a fictitious child, whom he believed to be an 8-year-old girl, to engage in sexually explicit activity with him. The same filings also allege that Daniels distributed, received, and possessed child pornography at various points throughout 2020 and 2022. Between May and June 2020, on ten occasions, Daniels used the messaging application Kik to transmit child pornography videos to other users. On January 28, 2022, the date of Daniel’s arrest, the FBI also recovered child pornography involving prepubescent minors on Daniel’s cellphone.

    If the public has any further information regarding Daniels’s activities, please contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at 907-276-4441.

    Daniels was previously taken into federal custody on January 28, 2022, following the government’s filing of a complaint. The indictment charges Daniels with production of child pornography; coercion and enticement; and distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography. The defendant previously made his initial court appearance on the complaint on February 2, 2022, before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, Daniels faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years imprisonment and maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Lane S. Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney George Tran is prosecuting the case.

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

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

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    usao/ak/23-011

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: GirlsDoPorn Owner Michael Pratt Extradited to Face Sex Trafficking Charges

    Source: US FBI

    SAN DIEGO – Michael Pratt, the alleged mastermind behind the GirlsDoPorn commercial sex trafficking ring, made his first appearance in federal court today following his extradition from Spain Monday night.

    Pratt, who was the owner of the website GirlsDoPorn, was charged in October 2019 in the Southern District of California with sex trafficking crimes in connection with a scheme to deceive and coerce young women to appear in pornographic videos. Pratt was an international fugitive for more than three years before he was arrested in Spain in December 2022. Earlier in 2022, he was named to the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted list.

    At today’s hearing, Pratt was arraigned and entered a not-guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel E. Butcher. A detention hearing is scheduled for March 21 at 3 p.m. before Judge Butcher, followed by a motion hearing/trial setting on April 19 at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino.

    “We cast a wide net in search of Mr. Pratt and now that he is in San Diego, we are prepared to bring him to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath. “We extend our deep appreciation to the government of Spain for its assistance in securing his arrest and extradition.”

    “Michael Pratt’s initial appearance in San Diego is tangible proof that the pursuit of justice never stops, regardless of length of time or location,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge, Stacey Moy. “Pratt’s arrest and extradition back to the United States reflects a great collaboration among multiple agencies, both in the United States and Spain who were dedicated to seeking justice for the young women he allegedly victimized. This large, internationally coordinated effort could not have been successful without support from our law enforcement partners in Spain, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Department of Justice, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”

    According to public court filings, Pratt and his co-defendants used force, fraud, and coercion to recruit hundreds of young adult women – most in their late teens – and at least one minor victim, to appear in GirlsDoPorn videos.

    Pratt is accused of recruiting the victims from throughout the United States and Canada using internet advertisements for clothed modeling jobs. Even after the victims were told the gig involved an adult video-shoot, Pratt and his co-defendants convinced the women that their videos would be provided solely to private collectors on DVD in foreign countries, that they would remain anonymous, and that the videos would not be posted on the internet – assurances that Pratt and his co-defendants knew to be false.

    Most of the video shoots took place in San Diego – at local hotels and short-term rental units.  Although the women were promised that the video shoots would be brief, they often took hours. Once the video productions began, some women were not permitted to leave the shooting locations until the videos were completed; some were threatened with lawsuits or cancelled flights home if they did not complete the videos; and others were allegedly forced to perform certain sex acts, which they had earlier declined to do.

    After the victims returned home, still believing that they would remain anonymous, Pratt and his co-defendants posted clips of the videos on heavily trafficked adult film sites, like Pornhub, to funnel traffic to the full-length versions of the videos on his website, GirlsDoPorn. Pratt charged visitors to GirlsDoPorn a subscription fee. The site generated more than $17 million in revenue for Pratt.

    Pratt faces 19 felony counts stemming from the operation of GirlsDoPorn. The charges include:

    •           Fifteen counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion;

    •           Conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion;

    •           Production of child pornography;

    •           Sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud, and coercion; and

    •           Conspiracy to commit money laundering.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California recognizes the outstanding efforts of the FBI in San Diego; the FBI Legal Attaché in Spain; the U.S. Marshals Service; Spain’s Ministry of Justice; and law enforcement officials in Spain and Portugal; as well as the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, for their substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Pratt.

    DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 19cr4488                                   

    Michael James Pratt                                        Age:       36                 Unknown

    Matthew Isaac Wolfe                                      Age        37                     San Diego, CA

    Ruben Andre Garcia                                       Age:       31                      San Diego, CA

    Theodore Gyi                                                  Age,       46                        Solana Beach, CA  

    Valorie Moser                                                 Age:       37                       San Diego, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES IN SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT

    Count 1

    Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, 18 U.S.C. § 1594

    Maximum Penalty:  Life in prison, $250,000 fine.

    Counts 2-16

    Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion 18 U.S.C. §1591(a) and (b)(1)

    Minimum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; Maximum penalty: life in custody, $250,000 fine.

    Count 17

    Production of Child Pornography, 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) and (e)

     Minimum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; Maximum penalty: thirty years in prison, $250,000 fine.

    Count 18

    Sex Trafficking of a Minor and By Force, Fraud and Coercion, 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a)(1), (a)(2), and (c)

    Minimum penalty: Fifteen years in prison; Maximum penalty: life in custody, $250,000 fine.

    Count 19

    Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(A)(i) and 1956(h).

    Civil penalty of the greater of (A) the value of the property, fund or monetary instruments involved in the transaction or (B) $10,000

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    FBI – Southern District of California and Legal Attaché in Spain

    U.S. Marshals Service

    U.S. Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs

    Spanish National Police

    Spain’s Ministry of Justice

    Spain’s Ministry of Interior

    *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Indictment Charges Las Vegas Couple with Drug and Money Laundering Conspiracy

    Source: US FBI

                WASHINGTON – Rushan Lavar Reed, 46, and Celeste Nicole Reed, 26, both of Las Vegas, Nevada, were arrested on charges, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., related to the alleged sale of illegal drugs and the laundering of the drug proceeds. The charges were announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

                According to the indictment, unsealed yesterday, starting in March of 2017, the Reeds knowingly conspired with others – known and unknown to the Grand Jury – to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics that included a detectable amount of oxycodone, hydrocodone, and amphetamine. The indictment also alleges that the defendants conducted and attempted to conduct financial transactions involving the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking activity.

                If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute the illegal drugs and 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

                This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Office of the Inspector General of the District of Columbia, with assistance from the FBI Las Vegas Field Office and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary Crosby and Andy Wang, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Las Vegas Resident Sentenced to Prison for Possession and Distribution of Thousands of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man who committed an additional felony offense while on release was sentenced today by United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey to 111 months in prison followed by a 20 year term of supervised release for collecting and sharing thousands of child sexual abuse materials depicting children as young as infants to other people — including people who did not want to view the images.

    Colby Matthew Olen (36) pleaded guilty in July 2023 to distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. In addition to imprisonment, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Olen must register as a sex offender and keep the registration current.

    According to court documents, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department received CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about Olen’s involvement with child sexual abuse materials. In September 2020, a search warrant was executed at Olen’s residence. A forensic examination of electronic devices belonging to Olen found images and videos of child sexual abuse materials.

    On November 25, 2020, a criminal complaint charged Olen with distribution of child pornography. Although the government moved for detention, Olen was released on a personal recognizance bond with conditions and was advised of potential enhanced penalties for committing another felony offense while on release. In June 2021, a second search warrant was executed at Olen’s residence after a report to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. A forensic examination of Olen’s electronic devices revealed child sexual abuse materials to include videos of children as young as infants. Olen was arrested and a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Olen with an additional felony offense committed while on release.

    Olen admitted he distributed child sexual abuse materials depicting children as young as infants being sexually abused to others through an online cloud storage and file hosting service. In total, he distributed 2,716 videos and 5,203 images of child sexual abuse materials.

    United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

    The case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Supriya Prasad prosecuted the case.

    The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or https://report.cybertip.org.

    ###

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Nigerian Men Indicted in Multimillion-Dollar Internet-Enabled Investment Fraud Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    NEWARK, N.J. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey unsealed charges today against three Nigerian nationals for their roles in a transnational internet-enabled investment fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

    Augustine Chibuzo Onyeachonam, 30, Stanley Asiegbu, a/k/a “Stanislaus, Asiegbu”, 37, and Chukwuebuka Nweke-Eze, 29, all of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, were each charged by Indictment with one count of wire fraud conspiracy (Count One), two counts of wire fraud (Counts Two and Three), one count of securities fraud conspiracy (Count Four), one count of identity theft conspiracy (Count Five), and four counts of aggravated identity theft (Counts Six through Nine).

    These defendants not only defrauded dozens of victims out of millions of dollars of their hard-earned money, but they also impersonated licensed FINRA representatives, spoofed their websites, and misappropriated the seal of the SEC to carry out their fraud,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue these kinds of scammers no matter where in the world they are and seek justice for their victims.”

    According to the Indictment:

    From at least as early as in or around 2018 through the present, Onyeachonam, Asiegbu, Nweke-Eze, and others (the “Conspirators”) orchestrated an internet-enabled fraud scheme that targeted victims throughout the United States, including in the District of New Jersey. As part of the fraud scheme, the Conspirators impersonated dozens of individuals registered as broker-dealers with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and used those stolen identities to solicit investments from members of the public through fraudulent public-facing websites.

    The fraudulent, or “spoofed”, websites were registered in the names of the impersonated victim brokers and often included genuine credentials, such as CRD numbers, associated with the victim brokers. At times, the spoofed websites also included links to: (1) the FINRA website associated with the victim brokers that allowed any member of the public to view the victim brokers’ employment history, certifications, licenses, or prior violations; and (2) fake social media accounts created by the Conspirators in the names of the victim brokers.  At times, the spoofed websites also displayed, without authorization, the seal of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).  The Conspirators would further use the SEC seal in email communications with victims.

    The Conspirators lured victims of the fraud scheme to the spoofed websites by touting the services of the victim brokers in the comment sections of online articles or videos discussing financial and cryptocurrency investment-related topics. At times, the Conspirators would include links to one or more of the spoofed websites.

    When a fraud victim visited a spoofed website, he or she was directed to communicate with an individual they believed to be a legitimate broker-dealer by contacting a telephone number or email address listed on the spoofed website. The Conspirators, posing as the victim brokers, then communicated with fraud victims and, among other things: (1) told fraud victims that their money would be invested in various stocks and cryptocurrencies; and (2) guaranteed fraud victims returns on their investments of up to 25%. The Conspirators used voice-changing software applications to impersonate certain female victim broker dealers when communicating by telephone.

    When a fraud victim decided to invest money with one of the Conspirators posing as a victim broker, the fraud victim was told to: (1) open an account at a particular cryptocurrency trading platform; (2) purchase cryptocurrency assets through that platform; and (3) send the cryptocurrency assets to a particular cryptocurrency wallet address for the purpose of investment. In reality, the funds transferred by the fraud victims to the Conspirators were not invested but were stolen by the Conspirators. At times, fraud victims’ funds were stolen directly from the account(s) opened by them at a particular cryptocurrency exchange.

    As part of the fraud scheme, the Conspirators further created fraudulent online investment platforms that falsely displayed monthly returns associated with the fraud victims’ investments. A fraud victim visiting one of the fraudulent investment platforms typically would observe substantial returns on their investment. At times, when a fraud victim requested to withdraw funds from their account, they would be asked by the Conspirators to pay additional money in fees or taxes to withdraw the funds. After paying these fees, the funds would still not be released.

    In total, the Conspirators caused dozens of fraud victims to transmit funds that they believed to be for investments in the aggregate amount of at least approximately $3 million.

    The wire fraud conspiracy charged in Count One carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; the wire fraud charged in Counts Two and Three of the Indictment each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, the conspiracy to commit securities fraud charged in Count Four of the Indictment carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; the conspiracy to commit identity theft charged in Count Five of the Indictment carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; and the aggravated identity theft counts charged in each carry a mandatory minimum sentence of two years and a $250,000 fine.

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission today filed a civil complaint against all three defendants based on the same conduct.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI – Newark Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado, with the investigation leading to the indictment.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony P. Torntore and Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    24-450

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Chowan County Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    RALEIGH, N.C. – Kevin Lassiter, of Tyner, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for possession of child pornography after online CyberTips led local sheriff’s deputies to search his devices.  On August 5, 2024, Lassiter, 40, pled guilty to the charge.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, on September 27, 2023, the Perquimans County Sheriff’s Office received 12 CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).  Electronic service providers submit CyberTips to NCMEC to report users who possess child sexual abuse material on their systems.  A cloud-based storage provider for the Verizon network reported 12 CyberTips of a user uploading images depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sex acts between July 29 to August 25, 2023.

    Investigators were able to link the tips, through an associate phone number, to Lassiter, and a residential billing address in Tyner.  Investigators confirmed Lassiter’s address and found that he was a registered sex offender after state convictions in 2013 for 3rd degree sexual exploitation of a minor in Carteret County. 

    Later the same day, investigators obtained and executed a search warrant for Lassiter’s residence.  During a search with Lassiter present, investigators found a Samsung Galaxy phone on the stairwell that rang when they dialed the number associated with the CyberTips. 

    Investigators seized a computer downstairs at a desk, which Lassiter admitted was his. The computer was connected to a USB hub with four cables plugged into it, but no devices connected to those cables. Deputies then found multiple hard drives under the desk. When they picked up a 6TB Western Digital MyBook hard drive, Lassiter called out that it was a router. After a deputy responded that it was a hard drive and would be seized, Lassiter became noticeably distraught and hung his head. 

    During a recorded interview at the sheriff’s office, Lassiter admitted the device he claimed was a router was a hard drive that contained child pornography.  Lassiter explained that he would copy images from the hard drive to his phone.

    A forensic review of the 6TB Western Digital external hard drive revealed approximately 10,000 files of child sexual abuse material.  The files included infants through teenage minors, with an estimated 90% of files depicting minors 10 years old or younger.

    Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle.  The Perquimans County Sherriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-0014-BO.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Court Permanently Prohibits Ohio Physician From Prescribing Opioids and Imposes $4.7 Million Judgment for Alleged Unlawful Opioid Distribution

    Source: US FBI

    CLEVELAND – A federal court prohibited a Sandusky, Ohio-area physician from prescribing opioids and other controlled substances and ordered him to pay $4.7 million in a case alleging violations of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and the False Claims Act (FCA).

    In a civil complaint filed in August 2018, the United States alleged that Gregory Gerber, MD, age 59, of Port Clinton, Ohio, who operated an office in Sandusky, unlawfully issued prescriptions without a legitimate medical basis for opioids and other controlled substances in violation of the CSA and the FCA. The complaint alleged that one patient died from an overdose of fentanyl patches prescribed by Gerber. The complaint further alleged that Gerber received kickback payments from a drug manufacturer as part of a scheme to unlawfully prescribe Subsys, a powerful opioid drug containing fentanyl, in violation of the FCA.

    “Medical professionals who knowingly facilitate the abuse of opioids violate their legal obligations,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will pursue justice against anyone who seeks to profit from unlawfully prescribing opioids.”

    “All doctors must follow the law when prescribing opioids — their patients, and the public more generally, rely on such compliance,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Gerber’s patients trusted him. But instead of safeguarding that trust, Gerber accepted payments from a drug company in exchange for prescribing dangerous, addictive drugs and wrote thousands of prescriptions that were not for a legitimate medical purpose. Our office will use all available tools — civil and criminal — to fight the opioid epidemic and protect patients and their families so that doctors like Gerber do not profit from abusing our healthcare system.” 

    “Dr. Gerber betrayed the trust placed in him and willfully violated his oath to protect the public and the provisions of the Controlled Substance Act,” said Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s Detroit Field Division. “His reckless behavior contributed to the opioid crisis gripping the nation and brought suffering to many communities in northern Ohio. This ruling will hopefully deter other medical practitioners who are inclined to put profit over patient health and safety.”

    “Health care professionals who exploit opioid addiction for financial gain do so at the risk of endangering their patients and undermining critical public health efforts to address the opioid epidemic,” said Deputy Inspector General Christian J. Schrank of Investigations of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to work to ensure that bad actors are held accountable for such schemes in order to protect both patients and taxpayers.”

    “Ignoring the law by distributing prescriptions to opioids for illicit profit harms the communities that physicians are meant to help,” said Executive Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch. “The FBI is glad that Gerber will not be able to prescribe controlled substances ever again.”

    Gerber agreed to a consent judgment to settle the allegations in the complaint. The order entered by the court permanently prohibits Gerber from prescribing opioids or other controlled substances, permanently prohibits him from managing, owning or controlling any entity that dispenses controlled substances and requires Gerber to pay approximately $4.7 million under the FCA. Gerber was also sentenced in March to 42 months in prison and one year of home confinement in a related criminal case brought by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.

    U.S. District Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick entered the judgment and permanent injunction in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. In August 2018, Judge Helmick issued a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction prohibiting Gerber from prescribing opioids or other controlled substances.

    The DEA, FBI, HHS-OIG, Ohio Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy and State Medical Board of Ohio investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Fitzgerald and Angelita Cruz Bridges for the Northern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Scott B. Dahlquist of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch handled the case.

    The claims made in the complaint are allegations that the United States would need to prove by a preponderance of the evidence if the case proceeded to trial.

    View Consent Decree

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Baldwinsville Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    Kenneth Koegel, Jr. Has a Prior Conviction for Sexual Abuse in the 1st Degree Involving a 6-Year-Old

    SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Kenneth Koegel, Jr., age 40, of Baldwinsville, New York pled guilty today to seven (7) counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child, one count of Commission of a Felony Offense Involving a Minor by a Registered Sex Offender, one count of Distribution of Child Pornography, and one count of Receipt of Child Pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement.

    As part of his guilty plea today, Koegel admitted that he was previously convicted in 2004 in Monroe County (New York) Court of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree for exposing his penis to a 6-year-old girl in a public park and touching her vagina with his hand, and that he was required to register as a sex offender because of that conviction. He further admitted that starting in or about 2014 and continuing until October 2022, he sexually abused a girl from the time she was approximately 2 years old until she was approximately 9 years old. During that time, Koegel created numerous sexually explicit images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of his victim, including Koegel subjecting her to multiple sex acts. He also used a social messaging application to distribute the material he produced to someone else, with whom he also traded thousands of other child pornography files.

    Sentencing is scheduled for March 5, 2025, before United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. If the Court accepts the parties’ agreed-upon disposition, Koegel will be sentenced to serve between 35 and 50-years imprisonment, with a lifetime term of supervised release to follow. Koegel also will have to pay restitution to the victim of his exploitation and to the victims in whose depictions he trafficked. He also will continue to be required to register as a sex offender upon release.

    The case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force – comprised of FBI Special Agents, and state and local police investigators, including from the New York State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.

    Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

    Source: US FBI

    Rebecca C. Lutzko, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, joins national, state, and local leaders in recognizing June 15, 2024, as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.  Since 2006, leaders and organizations around the world have commemorated this day to promote awareness and increase understanding of the many forms of elder abuse and the resources available to those at risk.

    Highlighting the partnership between law enforcement and the public, U.S. Attorney Lutzko emphasized the importance of awareness and education.

    “Elder abuse often takes the form of fraud.  Together with our law enforcement partners, we aggressively investigate and prosecute individuals, organizations, and networks who lie to older adults in our community, attempting to steal money from them through a scam,” said U.S. Attorney Lutzko.  “Every day, more and more scammers pretend to call or email from a government entity or well-known business and attempt to obtain personal identity and financial information from older adults and others, which they then use to commit financial crimes.  We hope that by bringing awareness to this issue, more of us will look out for our family and friends who might be the target of such a crime, and report it to federal, state, or local authorities.”

    Elder abuse is an act that knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causes or creates a serious risk of harm to an older person by a family member, caregiver, or other person who is in or creates a trust relationship.  Such harm may be financial, physical, sexual, or psychological.  The Justice Department maintains a variety of programs and initiatives to combat elder abuse.

    The Justice Department’s Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force includes federal and state agencies that work together to investigate and prosecute foreign-based schemes that target older Americans.  This initiative also provides the public with information to guard against both traditional scams, like tech-support fraud, as well as trending schemes, such as romance scams.

    Some fraudsters take a different tack in abusing older adults, using them as unwitting money mules to move the proceeds of illegal activity that they have already committed.  Preying on the good will or financial vulnerability of their targets, scammers recruit people, many times older victims, to participate in schemes to move money from the scammers’ crimes, in ways that avoid notice.  Scammers might recruit people to act as money mules through online job ads or social media postings, seeking people to send or receive money or packages, or to open accounts and forward money.  The Justice Department’s Money Mule Initiative identifies and addresses this type of activity to disrupt these fraud schemes, and helps people learn how to recognize the signs of suspicious activity.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio continues to work with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute elder-abuse crimes that touch our District.  Most recently, the Office prosecuted a case in which two men ran a “grandparent scam” where they pretended to be a relative, or an attorney for a relative, and claimed that the family member needed money for bail to get out of jail.  This scheme caused the victims a combined loss of more than $383,932.  In another case, a lottery scheme took more than $260,000 from older adults. The fraudsters contacted people by mail or phone and told them that they had won a lottery or sweepstakes.  But they required the victims to pay upfront fees or taxes to claim the purported “prize.”  In yet another instance, the Office prosecuted a woman for forging the victim’s signature on a power of attorney form so she could take money from the victim’s financial accounts.  In each case, these fraudsters caused older adults and their families financial loss and emotional turmoil.

    To help older individuals and their families identify and avoid fraudulent activity, the Justice Department provides periodic Senior Scam Alerts with information about the tactics used in specific schemes.   For example, in Social Security Administration Impostor schemes, scammers impersonate government administrators and tell victims that there has been suspicious activity in connection with their social security account, or that their account is suspended, and claim that the victim must provide their Social Security number for confirmation.  In Tech Support scams, fraudsters contact victims, sometimes through internet pop-up messages, to warn about non-existent computer problems.  They then ask that the victim give them remote access to their computer and the fraudster will lie and say their computer has a problem, and then demand large sums of money for unnecessary services to fix the “problem.”  In Lottery scams, telemarketers falsely notify victims that they have won a sweepstakes and tell them they must first pay fees for shipping, insurance, customs duties, or taxes before they can claim their prizes.

    To learn more about the Department’s elder-justice efforts, please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page.

    In addition, representatives of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio periodically speak about elder-fraud issues at community presentations throughout northern Ohio.  If an organization is interested in coordinating such a presentation, they can contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (216) 622-3600 or at usaohn.contact@usdoj.gov.

    Finally, if you observe something that you believe might be fraudulent conduct involving an older adult, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov to report it.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Antlers Resident Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Clyde Park Crews III, age 34, of Antlers, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction.

    The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

    On September 4, 2024, Crews pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, between December 2022 and May 2023, Crews induced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct in order to produce and transmit images of that conduct on the internet.

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

    We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement.  You can file a report through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-843-5678 or online at www.cybertipline.com, through the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or through Homeland Security Investigations at 1-877-4-HSI TIP.

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Crews will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.

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  • PM Modi: ₹21,000 crore invested in education sector in North-East over last decade

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the Rising North East Summit in New Delhi, underscored the pivotal role of skill development in accelerating growth and shaping a secure future for the region. He said the North-East offers a conducive environment for progress in this direction, with the central government consistently investing in education and capacity-building efforts.
     
    The Prime Minister informed that over the last ten years, ₹21,000 crore has been allocated to the education sector in the North-East. This has led to the establishment of more than 800 new schools, nine new medical colleges, two new Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs), and the region’s first All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
     
    Further emphasizing the region’s growing educational infrastructure, he said a new campus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) has been set up in Mizoram. In addition, nearly 200 skill development institutes have been established across the region to support youth empowerment and employment.
     
    The Prime Minister also highlighted major strides in the field of sports. He said the country’s first Sports University is being developed in the North-East, supported by significant investment under the Khelo India initiative. So far, eight Khelo India Centres of Excellence and over 250 Khelo India Centres have been set up to nurture sports talent across the region.
     
    He said the North-East is now emerging as a hub of top-tier talent across various sectors and urged industries and investors to explore the vast opportunities the region presents.

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bismarck Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

    Source: US FBI

    HOT SPRINGS, ARK. – Aaron Edward Briggs, 28, formerly of Morgan City, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday to thirty (30) years in prison without the possibility of parole on one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor via the Production of Child Pornography. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Hot Springs.

    According to court documents, in 2019, Briggs met and began a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old female. During the course of the sexual relationship, Briggs sent a picture of his genitals to the minor via Facebook Messenger. During a subsequent online conversation, Briggs requested that the minor take and send him sexually explicit images of herself. The evidence recovered during the investigation revealed numerous sexually explicit images of the minor that were sent to Briggs.

    Acting U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigations, Little Rock Division investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyra Jenner prosecuted the case for the United States.

    This case was prosecuted 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former UC Davis and Davis Club Water Polo Coach Sentenced to Over Seven Years in Prison for Distribution of Visual Depictions of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct

    Source: US FBI

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Daniel Joseph Noble, 28, residing in San Diego County, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to seven years and three months in prison for knowing distribution of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Noble was also ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.

    According to court records, between March 10, 2022, and April 12, 2022, Noble participated in a Kik private group chat dedicated to sharing videos of children being sexually abused or exploited. Noble shared over a dozen video files with the Kik group. Some of those files that Noble shared showed prepubescent minors being sexually and sadistically abused by adults. At the time he engaged in this conduct, Noble was working as the assistant water polo coach for UC Davis men’s team and the associated youth team.

    “This sentence of more than seven years sends a clear message that this content and the horrific abuse it depicts is neither legal nor acceptable in our society,” Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office stated. “The FBI continues to make the pursuit of individuals who produce, share, and consume content that is the result of abuse of a child a top priority. We are deeply committed to working with our law enforcement partners and prosecutors in an effort to protect children.”

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Sacramento and in Jacksonville, Florida, and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Attorney General Garland Honors U.S. Department of Justice Employees and Others for Their Service at Annual Awards Ceremony

    Source: US FBI

    SAN DIEGO – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the recipients of the annual Attorney General’s Awards recognizing extraordinary work of Justice Department employees and others. Recipients included several San Diego-based federal prosecutors and San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan.

    “Each of today’s recipients has served with distinction, and in so doing, they have enabled the Justice Department to advance its work on behalf of the American people,” said Attorney General Garland. “Their exceptional leadership, heroism, and dedication have benefited people and communities across the country.”

    San Diego recipients include:

    • Chief of National Security and Cybercrimes John Parmley; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fred Sheppard and Sabrina Feve; FBI Special Agents Amy Poling, Adam James, Marina Shalfeyeva, Nicholas Arico, and Udell Hardy; and FBI Supervisory Special Agent Edison Constante. They received the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security, which recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions toward protecting U.S. national security. They were singled out for their work on an espionage case. Please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/four-chinese-nationals-working-ministry-state-security-charged-global-computer.

      “This extraordinary team identified and exposed a worldwide computer-hacking campaign,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath.  “Their perseverance and dedication disrupted China’s efforts to steal trade secrets and sensitive data from universities, companies, and governmental organizations around the globe.”
       

    • First Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Ko, second-in-command of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, was recognized for exemplary leadership over the course of his DOJ career. “Mr. Ko has demonstrated outstanding professionalism and commitment to justice for more than two decades,” McGrath said. “I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.”
       
    • San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan received the Attorney General’s Award for Meritorious Public Service. Each year the DOJ gives out just one award for meritorious public service nationwide. The award is designed to recognize significant contributions of citizens and organizations that have assisted the Department in accomplishing its mission and objectives.

      “During Summer Stephan’s tenure as DA, San Diego has remained one of the safest large cities in America,” McGrath said. “Collaborative law enforcement relationships have been a hallmark of DA Stephan’s leadership.  Her work with Department of Justice partners has resulted in dozens of high-impact cases, from fentanyl trafficking and elder fraud to illegal firearms and violent crime.”

    For a comprehensive list of all award winners, please see https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-honors-justice-department-employees-and-partners-70th-and.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI San Diego Warns of Romance Scams

    Source: US FBI

    SAN DIEGO—Scammers are targeting victims using online dating sites. A whirlwind online romance can turn into fraud that causes victims to lose large amounts of money. Romance scams, a type of confidence fraud, begin when an individual believes they are in a romantic relationship and is tricked into sending money, personal information, financial information, or items of value to the perpetrator. They may also be deceived into laundering money or other valuable items to assist the perpetrator.

    In a romance scam, the scammers target and take advantage of people looking for companionship or romantic partners and con them out of their money. The criminals who carry out romance scams typically target victims via social media messaging and emails with the intention of establishing a relationship and building trust as quickly as possible.

    Confidence fraud/romance scams have resulted in one of the highest amounts of financial losses when compared to other Internet-facilitated crimes. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received more than 19,000 complaints about confidence fraud in 2022, with reported losses of nearly $740 million.

    FBI San Diego is monitoring a trend where romance scams turn into crypto investment fraud schemes. The scam starts similarly as an online relationship, but instead of asking for cash, the scammer convinces the victim to invest in cryptocurrency. To demonstrate the returns on investment, victims are directed to websites that appear authentic but are instead controlled by the scammer. Once the victim makes a purchase, they are unable to cash out their investments and the scammer disappears.

    If you develop a relationship with someone you meet online, FBI San Diego suggests the following tips to avoid becoming a victim of a romance scam:

    • If it doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t. Trust your instincts.
    • If you suspect an online relationship is a scam, stop all contact immediately.
    • Do not give any personal information or money to anyone you have only communicated with by telephone or online.
    • Be careful what you post online. Scammers can use details shared on social media platforms and dating sites to legitimize their story.
    • If you are planning to meet someone in person you have met online, proceed with caution, especially if you plan to travel to a foreign country. Review the State Department’s travel advisories before arranging travel. (travel.state.gov)

    Anyone who believes they’ve been a victim of fraud or knows someone who may be a victim should file a report on ic3.gov or call the FBI San Diego Field Office at (858) 320-1800. For more information on romance scams, visit www.fbi.gov/romancescams.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Colorado Recidivist Sex Offender Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Crimes Against Children

    Source: US FBI

    DENVER – A Colorado man was sentenced yesterday to 35 years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release for his distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and involvement with a dark-web website dedicated to CSAM.

    According to court documents, while still on parole for a 2013 Colorado conviction for sexual exploitation of a child, registered sex offender Christopher Carl Meier, 41, of Denver, became a member of a dark-web website dedicated to CSAM depicting boys and the discussion of the sexual abuse of minor boys. On July 9, Meier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute CSAM and five counts of distribution of CSAM. Meier was a member of the website for more than 18 months and made more than 600 posts on the website. On this website, Meier advertised and distributed images and videos depicting minor boys engaged in sexual conduct. He made statements on the website admitting that he produced this material by tricking the boys into thinking that they were interacting online with a girl their own age, and by enticing them to disrobe and engage in sex acts on webcam. The FBI is aware of at least 65 victims of Meier’s conduct.

    Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Kirsch for the District of Colorado; Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Special Agent in Charge Mark D. Michalek of the FBI Denver Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Child Exploitation Operational Unit and Denver Field Office investigated the case.

    Acting Deputy Chief Kyle Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alecia L. Riewerts for the District of Colorado prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nye County Resident Sentenced to Prison for Distribution and Receipt of More Than 250,000 Images of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – A Pahrump, Nye County, resident was sentenced today by United States District Judge James C. Mahan to 108 months in prison followed by a lifetime term of supervised release for distributing and receiving more than 250,000 images depicting the sexual abuse of children as young as infants on an online peer-to-peer file sharing network.

    David Michael Burak (41) pleaded guilty on February 24, 2023, to distribution or receipt of child pornography.

    According to court documents, investigators with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force were investigating the sharing of child sexual abuse material on a peer-to-peer file sharing network. During the investigation, it was observed that a device was distributing files depicting child sexual abuse material. On July 19, 2022, investigators executed a search warrant on Burak’s residence. Part of the residence was used for a daycare business catering to pre-school age children. Investigators seized multiple digital devices that were later found to contain more than 250,000 files of child sexual abuse material. Forensics also showed that Burak used these devices to receive and make available for download files of child sexual abuse material on the internet.

    United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

    The FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. United States Attorney Supriya Prasad prosecuted the case.

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

    Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or online at www.cybertipline.org.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Las Vegas Resident Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Sex Trafficking

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Richard F. Boulware II to 10 years in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release for attempted child sex trafficking and possession of child sexual abuse material.

    James Allen Wynhoff (41) pleaded guilty in September 2022 to attempted sex trafficking and possession of child pornography. In addition to the prison term, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Wynhoff is required to register as a sex offender.

    According to court documents, on March 31, 2022, Wynhoff contacted a person he believed to be a 15-year-old child on the messaging application Kik. Through Kik messages, he solicited and agreed to pay $100 to the child to have sex with him. Furthermore, Wynhoff admitted to possessing 11 videos of child sexual abuse material depicting children as young as toddlers. He has a federal felony conviction in Utah for Interstate Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Contact.

    United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

    The FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Supriya Prasad prosecuted the case.

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

    If you suspect that you have information about possible child sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • Taliban in talks with Russia, China for trade transactions in local currencies

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Taliban administration is in advanced talks with Russia for banks from both sanctions-hit economies to settle trade transactions worth hundreds of millions of dollars in their local currencies, Afghanistan’s acting commerce minister said.

    The Afghan government has made similar proposals to China, the minister, Haji Nooruddin Azizi, told Reuters on Thursday. Some discussions have been held with the Chinese embassy in Kabul, he said.

    The proposal with Russia, Azizi said, was being worked on by technical teams from the two countries. The move comes as Moscow focuses on using national currencies to shift reliance away from the dollar and as Afghanistan faces a stark drop in the U.S. currency entering the country due to aid cuts.

    “We are currently engaged in specialised discussions on this matter, considering the regional and global economic perspectives, sanctions, and the challenges Afghanistan is currently facing, as well as those Russia is dealing with. Technical discussions are underway,” Azizi said in an interview at his office in Kabul.

    The Chinese foreign ministry and the Russian central bank did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    Azizi added that annual bilateral trade between Russia and Afghanistan was currently around $300 million and that was likely to grow substantially as the two sides boost investment. His administration expected Afghanistan to buy more petroleum products and plastics from Russia, he said.

    “I am confident that this is a very good option…we can use this option for benefit and interests of our people and our country,’ Azizi said.

    “We want to take steps in this area with China as well,” he said, adding Afghanistan had around $1 billion in trade with China each year. “A working team composed of members from the (Afghan) Ministry of Commerce and the Chinese embassy which is an authorized body representing China in economic programmes has been formed, and talks are ongoing.”

    Afghanistan’s financial sector has been largely cut off from the global banking system due to sanctions placed on some leaders of the ruling Taliban, which took over the country in 2021 as foreign forces withdrew.

    Rivalry with China and fallout from Russia’s war in Ukraine have put the dollar’s status as the world’s dominant currency under fresh scrutiny in recent years.

    In December, Russian President Vladimir Putin questioned the need to hold state reserves in foreign currencies since they could easily be confiscated for political reasons, saying that domestic investment of such reserves was more attractive.

    The dollar has had a lock on commodity trading, allowing Washington to hinder market access for producer nations from Russia to Venezuela and Iran.

    Afghanistan since 2022 has imported gas, oil and wheat from Russia, the first major economic deal after the Taliban returned to power facing international isolation following 20 years of war against U.S.-led forces.

    Billions of dollars in cuts to aid to Afghanistan, accelerated this year by the United States, have meant far fewer dollars, which are flown in cash for humanitarian operations, are entering the country.

    Development agencies and economists say the Afghani currency has so far remained relatively stable but may face challenges in future.

    Azizi said that the stability of the currency and his administration’s efforts to boost international investment including with the Afghan diaspora, would prevent a shortage of U.S. dollars in the country.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Global: International Booker prize 2025: six experts review the shortlisted novels, including winner Heart Lamp

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Helen Vassallo, Associate Professor of French and Translation, University of Exeter

    Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq has won the 2025 International Booker prize. Here, our literature experts review the book and the other five novels that were shortlisted for the prize.

    Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasthi

    Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp shines a light on the lives of Muslim women in rural India. In a bold and memorable translation from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi, this quietly powerful collection of short stories opens up the intimate space of domestic rituals and family tensions.

    Mushtaq’s fervent advocacy of women’s rights is evident in the compassion with which she brings to life the women in the stories: from the lack of autonomy suffered by young girls forced into wedlock to the indignity of an older woman obliged to accept her husband taking a second wife or a widow whose son arranges a new marriage for her, the women’s lives are dictated by men.

    Heart Lamp is perhaps best summed up in the final story, “Be a Woman Once, O Lord!” Throughout these stories, Mushtaq invites us – and whichever male deity might be listening – to walk in the shoes of women overlooked by an unquestioned patriarchal hierarchy.

    Helen Vassallo, Associate Professor of French and Translation



    Read more:
    Heart Lamp by the Indian writer Banu Mushtaq wins 2025 International Booker prize – a powerful collection of stories inspired by the real suffering of women

    Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami, translated by Asa Yoneda

    Hiromi Kawakami’s Under the Eye of the Big Bird offers us glimpses of one imagined future for earth and humanity.

    Its vision could be described as post-apocalyptic. After unspecified cataclysmic events, humans exist only in tiny, scattered communities and extinction seems imminent. But this is also a beautiful, if dreamlike, world and one in which humanity still has the potential for astonishing growth and change.

    Each chapter introduces something new and startling to the reader. Many of the tropes are familiar – cloning, superpowers, mutation, AI. Yet they are configured in unfamiliar ways and prompt reflections on the nature of humanity and our relationship with the rest of creation – as well as on time, religion and the possibility of an afterlife.

    Despite grappling with so many huge questions, Under the Eye of the Big Bird is an accessible and absorbing novel. And, although tragedy is never far away, there remains humour – and hope.

    Sarah Annes Brown, Professor of English Literature

    A Leopard-Skin Hat by Anne Serre, translated by Mark Hutchinson

    Published in France in 2008 as Un chapeau léopard, A Leopard-Skin Hat is a novel about a friendship spanning 20 years between a woman called Fanny and a man known throughout only as “the Narrator”. He is not, though, the narrator of the novel. Rather, an unknown storyteller tells us how the Narrator sees Fanny gradually lose the fight against madness (the novel’s word) and, in the end, death.

    This is a novel about the mystery of other people, about how unknowable others are to us. It explores how we narrate to try to understand people who are not us, but whom we love. What is most extraordinary about Serre’s novel is the way it shows us two friends doing very ordinary things – going out for dinner, going on holiday, walking in the countryside and swimming in lakes – but shows us through this the strangeness and complexity of friendship, love and life.

    Leigh Wilson, Professor of English Literature



    Read more:
    A Leopard-Skin Hat by Anne Serre explores what its like being human in relation to other human beings

    Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, translated by Sophie Hughes

    Perfection is a slim account of the way that time “disappears” for Anna and Tom, an expat couple living in Berlin as creative freelancers in the 2010s.

    Written in homage to Georges Perec’s Things: The Story of the Sixties (1965), the novel opens with an overbearing description of the items in their apartment, moving in and out of the characters’ dissatisfaction with the aesthetic, social, creative, economic and political routes open to them in 120 pages spanning a little over 10 years.

    As international elections, the European refugee crises and climate catastrophe dance in and out of their peripheral vision, Anna and Tom find neither satisfaction with their current moment nor successfully imagine a better one. As such, Latronico gently, but with an increasing sense of fatalism, considers the stagnation of a millennial creative class whose views on influence, status, power and happiness remain deeply linked to the “new emotions” of digital mediation.

    By Rachel Sykes, Associate Professor in Contemporary Literature and Culture

    On The Calculation of Volume I by Solvej Balle, translated by Barbara Haveland

    In On The Calculation of Volume, a woman, Tara Selter, finds herself trapped in an endlessly repeating day, November 18. Volume I, the first of seven books, recounts the first 365 days of this time loop, with Tara attempting to make sense of her predicament, to explain it to her husband – who is still bound by the normal rules of time – and to try to fix whatever has initiated this situation.

    As the novel continues, it becomes less focused on the novelty of the situation and more on the philosophical questions it raises: the alternate claustrophobia and liberation of replaying the same day; how our friends and partners sometimes feel like they inhabit a different reality; the way in which time pulls things and people apart; of the importance we place in the idea of “tomorrow”.

    What’s remarkable about Balle’s novel is how compulsive it is – even though we know time is standing still, we still want to know what will happen next.

    David Hering, Senior Lecturer in English Literature

    Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix, translated by Helen Stevenson

    Vincent Delecroix’s Small Boat is a slim, bruising novel that centres on a real horror: the drowning of 27 migrants in the English Channel in November 2021. In a small, inflatable craft, they reached out over crackling radio lines, asking for help that never came.

    Small Boat focuses not on the migrants themselves, but on a French coastguard operator who spent that night on the radio, fielding their calls for rescue. Delecroix’s brilliance lies in showing how violence at the border is carried out not by villains, but by workers. It was not evil that allowed those people to die in the water, it was a string of decisions made by people in warm rooms who believed they were doing their jobs.

    In a world ever more brutal towards those who flee war, hunger and despair, Delecroix’s novel is a necessary – and merciless – indictment. It reminds us that the shipwreck is not theirs alone. It is ours too.

    Fiona Murphy, Assistant Professor in Refugee and Intercultural Studies



    Read more:
    Small Boat: this slim, devastating novel about a real migrant shipwreck reminds us of the cruelty of indifference

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. International Booker prize 2025: six experts review the shortlisted novels, including winner Heart Lamp – https://theconversation.com/international-booker-prize-2025-six-experts-review-the-shortlisted-novels-including-winner-heart-lamp-255464

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Reno Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Receiving Thousands of Images and Videos of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: US FBI

    RENO, Nev. – A Reno resident was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Larry R. Hicks to 10 years in prison followed by lifetime supervised release for receiving more than 3,000 sexually explicit images and videos of children. Judge Hicks ordered $108,000 in total restitution: $68,000 in restitution to the 10 known victims, $5,000 in restitution under the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act of 2015, and $35,000 in restitution under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.

    Ryan Thomas Eley (26) pleaded guilty in March of 2023 to one count of receipt of child pornography. In addition to imprisonment, Eley will be required under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act to register as a sex offender.

    According to court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children forwarded at least 12 CyberTips to law enforcement. Law enforcement determined the IP address was being used by Eley. On August 4, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Eley’s residence and seized USB flash drives, an external hard drive, and a cell phone belonging to him. Forensic analysis of the seized devices revealed that some of the images and videos depicted prepubescent children — including children under 12 years old — engaged in sexually explicit conduct and intercourse with adults. In total, over 2,700 images and over 400 videos of child sexual abuse material were recovered from electronic devices seized from Eley.

    United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

    This case was investigated by the FBI, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Sparks Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Randolph J. St. Clair prosecuted the case.

    The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or https://report.cybertip.org.

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