NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luttrell Introduces the Tribal Gaming Regulatory Compliance Act

    Source:

    WASHINGTON — Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) and Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (D-TX) introduced the Tribal Gaming Regulatory Compliance Act to ensure the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas, along with all other federally recognized Tribes eligible for gaming, are regulated under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).

    “I’m proud to introduce the Tribal Gaming Regulatory Compliance Act to ensure these Tribes have equal opportunities for economic growth and job creation,” said Congressman Luttrell. “Clarifying that the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe is covered under IGRA will allow them to continue investing in their community and providing essential government services on the reservation.”

    “Equality for all federally recognized tribes is long overdue,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “Following the 2022 Supreme Court ruling in Ysleta del Sur Pueblo et al v. Texas, this legislation is a continuation of our bipartisan efforts to codify equal treatment and opportunities under the law.” 

    Congressman Luttrell previously introduced this legislation in the 118th Congress. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Pfluger Introduces Bill to Protect Small Biotech Companies

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11), alongside Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Congressman David Kustoff (TN-08), introduced legislation to protect innovative small biotech manufacturers from the Medicare drug price negotiation program. The Small Biotech Innovation Act will establish a new exemption for small biotech companies based on the amount of revenue they reinvest in research and development.

    “The Inflation Reduction Act has proven to fall short in several areas, including its small biotech exemption that disincentivizes companies from investing in R&D and hinders the development of innovative therapies. By tying eligibility to R&D spending, we can better incentivize companies to develop new treatments that will benefit patients nationwide,” said Rep. Pfluger. “The bicameral Small Biotech Innovation Act is a forward-thinking approach that will strengthen America’s leadership in life-saving science by modernizing the small biotech exemption to reward real innovation and research investment, and ultimately protect these innovative small biotech companies.”

    “When the federal government stands in the way of developing better care, there’s a problem. The cures developed through small biotech innovation change the future for many patients. Instead of limiting it, we should encourage it,” said Dr. Cassidy.

    “It is critical that the United States remains at the forefront of developing new medical technologies, treatments, and drugs,” said Rep. Kustoff. “The Small Biotech Innovation Act will help smaller companies invest in research and development by alleviating the excessive Biden-era regulations placed on them. This legislation is an important step in boosting innovation and helping find new cures for patients across the globe.”

    Read the full text of the legislation

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 20 million workers set to benefit from new Pension Schemes Bill

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    20 million workers set to benefit from new Pension Schemes Bill

    Millions of people across the UK will find it easier to manage and get more from their pensions thanks to the Government’s new Pension Schemes Bill.

    • The Pension Schemes Bill will tackle schemes delivering poor returns for savers, combine smaller pension pots, and create bigger and better pension funds.
    • These measures will drive costs down and returns up on workers’ retirement savings – putting more money in people’s pockets as part of the Plan for Change.

    Millions of people planning their retirement will find it easier to manage and get more from their pension pots thanks to the new Pension Schemes Bill introduced today [Thursday 5 June].

    The Bill is designed to support working people plan for their retirement by making pensions simpler to understand, easier to manage, and drive better value over the long term – delivering on the Plan for Change to put more money into people’s pockets.

    One of its biggest benefits is the merging of small pension pots. Many people build up several small pensions as they move between jobs, and these can be hard to keep track of. The new rules will bring these pots together, helping savers see their full pension picture in one place.

    The Bill also introduces a new system to show how well pension schemes are performing, this will help savers understand whether their scheme is giving them good value and protect them from getting stuck in underperforming schemes for years on end, to help working people feel more secure about their retirement savings.

    For those approaching retirement, the Bill will require schemes to offer clear default options for turning savings into a retirement income. This means people will have clearer, more secure routes to decide how they use their pension money over time. 

    Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:

    Hardworking people across the UK deserve their pensions to work as hard for them as they have worked to save, and our reforms will deliver a huge boost to future generations of pensioners.

    The Bill is about securing better value for savers’ pensions and driving long-term investment in British businesses to boost economic growth in our country.

    As part of our Plan for Change we’re helping people find work, stay in work, and ensuring that work pays them back to give them the secure income in retirement they deserve.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: 

    The Bill is a game changer, delivering bigger pension pots for savers and driving £50 billion of investment directly into the UK economy– putting more money into people’s pockets through the Plan for Change.

    The Bill will transform the £2 trillion pensions landscape to ensure savers get good returns for each pound they save, and drive investment into the economy, through a suite of measures, including:

    • Requiring DC schemes to prove they are value for money, to protect savers from getting stuck in underperforming schemes. 
    • Simplifying retirement choices, with all pension schemes offering default routes to an income in retirement. 
    • Bringing together small pension pots worth £1,000 or less into one pension scheme that is certified as delivering good value to savers, making pension saving less hassle and more rewarding. 
    • New rules creating multi-employer DC scheme “megafunds” of at least £25 billion, so that bigger and better pension schemes can drive down costs and invest in a wider range of assets. 
    • Consolidating and professionalising the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), with assets held in six pools that can invest in local areas infrastructure, housing and clean energy.
    • Increased flexibility for Defined Benefit (DB) pension schemes to safely release surplus worth collectively £160 billion, to support employers’ investment plans and to benefit scheme members. 

    Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell said: 

    We are ramping up the pace of pensions reform. Workers deserve to get better bang for each buck saved, and these sweeping reforms will make sure they do.

    Pension saving is a long game, but getting this right is urgent so that millions can look forward to a higher income in retirement.

    The Pension Schemes Bill is part of this Government’s significant pension reform agenda. It follows the major consolidation of the UK pension system set out in the Pension Investment Review. 

    Today’s legislation will create a more efficient, resilient pension landscape, and lay the foundation for the upcoming Pensions Review to examine outcomes for pensioners and set out how to develop a fair and sustainable pensions system, ultimately benefiting both individual savers and the broader UK economy. 

    Andy Briggs, CEO, Phoenix Group said:

    The Bill sets a clear direction for the future of pensions with the emphasis on building scale and ensuring savers receive value for money. People across the country will feel the impact of these changes with plans to consolidate small pots, ensure the dashboard delivers and provide default retirement income options at the point of retirement. Individually these initiatives would be significant but in combination they have the potential make a significant difference to people’s retirement across the UK and we look forward to working through the detail with government and other stakeholders.

    Patrick Heath-Lay, Chief Executive, People’s Partnership said: 

    This is a pivotal moment in pension reform. The Bill contains many measures that will require providers to deliver better outcomes for savers and improve the workplace pension system.

    Ian Cornelius, CEO, NEST said: 

    At Nest, everything we do is with our members’ best interests at heart. We believe that large, well-governed schemes can drive great outcomes for their members by using their scale and expertise to diversify where money is invested, and gain access to attractive investment opportunities not available to smaller investors at low cost. I am proud of how Nest has used its scale to invest on behalf of our members, developing sophisticated investment opportunities which generate great risk adjusted returns, and play a role in supporting communities in the UK. We welcome this new Pension Schemes Bill, and the invitation it sends to keep innovating in the best interests of UK savers.

    Nausicaa Delfas, Chief Executive, The Pensions Regulator (TPR) said: 

    The Pension Schemes Bill is a once in a generation opportunity to address unfinished business in the UK pension system. Making sure all schemes are focused on delivering value for money, helping to stop small, and often forgotten pension pots forming, and guiding savers towards the right retirement products for them, will mean savers benefit from a system fit for the future. We have long advocated for fewer, larger well-run schemes with the size and skill to deliver better outcomes for savers. As such we are also pleased to see the proposed legislative framework for DB superfunds, providing options and choice in defined benefit consolidation.

    Michelle Ostermann, Chief Executive, Pension Protection Fund (PPF) said: 

    We welcome the introduction of this important Bill, especially the measures which would give the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) greater flexibility to reduce the levy, enable PPF and Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) member data to be made available for pension dashboards, and better support members with a terminal illness. We will support the government and policy makers as the Bill progresses so we can achieve the best outcomes for all our stakeholders.

    Rocio Concha, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Which? said: 

    Pensions have become far too complex and fragmented, so it’s good to see the government taking steps to simplify them and ensure schemes provide value for money. Which? has campaigned for years for the consolidation of small pots, so we are delighted that this Bill is seeking to do just that – a move that will provide greater value for savers and support them to keep track of their pensions. “Which? looks forward to working with the government to ensure the pensions system is fit for the future.” 

    Jamie Jenkins, Policy Director, Royal London said: 

    The Pension Schemes Bill brings together several initiatives aimed at improving the pensions landscape for savers. While there are still many details to work through, this hopefully marks the start of a long-term strategic plan for pensions.

    Patrick Luthi, CEO, NOW:Pensions said: 

    NOW:Pensions have been campaigning on small pots for a number of years, and we are pleased to see measures to deliver on the ‘multiple default consolidator’ solution included.  We look forward to seeing the details which will be crucial to supporting members in an efficient way

    Further Information

    • To build scale in the pensions industry and stimulate UK investment, the Pension Schemes Bill will: 

    • Require multi-employer Defined Contribution schemes, unless exempt, to have at least £25 billion of assets in their main default arrangement by 2030 or be on route to achieving that scale by 2035 through having £10 billion in their main default.
    • Allow trustees of well-funded Defined Benefit pension schemes to release money back to employers and their scheme members, when safe to do so, unlocking some of the £160 billion surplus funds to be reinvested across the UK economy and boost business productivity and deliver for members.
    • Legislate for Defined Benefit pension scheme superfunds to encourage growth of the superfund market and underpin the security of members’ benefits
    • Remove the restrictions that prevent the Board of the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) from reducing the annual pension protection levy it collects, when it is not required – allowing the PPF to collect less from businesses up and down the country

    • Extend the definition of ‘terminal illness’ in the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme legislation, so that eligible members who are diagnosed as terminally ill can receive payments at an earlier stage of their illness.

    • To ensure better outcomes for savers, the Pension Schemes Bill will:

    • Introduce a Value for Money framework to enable a shift in focus from cost towards value and protect savers from becoming stuck in underperforming arrangements for extended periods.

    • Implement Default Pension Benefit Solutions which will mean savers will still have the options available to them through pension freedoms, but they will get an extra offer of support – through being enrolled into default solution(s) – which could include CDC provision, and they can take this or make their own choices. 

    • Authorise providers to act as a consolidator scheme which will see members pots automatically transferred to their largest pot. This will also aid the building of scale with pots worth £1,000 or less consolidated into a small number of large, good value schemes.
    • Support the introduction of pensions dashboards to improve engagement by providing users with their whole pensions picture, including workplace and state pensions, securely and all in one place online. By providing this comprehensive overview of retirement savings, pensions dashboards will address key barriers to engagement, such as information fragmentation and lack of visibility.

    • Facilitate PPF and FAS information to be displayed on the Government-backed pensions dashboard service provided by the Money and Pensions Service. 

    • The Competent Court measure in the Bill will also re-establish the legal standing of The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) to make enforceable determinations in pensions overpayment recoupment cases without requiring a county court judge’s order, leading to quicker customer journeys and shorter waiting times. 
    • More information on the Government’s Pension Investment Review can be found here: Pensions Investment Review: Final Report – GOV.UK

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Biggest shake-up of jobcentres in decades gets underway

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Biggest shake-up of jobcentres in decades gets underway

    Launch of a new, locally-led approach to jobseeker support begins in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. 

    • Jobs and careers service Pathfinder will test bold ideas including a new Coaching Academy and more personalised jobcentre appointments 
    • Further Pathfinders to be rolled out across the country this year to break down barriers to opportunity and put more money in people’s pockets as part of the Government’s Plan for Change. 

    Jobseekers across the country are set to benefit from a groundbreaking new approach to the service Jobcentres provide. This will include a new Coaching Academy; careers events focused on local growth sectors and more personalised Jobcentre appointments.   

    The jobs and careers service in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, yesterday (Wednesday 4th June) became the first to trial the new scheme – marking the start of the biggest reform of Jobcentres in decades.   

    The Jobcentre will test bold ideas to better work with employers, deliver services and get people into work. The reforms are aimed at involving local areas in the design of services and bring to an end a Whitehall-led, one-size-fits-all approach.   

    Following the launch of the jobs and careers service Pathfinder in Wakefield, further Pathfinders will be rolled out across the country this year as the Government drives forward with its plan to Get Britain Working.

    This is a key part of the growth mission, as we help more people across the country into good, secure jobs so they can get on in life and fulfil their ambitions.

    Minister for Employment, Alison McGovern said:   

    Our one-size-fits-all, tick box approach to jobs support is outdated and does not serve those looking to better their lives through work.   

    We are building a proper public employment service in partnership with local leaders that truly meets community challenges and unlocks opportunity.   

    The launch of the Pathfinder in Wakefield is the first step in this transformation as we continue to Get Britain Working, boost living standards and put more money in people’s pockets, under our Plan for Change.

    The Pathfinder will look at new ways to support customers and how everyone, not just Jobcentre customers, can receive employment support. It is being co-designed with local leaders from West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Wakefield Local Authority.

    As part of this and in a direct response to insight that only 9% of employers currently recruit through Jobcentres, a series of careers events focused on local growth sectors will be delivered in Wakefield to match local talent with local opportunities.

    The first of these events took place during yesterday’s launch and focused on West Yorkshire’s thriving creative sector. It was attended by skills providers and local employers including Production Park – home to sets of Netflix series’ including Bank of Dave. Events to serve the local manufacturing and technology sectors will take place in the coming months and are open to all, not just Jobcentre customers.

    In addition to this tests of a new Get Britain Working ‘Coaching Academy’ to train up DWP staff will help ensure jobseekers receive improved support. Changes to appointments will also mean DWP services in Wakefield will provide more personalised support for claimants to help them move into stable, long-term work.

    Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin said:  

    People stand a better chance of landing a good job when they are treated with dignity and respect at a trusted local Jobcentre. 

    These reforms will empower us to build on our West Yorkshire model of joining up employment support with health and employer-led services, to provide personalised support that gets people into work and puts more money in people’s pockets.

    Working with the government, we’re investing almost £40 million to help guarantee a healthy working life to everyone in our region, and as the test-bed for the new national Jobs and Careers Service, Wakefield will lead the way on transforming our welfare system to get Britain working.

    Wakefield will be the first city to test new ideas for the new jobs and careers service, ensuring that the service and its policies can be scaled up before being rolled out across the nation. Further Pathfinders, including ones that are focused on support for young people and those with health conditions will be launched later this year.  

    The Jobs and Careers Service Pathfinder builds on wider investment in West Yorkshire, including £18 million for an inactivity trailblazer and an NHS Accelerator. The inactivity trailblazer launched in April, to boost employment in areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity, as the government gets Britain back to health and back to work. The NHS Accelerator will help to prevent people from falling out of work completely due to ill health. 

    The Pathfinder comes as the government continues to drive to Get Britain Working through boosting the National Living Wage, creating more secure jobs through the Employment Rights Bill and delivering a Youth Guarantee so every young person is either learning or earning.  

    Further Information

    • Key findings from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) 2024 Employer Survey: DWP Employer Survey 2024 – GOV.UK  
    • The local Get Britain Working Plan guidance has been published: Guidance for Developing local Get Britain Working plans (England) – GOV.UK  
    • The guidance will ensure all areas are working towards the government’s 80% employment ambition.  
    • Employment support measures are fully transferred to Northern Ireland. Jobcentre Plus services is reserved in both Scotland and Wales, but the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government also deliver other forms of employment support. The funding announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper is UK wide, the share of funding for devolved Governments will be calculated in the usual way.  
    • The UK Government also plans to establish new governance arrangements with the Scottish and Welsh Governments to help frame discussions around the reform of Jobcentres and agree how best to work in partnership on shared employment ambition across devolved and reserved provision.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Publication of Parole Board Transparency Review

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Publication of Parole Board Transparency Review

    The Parole Board has today published a review into its transparency

    We are pleased to publish the findings of a review that we commissioned into the transparency of the Parole Board. The review was chaired by two experienced judicial members of the Parole Board, HH Peter Rook KC and HH Michael Topolski KC.

    The review covered a large scope but focused on three main areas:

    • Parole Board public hearings
    • Victims observing private hearings
    • Decision summaries 

    Over 50 stakeholders and interested parties were consulted as part of the review, and we are thankful for their valuable input. We are especially thankful for those who represented the views of victims and offenders in the process.

    We welcome the recommendations within the review. This review is an important step to ensuring the Parole Board continues to evolve our transparency and ensure that victims and the public have access to information that matters to them, whilst ensuring we can continue to provide fair and effective parole reviews for prisoners.

    Commenting on the Parole Board transparency review and its findings, the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Baroness Newlove, said:

    “I welcome this review’s clear call for change. As I know only too well, victims can find the parole system bewildering and traumatic – given little information and no meaningful role in a process that can profoundly affect their safety, wellbeing and peace of mind. These welcome and necessary reforms are key to changing that. Access to a redacted version of the decision will help victims better understand outcomes and reassure them of the care and diligence taken by the Parole Board. I’m also pleased that more victims will have the opportunity to observe parole hearings should they wish – important steps towards a more open and accountable system. I hope these recommendations are acted upon quickly. Victims – and the public – deserve a parole system they can understand, trust and have confidence in.”

    34 recommendations were made by the review, some of which include a recommendation to start a pilot of sharing redacted decisions, instead of decision summaries, and a pilot to test out different forms of holding a public hearing, including alternative observer locations and unsupervised streaming to accredited members of the media and legal bloggers. We will be reviewing the recommendations carefully to decide how we will be taking them forward, consulting our stakeholders on the areas that impact them.

    We will publish further details on the implementation of the recommendations by Autumn 2025.

    Cecilia French, CEO of the Parole Board, said:

    “The Parole Board has made great strides in becoming more transparent over the years, but we are keen to do more. It is important to be able to show people how parole works and how the Parole Board makes decisions so that the public, victims and prisoners can understand the process and have confidence in it.  Victims and survivors and the public should have access to information that matters to them in a way that does not compromise fairness. The transparency review highlights the key areas we should focus on to further progress our transparency agenda. I am looking forward to implementing the recommendations in this review, in consultation with others, and am very grateful to HH Peter Rook KC and HH Michael Topolski KC for their very thorough review, which will help us to improve.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Women on “skinny jabs” must use effective contraception, MHRA urges in latest guidance 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Women on “skinny jabs” must use effective contraception, MHRA urges in latest guidance 

    Anyone who suspects that they’ve had an adverse reaction to their weight loss or diabetes medicine or suspects it is not a genuine product, should report it to the MHRA. 

    Women taking popular medicines for weight loss and diabetes, sometimes referred to as “skinny jabs”, are being reminded to use effective contraception while taking these medicines and, in some cases, for up to two months between stopping the medicine and trying to get pregnant.  

    These medicines must not be taken during pregnancy, while trying to get pregnant, or during breastfeeding. Anyone who gets pregnant while using them should speak to their healthcare professional and stop the medicine as soon as possible. This is because there is not enough safety data to know whether taking the medicine could cause harm to the baby. 

    Effective contraception includes oral (the pill) and non-oral (the implant, coil or condoms) forms of contraception. However, Mounjaro may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives in those who are overweight. Therefore, those taking Mounjaro who are overweight and are using an oral form of contraception are advised to also use a non-oral form of contraception. This only applies to those taking Mounjaro and is especially important for the four weeks after starting Mounjaro and after any dose increase. 
     
    This advice, which is already in the patient leaflets that come with the medicine, is just one of the reminders in the latest guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on the safe use of “GLP-1 medicines” known by the brand names Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, Saxenda and Victoza.  

    The full advice can be found on the regulator’s website. It comes after concerns from the UK regulator that some people are not using these medicines for weight loss and diabetes safely.  

    Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer said:

    Skinny jabs are medicines licensed to treat specific medical conditions and should not be used as aesthetic or cosmetic treatments. They are not a quick fix to lose weight and have not been assessed to be safe when used in this way. 

    Our guidance offers patients a “one stop shop” for our up-to-date advice on how to use these powerful medicines safely.  

    This guidance should not be used as a substitute to reading the patient information leaflet or having a conversation with a healthcare professional as part of the prescribing process.  

    Alongside advice on contraceptive use, the MHRA reminds patients that these medicines should not be bought from unregulated sellers such as beauty salons or via social media, or taken without a prior consultation with a healthcare professional. Not only does this expose people wanting to lose weight to serious health risks, it is also against the law to sell these medicines in this way. The only way to guarantee receiving a genuine GLP-1 medicine is to obtain it from a legitimate pharmacy.  

    The guidance also reminds patients of the symptoms to look out for in the event of acute pancreatitis which, although uncommon, can be serious. The main symptom of this is severe pain in the stomach that radiates to the back and doesn’t go away. Anyone who experiences this should seek immediate medical help. 

    Summary of advice to patients

    • You should only take GLP-1 medicines if they have been prescribed to you by a healthcare professional.   

    • Always have a conversation with your prescriber about the benefits and risks of GLP-1 medicines before you start taking them.   

    • Do not take GLP-1 medicines if you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding. If you get pregnant while using them, you speak to a healthcare professional and stop them as soon as possible.

    • If you are prescribed Mounjaro (tirzepatide), use a barrier form of contraception and do not rely on oral contraception.   

    • Understand the potential side effects and have a conversation with a healthcare professional if you are concerned.   

    • Tell your doctor you take a GLP-1 medicine if you are about to have surgery.   

    • Report any adverse reactions to the Yellow Card scheme.   

    • After taking the recommended four doses in each syringe, any medicine left in the syringe should not be extracted and the syringe should be disposed of in the bin.  

    • Use of these medicines is not a quick fix to lose weight and the MHRA has not assessed the safety and effectiveness of these medicines when used by people who do not meet the medical requirements.   

    Anyone who suspects that they’ve had an adverse reaction to a GLP-1 medicine,  or suspects it is not a genuine product, should report it to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.   

    Notes to editors 

    • Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 or GLP-1 RAs) are medicines that help people feel fuller by mimicking a natural hormone released after eating. Some newer medicines, like Mounjaro, also act on a second hormone involved in appetite and blood sugar control. These have been referred to in the media as “weight loss injections” or “skinny jabs”, but not all are authorised for weight loss.
    • The full guidance can be found on the MHRA’s website.
    • The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
    • The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
    • For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: SFCT uncovers sophisticated scheme

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    A recent operation led by the ATO’s Serious Financial Crime Taskforce (SFCT) has resulted in jail time for a Victorian woman.

    Paolo Esmaquel implemented an elaborate scheme to obtain fraudulent GST refunds by assuming the identities of 3 different individuals.

    One of the assumed identities was registered by Ms Esmaquel as a tax practitioner with the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB). To do this, she submitted forged documents to the TPB that falsely claimed she completed the required tertiary education to become a tax agent and forged a declaration from a chartered accountant.

    Following this, she set up a tax agent profile on ATO Online Services and linked several taxpayers to her account. Ms Esmaquel then lodged 10 fraudulent business activity statements on behalf of these taxpayers without their knowledge or consent.

    An investigation by the ATO and the Tax Practitioners Board uncovered the identity fraud and cancelled the fake tax agent registration.

    Read more about the recent prosecution in our media release.

    Protect yourself and your clients

    We all have a role to play in fraud prevention and this serves as a timely reminder to keep your client, business and personal information safe.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Cortez Masto Demand Information on How Trump TSA Firings Are Hurting Nevada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) are demanding answers from the Trump Administration following a sweeping decision to terminate hundreds of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees, including those in Nevada. In a letter to Secretary Noem, the senators condemned the shortsighted firings, raised concerns about their impact on airport safety and Nevada’s tourism economy, and demanded transparency regarding the large number of terminations and the rationale behind them.
    The mass layoffs come at a time when TSA is already under pressure, with Real ID requirements going into effect just last month and airport travel reaching record levels. In 2024, TSA screened over 900 million passengers nationwide, and Las Vegas’s Harry Reid International Airport alone saw more than 58 million travelers — the highest in its history.
    “We are deeply troubled about the false justifications used for these meritless firings, and how, in the wake of Real ID requirements going into effect, this significant loss of staff is impacting the safety of Nevadans, our nation’s security, and the critical work performed at our airports,” wrote the senators.    
    “Moreover, we vehemently object to the Department of Homeland Security’s misguided decision in March to end the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for tens of thousands of frontline TSA employees,” the senators’ letter continued. “The since-terminated, seven-year CBA was signed at a time when TSA employee’s pay lagged behind other government employees and the agency struggled with retention. 
    In the letter, Rosen and Cortez Masto requested specific information from the Trump Administration, including the number of employees terminated in Nevada, their job roles, the impact of Real ID enforcement on staffing needs, and whether those terminated received legally required notice. She urged immediate transparency and action to address this growing security risk.
    The full letter to the Administration can be found HERE.
    Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto have been fighting to support Nevada’s airports and travel industry. They secured $61 million in federal funding for airport improvements in Nevada after helping pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In April 2024, they both announced nearly $28 million in grant funding for Harry Reid International Airport to enhance infrastructure, including runway improvements and safety upgrades. In 2024, Senator Rosen announced $7 million in funding she secured for a terminal expansion project at Reno-Tahoe International Airport. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Kaine, Colleagues Press Trump Administration for Answers and Demand Reversal of Termination of Temporary Protected Status for Afghans Living in the U.S.

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, (both D-VA) joined nearly 100 of their congressional colleagues in pressing the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and State regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals living in the United States. Following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, nearly 200,000 Afghans came to the U.S. From 2018 to 2022, nearly 20,000 of these individuals settled in Virginia—the most of any state after California.
    In the letter sent to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the lawmakers noted the thousands of lives this decision could endanger—particularly the lives of many Afghans who supported the U.S. efforts during the war in Afghanistan and face significant danger upon their return to Afghanistan. The lawmakers also urged the Trump Administration to reverse course and continue TPS for Afghans.
    “We write with deep concern about the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan, which is scheduled to take effect on July 14, 2025. This decision is devastating for resettled Afghan nationals in the United States who have fled widespread violence, economic instability, challenging humanitarian conditions, and human rights abuses in their home country,” the lawmakers wrote. “Many of these Afghans fearlessly served as strong allies to the United States military during the war in Afghanistan, and we cannot blatantly disregard their service. We respectfully ask that you redesignate Afghanistan for TPS to ensure Afghan nationals in the U.S. are not forced to return to devastating humanitarian, civic, and economic conditions.”
    The lawmakers continued, “The Secretary of Homeland Security ‘may designate a foreign country for TPS due to conditions in the country that temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately.’  This is why, following the withdrawal of American troops and the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, in May 2022 the U.S. designated Afghanistan for TPS.”
    “The grave conditions that forced Afghan nationals to flee and seek refuge in the U.S. following the return of the Taliban to power remain. Because of this harsh reality, forcing Afghan nationals in the U.S. to return to Afghanistan would be reckless and inhumane, and would threaten the safety and well-being of thousands of individuals and families, especially women and girls,” the lawmakers stressed.
    The lawmakers closed the letter requesting the following information:
    Please provide any reports that credibly determine that conditions have improved in Afghanistan since 2023. 
    The TPS termination announcement stated that “there are recipients who have been under investigation for fraud and threatening our public safety and national security.” Please provide additional details on how the Administration made this determination and how widespread these allegations of fraud and threats are.
    Describe the collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to reach the determination that Afghanistan no longer meets the conditions for designation for TPS.
    Please provide any reports that indicate the Taliban is no longer a threat to Afghan nationals that assisted the United States military during the war in Afghanistan.
    What steps are you taking to ensure that Afghan nationals who previously had TPS will not be sent back to persecution or torture in Afghanistan?
    In addition to Warner and Kaine, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Ed Markey (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The letter is signed by 72 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
    A copy of the letter is available here and below.
    Dear Secretary Noem and Secretary Rubio:
    We write with deep concern about the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan, which is scheduled to take effect on July 14, 2025. This decision is devastating for resettled Afghan nationals in the United States who have fled widespread violence, economic instability, challenging humanitarian conditions, and human rights abuses in their home country. Many of these Afghans fearlessly served as strong allies to the United States military during the war in Afghanistan, and we cannot blatantly disregard their service. We respectfully ask that you redesignate Afghanistan for TPS to ensure Afghan nationals in the U.S. are not forced to return to devastating humanitarian, civic, and economic conditions.
    The Secretary of Homeland Security “may designate a foreign country for TPS due to conditions in the country that temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately.”  This is why, following the withdrawal of American troops and the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, in May 2022 the U.S. designated Afghanistan for TPS.  In September 2023, the U.S. extended and redesignated TPS for Afghanistan. The Administration’s decision to terminate TPS for Afghanistan negatively impacts approximately 9,000 Afghan nationals.
    In your announcement, you state that “there are notable improvements in the security and economic situation such that requiring the return of Afghan nationals to Afghanistan does not pose a threat to their personal safety due to armed conflict or extraordinary and temporary conditions.”  But you also concede that threats of violence and terrorism, as well as humanitarian concerns, remain.  The Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State (ISIS), continues to launch attacks against ethnic and religious minorities and against the Taliban, leading to innocent civilian casualties. If Afghan nationals are forced to return to Afghanistan, they will be caught in the crossfire between the Taliban and ISKP.  According to Human Rights Watch, in 2024, Taliban authorities intensified their crackdown on human rights, especially against women and girls. Women and girls are banned from attending secondary school or university and are unable to move freely. The Taliban also continues to detain and torture journalists, curtailing free speech and media. The 2023 U.S. State Department Human Rights Report covering Afghanistan found that women’s rights rapidly declined and restrictions on freedom of expression increased. The horrific human rights conditions in Afghanistan are unsafe for Afghan nationals to return to and returning would put their personal safety at immediate risk.
    We are also deeply concerned about the State Department Human Rights Report finding that widespread arbitrary and unlawful killings against officials associated with the pre-August 2021 government have occurred.  Afghan nationals who assisted the U.S. military should not be put in harm’s way because they supported the U.S. in its fight against the Taliban. This would be a betrayal of those who bravely served alongside our servicemembers for nearly two decades.
    Afghan civilians still face devastating humanitarian and economic conditions. Over half of the population in Afghanistan needs urgent humanitarian assistance. Human Rights Watch reports that in 2024, 12.4 million people were facing food insecurity and 2.9 million were at emergency levels of hunger.  The World Bank also found that in Afghanistan, as of May 2025, “per capita income has stagnated, while poverty and food insecurity remain pressing challenges, exacerbated by high unemployment and restrictions on women’s economic participation.” 
    The grave conditions that forced Afghan nationals to flee and seek refuge in the U.S. following the return of the Taliban to power remain. Because of this harsh reality, forcing Afghan nationals in the U.S. to return to Afghanistan would be reckless and inhumane, and would threaten the safety and well-being of thousands of individuals and families, especially women and girls.
    In August 2021, Americans welcomed Afghan nationals at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia with open arms, and we refuse to turn our backs on them now.  We strongly urge you to reconsider your decision to terminate TPS for Afghanistan and ask that you respond to the following requests no later than two weeks of receipt of this letter:
    Please provide any reports that credibly determine that conditions have improved in Afghanistan since 2023. 
    The TPS termination announcement stated that “there are recipients who have been under investigation for fraud and threatening our public safety and national security.” Please provide additional details on how the Administration made this determination and how widespread these allegations of fraud and threats are.
    Describe the collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to reach the determination that Afghanistan no longer meets the conditions for designation for TPS.
    Please provide any reports that indicate the Taliban is no longer a threat to Afghan nationals that assisted the United States military during the war in Afghanistan.
    What steps are you taking to ensure that Afghan nationals who previously had TPS will not be sent back to persecution or torture in Afghanistan?
    Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter and we hope to receive your responses soon.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff Blast Trump Admin’s Plan to Gut California High-Speed Rail Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Schiff Blast Trump Admin’s Plan to Gut California High-Speed Rail Funding

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) released the following joint statement after Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced his plan to terminate billions of dollars of previously-allocated federal funding to the California High-Speed Rail Project: 
    “In Donald Trump’s corrupt world, there’s no need for high-speed rail when you can accept a $400 million jet from a foreign government. But for the millions of Californians left to pick up the tab for Trump’s reckless trade wars and rising costs of living, today’s announcement is devastating. 
    “High-speed rail is the future of transportation — with the potential to bring customers to new businesses, businesses to new employees, and to connect communities hundreds of miles away with affordable and faster transit. The fact is that the California High-Speed Rail Project is already the most audited public works project in the country. Rather than advance the progress being made in the Central Valley, Secretary Duffy has used a review process to appease President Trump and punish Californians who didn’t vote for him. We’ll keep fighting every partisan, self-defeating policy of this Administration as we build infrastructure fit for the 21st century.”
    Last year, Senators Padilla and Schiff and their California Congressional colleagues urged former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to approve the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s grant application for $536 million in federal funds. Padilla previously supported the Department of Transportation’s announcement of $3.1 billion for the California High-Speed Rail Authority, as well as over $200 million for the agency from the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Grant Program. Padilla and the late Senator Dianne Feinstein previously announced $25 million for the Authority’s Merced Extension Design Project through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Sport regulation balances fairness and safety

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nadler Statement on Reauthorization of SUPPORT Act Amid Trump Administration Sabotage and House Republican Complicity

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

    WASHINGTON, DC –  Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) released the following statement after voting in favor of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act:

    “Today, I voted in favor of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, which reauthorizes vital prevention, treatment, and recovery programs that tackle our nation’s opioid crisis, substance use disorders, and pressing mental health needs. Since the SUPPORT Act became law in 2018, these programs have undeniably saved lives, and our commitment to this work must continue.

    However, we cannot overlook the alarming context surrounding this vote. The Trump Administration is actively and unlawfully working to dismantle the very agency responsible for executing the programs we have just reauthorized. They have recklessly terminated hundreds of experienced employees, shut down critical offices established by Congress, and withdrawn over $1 billion that was previously allocated to state and local behavioral health initiatives. This has severely undermined essential prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts across the nation. Moreover, the Administration’s proposed budget only exacerbates this crisis, threatening to eliminate nearly all the programs outlined in the SUPPORT Act.

    In a disgraceful display of hypocrisy, House Republicans have chosen to be complicit in this dismantling rather than doing anything to stand against it. Reauthorizing these programs on paper amounts to nothing if we permit the infrastructure that supports them to be obliterated. Just weeks ago, House Republicans passed the largest Medicaid cut in our nation’s history, targeting a program that provides care for 40 percent of Americans grappling with opioid use disorder. These Medicaid reductions will deprive millions of lifesaving treatment, all to fund massive tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans at the expense of vulnerable individuals fighting substance use disorders. Voting to reauthorize programs while allowing their infrastructure to be dismantled is simply unacceptable.

    Republicans must finally stand up to the Trump Administration and take decisive action to halt its reckless dismantling of our nation’s support systems. Anything less would render the SUPPORT Act meaningless. Americans facing mental health and addiction crises deserve genuine leadership and steadfast support, not empty rhetoric and political games.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Message to the Community Regarding the State Budget

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Dear Colleagues,

    The state budget approved this week will provide $113 million less for UConn and UConn Health than what was approved in FY25, and will leave us with the following budget shortfalls in the next two fiscal years:

    Fiscal Year 2026

    • UConn requested a state appropriation of $318.7 million. The approved FY26 budget provides $268.2 million. This will lead to a shortfall of $72 million in FY26 that UConn must mitigate.
    • UConn Health requested $202.8 million. The approved FY26 budget provides $143.5 million. This will lead to a shortfall of $61.8 million that UConn Health must mitigate.

    Fiscal Year 2027

    • UConn requested a state appropriation of $322.3 million. The approved budget provides $253.5 million. This will lead to a shortfall of $87 million for UConn in FY27.
    • UConn Health requested a state appropriation of $214.5 million. The approved budget provides $139.1 million. This will lead to a shortfall of $45 million for UConn Health in FY27.

    [Note: the difference between the amount requested and the amount appropriated does not equal the shortfall amount due to a variety of factors that impact the budget]

    Under this budget, state support will account for 15% of UConn’s budget and 8% of UConn Health’s budget next year. In FY25, budgeted levels of state support as a percentage of the budget were 20% for UConn and 12% for UConn Health.

    The numbers above are preliminary, and the estimated shortfalls may increase based on provisions included in the adopted budget that allow the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) to reduce state agency allotments by up to $89.2 million in FY26 and $88.7 million in FY27 to achieve savings.

    The General Assembly will also take up a bill devoted to state bonding, which is expected to include funding for UConn and UConn Health. We will send a separate message specifically about the bond bill after it has been approved.

    Like every state budget, this was the result of a negotiation among leaders in state government following the appropriations process. We know that numerous champions for UConn and UConn Health, both internally and within the General Assembly, worked hard behind the scenes tirelessly advocating for additional funding for the university within the context of the biennial budget and related negotiations.

    It’s important to note that thanks to this advocacy, our appropriations over the next two years are actually higher than they might have otherwise been, and we are grateful for their efforts. It should also be noted that changes are often made to the second year of these two-year budgets, so the numbers for year two may change.

    Despite this, closing a combined deficit of $134 million over the next two fiscal years across both institutions will create significant challenges and we will have to utilize multiple strategies to accomplish this, many of them detrimental to our aspirations, operations, and mission. After all, we do not achieve greater effectiveness or contribute more to our students, patients, Connecticut’s economy, employers, workforce, and communities through deficit mitigation.

    We will share our plans to close these gaps once finalized and will make the leadership team available to answer questions.

    For additional background: Beyond budget reductions, UConn does have “levers” it can use to increase revenue, including raising tuition and fees, expanding enrollment, and taking more out-of-state students – all of which we have done. And while each generates more revenue, they also create new challenges.

    At UConn Health, we have increased clinical revenue by over 100% or $560 million in the last five years, which funds over 60% of UConn Health’s budget.

    Other avenues, such as philanthropy and external grant dollars, are vital to our mission and we have significantly increased our fundraising by $33 million and our research funding by $82 million in recent years.

    But philanthropy and research grants do not make up for reduced operating dollars because they don’t fund basic university operations – they fund the things donors have chosen to fund and fulfill the purpose of the grants. Also, supporting successful research requires investment, so it also comes at a cost.

    UConn does have funds described as “reserves,” but that is a misnomer. This is not a central pool of money like a “rainy day fund,” but dollars that are in hundreds of accounts and budget lines throughout the institution that are used to fund our operations, meet upcoming needs, maintain our bond rating, and invest in the future of our university.

    Much of these funds are already committed. Using it to close deficits – and we will have to utilize a significant amount over the next two years to do that – will create new financial problems that didn’t exist before and new unmet needs. And if these one-time funds become exhausted, they do not automatically replenish, and structural deficits will remain absent increased investments from the state, even with substantial new revenue generation and cost-cutting on our end.

    As a senior team, we are currently discussing our action plan, which will involve pausing the hiring of non-critical, non-revenue-generating roles. We will also be delaying non-essential capital projects that do not generate revenue for one year. Additionally, we are reviewing all our contracts to identify potential savings and are putting a hold on non-essential travel.

    In the coming weeks, the senior team and I will hold town hall meetings and faculty conference calls to share details about the progress of our action plan. We encourage everyone on the front lines to share any ideas for short-term cost savings or ways to enhance revenue. Please feel free to send your suggestions to your supervisor or directly to president@uconn.edu.

    As mentioned, our plans for deficit mitigation will be shared with the community once finalized, and we will be available to answer any questions.

    We appreciate your continued partnership and patience during this time.

    Sincerely,

    Radenka Maric
    UConn President

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Announces Action Against Wisconsin Elections Commission for Lacking Complaint Procedure Required by Federal Law

    Source: US State of California

    Today, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division sent a letter to the Wisconsin Elections Commission regarding its failure to provide a complaint process or hearing for Wisconsin voters, in violation of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).

    The letter states that the Wisconsin Elections Commission failed to meet HAVA’s requirement of a state-based administrative complaint procedure. Compliance with all federal elections laws is mandatory, and the receipt of federal funds under HAVA is conditioned on compliance with the Act.

    Election integrity and compliance with federal elections laws are essential to protect our constitutional republic. Wisconsin’s refusal to give complainants any recourse to report violations they may have observed or experienced while voting is a significant violation of federal law, and a betrayal of the confidence of the American people.

    “Courts across the land, including our highest court, have repeatedly defended measures to ensure election integrity,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, “We have made it our highest priority to identify jurisdictions that fail to follow our elections laws and vigorously enforce the law by all means available.”

    The letter issued today also notifies the U.S. Election Assistance Commission of Wisconsin’s unlawful actions and calls for the withholding of federal funds to Wisconsin for violating HAVA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: How we work

    Source: Tertiary Education Commission

    Last updated 5 June 2025
    Last updated 5 June 2025

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    We invest government funding in tertiary education organisations (TEOs), monitor their performance, and provide information and advice. We invest over $3.8 billion into tertiary education and the careers system each year. 
    We invest government funding in tertiary education organisations (TEOs), monitor their performance, and provide information and advice. We invest over $3.8 billion into tertiary education and the careers system each year. 

    Our investment supports more than 700 tertiary education organisations across New Zealand to provide all forms of post-secondary-school education, including foundation education, vocational education and higher education (including research). 
    Our investment helps to ensure a network of provision which meets the needs of different learners and communities.
    The scope and breadth of our careers work has expanded to better support the changing nature of work and the future career needs of all New Zealanders between the ages of 7 and 70+. The focus is to help prepare New Zealanders for the future of work and the post-COVID challenges that lie ahead.
    Over the coming years we will focus on equipping New Zealanders with the skills and capabilities to make them career confident and resilient. For our customers this means providing information, tools and support to inform and enable good educational and employment decisions.
    Recognition of Te Tiriti o Waitangi
    The TEC recognises and affirms our responsibility to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi:

    We will give practical effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in our work across the tertiary education and careers system.
    We will ensure that our work is consistent with Te Tiriti o Waitangi-related goals of the Education Work Programme, the Tertiary Education Strategy and Ka Hikitia.
    We acknowledge our responsibility to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in its entirety including taking into account the interests of whānau, hapū, iwi and Māori.
    In particular, through our Ōritetanga Learner Success work programme, we will give effect to the Crown’s Third Article Treaty obligations to ensure equitable outcomes for Māori as learners. We will work to ensure that all Māori learners receive what they need to be successful, through the intentional design and stewardship of the tertiary education system.
    We will support the Crown to meet its duties to actively protect the taonga of te reo Māori, mātauranga Māori and a strong wānanga system of tertiary educational delivery.

    We are required to give effect to the Tertiary Education Strategy (TES). The TES sets out the Government’s current and medium-term priorities and long-term strategic direction for tertiary education. It is intended to address economic, social and environmental goals, and the development aspirations of Māori and other population groups.
    Performance monitoring
    In addition to our performance monitoring of the tertiary education sector as a whole, our Chief Executive is required to report to the responsible Minister(s) on performance of universities, wānanga and Te Pūkenga – formally the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (NZIST), the tertiary education institutes (TEIs) reflecting your ownership interest (on behalf of the Crown) in all 12 TEIs.
    Through our work we support learners to understand and take hold of the lifelong opportunities they have to upskill, reskill and adapt to new challenges.
    Delivering for learners also means delivering for communities and employers. We do this by working with these groups to make sure learners are equipped with the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to contribute to thriving and resilient communities and an innovative and sustainable economy.
    For more information, please refer to our corporate publications: Annual Report, Statement of Performance Expectations, and the Briefing to the Incoming Minister 2020.

    Related Content

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Providing information and advice

    Source: Tertiary Education Commission

    Last updated 5 June 2025
    Last updated 5 June 2025

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    We provide information and advice to the Government and the responsible Minister(s). We also provide information and advice to tertiary education organisations (TEOs), other government agencies and external stakeholders.
    We provide information and advice to the Government and the responsible Minister(s). We also provide information and advice to tertiary education organisations (TEOs), other government agencies and external stakeholders.

    Minister of Education 
    Learner outcomes and TEO performance
    We provide information and advice about learner outcomes and TEO performance, to support people to make better choices about what and where to study, and to encourage improvements in the performance of TEOs.
    The areas we provide information and advice on include:

    The information and advice we provide in these areas includes:

    providing advice on the activities and performance of TEOs and the tertiary education sector
    developing details of how to implement funding mechanisms
    providing information and advisory services to the Minister on the tertiary sector, tertiary education and training issues
    working closely with, and providing advice to, agencies across government, to strengthen connections between tertiary education, the social sector and the labour market
    publishing information on TEOs’ performance, funds, educational performance and research.

    Our performance
    Each year, we report on the performance of our information and advice as part of our Annual Report.
    These reports can be found on the Corporate publications page.

    Related Content

    Key Information Set for Tertiary Education Organisations

    read more

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Action Against Wisconsin Elections Commission for Lacking Complaint Procedure Required by Federal Law

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Today, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division sent a letter to the Wisconsin Elections Commission regarding its failure to provide a complaint process or hearing for Wisconsin voters, in violation of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).

    The letter states that the Wisconsin Elections Commission failed to meet HAVA’s requirement of a state-based administrative complaint procedure. Compliance with all federal elections laws is mandatory, and the receipt of federal funds under HAVA is conditioned on compliance with the Act.

    Election integrity and compliance with federal elections laws are essential to protect our constitutional republic. Wisconsin’s refusal to give complainants any recourse to report violations they may have observed or experienced while voting is a significant violation of federal law, and a betrayal of the confidence of the American people.

    “Courts across the land, including our highest court, have repeatedly defended measures to ensure election integrity,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, “We have made it our highest priority to identify jurisdictions that fail to follow our elections laws and vigorously enforce the law by all means available.”

    The letter issued today also notifies the U.S. Election Assistance Commission of Wisconsin’s unlawful actions and calls for the withholding of federal funds to Wisconsin for violating HAVA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Joins RFD-TV to Discuss Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, MAHA, and the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined Market Day Report on RFD-TV today to highlight the Senate Agriculture Committee advancing his legislation, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which will put whole milk back in schools. He detailed the next steps to get the bill across the finish line and to President Trump’s desk.
    The Senator also discussed the recent Make America Healthy Again Commission report and President Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill.’

    [embedded content]

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    On the importance of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act:
    Senator Marshall: “This is so important to me, to my family. My dad grew up on a dairy [farm] where every day for 25 years, they milk cows twice a day. And some of your listeners know exactly what that’s like, but milk is the most nutritious drink known to mankind, and for whatever reason, the federal government took whole milk out of our schools over a decade ago.
    “Because of that, we have a generation of young adults now whose bones will never reach their peak mass. We’re going to have an epidemic of osteoporosis and osteopenia. Look, whole milk just tastes better. So we need to focus on the quality of the nutrition as opposed to just the calorie count. And again, milk [is] the most nutritious drink known to mankind.”
    On the next steps for the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act:
    Senator Marshall: “I think very easily we could go to the Senate floor and ask unanimous consent, and as long as not one senator stands up objects to it, we’ll get it across the Senate floor. Hopefully, they can do a similar effort over on the House side and get it to the President’s desk. So we’ll do our very best to give the President a win here.”
    On the MAHA Commission report:
    Senator Marshall: “As you look at that MAHA commission report, I didn’t write it, but certainly I agree with the same goals that they have, that we want healthy, nutritious food out there for everybody, a special emphasis on children…
    “My emphasis is soil health. Soil health is where agriculture meets healthy food. Healthy soil means healthy food. And so many of our farmers are out there doing regenerative agriculture. They’ve been doing it for decades. We’ve got to share what we’ve been doing. You know, you showed a little aerial report of a person using drones to grow more with less to grow more. Instead of blanketing that field with the fungicide, they were able to spot-spray it.
    “… Regenerative agriculture, healthy soil, what that means to me is, number one is using no-till farming, coming back and using the least amount of fertilizers, pesticides. That means precision agriculture. It means putting a cover crop on and then grazing cattle over it, maybe bringing in some manure from the local dairy or the local feedlot as well, and then measuring the quality of that soil as well, and showing our customers out there… they’re who is driving this, I’m not driving this, the MAHA moms out there that are driving this, and I know that American agriculture is doing incredible jobs in this area, and they but they need to be reimbursed for it, because it’s expensive to undertake all these efforts.”
    On the hurdles President Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ may face:
    Senator Marshall: “Well, there’s always hurdles. We have 53 Republican senators and 53 opinions. But it’s important for your listeners to know why this is so important to them. This will take care of the reference price issues on the title one, funding, and open the doors for us to be able to get the Farm Bill across the finish line. 
    “From the business tax perspective on this, we’re going to take care of permanently, the 199a, which your listeners will be excited about, as well as the R and D deduction, capital appreciation, bonus depreciation as well, and writing off their interest expenses. So all those are important to every one of your listeners and making those permanent will be so, so important to the financial viability of the future farmers of America.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis Helps Secure Helene Recovery Funding for North Carolina

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis applauded the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) announcement of its Fiscal Year 2025 Disaster Supplemental Notice of Funding Opportunity, which allocates approximately $1.45 billion in federal funding for disaster-impacted communities, including those in Western North Carolina affected by Helene. 

    “This critical EDA funding will help ensure that communities in Western North Carolina still reeling from the impacts of Helene have the resources they need to recover and rebuild stronger than before,” said Senator Tillis. “I remain fully committed to making sure North Carolina receives its fair share of this funding and that Western North Carolina is made whole again.” 

    The announcement follows a bipartisan letter led by Senator Tillis and members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation to the Trump Administration urging the U.S. Economic Development Administration to issue a Notice of Funding Opportunity as quickly as possible. 

    Background:

    Senator Tillis has been pushing for federal assistance for Western North Carolina since the moment Helene made landfall.

    On October 1, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan letter to Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) on the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and the urgent need to pass an appropriations package to support the millions of Americans affected by the storm.  

    On October 16, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan group of senators in urging the White House to rapidly submit a government funding request to Congress that will fully cover costs associated with clean-up and recovery following Hurricanes Helene and Milton so that affected communities could begin to heal. The Senators called for Congress to return to Washington from the October in-state work period to approve federal disaster relief legislation. 

    On October 23, 2024, The Hill published an op-ed by Senator Tillis addressed to members of Congress to step up and be proactive with long-term disaster recovery assistance.   

    On October 29, 2024, Senator Tillis and his colleagues announced plans to introduce legislation that would replenish the Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Program with families and small businesses across WNC unable to get loans approved until then. The Senators outlined their plan to seek passage of the legislation when Congress returned to session.

    On November 14, 2024, Senator Tillis attempted to pass legislation to replenish the SBA Disaster Loan Program through a unanimous consent request on the Senate floor, but was blocked by another Senator. 

    On November 15, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan letter to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) immediately send a supplemental appropriation request to Congress to support the communities we represent, which were devastated after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The OMB sent the request to Congress a few days later.

    On November 18, 2024, Senator Tillis introduced the standalone RELIEF Act to provide Hurricane relief to small businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene.  

    On November 20, 2024, Senator Tillis called on Congress to quickly pass Hurricane Helene relief during his testimony to the Senate Appropriations Committee.  

    On November 21, 2024, Senator Tillis met with Governor Cooper, Governor-Elect Stein, members of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation and the North Carolina General Assembly, and local leaders from Western North Carolina to discuss efforts to provide federal assistance to North Carolinians affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. 

    On December 5, 2024, Senator Tillis joined Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto where he discussed the urgent need for Congress to provide federal assistance to North Carolinians affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.  

    On December 10, 2024, Senator Tillis hosted N.C. Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, N.C. House of Representatives Speaker-elect Destin Hall, State Senators Bill Rabon and Ralph Hise, and State Representative Dudley Greene to discuss efforts to provide immediate assistance to North Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene’s devastation.   

    On December 18, 2024, Senator Tillis committed to filibustering any continuing resolution that did not include disaster aid for Western North Carolina. 

    On December 21, 2024, Senator Tillis voted to pass a bipartisan government funding bill that included more than $100 billion in disaster relief for states and communities hit by natural disasters, including North Carolina during Hurricane Helene.

    On January 7, 2025 Senator Tillis announced $1.65 billion in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to help rebuild communities devastated by Hurricane Helene.  

    On January 24, 2025, Senator Tillis released a statement thanking President Trump for his visit to Western North Carolina to survey the devastation left behind by Helene. 

    On January 31, 2025, Senator Tillis introduced the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act of 2025, legislation that excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, any qualified catastrophe mitigation payment made under a state-based catastrophe loss mitigation program. 

    On March 11, 2025 Senator Tillis reintroduced the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act, bipartisan legislation to simplify the application process for federal disaster recovery assistance. 

    On April 1, 2025 Senator Tillis sent a letter urging U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to work with Congress to quickly distribute the more than $23 billion Congress passed in December to assist farmers, ranchers and rural Americans in responding to devastating natural disasters in 2023 and 2024.

    On April 3, 2025 Senator Tillis (R-NC) introduced the FEMA Independence Act, bipartisan legislation to restore the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as an independent cabinet-level agency and improve efficiency in federal emergency response efforts. 

    On April 24, 2025 Senator Tillis introduced the Helene Recovery Small Business Act and the Loans in Our Neighborhoods (LIONs) Act of 2025, legislation that would provide much-needed relief to small businesses as they work to recover from the devastation of Helene.

    In addition to Senator Tillis’ legislative efforts the Senator has met with local leaders, residents, and elected officials across Western North Carolina including in: Asheville, Black Mountain, Boone, Burnsville, Canton, Clyde, Fairview, Flat Rock, Hendersonville, Hot Springs, Marshall, Morganton, Spruce Pine, Swannanoa, Waynesville and Wilkesboro.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Whitehouse, Durbin, Blumenthal, Coons Question DOJ Decision to Shutter Specialized Unit for Cracking Down on Transnational Crime

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces program has helped arrest fentanyl traffickers, seize hundreds of tons of narcotics, and confiscate billions in dirty money

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.) sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi questioning the Department of Justice’s plan to end the successful Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. 

    “As the Department’s website notes, OCDETF ‘is the centerpiece of the Attorney General’s strategy to combat transnational-organized crime and to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the nation.’ OCDETF oversees coordination of thousands of federal, state, and local law enforcement officials to implement a national strategy to dismantle transnational drug cartels, the financial networks that support them, and the flow of drugs from these cartels into the United States,” wrote the senators.

    The OCDETF program is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. In just the past two months, OCDETF program resources have been used to secure prison sentences for two individuals operating a clandestine fentanyl lab in South Carolina and to take down three prolific Chinese money launderers who pleaded guilty to laundering tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds. Many OCDETF investigations target the cartels’ financial networks, an often-overlooked component of the U.S. strategy to combat drug-trafficking organizations. In Fiscal Year 2023, OCDETF investigations resulted in forfeitures and seizures totaling more than $423 million. 

    Reporting from Bloomberg in May revealed that the Trump Administration plans to eliminate the OCDETF program, including its support for specialized investigators and prosecutors, in a move that would kneecap America’s ability to dismantle cartels trafficking illicit fentanyl. 

    “We seek to fully understand the Department’s plans to cease OCDETF operations.  We also seek to ensure that the federal government continues to have a coordinated strategy for working with state and local stakeholders to investigate and hold accountable transnational criminal organizations operating in, or financing the operations of organizations that operate in, the United States,” added the senators.

    The senators requested answers to the following questions by June 13, 2025:

    1. How many cases has OCDETF led, or supported with funds, intelligence, or other resources, that disrupted fentanyl traffickers’ production, distribution, financing, or money laundering networks?
    1. Does the Department intend to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations?  If so, please specify how.
    1. If the Department intends to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations:
    1. Why is the Department choosing to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations?
    1. How will the Department ensure that ongoing OCDETF investigations and prosecutions continue uninterrupted?
    1. According to GAO, “OCDETF cases must have a financial component” to facilitate the targeting of financial networks underpinning drug trafficking organizations.  How will the Department ensure that OCDETF-enabled inter-agency coordination on investigations into the financial networks of fentanyl traffickers and transnational criminal organizations continues uninterrupted?
    1. How will the Department ensure that federal, state, and local law enforcement relying on OCDETF’s Fusion Center intelligence products are not hampered by a cessation or reduction of OCDETF operations? 
    1. Does the Department intend to designate another entity to coordinate investigations and prosecutions of transnational criminal organizations, unrelated to low-level offenders?  If so, which entity?

    The text of the letter is below and a PDF is available here.

    Dear Attorney General Bondi:

    We write to request information on the Department of Justice’s plans to terminate its Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program.  On May 5, 2025, Bloomberg reported that DOJ has begun the process of “closing down” OCDETF and “zeroing” out its budget in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026.

    As the Department’s website notes, OCDETF “is the centerpiece of the Attorney General’s strategy to combat transnational-organized crime and to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the nation.”  OCDETF oversees coordination of thousands of federal, state, and local law enforcement officials to implement a national strategy to dismantle transnational drug cartels, the financial networks that support them, and the flow of drugs from these cartels into the United States.  By leveraging resources from its participating and partner agencies, OCDETF can pursue investigations into the highest-level criminal actors behind these drug crime networks.

    OCDETF’s intelligence products and insights enhance the capacity of federal, state, and local law enforcement.  In FY 2023, OCDETF Fusion Center analysts disseminated 4,141 intelligence products to 36,693 law enforcement personnel across the country.  These resources buoy state and local agencies that may otherwise lack the expertise or funds to launch longer, more complex investigations. 

    According to DEA, “since OCDETF’s inception tens of thousands of arrests have been made and hundreds of tons of narcotics and billions in currency, real property, and conveyances have all been seized.”  And as the Department of Justice noted upon the 40th anniversary of President Reagan’s establishment of OCDETF, “[s]ome of the department’s most notable successes against drug cartels have resulted from OCDETF coordinated investigations and prosecutions.”  These successes include “taking down the powerful Colombian cartels of the 1980s, the notorious and violent Mexican cartels . . . in the 1990s; and the methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl and opioid threats from all over the world in the last two decades.”

    OCDETF investigations continue to deliver.  This month, DOJ announced that “three members of a prolific Chinese money laundering organizations plead[ed] guilty to laundering tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds.”  In April, DEA reported that two individuals operating a clandestine fentanyl lab in South Carolina “were each sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.”  OCDETF resources were used for both cases.     

    Many OCDETF-supported investigations that result in financial forfeitures or seizures channel money into government funds, which can be used to pay for the expenses associated with forfeiture operations, as well as certain investigative costs.  In FY 2023, closed OCDETF investigations resulted in forfeitures and seizures totaling $423.1 million.  These benefits are in addition to money judgments resulting from ODCETF investigations, which ranged between $125 million to over $750 million from FY 2019 to FY 2023. 

    We seek to fully understand the Department’s plans to cease OCDETF operations.  We also seek to ensure that the federal government continues to have a coordinated strategy for working with state and local stakeholders to investigate and hold accountable transnational criminal organizations operating in, or financing the operations of organizations that operate in, the United States.  Thus, we request that you provide answers to the following questions.

    1. How many cases has OCDETF led, or supported with funds, intelligence, or other resources, that disrupted fentanyl traffickers’ production, distribution, financing, or money laundering networks?
    1. Does the Department intend to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations?  If so, please specify how.
    1. If the Department intends to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations:
    1. Why is the Department choosing to cease or significantly reduce OCDETF operations?
    1. How will the Department ensure that ongoing OCDETF investigations and prosecutions continue uninterrupted?
    1. According to GAO, “OCDETF cases must have a financial component” to facilitate the targeting of financial networks underpinning drug trafficking organizations.  How will the Department ensure that OCDETF-enabled inter-agency coordination on investigations into the financial networks of fentanyl traffickers and transnational criminal organizations continues uninterrupted?
    1. How will the Department ensure that federal, state, and local law enforcement relying on OCDETF’s Fusion Center intelligence products are not hampered by a cessation or reduction of OCDETF operations? 
    1. Does the Department intend to designate another entity to coordinate investigations and prosecutions of transnational criminal organizations, unrelated to low-level offenders?  If so, which entity?

    Please provide your response to our questions no later than June 13, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Time’s up for anti-farmer activism – ACT welcomes Fish & Game reforms

    Source: ACT Party

    ACT’s Agriculture spokesperson Mark Cameron has welcomed long overdue reforms to Fish & Game New Zealand, saying the days of licence fees being weaponised against farmers are finally coming to an end.

    “For too long, Fish & Game has acted like a rogue lobby group by using hunters’ and anglers’ fees to wage war on the very people who care for our waterways because they’re the ones out there buying the licences,” says Mr Cameron.

    “In Southland, farmers have been treated like villains. Local Fish & Game councils have backed court cases that would force thousands of farmers to get resource consents just to keep farming – massively increasing costs and red tape.

    “That kind of activist overreach has destroyed decades of goodwill from farmers who’ve voluntarily allowed public access to their land.

    “These reforms focus Fish & Game on its actual job: supporting hunting and fishing, not harassing the rural communities who make those activities possible.

    “Fish & Game was never meant to be a political battering ram for anti-farming ideology. It exists to serve licence holders – and many of those are farmers.

    “ACT is proud to back these changes and proud to stand with rural New Zealand.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New Zealand to host consultations on Bougainville at Burnham

    Source: New Zealand Government

    New Zealand will host post-referendum talks between the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Bougainville Government next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. 

     The ‘Burnham Consultations’ will be held at Burnham Military Camp at the request of Sir Jerry Mateparae, as independent moderator. The discussions will be led by Sir Jerry and his United Nations team. 

     “New Zealand looks forward to welcoming parties to the Bougainville Peace Agreement back to Burnham — 28 years after we last hosted peace talks there,” Mr Peters says. 

     “Our involvement is to provide the venue and environment necessary for substantive discussions on Bougainville’s political future.  

     “Reaching a mutually agreed outcome is important for Papua New Guinea, Bougainville, and the wider region, as is upholding the integrity of the Bougainville Peace Agreement, to which New Zealand is a witnessing signatory.” 

     Representatives will travel from Port Moresby to Christchurch on Friday to attend the talks. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Public Servants Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Fraud

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

    MIAMI – Angelo Stephen, 33, a former Federal Bureau of Prisons Correctional Officer, and George Arestuche, 47, a former Miami-Dade County Aviation Department employee, were sentenced in separate cases after pleading guilty to defrauding COVID-19 relief programs. 

    Angelo Stephen

    On May 22, Stephen was sentenced to four months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $75,513 in restitution by Chief U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga. Chief Judge Altonaga also entered a forfeiture money judgment against Stephen in the additional amount of $71,166. The sentence follows Stephen’s conviction for wire fraud in connection with his fraudulent applications for two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and one Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), as well as his participation in two bank account takeover schemes.

    During his change of plea hearing, Stephen admitted that on August 4, 2020, he submitted a false and fraudulent EIDL application in his own name to the Small Business Administration (SBA), claiming to be an independent contractor and the sole owner of a business that provided event planning and entertainment services with 10 employees.  The EIDL application falsely certified that for the applicable 12-month period, the business had approximately $62,018 in gross revenue and a cost of goods sold of $0. Based on his false and fraudulent application, Stephen received $20,000 in EIDL proceeds from the SBA. 

    Stephen additionally admitted to fraudulently obtaining two PPP loans. On April 24, 2021, Stephen submitted a first-draw PPP loan application, claiming to be the sole proprietor of a non-existent business with $106,554 in gross income in 2020. In support of the application, Stephen submitted a fraudulent IRS Form 1040 Schedule C. Based on his false and fraudulent application, Stephen received $20,833 in PPP loan proceeds from an SBA-approved lender.  On May 11, 2021, Stephen submitted a second-draw PPP loan application, making the same false claims about his nonexistent business that was supported by submission of the identical false Schedule C. Based on his false and fraudulent application, Stephen obtained $20,833 in PPP loan proceeds from a different SBA-approved lender. 

    Stephen also admitted to taking part in two bank account takeover schemes. On March 30, 2023, Stephen received a $20,000 wire transfer from the account of an unsuspecting victim in Virginia. Stephen quickly withdrew all illegally obtained money through a series of cash withdrawals and Zelle transfers to others. In the second takeover scheme, Stephen and his accomplices obtained new checks from the credit union account of a different unsuspecting victim. Stephen subsequently used one of those checks to obtain $8,500 in cash that he was not entitled to. 

    George Arestuche

    On May 28, Arestuche was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck to five years of probation to include 210 days in home detention and ordered to pay $114,679 in restitution, plus community service. The sentence follows Arestuche’s conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with his fraudulent application for an EIDL.

    According to the facts admitted at the change of plea hearing, Arestuche and a co-conspirator devised a scheme to defraud the SBA by submitting a false and fraudulent application for Arestuche to obtain an EIDL and EIDL advance. As part of the conspiracy, Arestuche agreed to pay the co-conspirator a large fee.

    On July 9, 2020, Arestuche’s co-conspirator submitted a false and fraudulent EIDL application to the SBA on behalf of Arestuche, claiming that Arestuche was an independent contractor and the sole owner of an automotive repair business with 10 employees. The EIDL application falsely certified that for the applicable 12-month period, the business had $600,000 in gross revenue and a cost of goods sold of $184,000. In reality, Arestuche was not an independent contractor and did not own any type of business.  The EIDL application was supported by a fraudulent IRS Form 1040 Schedule C. As a result of this false and fraudulent EIDL application, Arestuche obtained $149,900 in EIDL proceeds and a $10,000 EIDL advance from the SBA. Arestuche subsequently paid his co-conspirator $17,275 for helping him fraudulently obtain the money from the SBA. Since pleading guilty, Arestuche has paid $50,000 in advance restitution payments. 

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; acting Special Agent in Charge Amber Howell of the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General’s Fraud Detection Office (DOJ-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Eastern Region; acting Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami; and Inspector General Felix Jimenez of the Miami-Dade County Office of Inspector General (MDC-OIG) made the announcement.

    DOJ-OIG and SBA-OIG investigated the Stephen case.  SBA-OIG and the FBI’s Miami Area Corruption Task Force, which includes task force officers from the MDC-OIG, investigated the Arestuche case. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward N. Stamm prosecuted both cases. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda is handling forfeiture matters in the Stephen case.

    In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide EIDLs to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred.  EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA.

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

    On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here.

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

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 25-cr-20014 (Stephen) and 25-cr-20001 (Arestuche).

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eight Sentenced in Eastern Panhandle Fentanyl Drug Trafficking Operation

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Eight people have been sentenced for their roles in an Eastern Panhandle drug trafficking organization.

    The indictment, returned in January 2024 against Gary Brown, Jr. and eighty-one others, charged that the defendants caused substantial amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine to be distributed in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.

    Those sentenced this week include:

    • Eric Garner, also known as “Pops,” age 58, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to 300 months.
    • Gary Rodriguez, also known as “Mr. T,” age 34, of Lanham, Maryland, was sentenced to 240 months in prison.
    • Benjamin Paul Knotts, age 49, of Charles Town, West Virginia, was sentenced to 235 months in prison.
    • Damian Costello, age 28, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, was sentenced to 180 months in prison.
    • Michael Bradley Decker, age 44, of Inwood, West Virginia, was sentenced to 97 months.
    • Gary Brown, III, age 20, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to 36 months.
    • Wendy Diane Crites, age 58, of Charles Town, West Virginia, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison.
    • Michael Regale Luckett, age 47, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 9 months in federal prison.

    Of the 82 defendants, 81 have been convicted. Including this week’s eight, 70 defendants have been sentenced. One defendant, Charles Delroy Singletary, age 44, of Baltimore, Maryland, remains a fugitive.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Kyle Kane prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.

    U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

    Investigative agencies include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Pittsburgh Field Division and Baltimore Field Division); the Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the United States Marshals Service;  the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; Ranson Police Department; Martinsburg Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; Stafford County Sheriff’s Office (Virginia); Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (Maryland); Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (Virginia); Winchester Police Department; and the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office (Virginia).

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Meets With Three Federal Judges To Discuss Judicial Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    June 04, 2025

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after discussing judicial security with Judge Beth Bloom of the Southern District of Florida, Judge Mark Norris of the Western District of Tennessee, and Judge Esther Salas of the District of New Jersey, whose son was murdered at the family’s home by a former litigant who posed as a deliveryman:

    “President Trump is openly threatening judges with over-the-top rhetoric and even calling for their impeachment for ruling against him. Just as bad: Republicans seem to be keeping quiet about—or even enabling—his threats. If President Obama or President Biden had said these things, Republicans would’ve thrown a fit.

    “Americans are welcome to disagree with judicial decisions on the merits, but we must all agree that we cannot undermine our Constitution by allowing threats to the officers of our judicial branch in an attempt to weaken it.

    “Judges Salas, Bloom, and Norris are helping to shed light on the threats faced by our judges in a heightened political environment, and I thank them for having the courage to speak about their experiences and carry on the legacy of Judge Salas’s son Daniel.”

    New reporting found that USMS has seen a spike in threats against federal judges, including 197 federal judges threatened between March 1 and May 27 of this year. One report identified more than 600 posts on social media and right-leaning message boards since February targeting family members of judges who ruled against the Trump Administration—with the posts viewed more than 200 million times. Another report described federal judges and their family members receiving anonymous deliveries to their homes intended to show that those seeking to intimidate the targeted judge know the judge’s address or their family members’ addresses. Some of these deliveries were made using the name of Judge Salas’s son.

    The spike in threats coincides with escalating, threatening language by President Trump and his allies, including calls for impeaching judges who don’t rule in the President’s favor.

    Durbin has urged Attorney General Bondi and FBI Director Patel to investigate the ongoing and increasing threats against federal judges. Durbin asked for a response by May 20, but has yet to receive one.

    In 2023, the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. The legislation provided additional intelligence analysts and deputy Marshals to the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and allowed judges to remove sensitive personal information from government websites and private publications.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kim, Raskin Introduce Legislation to Feed Shelter Animals, Support Shelters and Prevent Waste 

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)

    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives Young Kim (CA-40) and Jamie Raskin (MD-08) introduced bipartisan legislation to incentivize pet suppliers to donate leftover and usable food and supplies to animal shelters.  

    The Bring Animals Relief and Kibble (BARK) Act could help the recovery of millions of pounds of pet food to feed shelter animals. In addition to food, the law would make it easier to donate beds, blankets, crates, leashes, toys and more gear for animals in need. This legislation is especially crucial as animal shelters face rising operational costs. 

    “Across the country, many animal shelters face food and supply shortages while over a million pounds of useable pet supplies are wasted each year. The BARK Act will help reduce this waste, supply shelters in need, and feed animals,” said Congresswoman Kim. “I am happy to lead this commonsense bipartisan effort to support shelters and reduce waste in landfills.” 

    “Every day, viable pet food goes to waste and blankets, crates and other supplies end up in the trash,” said Rep. Raskin. “Our legislation helps suppliers and people donate leftover food and supplies rather than toss them out. I’m glad to partner with Rep. Kim to ensure perfectly good pet supplies go to shelter animals in need.” 

    “I’ve seen the bags of perfectly usable pet foods that retailers put in the trash—all of which could benefit an animal in a shelter,” said Sally Tom of Silver Spring, Rep. Raskin’s constituent and the inspiration behind the BARK Act. “After taking this problem to my Congressman, Jamie Raskin, he immediately crafted the BARK Act to help pet retail stores send shelters, rescue groups, and most importantly, millions of hungry animals the food they need. Let’s rescue food for the rescues!” 

    “The ASPCA applauds Representatives Raskin, Kim, and McBath, as well as Senators Warnock and Tillis for reintroducing the BARK Act, which will make it easier for individuals and businesses to donate food and supplies to nonprofits and government agencies that care for dogs, cats, and other vulnerable animals in need,” said Maggie Garrett, vice president of federal affairs for the ASPCA. “This bill will help shelters across the country who are facing an ongoing capacity crisis, caused by animals staying in shelters longer, staffing and veterinary shortages, and an increase in the number of animals with significant medical and behavioral needs.” 

    “The BARK Act is a commonsense way to boost pet food and supplies for animal shelters” said Tracie Letterman, Vice President, Humane World Action Fund.“This bill gives rescued animals a chance to find their forever families by helping those animal shelters struggling to operate.” 

    “Pets are an essential part of our families, and the BARK Act will make it easier for organizations to accept and distribute donations of pet food and supplies to people in need of support”, said Amanda Arrington, Vice President of Access to Care, Humane World for Animals. “We applaud Reps. Kim and Raskin for expanding the availability of these donations as it will make it easier for more pets to stay in their loving homes.” 

    “The Pet Food Institute, whose members make the vast majority of dog and cat food and treats in the U.S., applauds Rep. Jamie Raskin for reintroducing the BARK Act, which will make it easier to donate pet food and supplies to our nation’s animal shelters, while reducing waste,” said PFI’s president and CEO, Dana Brooks.“Helping eliminate barriers to donating pet food will ensure shelters are better able to provide pets awaiting their forever homes with the complete and balanced nutrition that cats and dogs need to live long and happy lives.” 

    The following organizations endorse the BARK Act: Best Friends Animal Society, Pet Food Institute, ASPCA, Humane World Action Fund, and Maryland Nonprofits. 

    Senators Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) are introducing companion legislation in the Senate.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Over half a million more children to get free school meals

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Over half a million more children to get free school meals

    New entitlement to free school meals for all children in household on Universal Credit.

    Over half a million more children will benefit from a free nutritious meal every school day, as the government puts £500 back into parents’ pockets every year by expanding eligibility for free school meals.

    From the start of the 2026 school year, every pupil whose household is on Universal Credit will have a new entitlement to free school meals. This will make life easier and more affordable for parents who struggle the most, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change to break down barriers to opportunity and give children the best start in life.  

    The unprecedented expansion will lift 100,000 children across England completely out of poverty. Giving children access to a nutritious meal during the school day also leads to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better outcomes – meaning they get the best possible education and chance to succeed in work and life.

    Since 2018, children have only been eligible for free school meals if their household income is less than £7,400 per year, meaning hundreds of thousands of children living in poverty have been unable to access free school meals.

    The government’s historic new expansion to those on Universal Credit will change this and comes ahead of the Child Poverty Taskforce publishing its ten-year strategy to drive sustainable change later this year. It comes on top of targeted support for families being hit the hardest with the cost-of-living crisis, with urgent action including raising the national minimum wage, uprating benefits and supporting 700,000 families through the Fair Repayment Rate on Universal Credit deductions.

     Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    Working parents across the country are working tirelessly to provide for their families but are being held back by cost-of-living pressures.

    My government is taking action to ease those pressures. Feeding more children every day, for free, is one of the biggest interventions we can make to put more money in parents’ pockets, tackle the stain of poverty, and set children up to learn.

    This expansion is a truly historic moment for our country, helping families who need it most and delivering our Plan for Change to give every child, no matter their background, the same chance to succeed.

    Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

    It is the moral mission of this government to tackle the stain of child poverty, and today this government takes a giant step towards ending it with targeted support that puts money back in parents’ pockets.

    From free school meals to free breakfast clubs, breaking the cycle of child poverty is at the heart of our Plan for Change to cut the unfair link between background and success.

    We believe that background shouldn’t mean destiny. Today’s historic step will help us to deliver excellence everywhere, for every child and give more young people the chance to get on in life.

    The Government is also offering more than £13 million in funding to 12 food charities across England to redistribute thousands of tonnes of fresh produce directly from farms to fight food poverty in communities.

    The Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme is helping farms and organisations to work collaboratively to ensure edible food that might have been left in fields instead ends up on the plates of those who need it, including schoolchildren.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:

    Poverty robs children of opportunities and damages their future prospects. This is a moral scar on our society we are committed to tackling.

    By expanding Free School Meals to all families on Universal Credit, we’re ending the impossible choice thousands of our hardest grafting families must make between paying bills and feeding their children.

    This is just the latest step of our Plan for Change to put extra pounds in people’s pockets – a downpayment on our Child Poverty Strategy, building on our expansion of free breakfast clubs, our national minimum wage boost and our cap on Universal Credit deductions through the Fair Repayment Rate.

    To ensure quality and nutrition in meals for the future, the government is also acting quickly with experts across the sector to revise the School Food Standards, so every school is supported with the latest nutrition guidance.

    This new entitlement will apply to children in all settings where free school meals are currently delivered, including schools, school-based nurseries and Further Education settings. We expect the majority of schools will allow parents to apply before the start of the school year 2026, by providing their National Insurance Number to check their eligibility.

    Schools and local authorities will continue to receive pupil premium and home to school transport extended rights funding based on the existing free school meals threshold. 

    This is just the latest step in the government’s Plan for Change to break the unfair link between background and opportunity, including rolling out free breakfast clubs, expanding government-funded childcare to 30 hours a week for working parents and commitment to cap the number of branded school uniform items.

    Nick Harrison, CEO of the Sutton Trust, said: 

    This is a significant step towards taking hunger out of the classroom. Children can’t learn effectively when hungry, so this announcement not only helps to tackle the effects of child poverty, but will also likely help improve education outcomes for disadvantaged young people.

    Giving free school meals to all families who are eligible for Universal Credit is also easier for parents to understand, so has the potential to increase take up rates. This is an important milestone in delivering on the Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity.

    Kate Anstey, head of education policy at Child Poverty Action Group said: 

    This is fantastic news and a game-changer for children and families.  

    At last more kids will get the food they need to learn and thrive and millions of parents struggling to make ends meet will get a bit of breathing space.

    We hope this is a sign of what’s to come in autumn’s child poverty strategy, with government taking more action to meet its manifesto commitment to reduce child poverty in the UK. 

    From April 2026 until the end of parliament, millions of households are set to receive a permanent yearly above inflation boost to Universal Credit. The increase, a key element of the Government’s welfare reforms to be laid before Parliament, will tackle the destitution caused by years of inaction that has left the value of the standard allowance at a 40 year low by the early 2020s.

    DfE media enquiries

    Central newsdesk – for journalists 020 7783 8300

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 June 2025

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Computer Hacking Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendants Obtained Access to Non-Public Personal Information from Breached Law Enforcement Web Portal and Threatened Victims with Release of Personal Information

    Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, United States District Judge Frederic Block sentenced Sagar Steven Singh, also known as “Weep,” to 27 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and aggravated identify theft.  On May 30, 2025, Nicholas Ceraolo, also known as “Convict,” “Anon,” and “Ominous,” was sentenced to 25 months’ imprisonment for the same offenses.

    Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, andMichael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York) announced the sentencings.

    “The defendants breached a federal law enforcement database, used multiple means to steal sensitive personal information, and exploited that data to extort and threaten innocent people and their families,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “This sentence sends a clear message that my Office is committed to protecting victims from digital predators and that those who exploit vulnerabilities in government systems will face jail time.”

    “The defendants impersonated law enforcement, illegally accessed government databases, and even faked life-threatening situations to bypass criminal procedures through which they could obtain sensitive personal information,” stated HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.  “They threatened innocent victims’ livelihoods and were found to have joked about their deceptive, exploitative, and calculated scheme in messages with each other.  As a result of the HSI New York El Dorado Task Force’s commitment to justice in this case, both men will now have months in federal prison to consider the seriousness of these crimes.”

    Singh and Ceraolo belonged to a group called “ViLE,” whose logo is the body of a hanging girl.

    Members of ViLE sought to collect victims’ personal information, including social security numbers.  ViLE then threatened to “dox” victims by posting that information on a public website administered by a ViLE member.  Victims could pay to have their information removed from or kept off the website.

    Singh and Ceraolo unlawfully used a law enforcement officer’s stolen password to access a nonpublic, password-protected web portal (the “Portal”) maintained by a U.S. federal law enforcement agency for the purpose of sharing intelligence with state and local law enforcement.  The Portal detailed nonpublic records of narcotics and currency seizures, as well as law enforcement intelligence reports.

    The defendants used their access to the Portal to extort their victims.  Singh wrote to a victim (“Victim-1”) that he would “harm” Victim-1’s family unless Victim-1 gave Singh the credentials for Victim-1’s Instagram accounts—and appended Victim-1’s social security number, driver’s license number, home address, and other personal details.  During the conversation, Singh told Victim-1 that he had “access to [] databases, which are federal, through [the] portal, i can request information on anyone in the US doesn’t matter who, nobody is safe.”  He added: “you’re gonna comply to me if you don’t want anything negative to happen to your parents.”  Singh ultimately directed Victim-1 to sell Victim-1’s accounts and give the proceeds to Singh.

    After Singh and Ceraolo accessed the Portal, they both acknowledged that their conduct was criminal.  Ceraolo wrote to Singh: “were all gonna get raided one of these days i swear.”  Later that day, Singh wrote to a contact that the “portal [] i accessed i was not supposed to be there not one bit.”  Singh said he had “jacked into a police officer’s account” and “that portal had some fucking potent tools.”  Singh continued: “it gave me access to gov databases,” followed by the names of five search tools accessible through the Portal.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Mindlin, Ellen H. Sise, and Adam Amir are in charge of the prosecution.

    The Defendants:

    NICHOLAR CERAOLO (also known as “Convict,” “Anon,” and “Ominous)
    Age:  27
    Queens, New York

    SAGAR STEVEN SINGH (also known as “Weep”)
    Age:  21
    Pawtucket, Rhode Island

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-236 (FB)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Manhattan man sentenced to 7 years in prison on drug charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MISSOULA – A Manhattan, Montana man who distributed methamphetamine was sentenced today to 84 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Kevin Andrew Bacon, 51, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

    U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that in June 2022, law enforcement officers began investigating a drug trafficking ring operating in and around Butte. The conspiracy operated in part by sending drugs through the mail from California to Montana. For a substantial portion of the conspiracy, several of the conspirators operated out of a residence in Whitehall, MT.

    The investigation led to the arrest of several conspirators in early January 2023 and the seizure of approximately 13 pounds of methamphetamine. On February 23, 2023, law enforcement located a package sent from California to “Kevin Bacon” in Manhattan, MT. Law enforcement searched the package and located 873.5 grams of actual methamphetamine inside.

    On February 28, 2023, Bacon arrived at the post office in Manhattan and picked up the package. Bacon was arrested as he exited the building with the package. He told investigators he had a friend in Whitehall who sold methamphetamine, and that friend had asked Bacon to receive a package at Bacon’s P.O. Box, which Bacon knew would contain drugs.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Box Elder man sentenced to over 5 years in prison for child sexual abuse

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS – A Box Elder man who sexually abused a child was sentenced today to 68 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Brian Lee Bigbow, 48, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of abusive sexual contact by force and of a child.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that in April 2021, a Montana DPHHS centralized intake report came in on an abuse of Jane Doe, who disclosed she was sexually abused by Brian Bigbow. During interviews, Doe provided details of the abuse. Doe said Bigbow hurt her and said the sexual abuse occurred when she was in Bigbow’s bed, and they were watching TV. He turned off the TV and the lights and “raped her” – which she described as sex when you don’t want it. Bigbow took off his pants and clothes and took off her clothes. Doe tried to push him away but could not. His private parts touched her private parts and it, “hurt really bad.” He was laying on her, touching her leg with his hand, and he tried to hold her hand. Bigbow told her not to tell anyone or he would hurt her. Doe did not remember how many times it happened – she just knew it was multiple times.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services

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

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    MIL Security OSI –