NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Greenwich Investment Group Operator Pleads Guilty to Fraud, Money Laundering Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JUSTIN C. MURPHY, 50, of Stamford, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to offenses stemming from an investment fraud scheme.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Murphy owned and operated Greenwich-based Mara Investment Group, LLC, also known as Mara Investment Management LP and Mara Investments Global Management LLC (“Mara”), which Murphy purported to be a hedge fund that solicited and accepted investments and used a quantitative strategy that balanced long and short positions in securities.  Between approximately 2016 and September 2022, Murphy defrauded investors by pursuing a much riskier investment strategy than he told investors; diverting substantial investor funds for his own personal use and benefit; representing to investors that their invested funds were performing more favorably than was, in fact, the case, including providing investors with account statements that falsely representing their account balances; and providing investors with federal tax forms that falsely reported business income upon which investors would be required to pay tax.

    Murphy stole approximately $3,465,812 in investor funds through this scheme and used the funds to pay for personal expenses and to purchase a personal stake in his relative’s startup company.

    Murphy pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.  A sentencing date is not scheduled.

    Murphy was arrested in Brazil on December 6, 2023, and was detained for nearly 11 months while awaiting extradition to the U.S.  He has been released on a $250,000 bond since November 1, 2024.

    This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division.  The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Brazilian authorities provided assistance.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Lake Charles Man Sentenced on Child Pornography Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAKE CHARLES, La. – Kenneth Blake LeBlanc, 33, of Lake Charles, was sentenced yesterday on child pornography charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced LeBlanc to 180 months (15 years) in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release.  

    LeBlanc was arrested in April 2024 after law enforcement officers with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office (“CPSO”) received a complaint about an individual, later determined to be LeBlanc, who had recorded a prepubescent minor female undressing in the bathroom. Detectives with CPSO and agents with Homeland Security Investigations began an investigation into the allegations and learned that in April 2024, LeBlanc hid a cell phone and used it as a recording device to capture a minor undressing in the bathroom of a known residence. The phone was positioned to capture someone getting in and out of the shower. The video LeBlanc created included images of the private areas of the minor, who was under the age of 11 years old at the time. Using the internet, LeBlanc transported this video from his Android phone to an iPhone, knowing that the video contained child pornography.

    LeBlanc pleaded guilty to a Bill of Information charging him with one count of attempted transportation of child pornography. 

    The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren L. Gardner.

    This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    Child Sexual Abuse Material – To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678.       

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Robberies of Convenience Stores in Vinton Lead to Arrest and Conviction of Sunset Man

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAKE CHARLES, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Bracelon Armon Charles, 22, of Sunset, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 155 months (12 years, 11 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  

    According to information presented in court, on or about October 6, 2023, Charles and a juvenile used a 2018 Kia which had been stolen from a residence in Lafayette, to drive to Vinton, Louisiana. Charles and the juvenile entered Tiger Mart, a gas station and convenience store located in Vinton, and entered the store brandishing firearms and demanded money from the store clerk. The clerk complied and gave them money from the cash register in the amount of $400. Charles and the juvenile immediately left the Tiger Mart.

    Just minutes later, Charles and the juvenile entered More 4 Less, another gas station and convenience store in Vinton. As in the previous store just minutes before, Charles and the juvenile brandished their firearms and demanded money from the store clerk as they pointed their firearms at the clerk. The clerk complied and gave all the money in the cash drawer over to Charles and the juvenile, which was $400.

    Charles and the juvenile then traveled into Texas where law enforcement officers engaged them in a high speed chase back into Louisiana where they were subsequently apprehended. Charles was charged in a federal indictment and pleaded guilty to using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. 

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren L. Gardner.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Vice President and Controller of Publicly Traded Consumer Goods Company Sentenced to 13 Months for $1.6 Million Insider Trading Scheme

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

    MIAMI – A Florida man was sentenced yesterday in the Southern District of Florida to 13 months’ imprisonment and a $10,000 fine for his role in an insider trading scheme that netted over $1.6 million in profits. He was also ordered to pay over $200,000 in restitution and over $1.6 million in forfeiture.

    According to court documents, from November 2018 to April 2023, Stephen George, 54, of Parkland, was a member of the Finance Department and held roles including controller and vice president at a consumer-packaged goods company headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida (Company A). The company was the maker of a fitness drink whose securities were publicly traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market. At Company A, George received material non-public information (MNPI) regarding the company’s financial performance.

    On his final day at Company A on April 7, 2023, George created a consolidated income statement showing its financial performance for the first quarter of 2023, which George knew contained MNPI. The income statement showed that the company’s first quarter results had greatly exceeded expectations. George then emailed the document to himself using two personal email accounts.

    On April 10, 2023, the first trading day after his last day of employment, and continuing through May 8, 2023, George purchased Company A securities based on MNPI – specifically, 20,000 shares of common stock and 300 call option contracts. On May 9, 2023, after the market close, Company A publicly reported better-than-expected earnings and sales for the first quarter of 2023, including an all-time quarterly record in revenue. After the public announcement, its stock price increased significantly. During the next trading day, George sold all 20,000 shares of common stock and 300 call option contracts, resulting in over $1.6 million in personal profits.

    In February 2025, George pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department appreciates the assistance of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eli S. Rubin and Elizabeth Young for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Matthew F. Sullivan and Matt Kahn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff for the Southern District of Florida handled asset forfeiture.

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

    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 number 25-cr-60011.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien Guilty of Assaulting Federal Agent and Fleeing Scene in Underwear

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

    LAREDO, Texas – A 21-year-old Mexican citizen has pleaded guilty to assaulting a Border Patrol (BP) agent who was assisting him and inflicting bodily injury, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Marco Cupil-Hernandez, an illegal alien from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, admitted he struck the agent’s body and face repeatedly while attempting to flee.

    On the evening of Jan. 23, law enforcement had arrested Cupil-Hernandez after he had waded across the Rio Grande River. A BP agent transported him to a local hospital for emergency care after Cupil-Hernandez complained of injuries to his knees.

    Medical personnel cleared him for release, though he walked with a limp. As the agent attempted to assist him into the vehicle, Cupil-Hernandez forcefully pushed him away and attempted to flee.

    A struggle ensued on the concrete. Each time the agent grasped an article of Cupil-Hernandez’s clothing, he removed it. Cupil-Hernandez then elbowed the agent’s face which caused him to lose his hold, at which time Cupil-Hernandez jumped to his feet and fled wearing only his underwear and shoes.

    Authorities took him into custody a short time later after discovering him hiding under the covered parking spaces of a nearby gym.

    “The defendant’s conduct, in brief, was quite revealing; he attacked a federal agent and barely escaped,” said Ganjei. “The naked truth here is if you assault a federal officer, you are going to federal prison.”

    U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Cupil-Hernandez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    Cupil-Hernandez has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

    FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Thirty-Six Year-Old Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor

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

    PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Paul Graf, 36, of the 1000 block of West Willow Lane, was sentenced in federal court on April 17, 2025, to 120 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor.

    At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, it was established that Graf initiated contact with a purported 13-year-old minor female on multiple occasions, and the two corresponded between April 8 to April 18, 2024. During that time frame, Graf expressed a sexual interest in the alleged child and discussed specific sexual acts.

    On April 18, 2024, Graf traveled to a prearranged location to meet with the presumed minor and was subsequently arrested. During his arrest, Graf was in possession of a cell phone, and a bag that contained multiple sex items.

    Also at the hearing, the government presented testimony that a minor reported to an officer with the Peoria, Illinois, Police Department allegations of sexual abuse by Graf on multiple occasions and several years. Items removed from Graf’s home during a search following Graf’s arrest corroborated the minor’s statement. This finding resulted in a sentencing enhancement as a repeat and dangerous sex offender against minors.

    “Crimes against children are particularly heinous.” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Ortiz. “This case is a reminder of the inherent dangers the children of our community face every day, on the internet and elsewhere.  The U. S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois and its law enforcement partners prioritize the protection of children, and we remain committed to fully seeking justice for these most vulnerable of victims.”

    “This individual used the internet to prey on the vulnerable, believing anonymity would protect him. It didn’t.” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher J.S. Johnson. “Our agents, in collaboration with our partners, worked tirelessly to bring him to justice. Let this be a message to anyone else who would attempt to harm our children, you will be held accountable.”

    The statutory penalties for attempted enticement of a minor are not less than ten years and up to life in prison; not less than five years and up to life on supervised release; and up to a $250,000 fine.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Peoria Police Department, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Harbour Grace — Man arrested by Harbour Grace RCMP for robbery and uttering threats

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Harbour Grace RCMP arrested 30-year-old Lucas Rowe of Carbonear for robbery, uttering threats, and other offences on April 28, 2025.

    Around 3:45 p.m. on Monday, Harbour Grace RCMP received a report of a residential disturbance at a home in Carbonear. A woman was leaving her home when she was met by a man outside. The man threatened her and demanded that she give him her vehicle.

    The woman went back inside her residence and the man threw a rock through the window of the home. He then proceeded to damage a vehicle that was parked in the driveway. Police responded and quickly located and arrested the man, who was identified as Lucas Rowe.

    Rowe attended court yesterday and was remanded into custody. His next court appearance is set to take place on Friday, May 2, 2025. He is charged with the following criminal offences:

    • Robbery
    • Uttering threats
    • Mischief – property damage over $5,000
    • Resisting arrest

    The investigation is ongoing.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Trilateral E-7A agreement marks new milestone with KC-46 certification

    Source: United States Air Force

    In a historic first, the U.S. Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and Royal Air Force collaborated to rapidly improve global combat capability while gathering critical test data for future acquisition of the E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in New Hampshire Religious Land Use Case Brought by Small Church

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    The Justice Department filed a statement of interest yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire explaining that the claims brought by a Christian church and its pastor under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) are ready to be heard and determined in federal court.

    The statement of interest was filed in Grace New England v. Town of Weare, a private lawsuit alleging that the town violated RLUIPA by threating fines against a small home-based church and its pastor.

    “RLUIPA protects the freedom of religious groups to worship without undue government interference,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “When localities threaten fines against religious groups to force them to undertake unnecessary land use review, RLUIPA offers them an avenue for relief through the courts. The Civil Rights Division stands ready to protect the fundamental religious freedom rights of all Americans.”

    The plaintiffs operate a home-based church on a 5-acre property in the town of Weare, New Hampshire. The complaint alleges that the town permitted secular assemblies and events on the property, but once plaintiffs began to hold religious services, the town demanded a formal site plan review – despite a New Hampshire state law prohibiting this requirement for religious land use. The plaintiffs sued the town, alleging that its demands and threatened fines constitute a substantial burden on their religious exercise and demonstrate unequal treatment by the town as compared to similar secular uses.

    The town filed a motion for summary judgment, arguing in part that the plaintiffs’ claims are not ready to be heard by the court. The department’s statement of interest refutes these contentions, explaining that the plaintiffs’ claims are ripe for judicial review even though plaintiffs have not gone through the full site review process and that RLUIPA does not require a plaintiff to exhaust administrative appeals before filing a lawsuit.

    RLUIPA is a federal law that guards individuals and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the department’s work can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage.

    Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the RLUIPA complaint portal. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: California City Councilmember Charged with Hazardous Waste Transportation Conspiracy that Risked Death or Serious Bodily Injury

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

    Michael Kulikoff, 39, of California City, was arrested today on an indictment charging him with conspiracy to transport and cause to be transported a hazardous waste without a manifest and placing another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, in February 2024, Kulikoff was a city councilmember in California City and owned a car wash business. On Feb. 25, 2024, Kulikoff learned that a mercury exposure incident had occurred at his car wash. An individual had spilled a jar containing several ounces of mercury inside the cabin of a sports utility vehicle and had attempted to clean up the mercury using a vacuum cleaner. The individual then drove the contaminated SUV to a residence in California City, where he called 911 because he was experiencing symptoms related to mercury exposure.

    California City emergency services personnel responded to the scene and scanned the SUV for mercury. They detected approximately 20 times the allowable limit of mercury inside the SUV’s cabin and put yellow caution tape around the SUV to deny entry to it. They also shut down the car wash business. Kulikoff attempted to clean up the business himself but was told by the emergency services personnel that he had to stop because it was a hazardous materials scene and was unsafe.

    Early the following morning, Kulikoff conspired with another person to move the contaminated SUV outside of city limits. He directed the other person to drive the contaminated SUV from California City to Boron because the SUV was causing problems for Kulikoff in California City, and he wanted the SUV to be outside the jurisdiction of California City emergency services personnel. Emergency services personnel left the location of the contaminated SUV scene to respond to a report of a fire that turned out to be a false report. When they returned to the scene, the contaminated SUV was gone. A couple of hours later, Kern County emergency services personnel found the contaminated SUV at the residence of the individual who had moved the vehicle at Kulikoff’s direction. That individual also complained of symptoms related to mercury exposure.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Arelis M. Clemente are prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Kulikoff faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to transport hazardous waste and a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $50,000 fine per day of violation for placing another person in imminent danger. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Solano County Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Second Conviction of Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

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

    Jeremiah Malik Jefferson, 27, of Benicia, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to seven years in prison for his second federal felon-in-possession of a firearm case, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, On Oct. 1, 2023, while on supervised release following a 2021 conviction in a prior federal gun case, Jefferson brandished a firearm during an argument with a female victim. Jefferson had been released from prison only 10 months prior. During a search of Jefferson’s residence on Nov. 1, 2023, law enforcement officers recovered a firearm that was loaded with a high-capacity magazine and had previously been reported stolen. Jefferson is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions, including for burglary and a previous federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Jefferson was also sentenced to two years in prison (the applicable statutory maximum) for violating his terms of supervised release to be served concurrently with the 7-year sentence.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Probation Office, the Benicia Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice 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-OSI Security: FBI: Wyoming Ranks 3rd Per Capita in Losses to Scammers

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

    Scammers stole $43,502,744 from Wyoming victims in 2024, according to the latest report from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Those losses made Wyoming the No. 3 state in the nation in terms of per capita losses. People filed 1,377 IC3 complaints in 2024.

    Reported losses in the state increased nearly $30 million over the 2023 dollar amount.

    The top schemes with the largest dollar amount losses in 2024 in Wyoming were data breach ($21 million) and investment fraud ($13 million).

    The top schemes in terms of numbers of reports from Wyoming were extortion (193) and personal data breach (89).

    The age group that made the most reports was people 40-49 years old, with 479 complaints. The age group with the most reported losses was those 60 and older, with $8,648,675.

    “This report is a sobering reminder that people in Wyoming remain prime targets for scammers who will jump at every opportunity to defraud potential victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek, who oversees FBI operations in the Cowboy State. “It’s important for the public to remain vigilant to guard against ever-increasing cyber-enabled threats both at places of employment and in personal life.”

    In 2024, the IC3 received 859,532 complaints nationally of suspected Internet crime with reported losses of $16.6 billion. That is a 33 percent increase in losses from 2023.

    These are only the reports made to IC3; not every victim files a complaint—or even realizes he or she is a victim—so the actual numbers are probably higher in terms of victims and losses.

    Nationwide, the top three scams most frequently reported by victims were phishing/spoofing, extortion, and personal data breaches. Victims of investment fraud, specifically those involving cryptocurrency, reported the most losses—totaling more than $6.5 billion.

    Cryptocurrency investment fraud increased 29 percent over 2023. Ransomware complaints were up 9 percent across the country

    As a group, people 60 and older suffered the most reported losses in 2024 at nearly $5 billion and submitted the greatest number of complaints.

    If you feel you have been a victim of a cyber-enabled crime, file a complaint at IC3.gov.

    Read the full IC3 report here: https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024_IC3Report.pdf

    Breakdowns by state are here: https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024State/

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  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI San Francisco Warns of Escalating Ransomware Threats

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

    Highlights Private Sector Partnerships and Importance of Reporting

    As ransomware threats continue to evolve and disrupt critical services across the country, the FBI San Francisco Field Office is reinforcing its message to businesses and infrastructure partners: strong collaboration and timely reporting are essential to protecting U.S. networks.

    While participating in the RSA Cybersecurity Conference at the Moscone Center through May 1, 2025, FBI San Francisco is engaging cybersecurity professionals and industry leaders to strengthen partnerships and share information on the state of the cyber threat landscape.

    “Our cyber strategy is focused on disrupting adversaries, building trusted partnerships, and removing threats from U.S. networks before they cause harm,” said FBI San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “We are proactively engaging not only major corporations but also small and mid-sized companies that form the bedrock of our economy.”

    Ransomware Threat Landscape

    The ransomware threat today is immense—measured by the amount of financial losses, the number of active variants, and the increasing sophistication of attacks. Ransomware is malicious software designed to infect a computer or server, encrypt its contents, and demand a ransom payment in exchange for a decryption key.

    These attacks are often carried out by complex networks of criminal developers, affiliates, and service providers. Ransomware operations continue to adapt, emphasizing operational security and using layered tactics to extort victims. A growing trend is data theft and victim extortion without encryption, where criminals demand payment to avoid leaking sensitive or proprietary information—even when the victim has reliable backups.

    Criminal groups are also resorting to harassment tactics, including contacting employees or customers directly to pressure organizations into paying.

    According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3):

    • In 2024, cyber incidents and internet-enabled frauds cost victims more than $16.6 billion.
    • IC3 received over 3,100 ransomware complaints in 2024—an increase of nearly 12% over the prior year.
    • IC3 received over 86,000 extortion complaints in 2024—an increase of nearly 79% over the prior year.
    • Ransomware remains the most persistent cyber threat to critical infrastructure, with complaints rising 9% from 2023.
    • In 2024, 14 of the 16 U.S. critical infrastructure sectors experienced ransomware att

    From 2022 to 2024, IC3 received ransomware complaints totaling more than $106 million in reported losses—though the actual impact is likely higher, as many incidents are never reported.

    FBI Strategy: Disrupt, Partner, Protect

    The FBI’s cyber strategy focuses on disrupting cybercriminal infrastructure, building enduring partnerships, and making it harder and costlier for adversaries to succeed. The FBI targets the key services ransomware groups rely on: digital infrastructure, tools, communications, and money.

    By combining the capabilities of domestic and international partners and imposing costs on cybercriminals, including seizing illicit funds, the FBI is taking proactive steps to degrade their operations and reduce future attacks. This work requires help from the public and private sectors alike.

    “Together, we can dismantle these operations and protect the systems Americans rely on,” Virmani added. “But we can only do it if incidents are reported. If we don’t know it happened, we can’t act—and we can’t stop the next one.”

    Reporting To The FBI

    Despite the growing number of attacks, the FBI continues to face challenges with underreporting. After the FBI gained visibility into a major ransomware group’s infrastructure, investigators found that only about 20% of that group’s U.S. victims had reported the attack to law enforcement—a pattern consistent across multiple operations.

    Organizations may avoid reporting due to reputational concerns, quick internal recovery, or payment decisions. However, reporting cyberattacks helps the FBI track evolving threats, identify patterns, and support victims.

    The FBI urges victims of cyber incidents to report as soon as possible through the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. Prompt reporting allows FBI cyber squads to assess threats, provide appropriate assistance, and minimize disruption.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Missouri Registered Sex Offender Charged with Distributing and Possessing Child Pornography

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

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been charged in a federal criminal complaint for child pornography offenses.

    Jeffrey Lynn Petrie, 40, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged in a two-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, April 25. 

    The federal criminal complaint charges Petrie with one count of distributing child pornography over the internet in May 2024, and one count of possessing child pornography from Dec. 9, 2024, to April 24, 2025.

    According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, law enforcement officers received a Cybertip reporting that a user, “kinkypopper69,” was uploading video files depicting child sexual abuse materials. Petrie was later identified as the user “kinkypopper69.”

    On Thursday, April 24, the FBI conducted a search at Petrie’s residence and seized a cell phone.

    Petrie is a registered sex offender in Missouri based on prior convictions for child molestation in the 2nd degree.

    The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Franklin County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.

    Project Safe Childhood

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Chester Man Sentenced for Tax Evasion, False Statements, and Illegal Gun Possession in Multi-Million Dollar Business Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Lawrencium Germaine Martin, a/k/a Germaine Martin, 47, of Chester, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to federal tax evasion, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and making false statements to federal investigators.

    According to evidence presented in court, from 2019 through 2021, Martin operated a business known as Lancaster Tactical Supply (LTS) through the website LTacticalSupply.com. Martin presented LTS as if it were a legitimate business that sold firearm accessories and parts, including 80% build kits, firearm slides, imitation suppressors, optics, and body armor. He also modified and customized firearms.  Build kits are products that include the component parts of an operable firearm with some parts disassembled. When the parts are combined, the product is converted into a fully functioning firearm, often without a manufacturer or serial number, making the firearm more difficult to trace.  

    At least 380 customers from 43 states complained that they were defrauded by LTS, generally reporting that LTS took their money and failed to ship the products they purchased. Martin generated substantial revenue through LTS, including more than $2 million in 2020 alone.  Although Martin personally operated LTS and deposited its proceeds into his personal bank accounts, Martin failed to pay state or federal income tax any year from 2015 through 2022. 

    Martin also evaded federal income tax by using the identity of a former employee without authorization to set LTS payment systems up in a way that caused the IRS to identify the former employee as the person who owed income tax for the business, rather than Martin.

    When agents searched Martin’s residence and business in Chester, pursuant to a federal search warrant, he was found in possession of numerous firearms – including a 5.56 x 45 mm “80%” rifle; a 9 x 19 mm “80%” pistol, with a stabilizer brace and muzzle attachment; a 9mm pistol; and another 9mm pistol loaded with 16 rounds. Only one of the firearms had a serial number. Martin had 15 prior criminal convictions at the time, many of which are felonies, which made firearm possession illegal for Martin under federal law.

    As for false statements, when agents searched his house and business, Martin told FBI agents that he had never heard of LTS, that he had never received money from LTS, and that he did not know how his name became associated with the businesses, all of which Martin knew were untrue.

    United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced Martin to 57 months in federal prison, the high end of the advisory guidelines, with 3 years supervision by U.S. Probation to follow. Martin was also ordered to pay $215,374.00 in restitution to the IRS.

    The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia field office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation, with critical assistance from the Chester County Sheriff’s Department and the Rock Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels is prosecuting the case.

    ###

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Roanoke Man Sentenced for Killing Drug Supplier, Setting Body on Fire

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man, who robbed, shot, and killed his drug supplier then later burned the body to conceal his crimes, was sentenced yesterday to 35 years in federal prison.

    Joseph Richard Walker, 30, pled guilty in February to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence.

    A second man, Garrett Isaac Williams, has also pled guilty to related charges and is awaiting sentencing.

    According to court documents, from about December 2021, to about April 17, 2023, Walker engaged in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana with Williams. Beginning no later than January 2023, both Walker and Williams acquired marijuana and marijuana wax from E.B., who would travel from Pennsylvania to meet the pair at Walker’ s residence in Roanoke, Virginia.

    At some point in April 2023, Williams owed E.B. a large sum of money for marijuana that had been fronted. After having difficulty reaching Williams to discuss this debt, E.B. attempted to contact Walker, but inadvertently called Walker’s mother instead.

    This phone call caused Walker and Williams to set in motion a plan to end their relationship with E.B. However, instead of paying E.B. the money that was owed, they planned to order more marijuana from E.B., rob E.B. of that marijuana when he made the delivery, and in so doing, scare him from returning to Virginia.

    After receiving the “order” from Williams, on April 17, 2023, E.B. traveled from Pennsylvania to Walker’s residence in Roanoke, bringing with him approximately ten pounds of marijuana and two pounds of marijuana wax. Prior to E.B.’s arrival, Walker concealed on his person a Sig Sauer, model 1911, .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol, intending to use it in the robbery. Upon E.B.’s arrival,  Walker confronted E.B. about the phone call to Walker’s mother. This resulted in a brief verbal exchange and was followed by Walker committing the robbery against E.B., during which Walker shot E.B. twice, resulting in his death. To conceal the crime, Walker dragged E.B. ‘s body out of his residence, placed it in the trunk of E.B. ‘s car, and then drove the car out to Bedford County, Virginia, where he set it on fire. Prior to departing his residence in E.B.’s car, Walker took the marijuana that E.B. had brought with him.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Virginia State Police, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Roanoke City Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the Roanoke City Police Department, the Roanoke County Police Department, the City of Lynchburg Police Department, and the Bedford County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office investigated the case.

    Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division and Col. Matthew D. Hanley, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police, announced the sentence today.

    The Star City Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, comprised of officers from the Roanoke City Police Department, Roanoke County Police Department, City of Salem Virginia Police Department, the Vinton Police Department, and Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Salem Field Office, also aided in the investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys M. Coleman Adams and Kelly J. McGann are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Old Town National City Gang Member Sentenced to 10 Years for Distributing Methamphetamine Near School

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

    SAN DIEGO – Manuel Joseph Mariscal, an Old Town National City criminal street gang member known by the moniker “Pony,” was sentenced today in federal court to 120 months in prison. 

    In June of 2022, task force officers from the East County Regional Gang Task Force conducted two controlled purchases involving the distribution of methamphetamine, a Ruger Mini Thirty CAL. 7.62 x 39 rifle and several rounds of ammunition from Mariscal. The distribution occurred at Mariscal’s residence located just 852 feet away from Zamorano Elementary School in San Diego.

    On June 21, 2023, a state search warrant was executed on Mariscal’s residence, wherein additional methamphetamine, a firearm, ammunition, a firearm silencer, a firearm laser sign with gun mount parts, heroin and a composition book with pay and own information common in the drug trafficking business were discovered. On that date, Mariscal was arrested on the federal charges stemming from the June 2022 controlled purchases.

    In addition to the federal charges, Mariscal is currently facing state charges for the additional contraband seized in connection to the search warrant execution on his residence in San Diego County Superior Court, Dkt. No. CD301145, charging Mariscal with child abuse, possession for sale of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a possessor of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a felon, and a prohibited person owning firearm/ammunition.

    Mariscal, a serial offender marking his fourth conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, entered a guilty plea on this federal case on September 17, 2024.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndzie M. Carter.

    DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 23cr1470-JLS                            

    Manuel Jospeh Mariscal                                 Age: 49                                   San Diego, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Distribution of Methamphetamine Near a School – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841(a)(1) and 860

    Maximum penalty: Eighty years in prison and $10 million fine

    Felon in Possession of a Firearm – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922(g)(1)

    Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine

    Felon in Possession of Ammunition– Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922(g)(1)

    Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    East County Regional Gang Task Force

    Federal Bureau of Investigation

    San Diego County Sheriff’s Office

    National City Police Department

    San Diego County District Attorney’s Office

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard, partners ramp up efforts targeting containers at Port of New York and New Jersey

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 04/30/2025 10:15 AM EDT

     

    04/30/2025 09:51 AM EDT

    NEW YORK — Coast Guard Sector New York personnel conducted three warehouse spot checks at the Port of New York and New Jersey this week, uncovering a 60% deficiency rate in hazardous material compliance. Click the link to read the full release.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Who Defrauded Investors with Sham Technology Company Found Guilty of Wire Fraud and Money Laundering

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

    SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury today convicted Ramesh Kris Nathan on six counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering in connection with fraudulently obtaining investors’ money for a company that had no legitimate business activities.  The guilty verdict followed an eight-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Nathan, 43, a U.S. national, promised investors that their money would fund Relativity Research Fund, Inc., a company for which Nathan set up a bank account in San Francisco.  He promoted Relativity as being involved in the research and development of advanced technologies, including prototype spacecraft and space-related propulsion systems.  He also made false promises of future trading of the company’s shares on the Nasdaq Private Market.

    “Ramesh Nathan spun fantastic tales about space travel technology and advanced robotics to entice investors into funding his company, but all he had to offer was science fiction.  He deceived his investors, many of whom were veterans, about a nonexistent business.  Then he used the ill-gotten funds to line his own pockets,”  said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins.  “Thanks to the jury’s verdict, Mr. Nathan is being held accountable for the harms he caused to multiple victims.”

    “Ramesh Nathan orchestrated a scheme rooted in deception, betraying the trust of investors for his own gain,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Today’s guilty verdict reflects the seriousness of his crimes and brings justice to the victims he defrauded. The FBI remains committed to holding financial criminals accountable and protecting the public from fraud.”

    The evidence presented at trial showed that Nathan induced potential investors to provide funds by making false and misleading statements on his company’s website, in promotional materials, and in emails to potential investors.  For example, Nathan claimed that the company was developing numerous technology-related enterprises, including advanced robotics and space travel technology.  Nathan also represented that the company had significant capital investments, worldwide offices with over 15,000 employees, and tens of billions of dollars in profits and revenue.

    The jury also found that Nathan laundered investor funds through various bank accounts, and then used the funds for his personal expenses and transfers to his mother and his then-girlfriend.  Nathan carried out his fraudulent scheme by recruiting an intermediary to share his lies with investors, many of whom were veterans of the United States military and friends and family of veterans.

    The defendant will next appear in court on June 13, 2025, for further proceedings.  Nathan faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and 10 years in prison for each count of money laundering, and forfeiture of all property that is traceable to his wire fraud and money laundering violations.  Any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.  

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roland Chang and Sara Henderson are prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Tina Rosenbaum.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.  
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: South Carolina Resident Sentenced in Connection With $1.4 Million Embezzlement and Identity Theft Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant and husband used fraudulently obtained funds for vacations, home renovations, pet expenses, and retail purchases.

    Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Valerie Joseph, 61, of Murells Inlet, South Carolina, to 53 months in federal prison and 12 months of home detention. Joseph was convicted of wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft in connection with a decade-long, $1.4 million embezzlement scheme. Judge Gallagher also ordered the defendant to pay $1.4 million in restitution.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

    Beginning in January 2011, at the latest, and continuing into August 2021, Joseph, and her husband Robin, conspired to defraud Victim Business l and Victim K.F. According to court documents, from 2003 until August 2021, Valerie Joseph served as a bookkeeper for Victim Business 1, a wholesale greenhouse and garden center owned by Victim K.F., located in Caroline County, Maryland.

    Valerie and Robin Joseph schemed to make unauthorized charges to three credit-card accounts —associated with Victim Business 1 and Victim K.F. — for personal gain. This included American Express and Capital One accounts, along with a Lowes/Synchrony financial account.

    Routinely, for more than a decade, Valerie and Robin Joseph used credit cards associated with the victims’ accounts to make numerous unauthorized purchases. The theft included unauthorized credit-card charges for $200,000-plus at Walmart; $53,000-plus to AT&T for personal phone bills; $30,000-plus at a Japanese steak and seafood restaurant; and $116,000-plus to PayPal. Valerie and Robin Joseph charged more than $90,000 to Easton Utilities for utility bills; $16,000 to Chesapeake College for tuition payments; $2,500 to the University of Hawaii for college expenses; and $3,800 for cosmetics.

    The couple also charged more than $195,000 to the Lowes Account. Several of the unauthorized Lowes account charges were to purchase materials and supplies to renovate their previous residence in Easton, Maryland.

    Additionally, Valerie and Robin Joseph paid for airline tickets, cruises, Airbnb expenses, and hundreds of retailor gift cards using the victims’ account. The couple also used the victims’ account to pay more than $33,000 in veterinary expenses and charged various items related to their pets, including high-end bird cages for their tropical birds.

    On April 25, 2025, Robin Joseph pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft in connection with the scheme.  He is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud conspiracy and a mandatory two years for aggravated identity theft.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Riley who is prosecuting the federal case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: BATON ROUGE MAN SENTENCED TO 151 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR BANK ROBBERY

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Acting United States Attorney April M. Leon announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Jonathan Wayne Lanaute, age 40, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 151 months in federal prison following his conviction for bank robbery. The Court further sentenced Lanaute to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered him to pay $20,000 in restitution.

    According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on the morning of May 3, 2024, Lanaute entered United Community Bank, located on Bluebonnet Boulevard in Baton Rouge, and stated that he needed to cash a check. He approached a counter and passed a handwritten note to the bank teller which stated, “give me all the money in the cash resgister [sic] before everybody die in here.” The teller, fearful of bodily harm, directed the bank’s computer to begin dispensing $100 bills. While waiting for the bills to be dispensed, Lanaute was fidgeting in his sweatshirt pockets as if he had a firearm. He told the teller to “hurry up, hurry up,” and not to make any moves.   

    The machine dispensed fifty $100 bills at a time and ran through four (4) cycles. When complete, Lanaute took the money from the teller and walked towards the bank to leave. Before exiting the building, he heard the machine continuing to dispense money and he returned to the teller counter to retrieve the additional bills before finally exiting the building with $20,000.   

    Law enforcement was dispatched to the scene and retrieved video footage from the bank’s surveillance system. The surveillance footage showed Lanaute entering the bank wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and a black Saints baseball cap, and ultimately fleeing the scene in a dark colored sedan with a spoiler on the rear of the vehicle. Law enforcement identified the vehicle as a dark grey Mitsubishi Lancer which had been reported stolen during an armed robbery near the bank the previous night.   

    The vehicle was identified around the immediate area of United Community Bank and law enforcement visually confirmed the driver to be the same individual identified as the robber from the bank’s video surveillance. Officers attempted a traffic stop of the vehicle. Lanaute refused to stop and a vehicle pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, he drove the vehicle into ongoing traffic, ran another motorist off the road, and drove in the wrong direction on the interstate. The pursuit of the vehicle ended when the driver crashed head-on into an innocent motorist on the interstate.

    After the crash, Lanaute fled on foot. Following a short foot pursuit, he was apprehended and taken into custody. Lanaute was wearing the same clothing as seen in the bank’s video surveillance.  Approximately $8,207.89 was recovered from his person.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Baton Rouge Police Department, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Lundin Craig.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduras Man Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A Honduras resident pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served of approximately 92 days of imprisonment on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Luis Fernando Diaz-Garcia, 27, on April 29, 2025.

    According to information presented to the Court, Diaz-Garcia was arrested by the Pennsylvania State Police and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol as well as other traffic violations, including driving without a license, after he allegedly nearly side-swiped a marked police vehicle, charges which remain pending. Following this encounter, immigration officials determined that Diaz-Garcia was illegally present in the United States and arrested him on January 27, 2025. Diaz-Garcia was previously removed from the United States on November 13, 2019, and had not received the required permission to be in the United States. Diaz-Garcia has been in federal custody since his January arrest on the illegal reentry charge, and will be returned to immigration custody.

    Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Diaz-Garcia.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Deer Lake  — Excessive speeder ticketed by RCMP Traffic Services West

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    A 33-year-old man was stopped for excessive speeding by Traffic Services West on Monday.

    On April 28, 2025, police observed a vehicle travelling at speeds up to 164 km/hr in a 100 km/h zone on the Trans Canada Highway near Hampden Junction. The driver’s speed was locked in at 159km/hr. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was ticketed for excessive speeding. His license was suspended and the vehicle was impounded.

    RCMP NL continues to fill its mandate to protect public safety, enforce the law and ensure the delivery of priority policing services in Newfoundland and Labrador. We thank the public for continuing to report incidents of excessive speed, dangerous driving and crimes within their communities.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO Secretary General meets Mr Johann Wadephul, member of the German Bundestag

    Source: NATO

    On Wednesday, 30 April 2025, the NATO Secretary General, Mr Mark Rutte, will meet the member of the German Bundestag for Rendsburg-Eckernförde, Mr Johann Wadephul, at NATO Headquarters, in Brussels.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: LaPorte Man Found Guilty by Jury

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SOUTH BEND – Yesterday, Ron Deming, 38 years old, of LaPorte, Indiana, was found guilty today of receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography after a two-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Sentencing is scheduled for August 14, 2025. Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Indiana State Police and the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hannah T Jones and Katelan McKenzie Doyle.

    The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI and Gary Police Seek Help Locating Missing Gary Teen

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

    Ja’Niyah McMichael Would Be 14 Years Old Today

    The FBI and Gary Police Department are asking for the public’s help to locate Ja’Niyah McMichael, a teenager, who has been missing since August 12, 2024. Ja’Niyah was reported missing by her mother from their home in the 1900 block of Malcom X Blvd in Gary, Indiana.

    Investigators believe Ja’Niyah may be the victim of foul play and the search for her remains an active and ongoing investigation.

    At the time of her disappearance, Ja’Niyah was last seen wearing black pajama pants, a black hooded sweatshirt, and red and black shoes. She has known connections to Gary and East Chicago, Indiana.

    Today, Ja’Niyah would be 14 years old.

    In an effort to bring Ja’Niyah home and hold those responsible accountable, there is a $20,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for her disappearance. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 and the City of Gary is also offering a $10,000 reward.

    Anyone with information—no matter how small—is urged to come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), Gary or online at tips.fbi.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man charged with terrorism offence after Israeli Embassy incident

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man has been charged with a terrorism offence following an incident at the Embassy of Israel on Monday, 28 April.

    Abdullah Sabah Albadri, 33 (28.12.1991) of no fixed abode was charged on Wednesday, 30 April with the following offences:

    • Preparation of terrorist acts, contrary to Section 5(1)(a) of the Terrorism Act 2006.
    • Two counts of possession of a pointed or bladed article, contrary to Section 139(1) and (6) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

    He has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court later today (30 April).

    Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command said: “We remain in close contact with those based at the Embassy of Israel and we appreciate that these charges will be concerning to them.

    “I would like to reassure the public, however, that from our enquiries so far, we are not seeking anyone else in connection with this matter and we do not believe there is any wider threat to the public.

    “Although the man has now been charged, we continue with our investigation and would urge the public not to speculate further at this time.”

    Background:

    Shortly before 18:00hrs on Monday, 28 April, officers from the Met’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command became aware of a man attempting to gain unauthorised access to the grounds of the Embassy of Israel in Kensington, W8.

    Officers prevented the man from entering and arrested him on suspicion of a public order offence, trespassing on a designated site and possession of an offensive weapon.

    He was taken to a London police station and after further enquiries were carried out he was further arrested on suspicion of an offence contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006.

    Due to this, the investigation is being led by detectives from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

    He was subsequently charged as above.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: INTERPOL targets stolen vehicle trafficking in West African police operation

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    30 April 2025

    More than 12,000 vehicles were inspected over two weeks, initiating new investigations and uncovering links with organized crime.

    LYON, France: An international police operation targeting vehicle crime in West Africa has led to the detection of approximately 150 stolen vehicles and the seizure of more than 75 vehicles.

    Coordinated by INTERPOL and carried out by national law enforcement agencies in 12 West African countries, the operation – codenamed ‘Safe Wheels’ – also initiated 18 new investigations and uncovered the involvement of two organized crime groups.

    Most of the stolen vehicles detected through INTERPOL’s Stolen Motor Vehicle (SMV) database were trafficked from Canada, while many had also been reported stolen in France, Germany and the Netherlands.

    INTERPOL’s SMV database allows police in the Organization’s 196 member countries to run a check against a suspicious vehicle and find out instantly whether it has been reported as stolen.

    In 2024, around 270,000 vehicles were identified as stolen globally through the SMV database.

    David Caunter, Director of Organized and Emerging Crime at INTERPOL, said:

    “Each year, hundreds of thousands of vehicles are stolen around the world, yet the initial theft is often only the beginning of a vehicle’s journey into the global criminal underworld.

    “Stolen vehicles are trafficked across the globe, traded for drugs and other illicit commodities, enriching organized crime groups and even terrorists.

    “INTERPOL’s SMV database is the strongest tool we have to track stolen vehicles and identify the criminals involved in this global trade.”

    Stolen Canadian cars in Nigeria

    During the two-week operational phase (17-30 March), law enforcement in participating countries established an average of 46 checkpoints each day to inspect a total of 12,600 vehicles, checking their details against INTERPOL’s SMV database.

    Out of the vehicles seized or flagged as stolen, Toyota models were the most represented, followed by Peugeot and Honda.

    Both land and sea routes were used to traffic stolen vehicles detected during the operation.

    In Lagos, during checks of freight containers purportedly from Canada, Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) officers discovered six vehicles – Toyota and Lexus models – four of which showed clear signs of break-in.

    Checks against INTERPOL’s SMV database confirmed that all six vehicles were reported stolen in Canada in 2024. Investigative collaboration is ongoing between the NCS and Canada’s INTERPOL National Central Bureau.  

    Nine law enforcement officers and experts from INTERPOL’s SMV Task Force, including an expert examiner from Canada, were also deployed to the region – in Benin, Cabo Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo – to support Operation Safe Wheels.

    Operation Safe Wheels took place under the aegis of Project Drive Out – a new partnership between INTERPOL and the Government of Canada to target vehicle theft and the illegal trade of spare parts – and was made possible by Canadian funding.

    INTERPOL member countries that participated in the operation were: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Met directed to hold misconduct hearing for firearms officer NX121

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    The Independent Office for Police Conduct has directed the Met Police to hold a disciplinary hearing for a firearms officer known as NX121.

    NX121 was unanimously acquitted of the murder of Chris Kaba following an Old Bailey trial in October 2024.

    Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said: “We recognise the significant impact of Mr Kaba’s death on his family who continue to grieve the loss of a loved one.

    “Since NX121 was acquitted, the IOPC has been reconsidering whether he should face misconduct proceedings. We made strong representations that he should not face any further action due to the extensive evidence tried and tested at court and the not guilty verdict returned by the jury.

    “We know any fatal use of force by police understandably prompts concern among communities. NX121 made a split-second decision on what he believed was necessary to protect his colleagues and London and a jury unanimously decided that was an honestly-held belief and the force used was reasonable.

    “However, the IOPC has now determined that NX121 has a case to answer for his use of force and has directed us to hold a gross misconduct hearing.

    “We know another lengthy process will fall heavily on the shoulders of NX121 and more widely our firearms officers, who continue to bravely and tirelessly police the streets of London every day to protect the public.

    “Our armed officers respond to more than 4,000 incidents each year, but there are only one or two incidents where shots are fired by police each year. These officers are the most professional, accountable and cautious in their use of lethal force in the world and their operations have prevented countless acts of violence across our city.

    “Now is not the time for debate and discussion about this case, it is important that we do not risk prejudicing NX121’s right to an impartial hearing.

    “We will provide further updates and comment when these proceedings have concluded.”

    A date for the hearing will be set in due course. To ensure independence from the Met for an impartial hearing, we will be asking a chief officer from another police force to chair it.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Australia, Philippines, and U.S. Conduct Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone — The combined armed and defense forces of Australia, the Philippines, and the United States, demonstrating a collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific, conducted a multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone, April 29, 2025.

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