NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Detectives investigate blackmail offences targeting Chinese community

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives investigating a series of blackmail offences affecting the Chinese community in Islington have released images of people they want to identify and speak with.

    Since January, a number of victims have been approached in the areas around Chapel Market and Liverpool Road by suspects who asked if they knew a doctor before demanding they withdraw large quantities of money from nearby ATMs. The victims were told that if they refused, their family members would “mysteriously” get hurt in the coming days.

    Detective Constable Paulo Roberts, leading this investigation, said: “These incidents left the victims incredibly shaken and we know it has caused huge concern within the Chinese community.”

    “I want to assure local people that extensive enquiries have been conducted, and our work is still ongoing. The images we have are good quality and I am sure there is someone out there who will recognise these individuals.”

    Anyone who has information about people pictured should report online, dial 101 or post on X @MetCC quoting CAD 3232/14OCT24.

    To remain 100 per cent anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO Through Time podcast – NATO’s open door (2009) with former President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović

    Source: NATO

    The NATO Through Time podcast dives deep into NATO’s history, reflecting on how the past influences the present – and future – of the longest-lasting alliance in history. This episode features former President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, who was instrumental in leading her country, alongside Albania, to NATO membership in 2009.

    What was it like learning about NATO while growing up in the former Yugoslavia?
    Why did NATO launch “out-of-area” operations in the Western Balkans following the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s? 
    What was the road to NATO membership like for Albania and Croatia, and how did these countries help pave the way for other countries in the region to join the Alliance?  

    In this episode, former President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović reflects on her country’s journey to independence and its decision to “rejoin the European family” by becoming a member of NATO and the European Union. She also speaks about how Croatia has helped other countries in southeast Europe join the Alliance, and how this experience will support the future membership of further countries, including Ukraine. In addition to serving as President of Croatia (2015-2020), she was also the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (2005-2008), Ambassador to the United States (2008-2011) and NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy (2011-2014), so she played a crucial role in bringing Croatia into NATO and in its early years of membership in the Alliance.   

    The podcast is available on YouTube, and on all major podcast platforms, including:

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Central Command conducts airstrikes against multiple ISIS camps in Syria

    Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

    Oct. 12, 2024
    Release Number 20241012 – 01
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    TAMPA, Fla. (Oct. 12, 2024) – U.S. Central Command forces conducted a series of airstrikes against multiple known ISIS camps in Syria in the early morning of Oct. 11. The strikes will disrupt the ability of ISIS to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against the United States, its allies and partners, and civilians throughout the region and beyond. Our battle damage assessments are underway and do not indicate civilian casualties. We will provide updates as information is confirmed.

     

    -30-

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Deep Brook — Missing youth: Help the RCMP find Summer Herman-Fontaine

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Annapolis District RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 14-year-old Summer Herman-Fontaine, who was last seen in the early evening of October 12 in Deep Brook.

    Summer Herman-Fontaine is described as being 4′ 8″, slim build, with dark hair. She was last seen wearing a pink jacket and blue jeans. She is believed to be on foot.

    When someone goes missing, it has deep and far-reaching impacts for the person and those who know them. We ask that people spread the word respectfully.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Summer Herman-Fontaine is asked to contact Annapolis District RCMP at 902 665-4481 Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at http://www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips App.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: President of the Republic of Palau visits Hawaii

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    HONOLULU — President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. of the Republic of Palau visited the Indo-Pacific Command Headquarters at Camp H.M. Smith, where he participated in an honors ceremony and an office call to discuss combined efforts that promote regional stability, mutual defense priorities and deterrence initiatives, as well as how upholding the rule of law reinforces peace and prosperity on Oct. 11, 2024.

    Whipps participated in a USINDOPACOM hosted barge tour on Oct. 12. He paid respects at the USS Arizona memorial.

    The Republic of Palau is 340-plus islands strategically placed in the Western Pacific bordering the Philippines. The nation became independent in 1981 and entered a Compact of Free Association with the United States in 1994.

    USINDOPACOM is committed to enhancing stability in the Indo-Pacific region with its allies and partners by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression and, when necessary, fighting to win.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Murder investigation launched following shooting in Barking

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A murder investigation is under way following a shooting in Barking.

    Police were called at approximately 04:35hrs on Sunday, 13 October to reports of a man injured in Linton Road, Barking.

    Officers and London Ambulance Service attended and found a man, believed aged in his 30s suffering a gunshot injury. Despite the best efforts of the emergency services he was pronounced dead at the scene.

    Next of kin have been informed.

    A crime scene remains in place at the location.

    There has been no arrest and enquiries into the circumstances continue.

    Acting Detective Chief Superintendent Lewis Basford who is responsible for policing in East Area which covers Barking said: “I understand the shock and concern local residents will be feeling following this incident, but I want to reassure them that a team of experienced detectives are already working diligently to piece together the events that has led to this shooting and identify who is responsible.

    “Local residents will see increased police activity in and around the Linton Road area and I would ask them for patience while officers carry out vital work.

    “If you have any concerns, or information that could assist the investigation, then please speak to one of them or contact police.”

    Anyone with information that could assist police is asked to call 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC and quote CAD 1295/13Oct. You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Witness appeal after firearm discharge in West Kensington

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Police are appealing for witnesses and information following a firearm discharge in West Kensington.

    The incident happened at approximately 04:00hrs on Sunday, 13 October outside a nightclub in Russell Gardens, W14.

    Witnesses reported hearing gunshots after a verbal altercation involving a group of people. All those involved left the scene prior to police arriving.

    Officers attended and during a search of the location, casings were found. A crime scene remains in place while investigative work continues.

    There have been no reports of any injuries.

    Detectives are appealing for anyone who was in the area and saw events unfold, or anyone who has information that could assist police, to call 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC and quote CAD1158/13Oct. You can also provide information anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CSAF, CMSAF kickoff INDO-PACIFIC trip to engage allies and partners

    Source: United States Air Force

    Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi began a week-long tour of the U.S. Pacific Air Force’s area of responsibility following a brief stop at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Deep Brook — UPDATE: Missing youth found safe

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The 14-year-old youth who was reported missing and last seen in the early evening of October 12 in Deep Brook has been found safe.

    The RCMP thanks Nova Scotians for assisting with missing persons files through social media shares and by offering tips.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fifth man charged with Tower Hamlets murder

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A fifth man will appear in court charged with the murder of Joshua McLean in Tower Hamlets.

    Shanoor Ahmed – 38 (04.04.86) of Russia Lane, E2 will appear in custody at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 14 October charged with murder.

    Ahmed was arrested on Saturday, 12 October.

    Four people have previously appeared in court charged with Joshua’s murder.

    They are:

    Nefur Miah, 36 (06.04.88), of Redmans Road E1;
    Muhammed Ismail Ali, 37 (02.10.87), of Marlborough Road RM7;
    Simeon Oliver-Stewart, 30 (15.01.94), of Clevedon Close N16;
    Muhammad Abbas, 22 (21.07.02) of Bradford Road, Kirklees.

    All four defendants will appear at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, 17 December.

    The investigation, led by detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, was launched after Joshua, 31, was fatally shot on Tuesday, 6 August in Weavers Fields, Wilmot Street, E2.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ahtahkakoop — Ahtahkakoop RCMP: male arrested after firearm discharge

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On October 8, 2024 at approximately 8:55 p.m., Ahtahkakoop RCMP received a report of a shooting on Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation.

    Officers responded immediately and located an injured adult male, who had gunshot injuries, at the residence. The adult male was taken to hospital by EMS with injuries described as non-life threatening.

    Investigation determined an altercation occurred between two adult males. A firearm was discharged and the victim was injured.

    As a result of continued investigation, on October 9, officers located and arrested an adult male at a residence on Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation.

    19-year-old Christopher Ballantyne from Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation is charged with:

    • one count, discharge firearm with intent, Section 244, Criminal Code;
    • one count, assault with a weapon, Section 267(a), Criminal Code;
    • one count, unauthorized possession of a firearm, Section 91(1), Criminal Code;
    • one count, possession of a firearm when knowing possession authorized, Section 92(1), Criminal Code;
    • one count, possession of restricted firearm with ammo without license/registration, Section 95(1), Criminal Code; and
    • one count, unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon or restricted weapon, Section 91(2), Criminal Code.

    Christopher Ballantyne is scheduled to appear in Prince Albert Provincial Court on October 10, 2024.

    Saskatchewan RCMP’s Warrant Enforcement Suppression Team (WEST) assisted in this investigation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Secures Over $6.5M from Citadel Federal Credit Union to Address Redlining of Black and Hispanic Communities

    Source: United States Attorneys General 8

    First Redlining Settlement Agreement Against Credit Union in Justice Department History

    The Justice Department announced today that Citadel Federal Credit Union (Citadel) has agreed to pay over $6.5 million to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of lending discrimination by redlining predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in and around Philadelphia. This landmark agreement is the Justice Department’s first redlining settlement with a credit union, making this a historic achievement for the Combating Redlining Initiative.

    Redlining is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing credit services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race, color or national origin of residents in those communities.

    “This redlining settlement marks the Justice Department’s very first resolution involving a credit union, making clear our intent to hold all types of lenders accountable for their role in modern-day redlining,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “There are well over 4,600 credit unions across America, all subject to federal laws that prohibit redlining and lending discrimination. Redlining and other forms of lending discrimination harm communities of color and families by denying them an equal opportunity to access credit, attain the dream of homeownership and build generational wealth. This settlement will expand investment in Black and Hispanic communities, particularly in Philadelphia, and increase opportunities for homeownership and financial stability. Residents of communities harmed by unlawful redlining will finally be able to access credit services from Citadel in their own neighborhoods, including at the new branches required by the settlement.”

    “For generations, Philadelphia’s communities of color have lacked equal access to the credit needed for homeownership. We know that redlining has a devastating impact on a family’s finances and future, and results in economic and other inequalities that plague our communities for decades,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “We also know the transformational change that can occur when credit is made available to underserved residents, and particularly when lenders, like Citadel, establish branch locations in these neighborhoods.”

    The Justice Department’s complaint, which was filed today in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, alleges that, from at least 2017 through 2021, Citadel failed to provide mortgage lending services to majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in and around Philadelphia and discouraged people seeking credit in those communities from obtaining home loans. Citadel’s home mortgage lending was focused disproportionately on white areas around Greater Philadelphia. Peer lenders generated mortgage applications in predominately Black and Hispanic neighborhoods at nearly three times the rate of Citadel and originated mortgage loans in these areas at more than three times the rate of Citadel.

    The complaint further alleges that Citadel’s branches are located almost exclusively in majority-White neighborhoods, with no branches in Philadelphia, which contains more than 75% of the majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods and 34% of the total population in Citadel’s market area.

    Under the proposed consent order, which is subject to court approval, Citadel has agreed to invest $6.52 million to increase credit opportunities for communities of color in and around Philadelphia. Specifically, Citadel will:

    • Invest at least $6 million in a loan subsidy fund to increase access to home mortgage, home improvement and home refinance loans for residents of majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Philadelphia;
    • Spend at least $250,000 on community partnerships to provide services related to credit, consumer financial education, homeownership and foreclosure prevention for residents of predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Citadel’s market area;
    • Spend at least $270,000 for advertising, outreach, consumer financial education and credit counseling focused on predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Philadelphia;
    • Open three new branches in predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Philadelphia; and
    • Hire a community lending officer who will oversee the continued development of lending in communities of color.

    Citadel also agreed to retain independent consultants to enhance its fair lending program and better meet the communities’ needs for mortgage credit. The credit union will conduct a community credit needs assessment, evaluate its fair lending compliance management systems, and conduct staff trainings.

    With assets of approximately $6 billion, Citadel is headquartered in Pennsylvania and operates 24 branches in its market area of Greater Philadelphia, which includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties. Citadel is the second largest credit union in the region and has over 263,000 members. Citadel cooperated with the Justice Department’s investigation.

    In October 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Assistant Attorney General Clarke launched the Justice Department’s Combating Redlining Initiative, a coordinated enforcement effort to address this persistent form of discrimination against communities of color. Since 2021, the department has announced 14 redlining resolutions and secured over $144 million in relief for communities of color that have been the victims of lending discrimination across the country. In March, Assistant Attorney General Clarke presented remarks to America’s Credit Unions’ Governmental Affairs Conference regarding the unique issues raised by redlining in the credit union industry.

    A copy of the complaint and information about the Justice Department’s fair lending enforcement work can be found at http://www.justice.gov/fairhousing. Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s housing discrimination tip line at 1-833-591-0291 or submitting a report online.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Bell’s Point  — Increased police presence in Bell’s Point

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Saskatchewan RCMP advises there is an increased police presence in the Bell’s Point area in relation to an ongoing investigation. People are asked to avoid the area where officers are present and to follow any police direction provided.

    We will issue an update on this investigation as soon as we are able. If an imminent risk to public safety is identified, we will notify the public.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eighteen Individuals and Entities Charged in International Operation Targeting Widespread Fraud and Manipulation in the Cryptocurrency Markets

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

    First-ever criminal charges against financial services firms for market manipulation and “wash trading” in the cryptocurrency industry

    BOSTON – Eighteen individuals and entities have been charged for widespread fraud and manipulation in the cryptocurrency markets. Charges were unsealed in Boston against the leaders of four cryptocurrency companies, four cryptocurrency financial services firms (known as “market makers”) and employees at those firms.

    Four defendants have pleaded guilty, another defendant has agreed to plead guilty, and authorities apprehended three other defendants in Texas, the United Kingdom and Portugal this week. More than $25 million in cryptocurrency has been seized and multiple trading bots responsible for millions of dollars’ worth of wash trades for approximately 60 different cryptocurrencies have been deactivated.

    According to the charging documents, the defendants who created cryptocurrency companies made false statements about their cryptocurrencies (“tokens”) and executed sham trades in those tokens (“wash trades”) to create the appearance of trading activity that would make the tokens look like good investments. These deceptive tactics allegedly attracted new investors and purchasers, which resulted in an increase in the tokens’ trading prices. The defendants are then alleged to have sold their tokens at the artificially inflated prices, a fraud commonly known as a “pump and dump.” The largest of these cryptocurrency companies, Saitama, at one point had a multi-billion-dollar market value.

    The cryptocurrency companies also allegedly hired financial services firms ( “market makers”) to wash trade their tokens in exchange for payment. As one market maker defendant, who has agreed to plead guilty, described the practice to a prospective client: the “objective on the secondary markets” is to find “other buyers from the community, people you don’t know about or don’t care about” because “we have to make [the other buyers] lose money in order to make profit.”

    Three market makers—ZM Quant, CLS Global and MyTrade—along with their employees are charged with allegedly wash trading and/or conspiring to wash trade on behalf of NexFundAI, a cryptocurrency company and token created at the direction of law enforcement as part of the government’s investigation. A fourth market maker, Gotbit, its CEO, and two of its directors are also charged for perpetrating a similar scheme.

    Specifics regarding the defendants and conduct are detailed in Attachment A below.

    “This investigation, the first of its kind, identified numerous fraudsters in the cryptocurrency industry. Wash trading has long been outlawed in the financial markets, and cryptocurrency is no exception. These are cases where an innovative technology – cryptocurrency – met a century old scheme – the pump and dump. The message today is, if you make false statements to trick investors, that’s fraud. Period. Our Office will aggressively pursue fraud, including in the cryptocurrency industry,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy. “These charges are also a stark reminder of how vigilant online investors must be and that doing your homework before diving into the digital frontier is critical. People considering making investments in the cryptocurrency industry should understand how these scams work so that they can protect themselves.”

    “What the FBI uncovered in this case is essentially a new twist to old-school financial crime. ‘Operation Token Mirrors’ targeted nefarious token developers, promoters, and market makers in the crypto space. What we uncovered has resulted in charges against the leadership of four cryptocurrency companies, and four crypto ‘market makers’ and their employees who are accused of spearheading a sophisticated trading scheme that allegedly bilked honest investors out of millions of dollars,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The FBI took the unprecedented step of creating its very own cryptocurrency token and company to identify, disrupt, and bring these alleged fraudsters to justice.”

    If you bought or sold any of the tokens referenced below, please fill out this form.

    The Securities & Exchange Commission has filed civil complaints alleging violations of the securities laws in relation to the conduct at Gotbit, CLS, ZM Quant, Saitama and Robo Inu. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Legal Attachés (Madrid and London), Portugal’s Policia Judiciaria European Network of Fugitive Active Search Team (ENFAST), the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency’s National Extradition Unit, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office and the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team.

    Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the cases.  

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

    ###
     

    ATTACHMENT A

    The following individuals and entities have been charged in U.S. District Court in Boston, Mass.:

    Aleksei Andriunin, Fedor Kedrov, Qawi Jalili, Gotbit Consulting LLC (Gotbit) – According to court documents, Gotbit was a well-known “market maker” in the cryptocurrency industry. Aleksei Andriunin, 26, of Russia and Portugal, was Gotbit’s Chief Executive Officer and Founder. Andriunin was arrested on Oct. 8, 2024 in Portugal and awaits extradition. Fedor Kedrov, of Russia, was Gotbit’s Director of Market Making. Qawi Jalili, of Russia was Gotbit’s Director of Sales. Gotbit, Kedrov and Jalili are each charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud. Andriunin is also charged in a separate criminal complaint with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

    It is alleged that between 2018 and 2024, Gotbit provided market manipulation and wash trading services to several cryptocurrency companies, including companies located in the United States. Gotbit allegedly made wash trades worth millions of dollars on behalf of clients and received tens of millions of dollars in proceeds for these illicit services. In a 2019 interview published online, Andriunin allegedly described how he developed a code to wash trade and artificially inflate cryptocurrency trading volume. Andriunin allegedly kept track of Gotbit’s market manipulation, including with spreadsheets that compared “Created Volume” from wash trades with naturally occurring “Market Volume.” Gotbit’s employees, including Jalili and Kedrov, allegedly described these wash trading tactics to prospective clients and how to avoid detection. Jalili and Kedrov also allegedly provided these services to multiple cryptocurrencies, including the Saitama and Robo Inu cryptocurrencies.

    Riqui Liu, Baijun Ou, ZM Quant Investment LTD (ZM Quant) – ZM Quant was a “market maker” in the cryptocurrency industry that allegedly advertised illicit market manipulation services to clients. Riqui Liu, 26, of the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, was an employee of ZM Quant. Baijun Ou, 32, of Hong Kong, was also an employee of ZM Quant. ZM Quant, Liu and Ou are each charged in a superseding indictment with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud.

    According to court documents, ZM Quant allegedly advertised a “trading bot” that could “create volume.” ZM Quant employees allegedly discussed these illicit services with clients through Telegram messages and during video teleconferences. For example, as alleged in the charging documents, during a video teleconference in March 2024, Liu and Ou described how ZM Quant would trade “maybe ten times per minute or twenty times a minute” to “increase the trading volume” and “pump the price.” Liu and Ou also described how ZM Quant allegedly used multiple trading wallets to avoid having the trading look “fake.” It is further alleged that ZM Quant provided market manipulation services for multiple cryptocurrency companies, including Saitama and NexFundAI.

    Andrey Zhorzhes, CLS Global FZC, LLC (CLS) – CLS was a “market maker” in the cryptocurrency industry that allegedly advertised illicit market manipulation services to its clients. Andrey Zhorzhes, of the United Arab Emirates, was an employee of CLS. Both CLS and Zhorzhes are charged in an indictment with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud.

    It is alleged that Zhorzhes described to a prospective client how CLS’s algorithm generated trading volume on multiple cryptocurrency exchanges, as follows: 

    • “We have an algorithm that . . . basically does self-trades, buying and selling.”
    • “The idea of volume generation is . . . so the token looks organic and looks live and people get interested in trading it.”
    • “It’s very hard to track. . ..We’ve been doing that for many clients.”
    • “I know that it’s wash trading and I know people might not be happy about it.”

    Zhorzhes and other CLS traders allegedly provided these market manipulation services for NexFundAI.

    Liu Zhou, MyTrade MM – MyTrade MM was another “market maker” in the cryptocurrency industry that advertised illicit market manipulation services to its clients, including “pump and dump” consulting services and “wash trades” facilitated by “bots.” Liu Zhou, 39, of China and Canada, was the founder of MyTrade MM. Zhou is charged and has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud.

    MyTrade MM’s clients had access to a dashboard on MyTrade MM’s website through which clients specified the desired amount of daily wash trades on identified cryptocurrency exchanges. MyTrade MM’s dashboard described the service as “Volume Support” and allowed for millions in wash trades per day for each client cryptocurrency, for example:

    In conversations with purported promoters of NexFundAI, Zhou allegedly described MyTrade MM as superior to “CLS” and “Gotbit” because those market makers “keep clients in the dark” and “control the pump and dump,” which means “they can do inside trading easily.” Zhou allegedly also described the various purposes for wash trading, including showing “continuous trading activity every hour”; generating large enough trading volumes for cryptocurrency exchanges to waive listing fees; and executing “pump and dumps.” According to court documents, Zhou further described that the “objective on the secondary markets” was to find “other buyers from the community, people you don’t know about or don’t care about” because “we have to make [the other buyers] lose money in order to make profit.”

    Manpreet Kohli, Haroon Mohsini, Nam Tran, Max Hernandez, Russell Armand, Vy Pham, Saitama LLC (Saitama) – Saitama was a cryptocurrency company, originally incorporated in Massachusetts in August 2021.

    Manpreet Kohli, 43, of the United Kingdom, was the CEO of Saitama. Kohli was arrested in the United Kingdom on Oct. 7, 2024 and is awaiting extradition. Haroon Mohsini, 37, of Texas, also worked at Saitama. Mohsini was arrested on Oct. 7, 2024 in the Southern District of Texas. Nam Tran, 32, of Vietnam, worked at Saitama and is currently in Vietnam. Kohli, Mohsini and Tran are each charged in a superseding indictment with wire fraud, market manipulation, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, commit market manipulation and conduct an unlicensed money transmitting business. Max Hernandez, 36, of Massachusetts, and Russell Armand, 42, of Texas, also worked at Saitama and are charged separately and have both pleaded guilty to market manipulation and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. Vy Pham, 32, of California, is also charged for conduct at a different cryptocurrency company but, as part of that guilty plea, admitted to certain conduct involving Saitama.

    Saitama allegedly purported to create a series of products that could be used with its token and, at its peak, boasted a market value of $7.5 billion. Saitama’s leadership allegedly made a variety of false public statements, including that Saitama’s business plan had been reviewed by regulators, that its leadership was not selling the Saitama tokens they owned and that the Saitama token was coded in a way that prevented market manipulation. According to charging documents, in reality Saitama’s leadership was actively manipulating the market for the Saitama token and secretly selling their Saitama tokens for tens of millions in profits.

    Saitama’s market manipulation campaign allegedly began in or about July 2021, when leadership coordinated a series of small purchases spread across multiple cryptocurrency wallets. These trades were coordinated on Telegram, where Armand allegedly explained that the goal was to “create an illusion of massive buys and new holders” to “incite ppl [people] to buy 
    more…W[e] want list of small buys to look like it’s mor[e] buyers. That’s the idea.” Saitama’s leadership allegedly confirmed their purchases to one another, discussed how they were successfully getting others to purchase the Saitama cryptocurrency and exchanged “pump it” memes and GIFs:

    Thereafter, the Saitama leadership allegedly paid several market makers to wash trade the Saitama cryptocurrency on cryptocurrency exchanges, including BitMart, LBank and XT.com. The market makers that Saitama paid allegedly included ZM Quant and Gotbit.

    Robo Inu Finance (Robo Inu) – Robo Inu was a cryptocurrency company and token that Vy Pham created after she left Saitama in 2021. Pham has been charged and agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit market manipulation, to commit wire fraud and to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. Pham founded and promoted Robo Inu from the United States. Like Saitama, Robo Inu allegedly purported to create a series of products that could be used with its cryptocurrency. Beginning in or about 2022, Robo Inu allegedly paid Gotbit to artificially inflate the trading volume of the Robo Inu token through wash trades on cryptocurrency exchanges such as Bitmart.

    Michael Thompson, VZZN – VZZN was a cryptocurrency company and token that Armand created after he left Saitama in 2023. Michael Thompson, 50, of Virginia, also worked at VZZN. As with Armand, Thompson is charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit market manipulation. VZZN allegedly purported to be a video streaming service that could be used with the VZZN token. While promoting that service, Armand and Thompson allegedly also made misleading public statements about VZZN and artificially inflated the trading volume of the VZZN token through wash trades.

    Bradley Beatty, Lillian Finance LLC (Lillian Finance) – Lillian Finance was a cryptocurrency company and token founded by Bradley Beatty, 48, of Florida. Beatty is charged in an indictment with wire fraud. Lillian Finance allegedly purported to use blockchain technology in the healthcare industry and to use a portion of proceeds generated from token sales for charitable purposes. Beatty allegedly made a series of false statements about Lillian Finance to attract investors, for example, that he was a defense contractor and that he had addressed Congress on the topic of cryptocurrency. Thereafter, it is alleged that Beatty generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds from retail sales of the Lillian Finance token and misappropriated a portion of Lillian Finance’s profits that were supposed to be used for charity.

    The charge of market manipulation provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $5 million or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense and forfeiture. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, market manipulation and/or to conduct an unlicensed money transmitting business provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 to twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the criminally derived property, whichever is greater, and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Man Charged in Elder Fraud Conspiracy That Defrauded Elderly Victim of Over $400,000

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

    BOSTON – A South Boston man has been arrested and charged in connection with a scheme that defrauded a 75-year-old man from Berkshire County, Mass., of approximately $420,000.

    Urvishkumar Vipulkumar Patel, 21, was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Patel was arrested on Oct. 7, 2024 and subsequently released by the Court on conditions including GPS monitoring and orders that he remain in Massachusetts.

    According to the charging documents, in or around June 2024, the victim received a pop-up message on his computer claiming that his computer was frozen. The message contained a phone number, which the victim believed to be associated with Microsoft, and directed the victim to call for assistance. The victim then called the phone number listed in the pop-up and allegedly spoke with an individual before being transferred to another individual who called himself, “Sam Wilson.”

    It is alleged that Wilson claimed to be a federal agent with the U.S. Treasury Department and purported to confirm the victim’s name and address. When the victim stated that was not the correct address, Wilson provided additional addresses until the victim identified his correct address. Wilson then allegedly told the victim that the victim’s name and address were listed as being involved in a money laundering scheme and that the “Treasury” showed a number of houses had been purchased in the United States and Russia in the victim’s name. Wilson allegedly told the victim that he was going to help him get out of this trouble and would speak to a judge but that, in the meantime, the victim needed to safeguard his money from being further implicated in the supposed money laundering scheme. Specifically, Wilson allegedly told the victim he should withdraw cash from his bank and send it to the Treasury Department, where it would be kept in a lock box until the victim was cleared of the scheme. Wilson also allegedly cautioned that the bank would not let the victim withdraw all of his money at once – directing the victim to make the withdrawals in smaller amounts and send it to Wilson at the “Treasury” in installments.

    On approximately five separate occasions over the course of three months, the victim withdrew and provided approximately $420,000 in cash to several individuals he believed to be associated with “Sam Wilson.” On each occasion, Wilson asked the victim how much he could withdraw from his bank account, directed the victim to place the cash in a taped box with the victim’s own name and address written on it. Wilson also allegedly told the victim a specific date and time at which he would send a courier for the cash. On each occasion, the courier would pull alongside the curb in front of the victim’s house, lower one of the passenger side windows and provide a prearranged “PIN” passcode to the victim. The victim would then place the box of cash into the courier’s vehicle who would then drive away.  

    The victim’s sister reported this activity to law enforcement on Oct. 1, 2024. According to the charging documents, on Oct. 7, 2024, Patel served as the courier waiting outside of the victim’s home and was approached by an undercover officer posing as the victim. It is alleged that, after receiving the prearranged “PIN” passcode from Patel, the undercover officer placed the box into Patel’s vehicle and Patel quickly drove away. He was immediately apprehended.

    At the time of his arrest, Patel was allegedly driving a rental car and was actively engaged in a WhatsApp call on his cell phone. Patel allegedly told law enforcement that he had been collecting packages for weeks at the direction of another individual in exchange for payment. Patel also allegedly told law enforcement that he would deliver each package to a prearranged location before receiving his payment.

    The investigation remains ongoing. Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including elder fraud scams, cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams, and business email compromise fraud scams – should contact USAMA.CyberTip@usdoj.gov. To report elder fraud, please visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center or contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 or 833–372–8311 Monday – Friday, 10a.m.- 6p.m. EST.

    The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the North Adams Police Department and the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ile-a-la-Crosse — Update: Increased police presence outside of Ile-a-la-Crosse

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    October 10, 2024
    Ile-a-la-Crosse, Saskatchewan

    News release

    The suspect is in custody. Further details will be shared when possible.

    –30–

    Contact information

    Saskatchewan RCMP advises there is an increased police presence in a rural area near Ile-a-la-Crosse.

    Officers from Ile-a-la-Crosse RCMP and Saskatchewan RCMP Police Dog Services are searching for an adult male who fled from them on foot earlier today.

    People are asked to avoid the area where officers are present and to follow any police direction provided.

    The male is described as approximately 6’1″ and 250 lbs. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a black hoodie and black shoes. If you see him, do not approach him. Contact police immediately by dialling 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or http://www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

    We will issue an update on this investigation as soon as we are able. If an imminent risk to public safety is identified, we will notify the public.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Philadelphia Emphasizes Strong Passwords for Cybersecurity Awareness Month

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

    This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the FBI Philadelphia Field Office reminds the public of the importance of using strong passwords or passphrases to protect their systems and accounts.

    These days, with how our lives are intertwined in the cyberspace, from staying connected to family and friends, to working and banking, strong online security has never been more critical.

    We use passwords for everything from protecting our devices to accounts.

    Many use simple passwords from “Password” or “1234” in an attempt to make them easier to remember. Simple passwords, even those that might include special characters, are easier to crack.

    Utilizing strong passwords and passphrases is vital in protecting against data breaches. A personal data breach occurs when personal data is leaked or spilled from a secure location to an untrusted environment. It can also happen when someone’s sensitive, protected, or confidential data is copied, transmitted, viewed, stolen, or used by an unauthorized person.

    In 2023, Pennsylvania residents reported over 1,900 complaints of personal data breaches to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), totaling about $44.8 million in reported losses.

    In 2023, New Jersey residents reported over 1,300 complaints of personal data breaches to the IC3, totaling about $18 million in reported losses.

    Below are some password best practices:

    • Use strong and complex passwords or passphrases instead of simple passwords
    • Strong passwords should be long, random, unique

    Example password: aiH!ple$dAli&hp Example passphrase: City Statue Photograph Boxer Pretzel

    • Do NOT reuse passwords across multiple accounts
    • Be careful of using personally identifiable information when building a password to include birthdays, pet names, etc.
    • Use a password manager
    • Set up multi-factor authentication for your accounts

    For additional information on how you can protect yourself, your device, and your information, visit On the Internet: Be Cautious When Connected FBI

    For more strong password tips, visit: Use Strong Passwords | CISA

    To report a personal data breach or other Internet-enabled crime to the FBI, visit ic3.gov.

    FBI Philadelphia can be reached at (215) 418-4000.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Charlottetown, PE — PEI RCMP continue to seek tips from public to help find Élora Patoine

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    PEI RCMP continue to seek tips from public to help find Élora Patoine

    October 10, 2024, Charlottetown, PEI – Élora Patoine was reported missing in late September 2023 and was last seen in Moncton on June 19 2023. This investigation started with a call from a concerned citizen and the PEI RCMP Major Crime Unit has been investigating ever since.

    “PEI RCMP continue to ask anyone who might have a tip for police on this investigation to please contact your local RCMP detachment,” said Cpl Gavin Moore, Media Relations Officer for the Prince Edward Island RCMP.

    Previous Media releases :

    Update – Missing person: Élora Patoine

    October 6, 2023, Charlottetown – RCMP continue their investigation to locate Élora Patoine. RCMP have learned that her last known sighting was on Albert Street in Moncton on June 19. She was last seen wearing a brown faux leather jacket, black pants and had a school bag with her. RCMP have made use of the new Missing Persons Act as part of this investigation.

    If you have information concerning the location of Élora Patoine please contact Prince District RCMP at 902-436-9300. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

    Original Release:

    October 3, 2023, Borden -Carleton, Prince Edward Island…Prince District RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 30-year-old Élora Patoine, who was last seen in Borden- Carleton on June 17, 2023.

    Patoine is described as 5-foot-10, 140- 150 lbs and has curly brown hair. She speaks French and English and has connections to PEI and Quebec. She was reported missing this week.

    When someone goes missing, it has deep and far-reaching impacts for the person and those that know them. We ask that people spread the word through social media respectfully.

    The RCMP Prince District and RCMP Major Crime Unit are investigating.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Élora Patoine is asked to contact Prince District RCMP at 902-436-9300. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

    Note to media: A photo of Élora Patoine is attached.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Man Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Prison for Attempting to Purchase Sex with Minor

    Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

    Defendant agreed to pay undercover law enforcement officer $100 to have sex with minor

    BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for attempting to pay for sex with a 14-year-old girl.

    Dimitri Shawn McKenzie, 29, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 126 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In June 2024, McKenzie was convicted following a three-day jury trial of one count of attempted sex trafficking of a child.

    “The sad reality is that children are being sold for sex in our communities because of people like Dimitri McKenzie. These men fuel that commercial sex industry and drive demand.  We are actively prosecuting the men and women who traffic adults and kids for profit, but in order to make a real dent in this pernicious conduct, we also have to go after demand – that is the people who are trolling the internet purchasing sex with little kids. I hope that every coward behind a keyboard who is thinking about engaging in the rape of the child under the auspices of a commercial transaction thinks twice – you may very well be talking to an undercover federal agent. Don’t do it. If you do, you are looking at a minimum of ten years behind bars,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.

    “It is deeply disturbing to know that people pay to sexually abuse children. McKenzie was ready and willing to pay to sexually assault a child. Thankfully, through our undercover operation, he instead found an HSI special agent and not a real child,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of his crime and our commitment to protecting children from exploitation and abuse.”

    In November 2022, McKenzie responded to an online post purportedly advertising two minor girls – ages 12 and 14 years old – available to perform sex acts in exchange for money in the Boston area. The post was a fictitious advertisement by undercover law enforcement. In subsequent text communications with undercover law enforcement, McKenzie agreed to pay $100 to have sex with the fictitious 14-year-old at a hotel. Upon arriving at the hotel, McKenzie met with undercover law enforcement posing as the purported seller in the hotel parking lot, provided cash in exchange for 20 minutes with the fictitious minor and accepted a hotel room key. McKenzie was immediately taken into custody.

    If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lexington, Waltham, Barnstable, Quincy and Cambridge Police Departments as well as the Massachusetts State Police and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case. 
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pine Grove — Lunenburg RCMP investigating robbery involving man who was hitchhiking

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Lunenburg District RCMP is seeking information from the public about a robbery near Pine Grove.

    On October 7, at approximately 3:30 a.m., Lunenburg District RCMP responded to a report of a robbery from a man who was hitchhiking on Pinegrove Rd. Investigators learned that a white Chevrolet Malibu stopped near the man and the male driver approached him. The driver took the man’s bag, placed it in the trunk, and fled in the car.

    The last known direction of travel for the Malibu was northwest on Hwy. 10 toward New Germany.

    The man was treated for non-life-threatening injuries related to this incident.

    The male driver was described as 5’11” with a smaller build, and had short, dark messy hair and a mustache. He was wearing sneakers, jeans, and a green and black plaid short-sleeved shirt. He was also said to have a South Shore accent.

    Anyone who witnessed this incident or has information that may identify the driver is asked to contact Lunenburg District RCMP at 902-634-8674. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at http://www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Registered Sex Offender Arrested on Federal Charges Alleging He Targets & Exploits Local High School Students

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

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – Law enforcement agents arrested a Columbus man this morning on federal charges alleging he sexually exploited high school girls and coerced them into engaging in commercial sex acts.

    Terrance P. Cummings, 29, has a criminal history of unlawful sexual conduct with minors dating back to 2016. In this case, Cummings’s federal child exploitation charge carries a mandatory minimum of 25 years and up to 50 years in prison and the coercion and enticement charge pending against him is punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison.

    The FBI asks anyone with information related to the criminal allegations against Cummings to text 740-428-0739.

    According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, in July 2024, the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force received information about a 16-year-old victim allegedly receiving gifts and illicit substances from Cummings in exchange for sex acts.

    The court documents allege Cummings had sex with numerous minor victims in exchange for drugs in addition to requesting nude images of them. On some occasions, Cummings would allegedly provide the drug to the minor victims before engaging in sex acts with them. It is alleged that Cummings sold or provided fentanyl, marijuana, Xanax, cocaine, acid and ecstasy. 

    While executing a search warrant at Cummings’s apartment in August, agents discovered a variety of narcotics, along with two iPhones submerged in the water tank on the back of the bathroom toilet, which Cummings had allegedly attempted to destroy after learning about the warrant.

    Cummings’s electronics and other accounts contained more than 18,000 sexual images and videos including child pornography. The investigation revealed that Cummings requested sexually explicit content in exchange for money, gifts and drugs.

    Cummings is charged with sexually exploiting a minor, distributing, receiving or possessing child pornography, coercion and enticement of a minor, and obstruction of justice. His case was unsealed today, and he appeared in federal court at 1:15pm.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer Rausch are representing the United States in this case.

    The Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force was formed under Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, and includes resources from the Columbus Division of Police, Homeland Security Investigations, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Powell Police Department, Bureau of Criminal Investigations, The Ohio State University Police Department, Marysville Division of Police, Salvation Army, Southeast Healthcare, the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office and the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office.

    A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: SECNAV Del Toro As-Written Remarks at the San Francisco Fleet Week Office of Small Business Programs Event

    Source: United States Navy

    Introduction/Thank You

    Good afternoon, everyone!

    It is great to be here with you all here in San Francisco.

    Ms. Washington, thank you for your kind introduction, and for your work removing barriers to entry for our small business partners—and for your tireless efforts growing their number.

    Mr. Horton, Mr. Manalisay, thank you for helping coordinate this wonderful event and all the work you do on behalf of our small business partners.

    Most importantly, I would like to thank you all—the members of our nation’s small businesses—for being here and engaging with us. 

    From my vantage point as Secretary of the Navy, a healthy, diverse industrial base made up of companies of all sizes—founded by American entrepreneurs from all walks of life—is absolutely crucial to the success of our Navy and our Marine Corps.

    I look forward to meeting with several of you today—to hear your business stories and to learn more about your products and services. 

    I encourage all of you to engage with our DON Office of Small Business Programs team to identify ways we can work together.

    We in the Department of the Navy are laser-focused on building and maintaining relationships with the small businesses that comprise our defense ecosystem.

    DON Small Business Goals FY24/FY25

    We are committed to investing in your businesses, procuring the goods and services our Department needs to be successful in our assigned missions.

    In Fiscal Year 2024, we spent nearly $21 billion on contracts with small businesses. Breaking that number down further, we spent:

    $7.9 billion on contracts with Small Disadvantaged Businesses,

    $3 billion on contracts with Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses,

    $3 billion on contracts with Women Owned Small Businesses,

    and $2 billion on HUBZone prime contracts with small businesses.

    The overall, Small Disadvantaged Business, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business and HUBZone amounts are all records for the Department of the Navy.

    We didn’t just break records—we exceeded our goals for the percentage of contract dollars awarded to small businesses across all four of the subcategories.

    Those are the facts—and we aim to set new records and exceed our goals again in Fiscal Year 2025.

    And these contracts didn’t just go to companies that already have existing contracts or relationships with the Navy either.

    In Fiscal Year 2024, we had 1,538 new small businesses join our ecosystem nationwide—and they were awarded contracts worth a total of $1.22 billion.

    Here in the Bay Area, the Office of Naval Research is working with companies like Atomic—headquartered in Pleasanton—for the design, development, and building of atomic clocks to reduce the size, weight, and power of the clocks while ensuring it still operates at peak performance at sea.

    That contract alone is worth $2.89 million.

    Or, as another example, Naval Information Warfare Systems Command is working with Arize AI—headquartered in Berkeley—for AI machine learning to develop algorithms for underwater threat detection.

    That contract is worth $451 thousand.

    While the Fiscal Year 2024 numbers aren’t finalized yet for this area, I can tell you that in Fiscal Year 2023, we partnered with Small Businesses here on contracts worth a total of $526 million.

    I don’t know how many of you remember the total nationwide number I mentioned earlier—but contracts awarded to Bay Area small businesses make up a full two percent of Department of the Navy small business contracts.

    Closing

    There are very few areas of our country as critical to the success of our Navy and Marine Corps—and the health and wellbeing of our Sailors and Marines—than this area.

    There are no shortages of engagements on the horizon between our Department and this community.

    I look forward to working with our small businesses to provide our Navy and Marine Corps team with the support, systems, and platforms we need to confront the global challenges we face today.

    I’m excited to meet with all of you today and learning about what the Department of the Navy can do to remove the barriers to entry for your businesses—and what you can do to help the Department!

    Thank you again, and may God bless our Sailors, Marines, civilians, and their families.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces TD Bank’s Guilty Plea for Bank Secrecy Act and Money Laundering Conspiracy Violations in $1.8B Resolution

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    The Justice Department announced that TD Bank N.A. (TDBNA), the 10th largest bank in the United States, and its parent company TD Bank US Holding Company (TDBUSH) has pleaded guilty and agreed to pay over $1.8 billion in penalties to resolve the Justice Department’s investigation into violations of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and money laundering.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Court Prohibits Two Texas Physicians from Prescribing Opioids and Imposes $1.2M in Civil Penalties for Alleged Unlawful Opioid Distribution

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A federal court has prohibited two Dallas-area physicians from prescribing opioids and other controlled substances and imposed a total of $1.2 million in judgments against them in a case alleging the physicians violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the Justice Department announced today.

    In a civil complaint filed in 2019 in the Northern District of Texas, the United States alleged that Cesar B. Pena Rodriguez M.D. and Leovares A. Mendez M.D. violated the CSA by issuing prescriptions for opioids and other powerful drugs outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. The complaint alleged that the defendants issued thousands of prescriptions without apparent regard for patient harm, including prescriptions for a combination of an opioid, a short-acting benzodiazepine, and a muscle relaxer — a dangerous and frequently-abused drug cocktail known as the “trinity.” In an order filed Oct. 8, the court imposed a $291,451 civil penalty judgment against Mendez in addition to a $914,021 civil penalty judgment against Pena Rodriguez entered earlier this year.

    “Prescribing opioids for no legitimate purpose betrays the trust placed in our medical professionals and significantly threatens the communities they serve,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to use every available tool to stop doctors who fail to uphold their obligation to prescribe controlled substances lawfully.”

    “Doctors are charged with protecting and healing us when we are sick and vulnerable. Instead of healing vulnerable members of our community, these doctors sought to profit off of their addictions,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division, in conjunction with our partners in the Consumer Protection Branch, sought immediate injunctive relief to prevent these doctors from prescribing to addicts and have now terminated their ability to ever put their patients at risk in this way again.”

    “Peña-Rodríguez and Mendez were distributing deadly controlled substances mix known as the ‘trinity’ outside the course of a legitimate medical need, simply to get rich,” said Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas. “Following our successful criminal prosecution, we issued a trinity of ourselves through not just criminal penalties, but now civil and administrative ones as well. Standards for our medical professionals must stay high because patients deserve a doctor they can trust. We will continue to partner with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to seek all avenues of justice and accountability against all medical providers who violate their code of conduct.”

    The defendants agreed to consent judgments to settle the allegations in the complaint. The orders entered by the court permanently prohibit Pena Rodriguez and Mendez from ever again prescribing, dispensing, administering or distributing controlled substances. The orders also bar them from holding DEA registrations or working at, supervising or owning a medical practice where controlled substances are present.

    In a separate criminal action, Pena Rodriguez previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances. Mendez was found guilty at a jury trial of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substances and six counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances. Mendez was sentenced to seven years in prison. Dr. Pena Rodriquez was sentenced to two years in prison.

    The DEA investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Delaney for the Northern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Scott B. Dahlquist of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Jersey Construction Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A New Jersey man pleaded guilty today to tax evasion for evading employment tax penalties assessed against him.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Joseph Caravella, of Randolph, owned several masonry companies in New Jersey. From 2008 to 2016, the IRS assessed approximately $650,000 in Trust Fund Recovery penalties against Caravella for causing three masonry businesses that he owned to not pay their federal employment taxes. From around March 2008 through in or around April 2019, Caravella sought to evade the payment of these penalties by placing companies that he controlled in the names of nominee owners and avoiding using a bank account in his own name to prevent the IRS from levying the funds. Also during that time, Caravella continued to cause his businesses not to pay employment taxes, resulting in an additional loss of $1.2 million to the IRS.

    In total, Carvalla caused a tax loss to the IRS of $1,885,519.39.

    Caravella is scheduled to be sentenced on March 18. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Kenneth Vert and Evan Mulbry of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae Gray for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Arkansas Sheriff’s Deputies Sentenced for Federal Civil Rights Violations for Violently Assaulting Subdued Man

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Two former Crawford County, Arkansas, sheriff’s deputies were sentenced for using unlawful force on a man they arrested. Levi White, 34, was sentenced yesterday to 63 months in prison, and Zackary King, 28, was sentenced today to 12 months in prison.

    Each defendant pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for a retaliatory assault on R.W., a 26-year-old man. On Aug. 21, 2022, White, King and a third officer approached R.W. in a gas station parking lot during their investigation into a person threatening a store attendant. R.W. lunged at White and tackled him, then all three officers quickly subdued R.W. and pinned him to the ground. After R.W. was pinned to the ground and no longer fighting the officers, White punched R.W. at least nine times in the head, then lifted R.W.’s head and slammed it into the pavement. King kicked R.W. in the back and struck R.W. once in the midsection with his fist. Following the announcement of a federal investigation into the assault, White obstructed the investigation by wiping all data from his county-issued cell phone and selectively deleting text messages about the incident from his personal phone. White asked King if King was also going to wipe his cell phone, but King declined to do so.

    “Punching a man in the head, slamming their head repeatedly on the concrete pavement, kicking them in the back and striking them in the midsection — this kind of gratuitous and unjustified violence at the hands of law enforcement runs contrary to the oath that officers take in our country to protect and serve,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendants swore an oath to uphold the law, then violated that oath and abused their power as law enforcement officers by assaulting a person in their custody. At the time of the assaults, three officers had already subdued the victim, and further force was unnecessary and unlawful. White added fuel to the fire by taking steps to obstruct the investigation into the violent assault. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute officers who abuse their authority and violate the rights of people in their custody.”

    “Levi White and Zackary King’s sentencings prove that no law enforcement officer is above the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Corder of the FBI Little Rock Field Office. “FBI Little Rock, alongside our trusted partners at Arkansas State Police, will continue to investigate potential abuses of power and civil rights violations throughout our state. We encourage anyone who has information about abusive or corrupt law enforcement to contact the FBI’s ArkTrust Task Force immediately.”

    The FBI Little Rock Field Office and Arkansas State Police investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Roberts and Devon Still for the Western District of Arkansas and Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer and Trial Attorneys Lia Rettammel and Anna Gotfryd of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard announces port openings following Hurricane Milton, warns impacted communities to exercise caution

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 10/10/2024 09:30 PM EDT

    News Release  

    U.S. Coast Guard 7th District PA Detachment Jacksonville
    Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment Jacksonville
    Office: 904-714-7606/7607
    After Hours: 786-393-4138
    PA Detachment Jacksonville online newsroom

     

    10/10/2024 09:07 PM EDT

    MIAMI — The Coast Guard reminds mariners and residents of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina to remain vigilant following Hurricane Milton, Thursday.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard coordinates interservice medevac 1000 miles west of Humboldt Bay, Calif.

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    10/10/2024 09:56 PM EDT

    The Coast Guard coordinated efforts with the U.S. Air National Guard’s 129th Rescue Wing and the U.S. Air Force’s 563rd Rescue Group to medevac a mariner approximately 1000 miles west of Humboldt Bay, California, Wednesday.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: SECNAV Del Toro As-Written Remarks at the Honor Our Fallen Concert

    Source: United States Navy

    Introduction

    Good evening, everyone. It is an honor to join you for this wonderful concert.

    Mr. Loeven, thank you for the kind introduction, and for your hard work putting on this astounding weeklong event.

    Thank you to the City of San Francisco, the Center for Humanitarian Assistance, and everyone who played a role in putting on this event.

    Rear Admiral Meyer, Brigadier General Niebel, Rear Admiral Valdes, and Rear Admiral Rosen, thank you for joining us tonight and for your leadership of our Sailors and Marines throughout the region—and for your support to San Francisco Fleet Week.

    And, to the 1st Marine Division Band, who we’re all here to see perform: thank you for sharing your gifts with us and choosing to serve your country.

    Value of Service

    The true strength of our Navy and Marine Corps is not in ships, submarines, aircraft, AAVs, or other equipment—but indeed our people.

    Our service is powered by their spirit and dedication to our nation’s ideals.

    Service is not an obligation; it’s a privilege—a chance to be a part of something greater than ourselves and to uphold the values that define us as a nation.

    The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have built and maintained the world’s most capable teams thanks to that spirit of selfless service.

    I vividly recall my time in command of USS Bulkeley, itself a testament to that enduring legacy.

    In fact, on September 11th, 2001, I was in New York City preparing for the commissioning ceremony of Bulkeley.

    I saw upfront the wreckage of the World Trade Center—the destruction and loss of life wrought by cowards with no respect for human life.

    But I also witnessed firsthand the spirit of our Nation.

    Americans from all walks of life, coming together in a moment of tragedy, resolving to stand up and hold accountable those who did us harm.

    Then, as now, every man and woman serving in our Navy, Marine Corps, and all of our armed forces had chosen to serve.

    Just as every single warrior we lost throughout our long conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan swore an oath to defend our Constitution.

    They came from every corner of our nation—representing the rich tapestry of our 330 million citizens and drawing from a global pool of talent.

    Because, you see, service to our country and service in the armed forces are not merely jobs; they are fundamental aspects of our democracy, deeply ingrained in the very fabric of our nation—initially forged during the Revolutionary War and renewed in every conflict since.

    The United States is built upon millions of individual acts of valor and courage, at home and overseas, throughout our history.

    And each of us serving today carries the legacy of those who served before us.

    Today, our Sailors, Marines, and Department of the Navy civilians are deployed around the globe, continuing to defend our Nation, as well as our international allies and partners, against the specter of terrorism.

    Closing

    At the close of World War II, Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz wrote in his message to the Pacific Fleet that the fallen Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines were, and I quote:

    “A cross section of democracy. They fought together as brothers in arms; they died together and now they sleep side by side. To them we have a solemn obligation—the obligation to insure that their sacrifice will help to make this a better and safer world in which to live.”

    That obligation remains, and that work continues.

    On behalf of a grateful nation, thank you to all who have fought, served, and sacrificed in the long history of defending freedom around the world.

    As I close, I would like to take this moment to speak directly to our Gold Star families who have lost loved ones.

    You will forever be in our hearts, our thoughts, and our prayers.  We will never forget the sacrifices of your loved ones.

    I promise you that we—the nearly one million Marines, Sailors, and Civilians of the Department of the Navy—will continue to honor their legacy, and strive to live up to the examples of selfless service they set forth.

    Thank you all here today for taking the time to remember their sacrifice.

    May God grant us all fair winds and following seas. Thank you.

    MIL Security OSI –