Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Fraser to speak at Mil-Aero event unveiling expansion plans

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Dartmouth, Nova Scotia · July 7, 2025 · Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)

    The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, will attend and speak at a special celebration to mark a major milestone in the growth of Mil-Aero Electronics, a female-owned Indigenous business in the Aerospace and Defence sector.

    Date: July 8, 2025

    Time: 3:00 p.m.                    

    Location:  
    81 Mount Hope Ave.  
    Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council leader sends message of condolences

    Source: Scotland – City of Dundee

    Dundee City Council Leader Cllr Mark Flynn has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Dr Fortune Gomo following the recent news of her death in the city.

    Council Leader Cllr Mark Flynn said: “On behalf of the city, I want to extend my deepest sympathies to Dr Gomo’s family, friends and everyone who knew her.

    “This is a deeply sad time for the community and our thoughts are with everyone affected.

    “I want to voice my support for the community at this difficult time and echo the appeal made by Police Scotland for anyone with any information that might assist in their investigation to come forward.”

    Police Scotland have appealed for anyone who was in the area at the time and witnessed the incident or has information that may assist them to contact 101 quoting incident number 2283 of 5th July 2025.

    Information can also be given through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Security: Call for Papers: Conference on Transport of Nuclear and Radioactive Material

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    Interested contributors have until 15 September 2025 to submit synopses for the IAEA’s International Conference on the Safe and Secure Transport of Nuclear and Radioactive Material.

    The IAEA estimates that 20 million shipments of radioactive material are transported every year. These materials are shipped nationally and internationally by road, rail, sea, air and inland waterways for applications such as medicine and health, agriculture, nuclear power generation and advanced scientific research. 

    The conference, to be hosted in Vienna, Austria from 23 to 27 March 2026, will cover the legislative and regulatory framework for the transport of nuclear and other radioactive material, safety and security by design; safety and security during transport operations. It builds on previous events held in 2011 and 2021.

    “For decades, IAEA safety standards have been the backbone for the safe transport of radioactive material. With rapid technological advances in the nuclear and transport sectors, the global landscape is evolving — and fast. This conference aims to drive innovation, share experience and help strengthen the global standards,” said Shazia Fayyaz, one of the scientific secretaries and Head of the IAEA Transport Safety Unit in the Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety.

    “During transport, nuclear and radioactive material may be vulnerable to a number of modal specific risks and threats,” said Robert Officer, the other scientific secretary of the conference and Head of the IAEA Transport Security Unit in the Division of Nuclear Security. “The conference will further raise awareness through sharing experiences on strengthening safety and security capabilities, including on such topics as legal and policy frameworks, and technological and commercial trends for the protection of end-to-end transport.”

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Terminates TPS for Nicaragua: It Was Never Meant to Last 25 Years

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON – Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem today announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Nicaragua, which will expire on July 5, 2025.  The termination will be effective 60 days after the publication of the Federal Register notice. 

    At least 60 days before a TPS designation expires, the Secretary of Homeland Security, after consultation with appropriate U.S. government agencies, must review the conditions in a country designated for TPS to determine whether the conditions supporting the designation continue to be met and, if so, how long to extend the designation.  

    Temporary Protected Status was never meant to last a quarter of a century,” said a DHS Spokesperson. “The impacts of a natural disaster impacting Nicaragua in 1999 no longer exist.  The environmental situation has improved enough that it is safe enough for Nicaraguan citizens to return home. This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that TPS remains temporary.

    After conferring with interagency partners, Secretary Noem determined that conditions in Nicaragua no longer meet the TPS statutory requirements. The Secretary’s decision was based on a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services review of the conditions in Nicaragua and in consultation with the Department of State. The Secretary determined that, overall, country conditions have improved to the point where Nicaraguans can return home in safety.

    Nicaraguan nationals departing the United States are encouraged to use the U.S. Customs and Border Protection CBP Home app to report their departure from the United States and take advantage of a safe, secure way to self-deport which includes a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus, and potential future opportunities for legal immigration.

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    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: With Improved Conditions, DHS Ends TPS for Honduras

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON – After finding improved country conditions in Honduras, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem today announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status, as required by the statute. The termination will be effective 60 days after the publication of the Federal Register notice. 

    Honduras was designated for TPS in 1999 after the impact of Hurricane Mitch in 1998. The Government of Honduras has made tremendous strides over the years to recover from the hurricane and, as a result of those efforts, it is safe for their nationals to return home. 

    Temporary Protected Status was designed to be just that—temporary,” said Secretary Kristi Noem. “It is clear that the Government of Honduras has taken all of the necessary steps to overcome the impacts of Hurricane Mitch, almost 27 years ago. Honduran citizens can safely return home, and DHS is here to help facilitate their voluntary return. Honduras has been a wonderful partner of the Trump Administration, helping us deliver on key promises to the American people. We look forward to continuing our work with them.

    After conferring with interagency partners, Secretary Noem determined that conditions in Honduras no longer meet the TPS statutory requirements. The Secretary’s decision was based on a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services review of the conditions in Honduras and in consultation with the Department of State. The Secretary determined that, overall, country conditions have improved to the point where Hondurans can return home in safety. Additionally, under President Castro, Honduras has taken steps to welcome home their citizens, providing access to economic and food assistance programs, as well as labor integration and job training.

    Honduran nationals departing the United States are encouraged to use the U.S. Customs and Border Protection CBP Home app to report their departure from the United States and take advantage of a safe, secure way to leave the United States with a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus to help them resettle in Honduras, and preserve future opportunities for legal immigration.

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    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Killer Sentenced to 35½ Years for RICO Conspiracy and VICAR Kidnapping

    Source: US FBI

               WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced that Christopher Green, 39, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to a total of 35 ½ years in prison for conspiracy in violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), violent crime in aid of racketeering (VICAR) kidnapping, first degree murder while armed (with aggravating circumstances), attempted robbery while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and firearms offenses, in connection with a series of violent crimes he committed in early 2017.  The prosecution had asked the judge to impose a sentence of 60 years.

               In addition to the 426-month prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss ordered that the defendant also serve five years of supervised release.

              The sentencing today follows a 12-day re-trial, earlier this year, in which a federal jury found Green, aka “Twin,” guilty of RICO conspiracy and VICAR kidnapping.

              At his initial trial in 2021, Green was found guilty of the murder, assault and attempted robbery offenses. However, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the RICO conspiracy and VICAR charges, which led to the recent trial and convictions.

               Green was sentenced today with respect to the charges he was convicted of in both trials.

             According to the government’s evidence, Green was a core member of a criminal organization that operated in the District of Columbia, Prince George’s County, Maryland, and elsewhere, primarily making money through a series of armed robberies. Green’s actions in Southeast Washington, D.C., on April 9, 2017, led to the death of 25-year-old Zaan Scott. Mr. Scott, a swim coach at the Eastern Market pool, was on his way home when Green attempted to rob him at gunpoint. Mr. Scott died on May 17, 2017, of a blood clot that the medical examiner determined was a result of the shooting. Green was also found guilty at the initial trial of firing gunshots at another victim on February 23, 2017.

               In the recent re-trial, the evidence established that Green and a co-conspirator committed a series of violent acts and were working as an “enterprise” to enrich themselves. The VICAR kidnapping conviction in the re-trial involved an incident on April 8, 2017, in which Green and a co-conspirator confronted a young man at gunpoint as the man was getting out of his car in a convenience store parking lot. Green ordered the victim back into the car and robbed him of his ATM card. He then forced the victim to drive to a nearby apartment complex, where he forced him to take off his clothes, and then robbed him of his sneakers and other belongings.

               Joining in the announcement were Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

               This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar R. Mohanty of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Liebman of the Superior Court Division Homicide Section.

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    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Years in Prison for Prior Felon on Supervised Release Found in Possession of a Glock

    Source: US FBI

                WASHINGTON – Robert Varez Williams, 28, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 48 months in federal prison for being a previously convicted felon in possession of a loaded Glock 23, a semiautomatic pistol fitted with an extended capacity magazine, while he was on supervised release for a prior violent firearm offense, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

                Williams pleaded guilty March 25 before the Honorable Dabney L. Friedrich to being a felon in unlawful possession of a firearm. In addition to the 48-month prison term, Judge Friedrich ordered Williams to serve three years of supervised release.

                According to court documents, on Jan. 10, 2024, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Robbery Suppression Unit were on patrol when they spotted Williams driving erratically in a silver Volkswagen. Williams fled as the officers attempted a traffic stop. A short while later the officers located the VW on the 900 block of R Street, NW. Williams jumped out of the car and sprinted away on foot. An officer caught Williams in an alley off R Street.

                Another officer who remained with the car, saw a gun on the front driver’s seat where Williams had been sitting. Police later identified the firearm as a Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition. An additional officer pulled a passenger from the car as another conducted a search of the vehicle. That officer found a second Glock pistol outfitted with a machine gun conversion device, under a coat on the front passenger seat, 44 pills that tested positive for MDMA, suspected PCP in a vial, additional rounds of ammunition, and a bottle of alcohol on the car’s center consol.

                At the time he was arrested in this case, Williams was on supervised release in the District for attempted assault with a deadly weapon and an unlawful possession of a firearm.

                This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Haley M. Pennington of the District of Columbia.

    Investigators recovered a Glock 23, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 21 rounds, from Williams’ car.

    An officer found a second Glock pistol outfitted with a machine gun conversion in Williams’ Volkswagen under a coat.

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    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Marijuana Dealer Who Possessed Machine Gun Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison

    Source: US FBI

                WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced that Zimarie Bryant, 20, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison in connection with marijuana trafficking and illegally possessing a machine gun.

                Bryant, an aspiring rapper aka “Cruddy Marie,” pleaded guilty on March 13, 2025, to one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and to one count of unlawful possession of a machine gun. In addition to the 30-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Bryant to serve three years of supervised release.

                According to court documents, on Aug. 31, 2023, FBI agents went to an apartment in the 3600 Block of Jay Street, NE, to execute a federal arrest warrant. Agents knocked on the door but did not gain entry for more than 20 minutes. Agents obtained a search warrant and recovered numerous firearms, including a 9mm Glock 45 that had been modified with a switch to make it a functionally fully automatic machine gun.

                Agents also recovered about 12 pounds of marijuana, ammunition, and a firearm magazine. As part of this plea, Bryant acknowledged that he possessed the marijuana with the intent to distribute it, that he possessed the machine gun in connection with that possession with intent to distribute, and that he knew the firearm was a machine gun.

                While Bryant was released from the apartment, messages from his Instagram account from around the time of the search acknowledge his presence at the scene. On Aug. 31, 2023, Bryant sent an Instagram message to another user saying, “I was just locked up and got picked up by the fbi.” In a separate conversation that day, another Instagram user asked him, “Ever found some thunder 1” “? *”, which refers to marijuana. Bryant responded, “I had some but fbi ran in our spot and took everything”.

                On May 30, 2024, Bryant was arrested at an apartment in Southeast Washington, D.C. Law enforcement recovered a disassembled Glock 19 handgun, two 9mm magazines with 15 rounds each, a black scale, and two additional 9mm rounds. When Bryant was shown his arrest warrant during booking, he denied having a machine gun but did admit he had a Glock 19.

                Bryant has a history of using and possessing firearms unlawfully. On June 30, 2023, he posted a video on Instagram showing him possessing what appears to be the same firearm involved in this case.

                Joining in the announcement were Assistant Director in Chief Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, the DEA, and MPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon Eppel.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison

    Source: US FBI

                WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announces that James E. Coleman, 29, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for trafficking a 14-year-old victim from Virginia in 2020 for commercial sex with strangers, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

                Coleman pleaded guilty on May 17, 2022, to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child, to production of child pornography, and to first-degree child sexual abuse. In addition to the 360-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss ordered Coleman to serve 15 years of supervised release, to register as a sex offender and to pay $25,000 in restitution to the victim.

                According to court documents, Coleman worked with a co-conspirator with the goal of trafficking the victim for commercial sex and knew that the victim was a minor. Beginning on June 30, 2020, Coleman took sexually explicit photographs and videos of the victim to market her on websites advertising commercial sex services.

                Coleman gave the victim directions regarding how much to charge for sexual services, with specific monetary amounts for increments of time she spent with the commercial sex customers. Coleman then pocketed the payments for sexual services the victim provided. He told the victim to tell commercial sex clients she was 21 years old, if she was asked.

                Coleman also used his cell phone to record a video of himself engaging in sex acts with the victim.

                In July of 2020 Coleman ordered the victim to give him money. When she refused, he beat her with a broomstick, assaulted her with a knife, cut off her clothing, and left her nude in the hallway of his building.

                Coleman was arrested by U.S. Marshals on Oct. 22, 2020, and has been held without bond since.

                This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Burrell, Meredith Mayer-Dempsey, and Angela Buckner.

                This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: The New England Strike Force Joins Nationwide Crackdown on Health Care Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    CONCORD- Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack, together with Acting U.S. Attorneys Michael P. Drescher of the District of Vermont and Craig M. Wolff of the District of Maine, announces a sweeping enforcement action aimed at combatting health care fraud across New England. The enforcement action is a result of the collaboration and partnership between the Districts of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, and the New England Strike Force.

    The New England Strike Force charged six defendants in connection with unrelated allegations including conspiracies to defraud the State of New Hampshire’s Medicaid program (NH Medicaid), Medicare, and other federal benefit programs, totaling over $14 million. The charges filed in federal court throughout New England are part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The charges stem from various schemes, including a previously convicted social worker who submitted claims to NH Medicaid following his disbarment from billing federal health care programs, a conspiracy to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for wrist, knee, and back braces and other equipment that were medically unnecessary, and a conspiracy to fulfill illegitimate prescriptions for drugs including Ozempic.

    The schemes charged in the District of New Hampshire include:

    Previously Convicted Felon Charged in New Scheme Fraudulently Billing Medicaid and Exploiting a Vulnerable Patient

    • United States v. Erik Alonso: Erik Alonso, age 54, of Miami, Florida, was charged by indictment with eight counts of health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to submit claims to NH Medicaid, despite being barred from billing federally funded health care programs following a previous heath care fraud related conviction in 2015. Alonso failed to disclose his exclusion to his employer, a Laconia, New Hampshire-based telehealth psychotherapy provider, and purportedly provided psychotherapy treatments to NH Medicaid beneficiaries between March 2022 and July 2024 via telehealth. In addition, Alonso allegedly exploited a psychotherapy patient by using purported psychotherapy sessions to seek and obtain assistance from that client with personal tasks, including preparing an application for a presidential pardon of his prior conviction and assisting him with applying for licensure in other New England states.  The case is being prosecuted by DOJ Trial Attorneys Danielle Sakowski, Thomas Campbell, and John Howard, and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire.

    Straw Owner of Health Care Company Used to Commit Fraud and Launder Illicit Proceeds

    • United States v. Leo Anzivino Jr.: Leo Anzivino, Jr., age 34, of Teaticket, MA, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and four counts of money laundering in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $6 million in Medicare funds. According to the indictment, Anzivino, Jr. acted as the straw owner of a durable medical equipment (“DME”) company, Advanced Medical Supply (Advanced), and conspired with others to cause the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for DME.  The indictment further alleges that Anzivino falsified bank account documents, including beneficial ownership information, and conspired to launder fraudulent funds from the DME scheme to conceal and disguise the nature, source, origin, and control of the proceeds of the DME fraud.  Anzivino, Jr., made four transfers from one Advanced account at a New Hampshire bank to another Advanced account at a Massachusetts bank, totaling over $3 million dollars, to conceal a co-conspirator’s control over the funds. The government seized approximately $353,768.29 in assets tied to the alleged scheme.  This case is being prosecuted by DOJ Trial Attorneys Danielle Sakowski, Thomas Campbell, and Tiffany Wynn, and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire.

    The schemes charged in the District of Vermont include:

    Global Pharma and Money Laundering Scheme

    • United States v. Manthan Rohit Shah: Manthan Rohit Shah, 37, of Mumbai, India, was charged by indictment with misbranding prescription medication, conspiring to import controlled substances, and conspiring to commit international concealment money laundering.  As alleged in the indictment, Shah owned and operated Company-1, a pharma company based in Mumbai, India. Company-1 allegedly shipped controlled substances and misbranded pharmaceutical drugs, including drugs that contained potentially potent, dangerous, and/or addictive substances, into New England and across the United States.  Shah and Company-1 used fake prescriptions to provide a veneer of legitimacy for customer orders, despite the customers never obtaining such prescriptions.  Shah undertook various acts in furtherance of the drug conspiracy. For example, on or about May 6, 2025, Shah sent a text message to an undercover law enforcement agent regarding Company-1’s fulfillment of illegitimate prescriptions for 50 pens of the drug Ozempic, costing approximately $6,200, to be shipped from a location outside the United States to an address in Vermont.  Shah also conspired with others to direct the shipment of pharmaceutical drugs without valid prescriptions to a network of online pharmacies and call centers that fulfilled orders placed by customers in New England and across the United States. Shah then conspired with others to launder the funds from financial accounts in the United States, through shell companies, and to Shah’s company in India.  The case is being prosecuted by DOJ Trial Attorneys Patrick Brown, John Howard, and Thomas Campbell.

    Health Care Scheme Involving Purchase of Tulum Penthouse, High-Volume Cash Withdrawals

    • United States v. Evelyn Herrera: Evelyn Herrera, 61, of Loxahatchee, Florida, was charged by complaint with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $6.5 million in Medicare funds.  According to the charging documents, Herrera, the owner of Merida Medical Supplies Inc., a purported DME company, submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare from individuals residing across New England for wrist, knee, and back braces and other equipment, which were medically unnecessary and ineligible for reimbursement by Medicare.  After the funds from these fraudulent services were deposited into a bank account controlled by Herrera, she allegedly conducted financial transactions and attempted to conceal the source, origin, and control of the health care fraud proceeds generated by Merida. For example, Herrera allegedly sent an international wire from her bank account, indicating it was to be used to purchase property in Mexico, and sent other funds to a cryptocurrency wallet that she controlled.  During the scheme, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued a payment suspension to Herrera for suspected fraud, after which Herrerra allegedly attempted to withdraw large amounts of cash from a bank and siphon funds off to other individuals.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Sarah Rocha, Thomas Campbell, and Tiffany Wynn.  The complaint was filed in the District of Vermont.

    Health Care CEO Indicted in Cross-Border Health Care Fraud Scheme

    • United States v. Donald Jani: Donald Jani, 39, of Maharashtra, India, was charged by indictment with health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $1.9 million in Medicare funds.  According to the indictment, Jani, the CEO of CSS Pain Relief, Inc., a purported DME company, submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for DME.  Jani and his co-conspirators allegedly used the personal identifying information of elderly and disabled New England residents to fraudulently bill Medicare.  As part of the conspiracy, Jani unlawfully used the personal identifying information of medical providers in the District of Vermont and elsewhere to create the false appearance that the DME claims were premised on legitimate medical orders. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Sarah Rocha, John Howard and Thomas Campbell.  The indictment was brought in the District of Vermont.

    The scheme charged in the District of Maine includes:

    Individual Charged in Health Care and Identity Theft Scheme

    • United States v. Joseph Dobie: Joseph Dobie, 36, of Lewiston, Maine, was charged by complaint with aggravated identity theft, false statements relating to health care matters, and unlawful use of Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (“SNAP”) benefits in connection with an identity-theft scheme. As alleged in the complaint, Dobie used a stolen identity to fraudulently obtain Medicaid and SNAP benefits in Maine, while simultaneously receiving SNAP benefits in New York.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Scott. The complaint was filed in the District of Maine.

    Additionally, the New England Strike Force provided valuable support in a nationwide investigation:

    Operation Gold Rush: Transnational Criminal Organization-Led Health Care Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme

    Outside of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, the New England Strike Force also supported a nationwide investigation, Operation Gold Rush, which resulted in charges in the Eastern District of New York, the Northern District of Illinois, the Central District of California, the Middle District of Florida, and the District of New Jersey against 19 defendants in connection with the largest loss amount ever charged in a health care fraud case brought by the Department at $10.6 billion. Twelve of these defendants have been arrested, including four defendants who were apprehended in Estonia as a result of international cooperation with Estonian law enforcement and seven defendants who were arrested at U.S. airports and the U.S. border with Mexico, cutting off their intended escape routes as they attempted to avoid capture. The criminal case is being prosecuted by DOJ Fraud Section Assistant Chiefs Kevin Lowell and Shankar Ramamurthy, and Trial Attorneys Sara Porter, Andres Almendarez, Leonid Sandlar, Monica Cooper, Thomas Campbell, Danielle Sakowski, and Matthew Belz.  Trial Attorney Sara Porter initiated the investigation, which has been supported by members of multiple Strike Forces. The civil forfeiture proceeding is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Nelson of the District of Connecticut and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section Trial Attorneys Emily Cohen and Chelsea Rooney. Office of Public Affairs | National Health Care Fraud Takedown Results in 324 Defendants Charged in Connection with Over $14.6 Billion in Alleged Fraud | United States Department of Justice

    These charges are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in intended loss and over 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets. The United States has seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles and other assets in connection with the takedown. Descriptions of each case involved in the national enforcement action are available at Criminal Division | 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.

    The New England Strike Force’s cases are the result of investigations conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; and the United States Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service.

    Leveraging advanced data analytics, forensic accounting, interagency collaboration, and subject-matter expertise, the New England Strike Force investigates and prosecutes complex health care fraud and money laundering schemes across the region, focusing on both individuals and corporations engaged in criminal conduct. DOJ Fraud Section Assistant Chief Kevin Lowell leads the Strike Force.

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

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    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Shiprock Man Faces Federal Charges for Fatal Stabbing During Residential Break-In

    Source: US FBI

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man is facing a federal murder charge after allegedly breaking into a home and fatally stabbing a man during a violent altercation in the early morning hours.

    According to court documents, on Friday, June 27, 2025, Armondo Paul, 25, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was arrested after officers from the Navajo Nation Police Department responded to a stabbing at a Shiprock residence. Upon arrival, officers found the victim deceased with a neck wound believed to be from a bladed weapon.

    The investigation revealed Paul went to a home after midnight and turned off the power to that residence. After a young woman and her father exited their home to investigate, Paul forcibly entered their residence armed with a knife. After a brief struggle, Paul stabbed the male in his neck. Paul then fled the scene; he was apprehended later that day.

    Paul is charged with second-degree murder. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charge, Paul faces up to life in prison.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Video: Religious Liberty Commission – June 16, 2025

    Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)

    The Religious Liberty Commission held its first hearing at the Museum of the Bible on June 16, 2025

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdJlo1m7Y6Q

    MIL OSI Video

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Law Delivers Federal Funding to Reimburse Local Law Enforcement for Trump Security Costs in Palm Beach County

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)

    New Law Delivers Federal Funding to Reimburse Local Law Enforcement for Trump Security Costs in Palm Beach County

    West Palm Beach, FL, July 4, 2025

    The reconciliation bill signed into law includes critical funding to reimburse law enforcement agencies for overtime costs incurred while protecting the President. This new grant program will ensure local and state agencies are not left shouldering the financial burden of presidential security operations. The grant period will cover expenses over the next five years, providing long-term support for those on the front lines of public safety.

    Importantly, this grant program will give local Palm Beach County law enforcement an opportunity to recover millions of dollars from the federal government for security provided to President Trump while he is in our area.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Leader sends condolences to family and friends of Dr Fortune Gomo

    Source: Scotland – City of Dundee

    Dundee City Council Leader Cllr Mark Flynn has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Dr Fortune Gomo following the recent news of her death in the city.

    Council Leader Cllr Mark Flynn said: “On behalf of the city, I want to extend my deepest sympathies to Dr Gomo’s family, friends and everyone who knew her.

    “This is a deeply sad time for the community and our thoughts are with everyone affected.

    “I want to voice my support for the community at this difficult time and echo the appeal made by Police Scotland for anyone with any information that might assist in their investigation to come forward.”

    Police Scotland have appealed for anyone who was in the area at the time and witnessed the incident or has information that may assist them to contact 101 quoting incident number 2283 of 5th July 2025. 

    Information can also be given through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mason County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COVINGTON, Ky. – A Maysville, Ky., man, David M. Elliot, 35, was sentenced on Thursday to 262 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. 

    According to his plea agreement, on September 1, 2024, law enforcement stopped a vehicle driven by Courtney Beckett, Elliot’s co-defendant, for several traffic violations. Officers found a methamphetamine pipe in her pocket and removed the passenger, Elliot, from the vehicle. Officers found two bags of methamphetamine in Beckett’s purse and 165.5 grams of methamphetamine in Elliot’s waistband. 

    Elliot admitted that all the methamphetamine was his, that he and Beckett drove to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region to purchase methamphetamine and were on their way back to Maysville, Ky., and he had instructed Beckett to hold the methamphetamine for him. In March 2022, Elliot was convicted of trafficking controlled substances in Mason Circuit Court and was on parole at the time of this offense. 

    Beckett was previously sentenced to 66 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. 

    Under federal law, Elliot must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years. 

    Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Casey Kilgore, Ft. Thomas Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Ft. Thomas Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel King is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

    – END –

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court Following Robbery of a Montgomery Dry Cleaner Business

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced today that Zedekiah Sykes, 58, of Montgomery, Alabama, has pleaded guilty to his role in the March 10, 2025, robbery of a Montgomery dry cleaning business. Sykes entered his guilty plea in federal court on July 3, 2025.

                According to court records and Sykes’s plea agreement, on March 10, 2025, Sykes and three accomplices forced their way into the business, located on East South Street in Montgomery. The group shattered the front door with a rock to gain entry.

                Once inside, the assailants confronted the business owner and forced him into an office that housed a locked safe. One of the individuals brandished what appeared to be a handgun—later determined to be a BB gun—and demanded the owner open the safe. When the owner hesitated, struggling to recall the combination, one of the assailants struck him in the left eye, causing visible bruising and swelling. The group eventually gained access to the safe and stole approximately $8,000 in cash.

                The robbers then restrained the owner by zip-tying his hands and feet, then stole his cell phone and car keys. Sykes and the others fled the scene in the owner’s vehicle using the stolen keys.

                Sykes pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, a federal offense that carries a statutory maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled in the coming months.

    In a related development, on May 27, 2025, Spencer Thomas, 57, of Prattville, Alabama, was arrested and subsequently indicted for his involvement in the same robbery. An indictment is merely an allegation that a crime has been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

                The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Montgomery Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), and the Metro Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Task Force investigated this case, with assistance from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul Markovits.

                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).

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Another Member of the Marion Gardens Street Gang Sentenced to Multiple Life Sentences without the Possibility of Parole

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – Five more members of the Marion Gardens street gang were sentenced by the Honorable Michael E. Farbiarz for their roles in the racketeering enterprise, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    On July 2, 2025, Roger Pickett, a/k/a “Zy G,” 24, was sentenced to four consecutive terms of life imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy and three counts of murder in aid of racketeering, each stemming from a separate gang-related murder.  He was also sentenced to an additional consecutive sentence of 50 years’ imprisonment, consisting of 20 years’ imprisonment for Hobbs Act robbery, and three ten-year terms of imprisonment for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

    Also on July 2, 2025, Javon Williams, a/k/a “J45,” 28, was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy and Keith Anderson, a/k/a “Beef3,” 23, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy.

    On July 1, 2025, Quaseame Wilson, a/k/a “Qua Gz,” 28, was sentenced to 195 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy, Hobbs Act robbery, and aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.  On June 26, 2025, Anthony Rogers, a/k/a “MG,” 25, was sentenced to 54 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy.

    Earlier in June, three other members of the Marion Gardens street gang were sentenced for their roles in the racketeering conspiracy.  On June 17, 2025, Myron Williams, a/k/a “Money,” a/k/a “Tunchi,” 31, of Newark was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering, plus 240 months’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and 120 months’ imprisonment for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, with all sentences to run consecutively.  Also on June 17, 2025, Jawaad Davis, 23, of Jersey City, was sentenced to 170 months’ imprisonment for his role in the Marion Gardens street gang, which included orchestrating a robbery that resulted in murder.  Additionally, on June 5, 2025, Khalil Kelley, a/k/a “Billski,” 26, of Jersey City, was sentenced, to life imprisonment, plus a consecutive ten-year term of imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy, for his role in the Marion Gardens street gang and a gang-related murder.

    Three other individuals who previously pled guilty before trial are pending sentencing.  Each defendant will be sentenced before Judge Farbiarz in Newark as follows:

    Naim Richardson, a/k/a “Ninicks” July 16, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.
    Andre Alomar, a/k/a “Dre8” July 24, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.
    Herbert Thomas October 1, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    Myron Williams, Khalil Kelley, Roger Pickett, Jawaad Davis, Anthony Rogers, Quaseame Wilson, Andre Alomar, Keith Anderson, Javon Williams, and Naim Richardson are all members and associates of the neighborhood street gang associated with the Marion Gardens Housing Complex. Since 2013, they and their fellow gang members have committed numerous acts of violence, including three separate murders, on March 29, 2021, Nov. 20, 2021, and Nov. 1, 2022.

    On March 29, 2021, Kelley and other gang members lured a rival gang member outside by sending him Instagram messages pretending to be the victim’s fellow gang member. When the victim opened the door to his residence, Kelley and another gang member brandished firearms, and the victim was shot multiple times in the chest, killing him. Pickett and Myron Williams then picked up Kelley and other gang members after they abandoned the murder vehicle in Newark.

    On Nov. 20, 2021, Myron Williams, Pickett, and Richardson lured a rival gang member outside by sending him Instagram messages pretending to be the second victim’s fellow gang member. Williams and another gang member shot the victim when he opened the door to his residence.

    On Nov. 1, 2022, Davis facilitated the murder of the third victim by coordinating a narcotics transaction with the victim and the victim’s associate. When the victim and his associate arrived at the Marion Gardens Housing Complex to complete the narcotics transaction, they were robbed of their narcotics supply. During the robbery, Pickett and Wilson held the victim and his associate at gunpoint. After a struggle ensued, Pickett shot and killed the victim while his associate fled. Pickett then fled the Marion Gardens Housing Complex with Wilson.

    For months, investigators observed and documented hundreds of narcotics transactions in and around the Marion Gardens Housing Complex.  The investigation likewise revealed that Herbert Thomas was a primary supplier of narcotics to the Marion Gardens street gang.

    When each defendant was arrested on March 17, 2023, law enforcement seized contraband at several different locations, including heroin, fentanyl, crack cocaine, narcotics packaging materials, ammunition, bulletproof vests, and a loaded handgun.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited investigators of the Gang Intelligence Unit and the Homicide Unit of the Major Case Division of Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., and investigators of the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea, with the investigation leading to the convictions. She also thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, and the U.S. Marshals, under the direction of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos, for their assistance.

    This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.

    The government is represented by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Maloy and Javon Henry, of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Newark.

                                                                           ###

    Defense counsel:

    Roger Pickett – Brandon Minde, Esq.
    Keith Anderson – Eric Jaso, Esq. and Francesca Simone, Esq.

    Javon Williams – Joseph Rubino, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Salvadoran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant previously convicted of assault and battery on a police officer; assault and battery with a deadly weapon; larceny; malicious destruction of property

    BOSTON – A Salvadoran national has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.

    Arsenio Valladares, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for July 23, 2025. Valladares was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2025.

    Valladares was deported from the United States on or about April 23, 2008. Sometime after his removal, Valladares illegally reentered the United States without permission.

    Prior to his removal, Valladares was convicted of offenses including assault and battery with a deadly weapon, assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery, operating under the influence, larceny and malicious destruction of property. In November 2024, federal immigration authorities became aware of Valadares’ presence in the United States after being notified that his fingerprints were taken in connection with criminal charges in Massachusetts. Valladares was detained by immigration authorities on March 18, 2025.

    The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Benjamin is prosecuting the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: South Kingstown Man Indicted for Trafficking Cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – A South Kingstown man is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday, charged by way of a federal indictment for allegedly trafficking cocaine, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    The grand jury returned an indictment on July 2, 2025, charging Hector Villa, 40, with distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    Charging documents alleged that Villa delivered three kilograms of cocaine to another individual on June 3, 2025, while under law enforcement surveillance. He was detained and arrested a short time later. The drugs were seized by law enforcement.

    Charging documents reflect that following Villa’s arrest, a court authorized search of a suspected drug stash house in North Providence was conducted. The search resulted in the seizure of a kilogram of cocaine, a firearm, and various items used in the packaging and distribution of narcotics.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie White.

    The matter was investigated by members of the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Two Counts of Attempted Production of Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    Jackson, MS – On June 26, 2025, a Hinds County man pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to produce of child pornography images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

    According to court documents, beginning in February of 2023, and continuing through December 2023, Joe Lewis, 54, attempted to persuade, induct, entice, and coerce minors into Face Timing him as the minors exposed their nude private area to him, thereby engaging in sexually explicit conduct for Lewis’ live viewing and recording.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.  The Jackson Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

    Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on October 23, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of thirty years per count in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pearl River Community Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Habitual Domestic Violence

    Source: US FBI

    Jackson, MS – A Pearl River Community man was sentenced to 37 months in prison for habitual domestic violence.

    According to court documents, Eric Shane Dan, 48, using his fist, struck his spouse causing a laceration to her face which required medical treatment. Dan was previously convicted of domestic assault on two separate occasions.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Choctaw Police Department investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kemper County Woman Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    JACKSON, MS – On June 27, 2025, a Kemper County woman pleaded guilty to production of child pornography.

    According to court documents, in July 2020, Adreoinna Latoria Hickman, age 25, video recorded herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a minor. She faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: Delaware Returns Home from Deployment

    Source: United States Navy

    GROTON, Connecticut – The Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Delaware (SSN 791), under the command of Cmdr. Jason Patton, returned to Naval Submarine Base New London Saturday, July 5, completing a six-month deployment to U.S. European Command area of responsibility.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: Delaware Returns Home from Deployment

    Source: United States Navy

    GROTON, Connecticut – The Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Delaware (SSN 791), under the command of Cmdr. Jason Patton, returned to Naval Submarine Base New London Saturday, July 5, completing a six-month deployment to U.S. European Command area of responsibility.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man convicted of Hackney murder

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man has been convicted of murdering 53-year-old Derek Thomas, who was fatally stabbed outside his home in Hackney in July 2024.

    Today, Monday, 7 July, Kamar Williams, 34 (21.01.91) of West Ferry Road, E14, was found guilty of Derek’s murder following a trial at the Old Bailey.

    The court heard how, in the early evening of 30 July 2024, Williams sent threatening text messages to Derek’s daughter, who was William’s ex-partner, warning her to “watch this space”.

    Hours later, CCTV captured Williams driving a grey van along Benthal Road, N16. He stopped directly outside Derek’s home. Williams was wearing a pair of reflective trainers, which made him easily identifiable throughout the CCTV footage.

    Williams was seen pacing along Benthal Road, loitering near Derek’s home, before disappearing out of shot. Moments later, he returned to his van and drove away at 23:03hrs.

    At 23:04hrs, police received a 999 call from a member of the public reporting that a man had been stabbed with a ‘very big knife’. Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended, but despite their best efforts, Derek died at the scene.

    Detective Inspector John Marriott, who led the investigation, said: “This was a brutal and premeditated attack on a much-loved father. Kamar Williams showed clear intent that night, driving to Derek’s home, waiting for the right moment, and carrying out this senseless act of violence.

    “The swift response from our officers, combined with extensive CCTV, forensic work, and determination from our investigation team, led to his arrest and conviction.

    “Our thoughts remain with Derek’s family, who have shown immense strength throughout this ordeal.”

    Following the conviction, Derek’s family said: “Derek will be greatly missed by his family and friends, he was a dedicated family man and worked hard to provide for them. He was the life and soul of the family. Derek was always on hand to provide support, knowledge, advice and was a calming influence when it was required. His passing has left a massive hole in the lives of his wife, children, grandchildren, family and all that knew him. He was greatly loved by all and will never be forgotten.”

    The investigation progressed rapidly. On 1 August 2024, police were contacted about an abandoned grey van on Langford Close, E8. Inside, officers recovered a bank card belonging to Williams from the driver’s seat, directly linking him to the vehicle.

    Analysis of the Automatic Number Plate Recognition system showed that the van had travelled multiple times between the crime scene and Williams’ home address.

    Enquiries at a local hospital also revealed that Williams had sought treatment for a 5cm cut to his left knee on 31 July, the day after the murder—further evidence tying him to the violent incident.

    Williams repeatedly attempted to evade police. On 3 August, traffic officers tried to stop a silver BMW on Burnt Ash Hill, SE9, but the driver made off. It was later established that Williams was behind the wheel.

    In a further effort to avoid arrest, Williams left London temporarily. However, following a manhunt, officers identified and arrested him within the footprint of Notting Hill Carnival on 26 August 2024. He was charged with murder the following day.

    Kamar Williams was also found guilty of possession of an offensive weapon. He will be sentenced on Friday, 18 July at the same court.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Police Commissioner commends sentencing in Magaqa case 

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Monday, July 7, 2025

    The National Police Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola has commended the efforts of the investigating team in securing a 25-year imprisonment sentence imposed on hitman Sibusiso Ncengwa for the murder of Sindiso Magaqa in July 2017. 

    The SAPS Political Killings Task Team took over the case in July 2018 after their formation. Within a month, the first hitman, Ncengwa was arrested in August 2018 by the team. Six others were later arrested in December of the same year.

    This as the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday found Ngcengwa guilty on 11 counts with the breakdown as follows: 
    •    Count 1: Conspiracy to commit murder-25years
    •    Count 2: Murder -25 years
    •    Count  3: Attempted murder- 5 Years
    •    Count 4: Attempted murder- 5 years
    •    Count 5: Attempted murder-5years
    •    Count 6: Malicious damage to property – 3years
    •    Count 7: Malicious damage to property- 3 years
    •    Count 8: Malicious damage to property-3 years
    •    Count 9: Unlawful possession of a fully automatic firearm- 5years
    •    Count 10: unlawful Possession of firearms – 5 years.
    •    Count 11: unlawful possession of ammunition- 1year
    •    Count: 1,3 to 11 will run concurrently with Count 2 which is 25 years. 

    “Three other accused are still in custody with the third declared mentally unfit to stand trial. 

    “The third accused is in a mental institution. The trial of the two who are fit to stand trial is expected to be heard between 19 September 2025 to 21 October 2025 in the Pietermaritzburg High Court,” the police said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairwoman McClain Joins President Trump as He Signs The One Big Beautiful Bill Act Into Law

    Source: US House of Representatives Republicans

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    Chairwoman McClain Joins President Trump as He Signs The One Big Beautiful Bill Act Into Law

    Washington, July 4, 2025

    WASHINGTON—House RepublicanChairwomanLisa McClain (R-Mich.) joined President Donald Trump at the White House as he signed into law theOne Big Beautiful Bill Act.

    During the ceremony, President Trump recognized and thankedChairwomanMcClain for her leadership.

    ChairwomanMcClain released the following statement:

    “What a great moment for our country. Months of hard work have paid off, and it was an honor to be at the White House for this historical moment. I thank Speaker Mike Johnson for his leadership in getting this across the finish line in the House. And I thank President Trump for leading our country into our Golden Age. This is just the beginning,” ChairwomanMcClain said.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Small Business Advisory Committee to Discuss Regulatory Framework for Finders and Continue Exploring Regulation A

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee announced that it will hold a meeting at the SEC Headquarters in Washington D.C on Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at 10 a.m. E.T. The meeting will be open to the public, in-person, as well as webcast on the SEC website, and will explore Regulation A and the topic of “finders,” persons who assist companies with limited capital-raising activities in private markets.

    The meeting will start by finalizing discussion of potential regulatory improvements to Regulation A, building upon ideas generated during the previous committee meeting. In keeping with the committee’s efforts to promote small business capital formation, including access to capital for founders who are building businesses outside of prominent entrepreneurial hubs or without robust capital-raising networks, the committee will spend the remainder of the meeting exploring “finders” and related matters.  

    Staff from the SEC’s Division of Trading and Markets will provide the committee with an overview of the SEC’s 2020 release, which proposed a limited, conditional exemption from broker registration for “finders.” The committee will also learn more about the role of “finders” and possible regulatory solutions from industry practitioners Gary Ross, Managing Partner at Ross Law Group, and Kelley Arena, Founder at Golden Hour Ventures. As part of this discussion, the committee will explore potential principles, frameworks, conditions, and safeguards that could permit certain “finders” to engage in limited capital-raising activities.  

    For more information about the committee and the full agenda for the meeting, visit the committee webpage.

    The Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee provides advice and recommendations to the SEC on rules, regulations, and policy matters relating to small businesses.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Thailand’s judiciary is flexing its muscles, but away from PM’s plight, dozens of activists are at the mercy of capricious courts

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Tyrell Haberkorn, Professor of Southeast Asian Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison

    Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is swarmed by members of the media after a cabinet meeting at Government House on July 1, 2025. Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is currently feeling the sharp end of the country’s powerful judiciary.

    On July 2, 2025, Thailand’s Constitutional Court suspended Paetongtarn from office as a result of a leaked phone conversation in which she was heard disparaging Thailand’s military and showing deference to former the prime minister of Cambodia, Hun Sen, despite an ongoing border dispute between the two countries. Initially set for 14 days, many onlookers believe the court’s suspension is likely to become permanent.

    Meanwhile, far from the prime minister’s office is Arnon Nampa, another Thai national whose future is at the mercy of the Thai judiciary – in this case, the Criminal Court.

    Arnon, a lawyer and internationally recognized human rights defender, is one of 32 political prisoners imprisoned over “lèse majesté,” or insulting the Thai monarchy. He is currently serving a sentence of nearly 30 years for a speech questioning the monarchy during pro-democracy protests in 2020. Unless he is both acquitted in his remaining cases and his current convictions are overturned on appeal, Arnon will likely spend the rest of his life in prison.

    The plights of Paetongtarn and Arnon may seem distant. But as a historian of Thai politics, I see the cases as connected by a judiciary using the law and its power to diminish the prospects for democracy in Thailand and constrain the ability of its citizens to participate freely in society.

    Familiar troubles

    The Shinawatra family is no stranger to the reach of both the Thai military and the country’s courts.

    Paetongtarn is the third of her family to be prime minister – and could become the third to be ousted. Her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, was removed in a 2006 military coup. Her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra, was ousted prior to the May 22, 2014, coup. In common with past coups, the juntas who fomented them were shielded from the law, with none facing prosecution.

    For now, it is unclear whether Paetongtarn’s suspension is the precursor to another coup, the dissolution of parliament and new elections, or a reshuffle of the cabinet. But what is clear is that the Constitutional Court’s intervention is one of several in which the nine appointed judges are playing a critical role in the future of Thai democracy.

    Protecting the monarchy

    The root of the judiciary’s power can be found in the way the modern Thai nation was set up nearly 100 years ago.

    On June 24, 1932, Thailand transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. Since then, the country has experienced 13 coups, as the country has shifted from democracy to dictatorship and back again.

    But throughout, the monarchy has remained a constant presence – protected by Article 112 of the Criminal Code, which defines the crime and penalty of lese majesté: “Whoever defames, insults, or threatens the king, queen, heir-apparent or regent shall be subject to three-to-fifteen years imprisonment.”

    The law is widely feared among dissidents in Thailand both because it is interpreted broadly to include any speech or action that is not laudatory and innocent verdicts are rare.

    Although Article 112 has been law since 1957, it was rarely used until after the 2006 coup.

    Since then, cases have risen steadily and reached record levels following a youth-led movement for democracy in 2020. At least 281 people have been, or are currently being, prosecuted for alleged violation of Article 112, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

    Challenging the status quo

    The 2020 youth-led movement for democracy was sparked by the Constitutional Court’s dissolution of the progressive Future Forward Party at the beginning of that year, the disappearance of a Thai dissident in exile in Cambodia, and economic problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    In protests in Bangkok and in provinces across the country, they called for a new election, a new constitution and an end to state repression of dissent.

    Pro-democracy activist leader Arnon Nampa speaks to protesters.
    Peerapon Boonyakiat/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

    On Aug. 3, 2020, Nampa added another demand: The monarchy must be openly discussed and questioned.

    Without addressing such a key, unquestionable institution in the nation, Arnon argued, the struggle for democracy would inevitably fail.

    This message resonated with many Thai citizens, and despite the fearsome Article 112, protests grew throughout the last months of 2020.

    Students at Thammasat University, the center of student protest since the 1950s, expanded Arnon’s call into a 10-point set of demands for reform of the monarchy.

    Making it clear that they did not aim to abolish the monarchy, the students’ proposal aimed to clarify the monarchy’s economic, political and military role and make it truly constitutional.

    As the protests began to seem unstoppable, with tens of thousands joining, the police began cracking down on demonstrations. Many were arrested for violating anti-COVID-19 measures and other minor laws. By late November 2020, however, Article 112 charges began to be brought against Arnon and other protest leaders for their peaceful speech.

    In September 2023, Arnon was convicted in his first case, and he has been behind bars since. He is joined by other political prisoners, whose numbers grow weekly as their cases move through the judicial process.

    Capricious courts

    Unlike Arnon, Paetongtarn Shinawatra is not facing prison.

    But the Constitutional Court’s decision to suspend her from her position as prime minister because of a leaked recording of an indiscreet telephone conversation is, to many legal minds, a capricious response that has the effect of short-circuiting the democratic process.

    So too, I believe, does bringing the weight of the law against Arnon and other political prisoners in Thailand who remain behind bars as the current political turmoil plays out.

    Tyrell Haberkorn does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Thailand’s judiciary is flexing its muscles, but away from PM’s plight, dozens of activists are at the mercy of capricious courts – https://theconversation.com/thailands-judiciary-is-flexing-its-muscles-but-away-from-pms-plight-dozens-of-activists-are-at-the-mercy-of-capricious-courts-260408

    MIL OSI

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Nations are increasingly ‘playing the field’ when it comes to US and China – a new book explains explains why ‘active nonalignment’ is on the march

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Jorge Heine, Outgoing Interim Director of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, Boston University

    Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, center, flanked by India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, and South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaks at the summit of Group of 20 leading economies in Rio de Janeiro on Nov. 19, 2024. Mauro Pimentel/AFP via Getty Images

    In 2020, as Latin American countries were contending with the triple challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, a global economic shock and U.S. policy under the first Trump administration, Jorge Heine, research professor at Boston University and a former Chilean ambassador, in association with two colleagues, Carlos Fortin and Carlos Ominami, put forward the notion of “active nonalignment.”


    Polity Books

    Five years on, the foreign policy approach is more relevant than ever, with trends including the rise of the Global South and the fragmentation of the global order, encouraging countries around the world to reassess their relationships with both the United States and China.

    It led Heine, along with Fortin and Ominami, to follow up on their original arguments in a new book, “The Non-Aligned World,” published in June 2025.

    The Conversation spoke with Heine on what is behind the push toward active nonalignment, and where it may lead.

    For those not familiar, what is active nonalignment?

    Active nonalignment is a foreign policy approach in which countries put their own interests front and center and refuse to take sides in the great power rivalry between the U.S. and China.

    It takes its cue from the Non-Aligned Movement of the 1950s and 1960s but updates it to the realities of the 21st century. Today’s rising Global South is very different from the “Third World” that made up the Non-Aligned Movement. Countries like India, Turkey, Brazil and Indonesia have greater economic heft and wherewithal. They thus have more options than in the past.

    They can pick and choose policies in accordance with what is in their national interests. And because there is competition between Washington and Beijing to win over such countries’ hearts and minds, those looking to promote a nonaligned agenda have greater leverage.

    Traditional international relations literature suggests that in relations between nations, you can either “balance,” meaning take a strong position against another power, or “bandwagon” – that is, go along with the wishes of that power. The notion was that weaker states couldn’t balance against the Great Powers because they don’t have the military power to do so, so they had to bandwagon.

    What we are saying is that there is an intermediate approach: hedging. Countries can hedge their bets or equivocate by playing one power off the other. So, on some issues you side with the U.S., and others you side with China.

    Thus, the grand strategy of active nonalignment is “playing the field,” or in other words, searching for opportunities among what is available in the international environment. This means being constantly on the lookout for potential advantages and available resources – in short, being active, rather than passive or reactive.

    So active nonalignment is not so much a movement as it is a doctrine.

    Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba, right, and Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser attend the first Conference of Non-Aligned Countries in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in September 1961.
    Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

    It’s been five years since you first came up with the idea of active nonalignment. Why did you think it was time to revisit it now?

    The notion of active nonalignment came up during the first Trump administration and in the context of a Latin America hit by the triple-whammy of U.S. pressure, a pandemic and the ensuing recession – which in Latin America translated into the biggest economic downturn in 120 years, a 6.6% drop of regional gross domestic product in 2020.

    ANA was intended as a guide for Latin American countries to navigate those difficult moments, and it led us to the publication of a symposium volume with contributions by six former Latin American foreign ministers in November 2021, in which we elaborated on the concept.

    Three months later, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the reaction to it by many countries in Asia and Africa, nonalignment was back with a vengeance.

    Countries like India, Pakistan, South Africa and Indonesia, among others, took positions that were at odds with the West on Ukraine. Many of them, though not all, condemned Russian aggression but also wanted no part in the West’s sanctions on Moscow. These sanctions were seen as unwarranted and as an expression of Western double standards – no sanctions were applied on the U.S. for invading Iraq, of course.

    And then there were the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and the resulting war in the Gaza Strip. Countries across the Global South strongly condemned the Hamas attacks, but the West’s response to the subsequent deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians brought home the notion of double standards when it came to international human rights.

    Why weren’t Palestinians deserving of the same compassion as Ukrainians? For many in the Global South, that question hit very hard – the idea that “human rights are limited to Europeans and people who looked like them did not go down well.”

    Thus, South Africa brought a case against Israel in the International Court of Justice alleging genocide, and Brazil spearheaded ceasefire efforts at the United Nations.

    A third development is the expansion of the BRICS bloc of economies from its original five members – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – to 10 members. Although China and Russia are not members of the Global South, those other founding members are, and the BRICS group has promoted key issues on the Global South’s agenda. The addition of countries such as Egypt and Ethiopia has meant that BRICS has increasingly taken on the guise of the Global South forum. Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a leading proponent of BRICS, is keen on advancing this Global South agenda.

    All three of these developments have made active nonalignment more relevant than ever before.

    How are China and the US responding to active nonalignment – or are they?

    I’ll give you two examples: Angola and Argentina.

    In Angola, the African country that has received most Chinese cooperation to the tune of US$45 billion, you now have the U.S. financing what is known as the Lobito Corridor – a railway line that stretches from the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Angola’s Atlantic coast.

    Ten years ago, the notion that the U.S. would be financing railway projects in southern Africa would have been considered unfathomable. Yet it has happened. Why? Because China has built significant railway lines in countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia, and the U.S. realized that it was being left behind.

    For the longest time, the U.S. would condemn such Chinese-financed infrastructure projects via the “Belt and Road Initiative” as nothing but “debt-trap diplomacy” designed to saddle developing nations with “white elephants” nobody needed. But a couple of years ago, that tune changed: The U.S. and Europe realized that there is a big infrastructure deficit in Asia, Africa and Latin America that China was stepping in to reduce – and the West was nowhere to be seen in this critical area.

    In short, the West changed it approach – and countries like Angola are now able to play the U.S. off against China for its own national interests.

    Then take Argentina. In 2023, Javier Milei was elected president on a strong anti-China platform. He said his government would have nothing to do with Beijing. But just two years later, Milei announced in an Economist interview that he is a great admirer of Beijing.

    Why? Because Argentina has a very significant foreign debt, and Milei knew that a continued anti-China stance would mean a credit line from Beijing would likely not be renewed. The Argentinian president was under pressure from the International Monetary Fund and Washington to let the credit line with China lapse, but Milei refused to do so and managed to hold his own, playing both sides against the middle.

    Milei is a populist conservative; Brazil’s Lula a leftist. So is active nonalignment immune to ideological differences?

    Absolutely. When people ask me what the difference is between traditional nonalignment and active nonalignment, one of the most obvious things is that the latter is nonideological – it can be used by people of the right, left and center. It is a guide to action, a compass to navigate the waters of a highly troubled world, and can be used by governments of very different ideological hues.

    Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Argentina President Javier Milei at the 66th Summit of leaders of the Mercosur trading bloc in Buenos Aires on July 3, 2025.
    Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images

    The book talks a lot about the fragmentation of the rules-based order. Where do you see this heading?

    There is little doubt that the liberal international order that framed world politics from 1945 to 2016 has come to an end. Some of its bedrock principles, like multilateralism, free trade and respect for international law and existing international treaties, have been severely undermined.

    We are now in a transitional stage. The notion of the West as a geopolitical entity, as we knew it, has ceased to exist. We now have the extraordinary situation where illiberal forces in Hungary, Germany and Poland, among other places, are being supported by those in power in both Washington and Moscow.

    And this decline of the West has not come about because of any economic issue – the U.S. still represents around 25% of global GDP, much as it did in 1970 – but because of the breakdown of the trans-Atlantic alliance.

    So we are moving toward a very different type of world order – and one in which the Global South has the opportunity to have much more of a role, especially if it deploys active nonalignment.

    How have events since Trump’s inauguration played into your argument?

    The notion of active nonalignment was triggered by the first Trump administration’s pressure on Latin American countries. I would argue that the measures undertaken in Trump’s second administration – the tariffs imposed on 90 countries around the world; the U.S. leaving the Paris climate agreement, the World Health Organization and the U.N. Human Rights Council; and other “America First” policies – have only underscored the validity of active nonalignment as a foreign policy approach.

    The pressures on countries across the Global South are very strong, and there is a temptation to give in to Trump and align with U.S. Yet, all indications are that simply giving in to Trump’s demands isn’t a recipe for success. Those countries that have gone down the route of giving in to Trump’s demands only see more demands after that. Countries need a different approach – and that can be found in active nonalignment.

    Jorge Heine does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Nations are increasingly ‘playing the field’ when it comes to US and China – a new book explains explains why ‘active nonalignment’ is on the march – https://theconversation.com/nations-are-increasingly-playing-the-field-when-it-comes-to-us-and-china-a-new-book-explains-explains-why-active-nonalignment-is-on-the-march-260234

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