Source: European Commission – Justice
European Commission Press release Brussels, 20 Mar 2025 Today, the European Commission has disbursed an additional €1 billion tranche of its exceptional Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) loan to Ukraine, to be repaid with proceeds from immobilised Russian State assets in the EU, reinforcing the EU’s role as the largest donor since the beginning of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested a 28-year-old female for indecent exposure at a school in Zuccoli this morning.
Around 10:40am, police received reports of a female acting in a disorderly manner outside of a school premises on Ginger Road. It is alleged the 28-year-old female was making gestures at students, kicking the school fence, throwing and smashing objects before she indecently exposed herself.
General duties members attended and arrested the female a short time later.
Investigations remain ongoing and charges are expected to follow.
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Police have made three arrests over complaints about alleged behaviour of some external security contractors at Pak N Save Manukau.
These complaints included allegations of demands being made to customers.
Detective Senior Sergeant Kevin Tiernan, Counties Manukau Central CIB, says five victims filed complaints with Police.
“Enquiries have been carried out since the first report was made to Police in late January, culminating in the arrests being made today,” he says.
Two men aged 23 and 39, and a 19-year-old woman will appear in the Manukau District Court on 26 March.
“All three charge face a variety of charges including demands with intent and obtains by deception,” Detective Senior Sergeant Tiernan says.
“A charge of demands with intent carries a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment under the Crimes Act.”
Detective Senior Sergeant Tiernan acknowledges the victims that came forward to assist the Police investigation.
ENDS.
Jarred Williamson/NZ Police
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Dunedin Police have conducted a number of searches in Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula area for 65-year-old Penelope, known as Penny, who was last seen on 1 March.
At this stage, no new search areas have been identified, and the active search has been paused while a review and evaluation of the search is conducted.
Police have been in contact with Penny’s family and continue to update them and provide them with support.
Although the search has been paused, we remain poised to reactivate the search in any areas of interest as they are identified or if any fresh information or credible sightings of Penny are reported.
If you have seen Penny, or have any information on her whereabouts and have yet to contact us, please contact Police online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.
Please use the reference number 250304/9428.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
Participants walk out of the venue for the first Cyber Security Summit (Tianjin) in north China’s Tianjin, Aug. 28, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
Chinese police cracked more than 7,000 cases involving personal information security violations last year, the Ministry of Public Security said on Tuesday, urging strict legal compliance in handling such data.
Authorities took tough measures against such crimes last year, dismantling multiple platforms that traded personal data, the ministry said in a statement. It also disclosed 10 typical cases police solved in 2024, in which suspects obtained personal data through technical means, fraud or other methods.
In one case, a suspected criminal organization led by a person surnamed Liu allegedly developed Trojan malware to steal data, according to the ministry. Members of the group would take jobs at companies offering training services and implant the malware in company computers to access client information, the ministry said.
In September, the police of Beijing’s Haidian district arrested eight suspects and helped 17 companies remove the malware from their computers.
In another case, police in Changchun, Jilin province, dismantled a suspected criminal organization led by an individual surnamed Wang that allegedly faked business licenses to trick jobseekers into sending resumes, which were then sold to telecommunications fraud gangs. In June, police arrested 27 suspects and seized more than 1,000 fake business licenses.
A separate case involved collusion between an alleged criminal group and employees in the courier industry. The organization has been accused of stealing personal information from delivery orders and selling it. Police in Zhangye, Gansu province, arrested 18 suspects.
The ministry urged companies and individuals handling personal information to comply with the law and enhance security measures. It also advised the public to store and use their personal data carefully and report suspected leaks to authorities.
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Police are now in a position to release the name of the man who died following a homicide in Whangārei on 15 March.
He was Toby Mike Adams, 62, of Whangārei.
We extend our sympathies to his family and friends at this challenging time.
The 53-year-old man charged with Mr Adam’s murder has been remanded in custody and will appear in Whangārei High Court on 4 April.
ENDS.
Holly McKay/NZ Police
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
SINGAPORE (Feb. 3, 2025) United States Marine Corps (USMC) Capt. Antonio J. Milord, ground ammunition officer assigned to Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73), received his new collar devices reflecting his promotion from Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) 3 to the rank of Capt. during his promotion ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore, February 3, 2025.
The Winchester, Virginia native operates as one of two marines stationed in COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73, where he works as the lead ammunition logistics officer for Marine forces in the Indo-Pacific region. He develops logistical plans by coordinating shipments of ammunition and explosives while managing inventory levels to ensure the USMC’s ordnance inventory in the region is properly maintained at all times.
This promotion has been a long-term goal for the former CWO 3 since his first enlistment into the USMC as a Private First Class.
“I was always inspired by Chief Warrant Officers in my MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) when I worked with them,” said Milord. “They were very intelligent and very smart, so I always found that was the path that I wanted to go for, being a very technical specialist.”
Following his selection into the CWO program, Milord wasted little time in further developing himself as a subject matter expert in his field. In 2023, he was named Commander, Marine Corps Systems Command’s Marine Corps Ammunition Officer of the Year for calendar year 2022.
“I am only the second Marine officer to have accomplished this feat, as I originally won the Ammunition NCO of the Year award 10 years ago in 2012 as a Sergeant,” said Milord.
The two-time award-winning Marine recalls the moment in his early career how he solidified his pursuit for the Limited Duty Officer (LDO) program.
“For LDO, I remember there was a Lt. Col. in my MOS, who was the top guy at the time, and I remember him talking to all of the Marines. He said, ‘Hey, I remember when I started as a Private First Class and then started coming up through the ranks.’” Milord recollected. “I thought that was a sort of a “rags to riches” story. I thought that was really motivating and a defining point for me wanting to get to that level.”
After executing on the myriad of mission objectives he had set for himself as a junior NCO, Milord shares the next milestones he has now set his scope on as a junior commissioned officer in the USMC.
“It means a lot to finally reach that goal that you’ve been working towards the entire time. The other goals along the way mean a lot but there are always goals on the horizon,” said Milord. “I’m doing Command and Staff College, which is a higher-level military P.M.E. (Professional Military Education), and Major (O-4) is the next promotion and the next higher billet, so that’s what I’m focused on right now.”
When asked for what advice he would impart on a junior NCO seeking to emulate his journey, Milord shared the guidance which helped him stay on his path throughout the years.
“If you really want it, you won’t allow anything to stop you or prevent you from achieving your goals,” said Milord. “It’s never an easy path but you have to want it and excel at it.”
COMLOG WESTPAC supports deployed surface units and aircraft carriers, along with regional partners, to facilitate patrols in the South China Sea, participation in naval exercises and responses to natural disasters.
For more information on Sailors and Marines like Milord serving in Singapore, visit https://www.clwp.navy.mil/
| Date Taken: | 02.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.19.2025 21:10 |
| Story ID: | 493266 |
| Location: | SG |
| Hometown: | WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 3 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, COMLOG WESTPAC’S USMC CWO Antonio Milord Promotes to the rank of Captain, Feb. 3, 2025, by PO2 Moises Sandoval, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
SAN JOSE – Daniel Philip Aguirre was sentenced yesterday to 270 months (22.5 years) in federal prison and ordered to pay $19,100 in restitution for child sex trafficking, child enticement, and child pornography offenses. U.S. District Judge Beth L. Freeman handed down the sentence.
Aguirre, 33, of Salinas, pleaded guilty on Oct. 30, 2024, to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1594(c), sex trafficking of a minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a)(1), (b)(2), and (c), coercion and enticement of a minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b), distribution of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2), and possession of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B).
According to the plea agreement, between 2014 and 2017, Aguirre used Grindr, SnapChat, Craigslist, and other websites to recruit and entice multiple adolescent boys for sexual exploitation and abuse. In May 2014, he enticed a 14-year-old victim into illegal sexual acts with Aguirre and another man in San Jose, during which amyl nitrates, commonly known as “poppers,” were used to keep the child intoxicated. Between April and September 2017, Aguirre sex trafficked a second 14-year-old victim while also maintaining an illegal sexual relationship with the child. He also used the victim to create and distribute child sexual abuse materials. Aguirre also acknowledged allegations by two other boys that Aguirre subjected them to online and in-person sexual abuse at various times from 2013 to 2015, while they were minors. Numerous child sexual abuse materials were found on devices seized from Aguirre’s residence during a search in 2022.
“This defendant preyed on and exploited children, and subjected them to nightmare scenarios. We are grateful for the courage shown by these victims in coming forward. Thanks to the work of our federal and state law enforcement partners, Aguirre will spend over 20 years in federal prison for his heinous conduct,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins.
“This individual is the absolute personification of a predator and has cruelly impacted the lives of countless innocent children,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. “This sentencing is the direct result of dedicated HSI agents, in partnership with state and local law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who prioritize a victim-based approach combined with aggressive investigative work and prosecution to remove threats to the children of our community.”
At the sentencing hearing, the government and the Court commended the bravery of the victim who first reported his abuse to the Carmel-by-the Sea Police Department in 2020. Three other victims came forward to report abuse by Aguirre after the initial criminal charges were reported.
In addition to the prison term and restitution, Judge Freeman also sentenced the defendant to a 15-year period of supervised release, ordered the forfeiture of devices containing child sexual abuse materials that were seized from Aguirre’s residence, and imposed a $500 special assessment fee. Aguirre was immediately remanded into custody to begin serving his sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marissa Harris prosecuted the case with the assistance of Sahib Kaur. The prosecution is the result of a three-year investigation by HSI and the Carmel-by-the-Sea Police Department.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Frank Twing, Sr. age 33, of West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old victim and travel with intent to engage in unlawful sexual conduct with an approximately 12-year-old victim. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Twing admitted that he engaged in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old child during which he created sexually explicit videos depicting that child. He also admitted to traveling from his home in Massachusetts to New York, planning to have sex with an approximately 12-year-old child.
Twing will also have to forfeit to the United States the property he used to commit the offenses, pay special assessments, and is required to register as a sex offender upon release from prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the New York State Police, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Benjamin A. Gillis are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Les by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Source: US State of North Carolina
Headline: Governor Stein Signs First Bill into Law, Delivering Resources to Support Western North Carolina’s Recovery
Governor Stein Signs First Bill into Law, Delivering Resources to Support Western North Carolina’s Recovery
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Today, Governor Josh Stein signed the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 Part 1 – his first bill signed into law. Governor Stein was joined by leaders in the North Carolina General Assembly, members of his Western North Carolina Advisory Committee, law enforcement officials, and agricultural leaders.
“This funding is a promising step forward in the long road to recovery for western North Carolina. I want to thank the General Assembly for working together to pass this critical aid package to help our neighbors rebuilding after Helene,” said Governor Josh Stein. “But we are nowhere near done — I will keep pushing to ensure western North Carolina is not forgotten.”
“This legislation will bring much-needed relief to western North Carolina while finally bringing long-awaited relief to hurricane victims in the eastern part of our state,” said Speaker Destin Hall. “This is the fourth bill we’ve passed for Helene recovery-and it won’t be the last.”
“Since Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina, the General Assembly has come together to address the real-time needs of our citizens,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger. “This bill will make a world of difference for the people of western North Carolina and I’m proud to see it become law. I look forward to continuing our efforts to support western North Carolina as it recovers and rebuilds.”
The Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 – Part 1 includes $524 million in total aid for western North Carolina. The bill provides $200 million for North Carolina farmers who have experienced crop losses due to Hurricane Helene, $120 million for a CDBG-DR Home Reconstruction and Repair program, and $55 million for local government infrastructure grants to help small business. It also includes $100 million to repair the over 8,000 private roads and bridges that were damaged by the storm, as well as $20 million for debris cleanup. The bill provides $9 million for a school extension learning recovery program to help the students in western North Carolina who lost weeks of class time in the wake of Helene. The bill also extends the statewide declaration of emergency for Hurricane Helene until June 30th. In addition to supporting needs in the west, the bill provides $217 million to get people back into their homes in eastern North Carolina.
Exactly one week ahead of the 6-month anniversary of Hurricane Helene, the Stein administration continues to approach recovery and rebuilding with urgency, focus, transparency, and accountability. Governor Stein recently visited Ferguson Farm in Haywood County and spoke with North Carolinians in Yancey County who lost their livelihoods and homes after Hurricane Helene. Governor Stein continues to advocate for $19 billion in federal funds to restore infrastructure, support home repair and renovation, and reduce impacts from future natural disasters and for an extension of FEMA’s 100% reimbursement.
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Be on the lookout for a man who is committing a spree of offending at central Auckland retailers.
That’s the message from Police to the public and retailers around Auckland’s city centre and Newmarket.
Storm Bryce Hughes also has numerous warrants for his arrest.
The 49-year-old HeadHunters associate is wanted for aggravated robbery and other dishonesty offending.
Inspector Grant Tetzlaff, Auckland Central Area Commander, says Hughes is still active around the city.
“We believe he is continuing to commit offending at retail stores to the tune of thousands of dollars.
“It’s important that we locate Hughes to prevent further offending taking place.
“We are asking retailers and security staff, especially around the city and Newmarket, to be aware of Hughes.”
Anyone who sees Hughes should contact Police straight away.
“We do not advise anyone to take matters in their own hands, but instead contact Police and let us take care of it,” Inspector Tetzlaff says.
Hughes has links to the west Auckland area.
Inspector Tetzlaff says in recent theft reports, Hughes has been wearing glasses and occasionally a baseball cap.
He may be carrying a backpack or reusable bag to help facilitate his offending.
Hughes is described as being of medium build and is about 171 centimetres tall.
If you have information, please contact Police.
Please contact 105 using the reference number 250306/7255.
Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
ENDS.
Jarred Williamson/NZ Police
Media note: Police are releasing two images in this appeal.
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Police are appealing to the public for information on the whereabouts of Blake Potene-Walsh, 30, who has a Warrant to Arrest and is wanted by Police.
Blake has connections to Tāmaki Makaurau, Northland, Waikato and the central North Island so may have travelled within these regions.
Anyone with information is urged not to approach him and instead to call 111 immediately and quote file number 241128/7964.
Alternatively information can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
ENDS.
Holly McKay/NZ Police
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and 28 Democratic colleagues in urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to continue the essential work of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Election Threats Task Force, which directs the Department’s efforts to protect election officials from rising threats and acts of violence.
The senators’ letter comes as the Trump administration has significantly rolled back the federal government’s capacity to fight against foreign and domestic election security threats. On Attorney General Bondi’s first day in office, she disbanded the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Foreign Influence Task Force, hindering efforts to address secret influence campaigns waged by China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries. Additionally, the administration has fired or put on leave dozens of officials responsible for combating foreign election interference at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and has reportedly frozen all of CISA’s ongoing election security work. The administration has also defunded CISA’s nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.
“Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections,” wrote the senators.
“Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law,” they continued.
In addition to Sens. Warner, Padilla, and Durbin, the letter was also signed by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
In 2023, Sen. Warner joined his colleagues in sponsoring the Election Worker Protection Act, legislation that would provide states with proper resources to ensure the safety of these workers. Leading up to the 2024 elections, Sen. Warner also repeatedly raised the alarm about the elevated threat environment. As Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, he hosted open hearings to call on representatives from both the U.S. government and large tech companies to testify about their knowledge of and efforts to crack down on foreign malign influence online. He also warned of Russia and Iran’s attempts to influence the 2024 election. Sen. Warner sent a letter to CISA to push for more robust efforts to get ahead of these threats.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Attorney General Bondi:
We write to strongly urge you to continue the critical law enforcement work of the Department of Justice’s Election Threats Task Force, which protects election officials from ongoing threats and acts of violence. Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections.
The Task Force was established in the wake of the 2020 election cycle when election officials across the political spectrum began facing unprecedented threats of violence intended to thwart the peaceful transfer of power that is the hallmark of our democracy. In close collaboration with state and local law enforcement, the Task Force has assessed thousands of complaints of suspected threats of violence and investigated and prosecuted violent offenders. Over the years, these threats have not only continued but escalated. The Task Force has investigated fentanyl-laced letters, bomb threats, and swatting incidents—serving as a legacy of the 2020 election and impacting the ways election officials interact with voters in their communities.
Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law.
Moreover, the federal government’s ability to fight election interference has been greatly hampered in the early weeks of this Administration. Dozens of officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), who are responsible for combatting foreign election interference, have been fired or put on leave. CISA has also reportedly frozen all of its ongoing election security work, including defunding its nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the “Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.” Additionally, on your first day in office, you signed a directive disbanding the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force, which was aimed at responding to secret influence campaigns waged by China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries.
We request a response on the status and future plans of the Election Threats Task Force, the extent of resources and personnel dedicated to its work, and how it plans to incorporate related work previously led by CISA and the Foreign Influence Task Force by March 31, 2025.
Sincerely,
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) are requesting Attorney General Pam Bondi and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel take immediate action to remove all redactions from interview transcripts relating to the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General’s (DOJ OIG) examination of the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation.
The senators first requested these unredacted transcripts from the DOJ OIG in April 2023. At the time, the DOJ OIG informed the senators that the redactions in those transcripts were made by other government agencies, such as the FBI and DOJ, and the DOJ OIG lacked the authority to release the information.
The senators are now calling on DOJ and FBI to work with the DOJ OIG to produce these unredacted versions of the transcripts as soon as possible.
The full text of their letter can be found HERE.
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US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is shining a light on misconduct by Department of Justice (DOJ) officials and their efforts to evade public scrutiny.
In a letter to DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz, Grassley requested unredacted copies of Office of the Inspector General (OIG) reports that outline specific, substantiated allegations of misconduct by DOJ officials – but previously did not publicize the names of these senior officials.
“There’s a significant need for public transparency into the names of these and other senior Justice Department officials found to have committed misconduct. In many instances, these senior officials leave public service before the investigation is finalized and appropriate corrective action can be filed and made against them,” Grassley wrote. “Accordingly, there’s no public record identifying these individuals who committed the wrongdoing, and they can continue their patterns of workplace harassment and misconduct in a new line of work free from scrutiny.”
Text of Grassley’s letter to Inspector General Horowitz follows:
March 18, 2025
VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
The Honorable Michael E. Horowitz
Inspector General
Department of Justice
Dear Inspector General Horowitz:
I write to you requesting fully unredacted copies of the following Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG) reports:
Findings of Misconduct by a Federal Bureau of Investigation Program Analysis Officer for Sexual Harassment, Unprofessional Conduct, and Lack of Candor to the OIG, and by a then FBI Unit Chief for Failure to Report an Allegation of Sexual Harassment, Investigative Summary 23-081.[1]
Findings of Misconduct by a Community Relations Service Manager for Misuse of Public Office for Private Gain, Misuse of Government Property, and Lack of Candor to the OIG, Investigative Summary 23-048.[2]
Findings of Misconduct by a Federal Bureau of Investigation Supervisory Special Agent for Sexual Harassment of a Colleague and Failing to Timely Report an Intimate or Romantic Relationship with Two Subordinates, Investigative Summary 24-069.[3]
Finding of Misconduct by an Immigration Judge in the Executive Office for Immigration Review for Making Inappropriate, Sexually Oriented Comments to a Department of Justice Employee During an After-hours Social Gathering, Investigative Summary 23-114.[4]
Findings of Misconduct by a then Bureau of Prisons Warden for Operating a Prohibited Vehicle on Bureau of Prison Grounds and Endangering Others, Making Sexist, Racist, and Obscene Comments to Staff, and False Statements and Lack of Candor to the OIG, Investigative Summary 24-006.[5]
Findings of Misconduct by a then Federal Bureau of Investigation Senior Level Employee for Solicitation of Prostitutes and Failure to Self-Report Close or Continuous Contacts with a Foreign National, Investigative Summary 24-001.[6]
Findings of Misconduct by a then FBI Special Agent in Charge and two then FBI Assistant Special Agents in Charge for Their Roles in an Unauthorized $2 Million Purchase of Intellectual Property Related to a Classified Undercover Operation and Related Misconduct, Investigative Summary 21-090.[7]
In all of these investigations the DOJ OIG substantiated the allegations that the Justice Department officials engaged in misconduct.[8] However, the DOJ OIG did not include the names of these senior officials in the investigative summary.[9]
There’s a significant need for public transparency into the names of these and other senior Justice Department officials found to have committed misconduct. In many instances these senior officials leave public service before the investigation is finalized and appropriate corrective action can be filed and made against them.[10] Accordingly, there’s no public record identifying these individuals who committed the wrongdoing, and they can continue their patterns of workplace harassment and misconduct in a new line of work free from scrutiny.
I request that you provide the investigative reports referenced above in fully unredacted form no later than March 21, 2025. Thank you for your attention to this request.
Sincerely,Charles E. GrassleyChairmanCommittee on the Judiciary
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[1]DOJ OIG, Findings of Misconduct by a Federal Bureau of Investigation Program Analysis Officer for Sexual Harassment, Unprofessional Conduct, and Lack of Candor to the OIG, and by a then FBI Unit Chief for Failure to Report an Allegation of Sexual Harassment, Investigative Summary 23-081 (June 20, 2023) https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/23-081.pdf.
[2] DOJ OIG, Findings of Misconduct by a Community Relations Service Manager for Misuse of Public Office for Private Gain, Misuse of Government Property, and Lack of Candor to the OIG, Investigative Summary 23-048 (Mar. 14, 2023) https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/23-048.pdf
[3] DOJ OIG, Findings of Misconduct by a Federal Bureau of Investigation Supervisory Special Agent for Sexual Harassment of a Colleague and Failing to Timely Report an Intimate or Romantic Relationship with Two Subordinates, Investigative Summary 24-069 (May 22, 2024) https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/24-069.pdf.
[4] DOJ OIG, Finding of Misconduct by an Immigration Judge in the Executive Office for Immigration Review for Making Inappropriate, Sexually Oriented Comments to a Department Of Justice Employee During an After-hours Social Gathering, Investigative Summary 23-114 (Sept. 27, 2023) https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/23-114.pdf.
[5] DOJ OIG, Findings of Misconduct by a then Bureau of Prisons Warden for Operating a Prohibited Vehicle on Bureau of Prison Grounds and Endangering Others, Making Sexist, Racist, and Obscene Comments to Staff, and False Statements and Lack of Candor to the OIG, Investigative Summary 24-006 (Nov. 7, 2023) https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/24-006.pdf.
[6] DOJ OIG, Findings of Misconduct by a then Federal Bureau of Investigation Senior Level Employee for Solicitation of Prostitutes and Failure to Self-Report Close or Continuous Contacts with a Foreign National, Investigative Summary 24-001 (Oct. 11, 2023) https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/24-001.pdf.
[7] DOJ OIG, Findings of Misconduct by a then FBI Special Agent in Charge and two then FBI Assistant Special Agents in Charge for Their Roles in an Unauthorized $2 Million Purchase of Intellectual Property Related to a Classified Undercover Operation and Related Misconduct, Investigative Summary 21-090 (Jul. 6, 2021) https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/21-090.pdf.
[8] Id.
[9] Id.
[10] See letter from Senator Charles E. Grassley to AG Garland and FBI Director Wray, (Oct. 10, 2025) https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/grassley_to_fbi_and_doj_-_sexual_abuse_data.pdf.
Source: Tax Justice Aotearoa
Tax Justice Aotearoa welcomes the latest Horizon poll which shows poll only 9% of respondents support a cut to corporate tax rates. (ref. https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360621413/poll-suggests-few-support-corporate-tax-breaks )
TJA chair Glenn Barclay said the findings aligned with a recent petition organised by Tax Justice Aotearoa in which 13,000 people called on Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis to say NO to corporate tax cuts, in response to their earlier suggestions New Zealand’s corporate tax rates were too high.
“These signatures were collected in little over three weeks which is an indication of the level of public opposition to corporate tax cuts,” Mr Barclay said.
“Corporate tax cuts will do little to boost the economy but will instead end up costing us a lot of money – with a 1 percentage point reduction in corporate tax equal to $650m.
“$650m is nearly the same as Te Whatu Ora’s deficit and is the equivalent of 1,187 hospital bed nights a year.
“$650m would more than fully fund the School Lunch Programme over two years, or could be used to employ up to 6,300 nurses
“It is also enough to maintain benefits’ link to wages for four years,” Mr Barclay said.
“This is money we need when important public services, such as healthcare and school lunches, are under pressure.
“We also welcome the strong support for a capital gains tax and a wealth tax in this survey, which aligns with surveys we conducted in 2023.
“We strongly call on the government not to introduce cuts to corporate taxes in this year’s budget.”
Source: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
The ACCC has marked a further milestone in the transition steps towards the new merger regime with the release of the draft merger assessment guidelines for consultation.
The merger assessment guidelines outline the analytical framework the ACCC will apply when assessing notified acquisitions under the new regime, reflecting best practice for competition assessments.
While the new regime will not be compulsory until 1 January 2026, the guidelines provide early draft guidance.
“The merger assessment guidelines are intended to help the community, including merger parties and their advisers, understand how the ACCC will assess acquisitions under the new regime,” ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams said.
“This combined with the increased transparency that will be available for all decisions and the reasons for the decisions, will provide greater predictability regarding the ACCC’s analysis and decision making.”
“While the ‘substantial lessening of competition’ legal test has not changed, the legislation has clarified that it does include creating, strengthening or entrenching a substantial degree of market power. This reflects the economic link between a lessening of competition and an increase in market power, which is recognised in the jurisprudence and supports the approach to merger assessment set out in the guidelines,” Dr Williams said.
“Another change is that the cumulative effect on competition resulting from serial acquisitions over the preceding three years can now be taken into account in the ACCC’s decision on whether to approve an acquisition.”
The ACCC is seeking feedback on the merger assessment guidelines from businesses and their advisers, consumers and other interested members of the community.
The guidelines are available to download from the ACCC’s consultation hub which also sets out the details for making a submission.
The consultation will run from 20 March to 17 April 2025.
Anyone interested in merger reform updates can subscribe for updates on the ACCC website here: Merger reform.
On 10 December 2024, the Australian Parliament passed the Treasury Laws Amendment (Mergers and Acquisitions Reform) Act 2024. The ACCC welcomed the new legislation.
Under the new regime, all transactions above a prescribed threshold must be notified to the ACCC.
The ACCC issued a Statement of Goals in October 2024 to outline its approach to implementing the new regime and to reduce uncertainty during the transition. This included a commitment to release merger assessment guidelines and merger process guidelines for public consultation by the end of Q1 2025.
The guidelines will replace the 2008 Merger Guidelines and reflect changes resulting from the new merger regime as well as updating them to align with current best practice for competition assessments.
The ACCC recently released Transition guidance to assist businesses navigate the transitional period leading up to the new merger control regime commencing on 1 January 2026.
The ACCC will also be releasing merger process guidelines by the end of March and these will be available on the ACCC website at Consultations on merger regime changes.
‘Serial acquisitions’ refers to acquisitions where a number of smaller transactions occur over time that cumulatively end up causing serious harm to competition.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Defendant previously deported twice; has prior convictions for aggravated identity theft as well as heroin distribution, firearm offenses, assault and battery convictions under stolen identity
BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Methuen pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to unlawfully re-entering the United States after deportation and possessing narcotics intended for distribution.
Raul Fernando Lora, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of unlawful reentry of deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for July 16, 2025. Lora was charged in November 2023.
Lora was previously removed from the United States on July 2, 2013 and June 5, 2018. Before his first removal, Lora was convicted for aggravated identity theft for fraudulently using the identity of a Puerto Rican citizen. Additionally, Lora has prior convictions for possession with intent to distribute heroin, firearms offenses and assault and battery that were under the name of the identity Lora had stolen.
In 2023, federal immigration authorities became aware of Lora’s presence in the United States after being notified that the defendant’s fingerprints were taken in connection with criminal charges in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Lora had default warrants outstanding for both cases.
Lora was arrested on Oct. 3, 2023, at which time he was found in possession of a sock that contained over 200 grams of fentanyl and over 30 grams of cocaine in multiple plastic bags.
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 charge of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of any sentenced 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 today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Patricia Hutchins, 53, of Brockport, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with making a false statement and bank fraud, which carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in July 2021, U.S. Postal Inspectors executed a search warrant at Hutchins’ Rochester and seized documents, cash, and electronic devices that were either used in or derived from various wire fraud schemes, including Unemployment Insurance fraud, Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud, and elder fraud. In October 2022, Hutchins was arrested on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. On May 1, 2024, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and is awaiting sentencing on that charge, which is scheduled for April 15, 2025. As part of her plea agreement, Hutchins must pay restitution to two victims: $20,052.00 to reimburse a financial institution for a fraudulent PPP loan disbursement $25,100.00 to an elderly individual who had been duped into “paying off a debt for a friend” by sending that money to Hutchins.
On October 16, 2024, Hutchins appeared in federal court for sentencing. At that time, she stated that she had invested the entire proceeds of her home sale in a retirement account and did not have any money for restitution. As a result, her sentencing was delayed. On December 4, 2024, Hutchins appeared once again for sentencing. This time, she advised the court that she had given all of her money to an individual whom she believed to be country music recording artist Kenny Chesney, who had agreed to invest it for her. Hutchins had already used this excuse—that she was scammed by a person whom she believed was Kenny Chesney—twice before. Hutchins ultimately pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud with the individual whom she claimed to believe was Kenny Chesney.
According to the latest complaint against Hutchins, the proceeds from the sale of her residence were deposited into her bank account, approximately one month before her scheduled sentencing on October 16, 2024. In the month leading up to the sentencing, she pulled approximately $15,000.00 out of the account, making numerous $250.00 gift card purchases at merchants such as Walgreens, Tops, Wegman’s, Lowe’s, and Home Depot. After the original sentencing was adjourned, and she was directed by the Court to gather funds to pay restitution, Hutchins continued to make regular gift card purchases totaling approximately $8,500.00. As of November 29, 2024, there was approximately $1,000 left in her account. In addition, Hutchins is accused of fraud involving two credit card accounts.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Dylan C. Irvin, 26, of Bradford, PA, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that sometime in June or July 2023, Irvin engaged in sexual activity with a 13-year-old female (victim). Irvin used his cellular telephone to record the sexual activity and then received the video on a Snapchat account he controlled. On March 5, 2024, Irvin was arrested on state charges related to the sexual contact, at which time his cell phone was seized. A search of the phone recovered the video of Irvin and the victim.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Butler.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
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US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
(Lancaster, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies, toured DCI Furniture in Lisbon to learn more about how the business is using federal funding to make energy efficiency upgrades. Later, Shaheen visited Mount Cabot Maple in Lancaster to celebrate Maple Month and hear about the challenges facing the Granite State’s maple industry. Photos from today’s events can be found here.
In Lisbon, Shaheen visited DCI Furniture, a family-owned furniture manufacturing company, to learn more about how the business is using federal funding to install a new combined heat and power system that uses wood waste for fuel. The project will improve energy efficiency, decrease costs and reduce emissions at the facility.
“Efficiency is the cheapest, fastest way to meet our energy needs, and DCI Furniture is a poster child for thinking about energy in a smart way,” said Senator Shaheen. “I was pleased to see firsthand how DCI is using federal funding that I’ve championed to make energy efficiency upgrades that will save money, reduce emissions and benefit the local forest-based economy—it’s just the kind of made-in-New Hampshire project we need to see more of.”
The project has been awarded funding through programs Shaheen champions, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program, the U.S. Forest Service’s Community Wood Grant program and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. Shaheen was a lead negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which made huge investments in energy efficiency, including $550 million for Industrial Research and Assessment Centers and assistance for small- and medium-sized manufacturers to implement efficiency upgrades based upon her longstanding bipartisan legislation with former U.S. Senator Rob Portman. Shaheen also helped introduce legislation to enhance the Forest Service’s Community Wood Grant program that is providing funding for this project.
Later in Lancaster, Shaheen visited Mount Cabot Maple to hear more about how the farm has benefitted from federal funding from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and underscore the challenges facing the Granite State’s maple industry in the wake of the Trump Administration’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico and federal funding freeze.
“Our maple syrup producers are an integral and delicious part of New Hampshire’s identity,” said Senator Shaheen. “It was great to visit Mount Cabot Maple today during Maple Month to tour the farm and learn more about how this North Country staple is weathering the impacts of Trump’s funding chaos and tariffs on Canada.”
Shaheen co-leads the Market Access, Promotion and Landowner Education Support for Your Regionally Underserved Producers (MAPLE SYRUP) Act with Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) to extend and expand the federal maple support program, which supports the U.S. maple syrup industry through research and education, natural resource sustainability and the marketing of maple syrup and maple-sap products.
Shaheen has also been outspoken against the Trump Administration’s reckless tariffs on Canada and Mexico and chaotic funding freeze and cuts. Recently, Shaheen forced a vote in the Senate on her Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act to limit the President’s ability to levy sweeping tariffs that increase costs for American consumers and families. Shaheen has also hosted a series of roundtables and discussions with Granite Staters to better understand and highlight the direct consequences of the Trump administration’s funding chaos and uncertainty. Following the Trump administration’s decision to freeze grants and loans disbursed by the federal government in January, Shaheen immediately condemned the move and spoke on the Senate floor against the decision to freeze federal grants and loans that families, seniors and small businesses rely on for critical, often life-saving services.
Source: US State Government of Utah
Defendant Repeatedly Harassed U.S. Resident and His Family to Coerce Repatriation to the PRC
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, defendant Quanzhong An, 58, of Roslyn Heights, New York, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for acting as an illegal agent of the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), for his participation in a scheme to cause the coerced repatriation of a U.S. resident (the U.S. Resident) to the PRC as part of the PRC government’s international extralegal repatriation effort known as “Operation Fox Hunt.” In addition to the term of imprisonment, An was ordered to pay a financial penalty of approximately $5 million, including approximately $1.3 million in restitution to the U.S. Resident and his family, as well as a $50,000 fine. An pleaded guilty in May 2024 and was charged in October 2022.
As set forth in the government’s sentencing memoranda and other court filings, An was a leading member of an international campaign to threaten, harass, and intimidate the U.S. Resident and his family members, with the goal of coercing the U.S. Resident to repatriate to the PRC. An participated in the multi-year scheme to elevate his status within the PRC government as a means of furthering his own economic interests.
An’s involvement in the repatriation scheme began in 2017, when he attempted to locate the U.S. Resident by visiting the home of the U.S. Resident’s adult son, without notice or invitation. The following year, An sent his daughter, as well as two PRC government officials, to the home of the U.S. Resident’s son. An subsequently met with the U.S. Resident’s son on numerous occasions, during which time An served as a mouthpiece for the PRC by conveying threatening messages on behalf of the PRC government. For example, An said he did not want to pronounce “ruthless words” from the PRC government but stated that PRC officials would “keep pestering [the U.S. Resident’s son], [and] make [his] daily life uncomfortable” if the son was unable to convince his father to repatriate to the PRC. An’s harassment continued unabated from 2017 until his arrest in 2022. An’s conduct intimidated individuals living in the United States and their loved ones in the PRC – just as it was intended to do – for the benefit of the PRC government.
At sentencing, Judge Matsumoto considered that An participated in additional criminal conduct. Specifically, he perpetrated a bank fraud and money laundering scheme to defraud U.S. financial institutions so that he could enjoy continued access to U.S.-based bank accounts. As part of this scheme, he moved millions of dollars from the PRC into the United States, deliberately deceiving U.S. financial institutions regarding the source and purpose of the funds.
The FBI has created a website for victims to report efforts by foreign governments to stalk, intimidate, or assault people in the United States. If you believe that you are or have been a victim of transnational repression, please visit the FBI’s website.
Supervisory Official Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York, and Acting Assistant Director in Charge Leslie R. Backshies of the FBI New York Field Office made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Solomon, Meredith A. Arfa, and Antoinette N. Rangel for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Claire S. Kedeshian of the Eastern District of New York’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters and Madeline O’Connor and Daniel Saavedra of the Eastern District of New York’s Financial Litigation Program are assisting with restitution matters.
Source: US State Government of Utah
A federal jury in Central Islip, New York, convicted Hallandale Beach, Florida resident Phillip Priolo, 61, of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and four counts of mail fraud.
In November 2021, Priolo was charged with operating a mass mailing fraud scheme that tricked thousands of victims, many of whom were elderly, into providing the defendants with money by falsely promising prizes. Evidence presented at trial showed that, from March 2015 to December 2016, Priolo and his co-conspirators mailed millions of prize notices that falsely represented that the victims had been specifically chosen to receive a large cash prize and would receive the prize if they paid a fee. Victims who paid the requested fee, however, did not receive the promised cash prize. Although the notices appeared to be personalized correspondence, they were merely mass-produced, boilerplate documents that were bulk mailed to recipients whose names and addresses were on mailing lists.
“The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch is committed to pursuing criminals who prey upon our elder citizens through fraudulent schemes like fake prize scams,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “I thank the Postal Inspection Service for their partnership in this matter and for conducting a thorough and successful investigation.”
“Here, the defendant targeted and defrauded older individuals, the most vulnerable of populations, through a mass-mailing scheme,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Criminal Investigations Group. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is deeply committed to protecting older Americans from fraudulent schemes. This conviction underscores the Postal Inspection Service’s and the Department of Justice’s dedication and determination to keep susceptible communities safe from financial exploitation and bring criminals to justice.”
Priolo will be scheduled for sentencing later this year, in Central Islip before U.S. District Judge Nusrat Jahan Choudhury of the Eastern District of New York. The defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of conviction. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The trial resulted from a multi-year investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by trial attorneys Charles Dunn, Ann Entwistle, and Jason Feldman of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch.
The department’s extensive and broad-based efforts to combat elder fraud seeks to halt the widespread losses seniors suffer from fraud schemes. The best method for prevention, however, is by sharing information about the various types of elder fraud schemes with relatives, friends, neighbors and other seniors who can use that information to protect themselves.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Donna Desrosiers lied to fraudulently collect SSI payments for more than a decade
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for Social Security fraud.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Donna Desrosiers, 62, to one year of probation and ordered her to pay $90,674 in restitution. Desrosiers pleaded guilty on October 21, 2024.
According to court records, Desrosiers began receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in 2003. At that time, she was informed that she was required to report any changes in her household composition, income, or resources. In a 2012 eligibility review, Desrosiers was reminded of her reporting responsibilities yet did not indicate that her husband was part of her household or that he contributed any income. She received additional reminders of her reporting responsibilities over the years. In 2022, she acknowledged being married to her husband but claimed they had not lived together since 2003, the year she became eligible for SSI. The investigation showed that the couple deposited their funds into a joint bank account.
During an October 2022 interview with investigators, Desrosiers admitted that her husband lived with her and stayed at her apartment at least part of each month for the previous 11 years. When investigators asked what would have happened if she had reported the presence of her husband in her household, she responded, “They would probably take my check.” From 2011 to 2022, Desrosiers fraudulently collected approximately $90,674 in SSI benefits.
SSA’s Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BOSTON – A Michigan man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to a conspiracy to import and sell illegal pharmaceuticals, including opioids, and to fund the operation of the scheme by fraudulently obtaining a COVID-19 pandemic relief loan.
Donald Nchamukong, 37, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States, to commit loan fraud and to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for June 25, 2025.
Starting in 2019 and continuing to 2022, Nchamukong and a co-conspirator, Doyal Kalita, conspired to distribute drugs to persons in the United States over the internet and using call centers in India. Nchamukong used shell companies, including a purported dietary supplements company and an auto parts supplier, and associated bank and merchant accounts to process sales of illegal foreign drugs, including the Schedule IV opioid, tramadol. Nchamukong and Kalita also received shipments of tramadol from India and reshipped the drug to customers across the United States, including in Massachusetts. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Nchamukong and Kalita fraudulently obtained a $200,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan to fund their illegal drug scheme.
Kalita was convicted in 2024 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for orchestrating the online drug distribution scheme and a technical support fraud scheme and related money laundering.
The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the monetary gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Fernando P. McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in New York, Small Business Administration and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil, Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial, and Cyber Fraud Unit, is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
WASHINGTON – Isaiah Chase, 27, of Silver Spring, MD, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 84 months in federal prison for participating in a gunpoint robbery at Busboys and Poets, a café and bookstore, in the 400 block of K Street, NW.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Chase pleaded guilty on August 5, 2024, to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence before U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton, who in addition to the 84-month sentence, ordered Chase to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Chase was one of multiple conspirators who worked with an employee at Busboys and Poets to rob the business on February 6, 2022. The employee instructed Chase to come to the establishment at around 9:30 p.m. and to enter when a specific person was visible at the front of the establishment.
Chase and two of the other conspirators, wearing dark clothing, masks, and hoodies, entered the establishment as the staff was cleaning up for the night. Inside, each of the three individuals brandished firearms and pointed them at employees. The conspirators demanded money but received none. Instead they took keys to the business and fled in a vehicle.
On November 4, 2022, law enforcement arrested Chase at his apartment in Silver Spring, MD. During a search of his residence, agents recovered a loaded Glock 27 .40 caliber handgun with a magazine and 24 rounds of ammunition; a loaded .556 caliber machine gun capable of being fired fully automatically with a magazine containing 49 rounds of ammunition; a loaded .556 caliber AM-15 rifle with a magazine containing 25 rounds of ammunition; a .40 caliber magazine containing 9 rounds of ammunition; and 2 bags of marijuana intended for distribution.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force and MPD’s Carjacking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon Eppel and Matthew Kinskey.
22cr349
Source: US Marshals Service
Cedar Rapids, IA – U.S. Marshals today arrested a man in Nevada who is wanted on several charges in Iowa.
Donnie Danell White, 51, is wanted in connection to a deceased individual found in southwest Cedar Rapids. White is wanted in Linn County on charges of murder in the first-degree and nonconsensual termination of pregnancy.
On March 14 investigators with the Cedar Rapids Police Department contacted the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force requesting assistance in the location and apprehension of White. Task Force officers began to follow up on leads throughout Cedar Rapids and developed information indicating White had fled the state following the murder. Officials began coordinating with the U.S. Marshals Nevada Violent Offender Task Force.
Officers with the Nevada Violent Offender Task Force today narrowed their search to an area in the 2900 block of West Washington Avenue in Las Vegas. U.S. Marshals approached the suspect shortly after 3 p.m. and White eventually surrendered to the Nevada Violent Offender Task Force. White was arrested without incident and transported for processing. He will remain in custody until extradition to Iowa.
The U.S. Marshals Service is the federal government’s primary agency for fugitive investigations. Nationwide, 60 local task forces are dedicated to violent crime reduction by locating and apprehending wanted criminals. These task forces also serve as the central point for agencies to share information on fugitive matters. The Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force is comprised of officers from the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Cedar Rapids Police Department, Waterloo Police Department, Marion Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Iowa Department of Corrections.
Source: United States Attorneys General 6
A federal jury in Central Islip, New York, convicted Hallandale Beach, Florida resident Phillip Priolo, 61, of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and four counts of mail fraud.
In November 2021, Priolo was charged with operating a mass mailing fraud scheme that tricked thousands of victims, many of whom were elderly, into providing the defendants with money by falsely promising prizes. Evidence presented at trial showed that, from March 2015 to December 2016, Priolo and his co-conspirators mailed millions of prize notices that falsely represented that the victims had been specifically chosen to receive a large cash prize and would receive the prize if they paid a fee. Victims who paid the requested fee, however, did not receive the promised cash prize. Although the notices appeared to be personalized correspondence, they were merely mass-produced, boilerplate documents that were bulk mailed to recipients whose names and addresses were on mailing lists.
“The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch is committed to pursuing criminals who prey upon our elder citizens through fraudulent schemes like fake prize scams,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “I thank the Postal Inspection Service for their partnership in this matter and for conducting a thorough and successful investigation.”
“Here, the defendant targeted and defrauded older individuals, the most vulnerable of populations, through a mass-mailing scheme,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Criminal Investigations Group. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is deeply committed to protecting older Americans from fraudulent schemes. This conviction underscores the Postal Inspection Service’s and the Department of Justice’s dedication and determination to keep susceptible communities safe from financial exploitation and bring criminals to justice.”
Priolo will be scheduled for sentencing later this year, in Central Islip before U.S. District Judge Nusrat Jahan Choudhury of the Eastern District of New York. The defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of conviction. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The trial resulted from a multi-year investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by trial attorneys Charles Dunn, Ann Entwistle, and Jason Feldman of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch.
The department’s extensive and broad-based efforts to combat elder fraud seeks to halt the widespread losses seniors suffer from fraud schemes. The best method for prevention, however, is by sharing information about the various types of elder fraud schemes with relatives, friends, neighbors and other seniors who can use that information to protect themselves.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Source: United States Attorneys General 7
Note: View plea agreement here. View criminal information here.
Today, U.S. District Court Judge Mark A. Goldsmith for the Eastern District of Michigan accepted Hino Motors, Ltd.’s guilty plea to a one-count criminal information charging it with having engaged in a multi-year criminal conspiracy to defraud both the U.S. government and American consumers and illicitly smuggle goods into the country. Judge Goldsmith also sentenced Hino, a Toyota subsidiary, to pay a criminal fine of $521.76 million, serve a five-year term of probation — during which it is prohibited from importing any diesel engines it has manufactured into the United States — and implement a comprehensive compliance and ethics program and reporting structure. The court also entered a $1.087 billion forfeiture money judgment against the company.
According to court records, between 2010 and 2019, Hino Motors, Ltd. engineers submitted and caused to be submitted false applications for engine certification approvals in violation of the federal Clean Air Act. Hino Motors, Ltd. engineers regularly altered emission test data, conducted tests improperly and fabricated data without conducting any underlying tests. The engineers also submitted fraudulent carbon dioxide emissions test data, which resulted in false fuel consumption values being calculated for its engines, and failed to disclose software functions that could adversely affect engines’ emission control systems. As a result of the fraud, Hino Motors, Ltd. imported and sold over 105,000 non-conforming engines between 2010 and 2022. These engines were primarily installed in heavy-duty trucks manufactured and sold by Hino nationwide.
“Hino unlawfully imported over 105,000 engines that did not comply with U.S. emissions standards and lied about what it was doing. Hino’s criminal conduct gave it an unfair business advantage over other law-abiding companies, including American companies, and generated over $1 billion in gross proceeds,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We are committed to upholding the rule of law by prosecuting fraud and enforcing our Clean Air Act emissions standards.”
“Our office is steadfast in its commitment to holding corporate actors accountable when they lie to government regulators, illicitly smuggle goods into our county, and then fraudulently sell those goods to American consumers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck for the Eastern District of Michigan.
“Hino falsely certified compliance with the Clean Air Act so that it could profit off Americans by sending illegal, polluting engines into the United States,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Jeffrey Hall for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s plea and sentencing demonstrates that companies who intentionally evade our nation’s environmental laws, including by fabricating data to feign compliance with those laws, deserve punishment and will be held criminally accountable.”
“By pleading guilty, Hino Motors, Ltd. has admitted to orchestrating a deliberate and years-long fraud scheme that put profit over principle,” said Acting Assistant Director James C. Barnacle Jr. of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division “It doesn’t matter how complex the scheme is, the FBI is committed to holding individuals and organizations responsible for their actions.”
Special agents of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and FBI’s Detroit Field Office investigated the criminal case.
Senior Trial Attorney Banumathi Rangarajan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Yahkind for the Eastern District of Michigan handled the criminal prosecution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gjon Juncaj handled the criminal forfeiture matters.