NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio woman arrested on meth charges in Cattaraugus County

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Celina Serva aka “Ce Ce,” 26, of Akron, OH, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Duncan, who is handling the case, stated that on March 28, 2025, the DEA, the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, and the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force began investigating the sale and distribution of narcotics in the Town of Ellicott. The investigation included surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics. On April 3, 2025, investigators executed a search warrant at a residence in Ellicott, seizing multiple controlled substances, a shotgun, and a large quantity of cash. Subsequent investigation identified Serva as the source of supply. Later in the day on April 3, investigators arrested Serva as she attempted to deliver methamphetamine to the residence. She was found with a total of 975 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine in her possession.

    Serva made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was held pending a detention hearing.

    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).

    The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Cattaraugus County Sheriff Eric Butler, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Lakewood-Busti Police Department, under the direction of Chief Christopher DePonceau, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, and the Ellicott Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Ohnmeiss.

    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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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schweikert Leads Legislation Targeting Fentanyl and Foreign Evasion

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-06)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman David Schweikert (R-AZ), alongside China Select Committee Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), and Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) introduced the Manifest Modernization Act— legislation that will help law enforcement track fentanyl precursors entering the U.S., identify major sanction evasions schemes meant to skirt American law, and will uncover Uyghur and forced labor in supply chains. Currently, only ocean vessels must publicly disclose manifest information. The bill would extend the public disclosure requirement to aircraft, truck, and rail manifests. 

    Millions of shipments entering the country each day face little scrutiny. Public disclosure of shipping manifests is critical for tracking imports of unsafe or illegal goods like fentanyl, goods made with forced labor, trade-based money laundering and illicit finance, sanctions evasion, and counterfeit goods.

    “Modern problems require modern solutions. Transparency and advanced data analytics can close the gap drug traffickers and bad actors exploit to smuggle illicit drugs and goods into the country,” said Rep. David Schweikert [AZ-01]. “The Manifest Modernization Act is like putting headlights on a car that was driving with one out—you’re not reinventing the system; you’re just completing it.”

    “The Manifest Modernization Act closes a critical loophole, ensuring air, truck, and rail shipments are held to the same standards as goods arriving by ship. By requiring public disclosure of this shipment data, we’ll improve enforcement against unsafe and illicit goods—effectively stopping fentanyl, counterfeits, and products made with forced labor. This legislation also targets PRC companies that transship through third countries to dodge President Trump’s tariffs, leveling the playing field for American workers,” said House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar [MI-01].

    “The Manifest Modernization Act will strengthen and secure our supply chains by improving transparency and efficiency at our ports of entry. By modernizing outdated customs processes, this bipartisan bill will help prevent illicit goods, such as fentanyl, and products made with forced labor in the PRC from entering our country while ensuring lawful shipments can move swiftly and safely,” said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi [IL-08].

    “We need to shine a light on the labor and supply chains responsible for unsafe shipments entering the United States by air, land, and rail. Hiding import data allows the abuse of human rights to flourish in the shadows,” said Rep. Lloyd Doggett [TX-37]. “Our legislation seeks to improve accountability while giving American consumers the confidence they are not purchasing products that contributed to environmental harm, forced labor or any other form of wrongdoing, or laced with fentanyl.”

    Background on the Manifest Modernization Act:

    • Under current law, when an import enters the U.S. via ocean carrier, vessel manifest information must be publicly disclosed while imports that arrive via aircraft, truck, or rail do not.
    • Ocean vessels have long been required to disclose manifest information to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), including the name and address of the shipper, general character of the cargo, number of packages and gross weight, name of vessel or carrier, port of exit, port of destination, and country of destination. 
    • In 1996, Congress expanded disclosure requirements to include aircraft manifests to help law enforcement and trademark holders track counterfeit goods.
    • However, due to a drafting error in a later bill, courts have ruled that aircraft manifests are not subject to public disclosure. Vehicles, including trucks and rail, have never been required to disclose manifest information.
    • Today, nearly half of the value of imports comes either by air or land. Ocean manifest data has aided investigations that have identified major Russia sanctions evasion schemes, uncovered Uyghur forced labor in supply chains, tracked tainted pharmaceutical products, and helped law enforcement find shipments linked to criminal activity, including drug smuggling.
    • Businesses also rely on data gleamed from ocean manifests to find and evaluate suppliers, identify new customers, research market trends, and protect their intellectual property.
    • The Manifest Modernization Act would simply require all imports to be publicly disclosed by CBP to the American public.
       

      You can read the full bill text here. 

    Back to News

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: United States Secures the Extradition from Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain and Thailand of Fugitives Wanted for Murder, Drug Trafficking, Child Sexual Abuse and Cybercrime in California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minne

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Extensive coordination and cooperation efforts between the United States Department of Justice and law enforcement authorities in Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain, and Thailandresulted in the extraditions last week of individuals alleged to have committed murder child sexual abuse, drug trafficking, cybercrime, money laundering, and fraud.

    The fugitives extradited to the United States include:

    • Roberto Avina-Casillas, 30, a Mexican citizen, was extradited from Mexico to stand trial in Franklin County, Ohio for murder, felonious assault and endangering children. Avina-Casillas evaded arrest for more than 11 years after he was accused of the Aug. 7, 2013 death of his former girlfriend’s 3-year-old son.
    • Justin David Lanoue, 44, a Canadian citizen, was extradited from Canada to stand trial in Washington County, Utah, on charges filed against him in 2015 related to child rape and felony sexual abuse of a minor. The Washington County Attorney’s Office is handling the prosecution.
    • Dominik Rydz, 24, a Polish national, was extradited from Germany to stand trial in the state of Michigan, where he faces two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree and one count of unlawful imprisonment. On the night of Sept. 3, 2023, Rydz allegedly lured a woman away from her friends at a social gathering and proceeded to sexually assault the victim and would not let her leave. Rydz’s extradition was first sought from Poland, where he resided. While out on release from the Polish proceedings, Rydz travelled to Germany and was arrested there on an INTERPOL Red Notice.
    • Olof Kyros Gustafsson, also known as “El Silencio,” 31, a Swedish national, was extradited from Spain to face conspiracy, wire and mail fraud, and money laundering charges in a 115-count federal indictment filed in the Central District of California alleging that he licensed the rights to use the name and persona of the late Colombian narco-terrorist Pablo Escobar and defrauded investors around the world by marketing and selling products — including flamethrowers and cellphones — that did not exist and that he never delivered to paying customers.
    • Ardit Kutleshi, 26, and Jetmir Kutleshi, 28, both Kosovo nationals, were extradited from Kosovo to face identity theft, access device fraud, and money laundering charges in the Western District of Pennsylvania for their roles as the alleged administrators of the Rydox cybercrime marketplace, an illicit website dedicated to selling stolen personal information, access devices, and other tools for carrying out cybercrime and fraud. The Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania are handling the prosecution.
    • Rene Javier Santos Alfaro, 53, a Honduran citizen, was extradited from Honduras to stand trial in the Southern District of Florida for drug trafficking offenses. Santos Alfaro is an alleged leader of a drug trafficking organization based in Honduras that was allegedly responsible for importing large quantities of cocaine from Honduras directly into Miami via commercial aircraft.
    • Cristian Eduardo Garcia Jerez, 36, a Colombian national, was extradited from Colombia to face drug trafficking charges in the Northern District of Georgia. Garcia Jerez is alleged to have owned two cocaine processing laboratories and coordinated the manufacturing of cocaine in Colombia and the smuggling of cocaine from Colombia into the United States.
    • Jose Guillermo Granja Rojas, 36, a Mexican national, was extradited from Colombia to face a money laundering conspiracy charge in the Northern District of Georgia. Granja Rojas was allegedly a money launderer for a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) who collected hundreds of thousands of dollars of proceeds from the sale of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in the United States and transferred them to Mexico. DTO members directed the deposit of drug proceeds into accounts allegedly controlled by Granja Rojas, and Granja Rojas also allegedly traveled from Mexico to the United States to receive cash drug proceeds in person.
    • Tien Vy Tai Truong, 46, an alleged leader of a transnational drug trafficking organization, was extradited from Thailand to face conspiracy to export methamphetamine charges in a 2024 indictment filed in the Central District of California. Truong is alleged to have engaged in negotiations with a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confidential human source to export about 200 pounds of methamphetamine from the United States to Australia for sale.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the defendants’ arrests and extraditions along with the U.S. Marshals Service. OIA and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions from Colombia. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) also provided assistance with the extraditions from Kosovo. The Justice Department thanks and acknowledges the instrumental role of its law enforcement partners in Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain, and Thailand for making these extraditions possible.

    An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Gillibrand, Schumer, and Capito Introduce Commemorative Coin Bill To Honor 25th Anniversary Of 9/11

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Yesterday, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Charles E. Schumer, and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act, which would require the U.S. Mint to design and mint coins to honor the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The coins would be sold in 2027 at a price that would pay back the U.S. Mint for production, and surcharge proceeds would go to support the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and its mission to “never forget.”

    “On the 25th anniversary of one of the darkest days in our nation’s history, we must continue to honor our promise to never forget,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act would do just that while also generating funds to ensure that the 9/11 Memorial & Museum can sustain itself – two other ways we commit to never forget. Our city and nation owe our 9/11 heroes a tremendous debt, and it is time to get this done.”

    “Minting commemorative coins for the 25th anniversary of September 11th provides a unique way to honor those who lost their lives and those who undertook brave acts of heroism, and to recall the patriotism and community that their sacrifice inspired,” said Senator Schumer. “I am proud to support this legislation that will honor those we lost, support the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, and uphold our sacred promise to never forget.”

    “As we approach the 25th anniversary of the attack on America, with each passing year and day it becomes more necessary to tell the story of what happened that day. This story is told powerfully at the9/11 Memorial and Museum. I was proud to join with my colleagues to introduce this legislation, which would mint a coin to help to preserve the lessons we need to never forget from that day and what it did to New York City and our nation,” said Senator Capito.

    Representatives Dan Goldman (D-NY) and Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives, and the bill is supported by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

    “The 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act is a poignant reminder of the most deadly terrorist attack in U.S. history and an embodiment of our commitment to never forget the sacrifice so many made that day,”said Congressman Goldman. “By minting coins in honor of the 25th anniversary of September 11th and raising funds for the national 9/11 Memorial and Museum, this bill would ensure that future generations understand the profound impact of that day, as well as the resilience of our nation in the face of tragedy. I am proud to join a bipartisan, bicameral group of my colleagues to champion this legislation honoring the sacrifice of our brave survivors and first responders.”

    “As we approach 25 years since 9/11, we do so with the same resolve we felt in the days, weeks, and months that followed these attacks,” said Rep. Garbarino. “This legislation helps uphold our promise to Never Forget by supporting the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum’s mission to honor the lives lost, recognize the courage and sacrifices of our first responders, and educate future generations about the impact of that day. I’m proud to join my colleagues in this effort and ensure that the stories of 9/11 are never lost to history.”

    “As we plan for the observance of the 25th anniversary of 9/11 in 2026, we are grateful to Senators Capito and Gillibrand for their sustained commitment to never forget the 2,977 victims killed nearly a quarter century ago. This commemorative coin will serve as a physical reminder of our nation’s resilience in the aftermath of the attacks and a keepsake that can help the 100 million Americans too young to remember that tragic day better understand its ongoing significance,” said Beth Hillman, President & CEO, 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

    In addition to the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act, Senator Gillibrand leads the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act in the U.S. Senate. The bill provides permanent and mandatory funding for the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) and updates an outdated funding formula to prevent a future funding shortfall and ensure that survivors and first responders don’t lose access to care. Earlier this week, it was reported that the Trump administration cut staff that provide critical support for the WTCHP, which offers medical monitoring and treatment for first responders and survivors diagnosed with 9/11-related health conditions, including many types of cancers, respiratory illnesses, and more. The cuts include the dismissal of Dr. John Howard, the administrator of the WTCHP, who makes critical decisions regarding covered conditions and ensures the WTCHP complies with statutes enacted by Congress.

    The full bill text can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Coons and Blunt Rochester demand Trump rescind illegal executive order threatening federal employee collective bargaining agreements

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester (both D-Del.) joined the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in urging President Donald Trump to rescind his March 27 executive order to end collective bargaining agreements between public employee unions and dozens of federal agencies and bureaus. In their letter, Senator Coons, Senator Blunt Rochester, and their colleagues blasted the move as a “gross overreach” of presidential authority, asserting that the executive order is a clear attempt to gut the federal merit-based civil service and implement a system of political cronyism. They stressed that the order poses a grave threat to the ability of over 1 million federal workers to carry out their missions and deliver important services for the American people, and thus should be rescinded immediately.

    “We write today in outrage over your recent executive order entitled Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs, a gross overreach of the authority granted in the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA),” the senators wrote. “This order is an insult to the hardworking public servants who go to work on behalf of the American people. They care for our veterans, deliver disaster assistance, prevent wildfires, help farmers improve crop yields, manage health benefits for 9/11 first responders, research treatments and cures for diseases, keep air travel safe, process tax returns, staff our national parks and much, much more. Nearly one third of these dedicated civil servants are veterans seeking to continue their service to our country out of uniform.”

    “The executive order effectively classifies two thirds of the federal workforce as having national security missions, a blatant misuse of a limited authority intended to provide operational flexibility to address legitimate security needs,” the senators added. “There is no evidence that the long-standing collective bargaining agreements at these agencies have jeopardized our nation’s security in any way; to the contrary, the protection collective bargaining has provided for employees allows them to conduct their work on behalf of the American people—including blowing the whistle on fraud or abuse—without political interference.”

    “This administration clearly does not have even a basic understanding of the legally binding nature of federal collective bargaining agreements and is actively trying to bend the law to undermine protections for federal civil servants. We urge you to immediately rescind this illegal executive order so that our dedicated public servants can continue to work on behalf of the American public without fear for their job or political retribution,” the senators concluded.

    The senators’ letter is endorsed by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), and Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

    In addition to Senators Coons and Blunt Rochester, the letter was also signed by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    You can read the full text of the letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Latta, Matsui Reintroduce Bill to Reauthorize NTIA, Ensure Taxpayer Dollars are Responsibly Used to Increase Broadband Internet Connectivity

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green Ohio)

    Yesterday, Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5) and Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA7) reintroduced the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) Reauthorization Act. This legislation will improve the management of spectrum and update the mission and functions of the agency.

    With Congress recently providing NTIA with $42.8 billion to address broadband deployment and digital equity and inclusion, Latta’s NTIA Reauthorization Act would give NTIA the tools to be successful in their mission and ensure American tax dollars are not wasted.

    “NTIA plays a role in closing the digital divide for Americans who lack basic broadband Internet access, and it is the responsibility of Congress to re-evaluate these duties and ensure the agency has the tools and guidance to appropriately carry them out,” Latta said. “As the former Chair of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, I’m pleased to reintroduce this legislation to reauthorize the NTIA for the first time in 30 yers. This important, bipartisan legislation I’m leading with my colleague, Congresswoman Matsui, will help the agency carry out their mission to connect more Americans while ensuring taxpayer dollars are not wasted.”

    “Since NTIA was last reauthorized over three decades ago, the pace of technological innovation has accelerated exponentially,” Matsui said. “From spectrum governance to the digital economy, NTIA must be empowered to keep America the vanguard of global tech leadership. The bipartisan NTIA Reauthorization Act modernizes NTIA’s mission and provides new tools to ensure the agency can keep up with the pace of innovation.”

    Congressman Latta and Congresswoman Matsui introduced the NTIA Resolution in the last Congress, where it successfully passed the House of Representatives.

    Background on the NTIA:

    NTIA plays a significant role in closing the digital divide, managing our nation’s spectrum, and advocating the United States’ telecommunications position on the world stage. NTIA has not been reauthorized since 1992, causing it to fall behind in new tools and direction to carry out the mission of connecting all Americans and finally closing the digital divide.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Secures the Extradition from Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain and Thailand of Fugitives Wanted for Murder, Drug Trafficking, Child Sexual Abuse and Cybercrime in California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minne

    Source: United States Attorneys General 11

    Extensive coordination and cooperation efforts between the United States Department of Justice and law enforcement authorities in Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain, and Thailandresulted in the extraditions last week of individuals alleged to have committed murder child sexual abuse, drug trafficking, cybercrime, money laundering, and fraud.

    The fugitives extradited to the United States include:

    • Roberto Avina-Casillas, 30, a Mexican citizen, was extradited from Mexico to stand trial in Franklin County, Ohio for murder, felonious assault and endangering children. Avina-Casillas evaded arrest for more than 11 years after he was accused of the Aug. 7, 2013 death of his former girlfriend’s 3-year-old son.
    • Justin David Lanoue, 44, a Canadian citizen, was extradited from Canada to stand trial in Washington County, Utah, on charges filed against him in 2015 related to child rape and felony sexual abuse of a minor. The Washington County Attorney’s Office is handling the prosecution.
    • Dominik Rydz, 24, a Polish national, was extradited from Germany to stand trial in the state of Michigan, where he faces two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree and one count of unlawful imprisonment. On the night of Sept. 3, 2023, Rydz allegedly lured a woman away from her friends at a social gathering and proceeded to sexually assault the victim and would not let her leave. Rydz’s extradition was first sought from Poland, where he resided. While out on release from the Polish proceedings, Rydz travelled to Germany and was arrested there on an INTERPOL Red Notice.
    • Olof Kyros Gustafsson, also known as “El Silencio,” 31, a Swedish national, was extradited from Spain to face conspiracy, wire and mail fraud, and money laundering charges in a 115-count federal indictment filed in the Central District of California alleging that he licensed the rights to use the name and persona of the late Colombian narco-terrorist Pablo Escobar and defrauded investors around the world by marketing and selling products — including flamethrowers and cellphones — that did not exist and that he never delivered to paying customers.
    • Ardit Kutleshi, 26, and Jetmir Kutleshi, 28, both Kosovo nationals, were extradited from Kosovo to face identity theft, access device fraud, and money laundering charges in the Western District of Pennsylvania for their roles as the alleged administrators of the Rydox cybercrime marketplace, an illicit website dedicated to selling stolen personal information, access devices, and other tools for carrying out cybercrime and fraud. The Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania are handling the prosecution.
    • Rene Javier Santos Alfaro, 53, a Honduran citizen, was extradited from Honduras to stand trial in the Southern District of Florida for drug trafficking offenses. Santos Alfaro is an alleged leader of a drug trafficking organization based in Honduras that was allegedly responsible for importing large quantities of cocaine from Honduras directly into Miami via commercial aircraft.
    • Cristian Eduardo Garcia Jerez, 36, a Colombian national, was extradited from Colombia to face drug trafficking charges in the Northern District of Georgia. Garcia Jerez is alleged to have owned two cocaine processing laboratories and coordinated the manufacturing of cocaine in Colombia and the smuggling of cocaine from Colombia into the United States.
    • Jose Guillermo Granja Rojas, 36, a Mexican national, was extradited from Colombia to face a money laundering conspiracy charge in the Northern District of Georgia. Granja Rojas was allegedly a money launderer for a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) who collected hundreds of thousands of dollars of proceeds from the sale of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in the United States and transferred them to Mexico. DTO members directed the deposit of drug proceeds into accounts allegedly controlled by Granja Rojas, and Granja Rojas also allegedly traveled from Mexico to the United States to receive cash drug proceeds in person.
    • Tien Vy Tai Truong, 46, an alleged leader of a transnational drug trafficking organization, was extradited from Thailand to face conspiracy to export methamphetamine charges in a 2024 indictment filed in the Central District of California. Truong is alleged to have engaged in negotiations with a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confidential human source to export about 200 pounds of methamphetamine from the United States to Australia for sale.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the defendants’ arrests and extraditions along with the U.S. Marshals Service. OIA and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions from Colombia. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) also provided assistance with the extraditions from Kosovo. The Justice Department thanks and acknowledges the instrumental role of its law enforcement partners in Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain, and Thailand for making these extraditions possible.

    An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: SEACOR Marine Announces Securities Repurchase

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, April 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SMHI) (the “Company” or “SEACOR Marine”), a leading provider of marine and support transportation services to offshore energy facilities worldwide, today announced that it purchased from certain funds affiliated with Carlyle:

    • 1,355,761 of the Company’s common shares, at $4.90 per share, and
    • Warrants to purchase 1,280,195 shares of Common Stock at $4.89 per warrant, after deduction of an exercise price of $0.01 per warrant.

    Collectively, the shares and warrants represent approximately 9.1% of the outstanding shares of common stock of the Company, assuming the full exercise of the warrants. The aggregate purchase price was approximately $12.9 million, with the per share and warrant price negotiated based on a trailing volume weighted average price.

    John Gellert, SEACOR Marine’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “This was a unique opportunity for the Company to buy back a significant amount of shares and warrants in a single block. This repurchase further simplifies our capital structure by eliminating all outstanding warrants. We funded this repurchase with a portion of the proceeds received from the sale of one 201 foot, DP-2 platform supply vessel built in 2014. I would like to again extend my gratitude to Carlyle, who has now exited their equity position following our repayment of their loans at par in late 2024. Carlyle has partnered with us since 2015 and we thank them for their support over the years.”

    SEACOR Marine provides global marine and support transportation services to offshore energy facilities worldwide. SEACOR Marine operates and manages a diverse fleet of offshore support vessels that deliver cargo and personnel to offshore installations, including offshore wind farms; assist offshore operations for production and storage facilities; provide construction, well work-over, offshore wind farm installation and decommissioning support; carry and launch equipment used underwater in drilling and well installation, maintenance, inspection and repair; and handle anchors and mooring equipment for offshore rigs and platforms. Additionally, SEACOR Marine’s vessels provide emergency response services and accommodations for technicians and specialists.

    Certain statements discussed in this release as well as in other reports, materials and oral statements that the Company releases from time to time to the public constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Generally, words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “believe,” “plan,” “target,” “forecast” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements concern management’s expectations, strategic objectives, business prospects, anticipated economic performance and financial condition and other similar matters. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or expected by the management of the Company. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual events or results may differ significantly from these statements. Actual events or results are subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors, many of which are beyond the Company’s control and are described in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. It should be understood that it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors. Consequently, the preceding should not be considered to be a complete discussion of all potential risks or uncertainties. Given these risk factors, investors and analysts should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the document in which they are made. The Company disclaims any obligation or undertaking to provide any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which the forward-looking statement is based, except as required by law. It is advisable, however, to consult any further disclosures the Company makes on related subjects in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K (if any). These statements constitute the Company’s cautionary statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

    Please visit SEACOR Marine’s website at www.seacormarine.com for additional information.
    For all other requests, contact InvestorRelations@seacormarine.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Hut 8 Operations Update for March 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    102% increase in deployed hashrate from an average of 4.6 EH/s in February 2025 to 9.3 EH/s as of the end of March 2025

    31% improvement in fleet efficiency from an average of 29.3 J/TH in February 2025 to 20.1 J/TH as of the end of March 2025

    Launch of American Bitcoin in partnership with Eric Trump

    MIAMI, April 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hut 8 Corp. (Nasdaq | TSX: HUT) (“Hut 8” or the “Company”), an energy infrastructure platform integrating power, digital infrastructure, and compute at scale to fuel next-generation, energy-intensive use cases such as Bitcoin mining and high-performance computing, today released its operations update for March 2025.

    “This month, we achieved strong alignment between operational momentum and long-term strategic direction,” said Asher Genoot, CEO of Hut 8. “Thanks to our team’s disciplined execution, our fleet upgrade has already more than doubled deployed hashrate to 9.3 EH/s while driving fleet efficiency down to 20.1 J/TH as of the end of March.”

    “This operational progress set the stage for a pivotal milestone in our platform strategy: the carveout of substantially all of our ASIC miners into American Bitcoin, a standalone mining entity and majority-owned subsidiary of Hut 8 purpose-built for scale, speed, and capital efficiency. We are excited to launch American Bitcoin in partnership with Eric Trump and to welcome him as a strategic advisor to Hut 8 as we scale our platform.”

    “As we advance the evolution of Hut 8 toward Power and Digital Infrastructure, we are also evolving our approach to disclosure. Going forward, Hut 8 will no longer publish monthly operational updates. Instead, we’ll provide more holistic updates on a quarterly basis or as material developments arise, aligning with disclosure standards followed by peers in the energy and digital infrastructure sectors.”

    “Importantly, the ASIC miners we now operate for American Bitcoin generate revenue for Hut 8 across two distinct reporting segments: Managed Services within Power and ASIC Colocation within Digital Infrastructure.”

    Highlights

    • Step function changes in deployed hashrate and fleet efficiency
    • Launch of American Bitcoin, a pure-play mining subsidiary formed with Eric Trump
    • Shift to institutional reporting cadence

    Operating Metrics

      March 2025 February 2025
      As of the end of the period Average during the period unless otherwise noted
    Total energy capacity under management (mining)1,3 665 MW 665 MW2
    Total deployed miners under management4 120.8K 109.2K
    Total hashrate under management5 16.9 EH/s 12.3 EH/s
         
    Bitcoin Mining6    
    Deployed miners7,8 53.8K 41.5K
    Deployed hashrate9 9.3 EH/s 4.6 EH/s
    Fleet efficiency 20.1 J/TH 29.3 J/TH
    Bitcoin produced10 88 BTC 46 BTC2
    Bitcoin held in reserve11 10,264 BTC 10,237 BTC2
         
    Managed Services12    
    Energy capacity under management 280 MW 280 MW2
    Deployed miners under management8 83.8K 84.4K
    Hashrate under management 9.3 EH/s 9.4 EH/s
         
    ASIC Colocation    
    Deployed miners under management8,13 67.0K 67.7K
    Hashrate under management14 7.6 EH/s 7.7 EH/s


    Energy Infrastructure Platform    2

            Contracted Revenue Stream(s)15
    Site Location Owner16 Power Capacity Bitcoin Mining Managed Services ASIC Colocation CPU Colocation / Data Center Cloud Power Generation
    Vega17 Texas Panhandle Hut 8 205 MW     Yes    
    Medicine Hat Medicine Hat, AB Hut 8 67 MW Yes18        
    Salt Creek Orla, TX Hut 8 63 MW Yes18        
    Alpha Niagara Falls, NY Hut 8 50 MW Yes18        
    Drumheller19 Drumheller, AB Hut 8 42 MW          
    Kelowna Kelowna, BC Hut 8 1.1 MW       Yes  
    Mississauga Mississauga, ON Hut 8 0.9 MW       Yes  
    Vaughan Vaughan, ON Hut 8 0.6 MW       Yes  
    Vancouver II Vancouver, BC Hut 8 0.5 MW       Yes  
    Vancouver I Vancouver, BC Hut 8 0.3 MW       Yes  
    King Mountain20 McCamey, TX Hut 8 (JV) 280 MW Yes18 Yes Yes    
    Iroquois Falls21 Iroquois Falls, ON Hut 8 (JV) 120 MW         Yes
    Kingston21 Kingston, ON Hut 8 (JV) 110 MW         Yes
    North Bay21 North Bay, ON Hut 8 (JV) 40 MW         Yes
    Kapuskasing21 Kapuskasing, ON Hut 8 (JV) 40 MW         Yes
    Total     1,020 MW          
    Notes:  
      (1) Energy capacity under management (mining) includes (i) 180 MW of Bitcoin Mining sites comprised of Alpha, Medicine Hat, and Salt Creek, (ii) 205 MW of ASIC Colocation capacity at Vega, which is currently under construction, and (iii) 280 MW of capacity under management at King Mountain.
      (2) As of the end of the period.
      (3) Includes 205 MW of capacity at Vega as the site is expected to host miners for BITMAIN.
      (4) Includes all miners that are racked with power and networking, rounded to the nearest 100, in Bitcoin Mining, Managed Services, and ASIC Colocation infrastructure with power and networking, including all miners at the King Mountain site.
      (5) Includes all Bitcoin Mining, Managed Services, and ASIC Colocation hashrate, including 100% of the hashrate at the King Mountain site.
      (6) Bitcoin Mining operations for Hut 8 include 100% of operations at the King Mountain site.
      (7) Deployed miners are defined as those physically racked with power and networking, rounded to the nearest 100; deployed Bitcoin Mining miners net of the 50% share of the King Mountain JV held by Hut 8’s joint venture partner was 45.4K during March and 33.1K during February.
      (8) Miners are rounded to the nearest 100.
      (9) Indicates the target hashrate of all deployed miners; deployed Bitcoin Mining hashrate net of the 50% share of the King Mountain JV held by Hut 8’s joint venture partner was 8.5 EH/s during March and 3.8 EH/s during February.
      (10) Bitcoin produced net of the 50% share of the King Mountain JV held by Hut 8’s joint venture partner was 78 during March and 38 BTC during February.
      (11) Includes 968 Bitcoin pledged and transferred to a third-party wallet to finance Hut’s previously announced fleet upgrade.
      (12) Managed Services includes 280 MW of capacity under management at King Mountain.
      (13) 41.9K deployed miners under management net of the 50% share of the King Mountain JV held by Hut 8’s joint venture partner during March compared to 33.8K during February.
      (14) 4.7 EH/s under management net of Hut 8’s joint venture partner’s 50% share of the King Mountain JV during March compared to 3.8 EH/s during February.
      (15) Reflects revenue sources to Hut 8, its subsidiaries, and/or joint ventures in which they participate during the period.
      (16) Owned denotes ownership of power infrastructure at owned or leased data center locations, except for HPC sites where owned denotes ownership of mechanical and electrical infrastructure at leased data center locations.
      (17) Site is currently under development.
      (18) As of April 1, 2025, as a result of the launch of American Bitcoin, the site no longer generates revenue under Bitcoin Mining and instead generates revenue under Managed Services and ASIC Colocation.
      (19) Site currently shut down; Hut 8 maintaining lease with option value of re-energizing site.
      (20) Owned by a JV between Hut 8 and a Fortune 200 renewable energy producer in which Hut 8 has an approximately 50% membership interest.
      (21) Owned by a JV between Hut 8 and Macquarie in which Hut 8 has an approximately 80% membership interest.


    About Hut 8     

    Hut 8 Corp. is an energy infrastructure platform integrating power, digital infrastructure, and compute at scale to fuel next-generation, energy-intensive use cases such as Bitcoin mining and high-potential computing. We take a power-first, innovation-driven approach to developing, commercializing, and operating the critical infrastructure that underpins the breakthrough technologies of today and tomorrow. Our platform spans 1,020 megawatts of energy capacity under management across 15 sites in the United States and Canada: five colocation and Managed Services sites in Alberta, New York, and Texas, five high performance computing data centers in British Columbia and Ontario, four power generation assets in Ontario, and one non-operational site in Alberta. For more information, visit www.hut8.com and follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @Hut8Corp.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward–Looking Information

    This press release includes “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and United States securities laws, respectively (collectively, “forward-looking information”). All information, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events, or developments that Hut 8 expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including statements relating to the Company’s platform strategy and evolution, including the success of American Bitcoin.

    Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts, but instead represent management’s expectations, estimates, and projections regarding future events based on certain material factors and assumptions at the time the statement was made. While considered reasonable by Hut 8 as of the date of this press release, such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including, but not limited to, failure of critical systems; geopolitical, social, economic, and other events and circumstances; competition from current and future competitors; risks related to power requirements; cybersecurity threats and breaches; hazards and operational risks; changes in leasing arrangements; Internet-related disruptions; dependence on key personnel; having a limited operating history; attracting and retaining customers; entering into new offerings or lines of business; price fluctuations and rapidly changing technologies; construction of new data centers, data center expansions, or data center redevelopment; predicting facility requirements; strategic alliances or joint ventures; operating and expanding internationally; failing to grow hashrate; purchasing miners; relying on third-party mining pool service providers; uncertainty in the development and acceptance of the Bitcoin network; Bitcoin halving events; competition from other methods of investing in Bitcoin; concentration of Bitcoin holdings; hedging transactions; potential liquidity constraints; legal, regulatory, governmental, and technological uncertainties; physical risks related to climate change; involvement in legal proceedings; trading volatility; and other risks described from time to time in Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see the Company’s recent and upcoming annual and quarterly reports and other continuous disclosure documents, which are available under the Company’s EDGAR profile at www.sec.gov and SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Hut 8 Corp. Investor Relations
    Sue Ennis
    ir@hut8.com

    Hut 8 Corp. Public Relations
    Gautier Lemyze-Young
    gautier.young@hut8.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pallone Blasts Republicans, NJ’s Grid Manager for Raising Electricity Rates in the State

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

    Washington, D.C. – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr (NJ-06), the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today lashed out at PJM, the organization that manages New Jersey’s electric grid, for raising electricity bills in the state.

    Pallone explained over 27 years ago, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Order 888 brought competition to electricity markets around the country. Since that time, the competition encouraged by these markets has broadly lowered wholesale energy prices and made the grid cleaner, all while ensuring reliability.

    “But that’s not guaranteed, and I’m worried that some of the rules of the road that govern PJM and other Regional Transmission Organizations could start to harm consumers. Last year, partially as a result of poor market design, capacity prices in the PJM region exploded from $29 to $270 per megawatt-day. These price increases aren’t abstract – they are directly responsible for a roughly $25 per month increase in New Jersey power bills that my constituents will start feeling in June,” said Pallone.

    “For the third time this Congress, we’re having an important hearing focusing on the reliability and affordability of electricity in this country. And for the third time, my Republican colleagues are going to purposefully ignore the fact they’re attempting to repeal the single biggest incentive to build electricity capacity in this country – the Inflation Reduction Act,” said Pallone. “Repealing billions of dollars in technology funding for all types of new energy is not the way you address the increasing need for energy.”

    “It also ignores the fact that the Trump Administration is freezing federal funding and trying to rescind grants for grid reliability projects that the grid operators sitting before us today have said are vital to addressing increasing energy demand. It also ignores the fact that President Trump is attempting to put tariffs on electricity imports from Canada, which could seriously drive-up energy costs for people in the Midwest and Northeast,” Pallone continued.

    Pallone mentioned that last week, yet another study came out – this time from Energy Innovation – showing that repealing the Inflation Reduction Act would increase American families’ power bills. Pallone said that Republicans are talking about the importance of affordability, but their actions don’t match their words.

    “As we continue this discussion today, it’s important we recognize that in this time of increased demand for electricity, families are increasingly at risk of their power bills becoming unaffordable. Grid operators – and, frankly, FERC – must remember that they have a legal obligation to ensure that their policies are just and reasonable. Anything else does a disservice to the American people who depend on you,” Pallone continued.

    The interconnection process — how regional grid operators like PJM approve new energy projects — has become one of the biggest bottlenecks to expanding affordable, clean electricity. It now takes up to five years for a typical wind or solar project to gain approval, compared to less than two years in 2008. In response, FERC issued Order 2023, which requires grid operators to shift from a “first-come, first-served” approach to a “first-ready, first-served” model that prioritizes viable projects and penalizes delays. While PJM has filed a plan to comply with Order 2023, FERC found the proposal lacking in detail and has yet to approve it. Until PJM fully complies and clears its interconnection backlog, consumers will continue bearing the cost of inaction — both in higher bills and in lost opportunity to add low-cost, low-carbon energy to the grid.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise: Democrats Choosing Anger at Trump Over Federal Workers They Pretend to Care About

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), Congresswoman Celeste Maloy (R-Utah), and Congressman Andy Harris (R-Md.) to discuss Democrats prioritizing their hatred of President Trump over funding the government and protecting the federal workers, small businesses, and American families they claim to care about. Additionally, Leader Scalise called for the Senate to move on the budget reconciliation bill the House passed weeks ago to implement President Trump’s agenda.

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
    On President Trump’s record progress in his first six weeks:“Last week, all Americans who watched the State of the Union saw a very triumphant President Trump, who’s returned to the White House with even more energy, more vigor, and more focus to work for the American people than ever before, laying out in just six short weeks how much he’s already done to fulfill the promises of the campaign, to deliver on the mandate that 77 million Americans came to the polls and said, ‘We want to change the way Washington works’. They sent President Trump and J.D. Vance as the Vice President to go and accomplish those things. In six short weeks, so many of those things have already been accomplished, or the work and the foundation has been laid to get that done.”On Democrats’ misguided priorities:“What did we see from the Democrats? As Lisa McClain talked about, sitting down, not even celebrating a 13-year-old boy who just beat his battle with cancer. He was made an honorary member of the Secret Service, one of the most touching moments I’ve seen in a lot of State of the Unions, and they couldn’t even stand up for that. My friends, the Democrat Party of today is a leaderless, rudderless ship. They have no direction, they have no ideas, they have no concern about the successes of the American people. They can’t applaud victories for the American people. They couldn’t even applaud paying tribute to the widow whose husband, as a police officer, was slain in the line of duty. That’s who the Democrat Party in Washington is. “So many Americans who consider themselves Democrats have left that party because the Democrat Party has left them behind. A lot of those Democrats voted for Donald Trump and voted to put us in the majority, both in the House and Senate, because they’re tired of the hatred and the anger that fuels today’s Democrat Party. They want to see people that are going to go to work fighting for them. And that’s what we’re doing. Today is another example of the House doing its job. We have a responsibility to deliver for the American people, and we’re going to do it with or without the Democrat Party. A lot of Democrats, we all get to bring a guest to the State of the Union, a lot of them brought federal workers as their guests to the State of the Union. They seem to act like they care about federal workers. You saw a lot of Democrats over the last few weeks show up at federal buildings with some federal employees who haven’t been able to find their federal headquarters to go to work for the last three years, using COVID as an excuse. But they showed up to protest, to rally against rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in government.“But ironically, those same Democrats who claim to care about federal workers, today, almost all of them will vote to furlough those federal workers that they claim to care about. How’s that for showing appreciation for the people who work for this federal government?All of them have said quotes, and the Speaker has laid out a great video that lays out a lot of the quotes that Democrats have made over the years about shutting down government.”On Democrats choosing personal animosity for President Trump over government funding: “Yet today, many [Democrats] will vote to shut down the government. For what reason? As it’s been pointed out, Hakeem Jeffries came out against the bill before the text was even filed. Still, to this day, if you watched in Rules Committee last night, you heard lie after lie by Democrats who were saying things that aren’t even in the bill. Maybe 99 pages is too long for some of them to read. We gave them the whole weekend to read the bill. They can still read it through today. The vote is going to be this afternoon. But they don’t want to read the bill. They don’t want to know what’s really in the bill. They’re just fueled by anger. Anger that Donald Trump won the election, anger that 77 million people went to the polls and demanded a change in the way Washington works.“Well, I’ve got a message from my Democrat friends out there: Whether you like it or not, the American people demand a change, and we’re going to deliver that change for them with or without this wild, reckless, far-left, progressive Democrat Party of today. They don’t represent the American people. They’re fighting against the will of the American people.”On Senate Republicans Needing to Move the Budget Reconciliation Bill:“But we, as the Republican majority, are going to deliver for those families who are struggling, who want relief, who want help, who want to get Washington off of their back, and want lower costs. We’re going to do that. We passed a bill over to the Senate. We’re going to urge our Senate once we finish this bill; the Senate’s got to start moving on the House budget that we sent to them weeks ago. Everybody’s got a job to do around here. We’re going to do ours today.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise Statement on President Trump’s Joint Address

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) issued the following statement after President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress:“Tonight’s Joint Address from President Trump was a welcome change from what we heard for the last four years. In less than two months, President Trump has already taken action at a whirlwind pace to turn our country around, reversing the damage done by President Biden and Vice President Harris, and making serious down payments on the promises he made to the American people to put America first. President Trump is working tirelessly for families that have been struggling for four years, from securing the border, to combating Bidenflation and cutting wasteful spending, to unleashing American energy, and reinstating common sense in Washington.  “Starting on day one, President Trump issued critical executive orders to reverse the Biden border crisis, with immediate results: in February, Border Patrol recorded only 8,326 encounters and apprehensions at the southern border – the lowest documented numbers in history – compared to 189,913 in February 2024 under President Biden. That represents an over 90% drop in illegal border crossings in just one full month of Donald Trump’s Presidency!“President Trump has also begun dismantling the Biden Administration’s anti-American energy agenda, rescinding Biden’s production-killing regulations, pushing policies that unleash American energy, shoring up our energy security, and empowering consumer choice in everything from vehicles to household appliances.  “Through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the President has taken major strides to return common sense to the way Washington spends taxpayer money, cutting waste, fraud, and abuse from the government agencies, even while far left Washington progressives fight him at every turn. He also passed executive orders to cut harmful Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion mandates and reinstate merit-based hiring. To protect women, President Trump issued an executive order preventing biological males from participating in women and girls’ sports, preserving fairness and safety for female athletes. “Under the leadership of President Trump, America once again commands respect on the world stage. President Trump has stood up to terrorists, from Hamas to Mexican drug cartel members, and made clear that the United States will pursue peace through strength on a global level. As America’s greatest negotiator, he has fought against unfair trade policies and agreements that take advantage of the United States, empowering American workers and businesses. “Thanks to President Trump, the state of our union is finally getting stronger. Our President has already accomplished so much in just a few weeks, but the best is yet to come. There is much work left to do, and House Republicans will continue working closely with President Trump to enact his America First agenda and usher in the golden age of the United States of America. The renewal of the American Dream is finally here!”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise on House Republicans Voting to Keep the Government Open

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) spoke on the House floor before the passage of House Republicans’ Continuing Resolution to keep the government open and allow President Trump to continue to carry out his agenda. Leader Scalise slammed Democrats for putting their hatred of President Trump above all else and voting to shut the government down.

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
    Leader Scalise’s remarks:“Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank my friend from Oklahoma, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Mr. Cole, for his leadership in helping negotiate a really important bill to keep government funded. As has been duly noted along the way, over the past year, roughly six months, this House, the last majority in the last Congress, passed over 70% of the government funding bills, Mr. Speaker. We passed them to the Senate. Back then, Chuck Schumer and the Democrats were in charge, and they chose not to pass a single House appropriations bill – not one. The House, under Republican majority, not always with help from the other side, but we still got it done on our own passed over 70% of the government funding bills and then eventually got to a point where we had to let the Senate try to get something done, which, unfortunately, they didn’t. And then we got to the verge of a shutdown, and we said we’re not going to let that happen. And we had a short-term funding bill, and here we are again. We’re on the eve of another potential shutdown, and this Republican majority said we’re not going to let that happen.“In fact, this Republican President, Donald Trump, said we’re not going to let that happen either; it would be irresponsible to have a government shutdown. And maybe it’s because Donald Trump said he’s for it that then the Democrat leadership decided they were going to be against it. And when did they decide they were going to be against this bill? Before the bill was even written, before it was filed, they came out against it and started saying things that were in the bill when it wasn’t even written, Mr. Speaker. You heard them talking about cuts to Medicare, cuts to veterans. The bill wasn’t even written, and they were already making up stories to try to figure out how to vote no and shut the government down.“That’s, sadly, where this Democrat Party has gotten; the Democrat Party of today is a leaderless, rudderless ship. They don’t have an agenda. You saw it at the State of the Union, Mr. Speaker. When you saw President Trump not only laying out his agenda that 77 million people, a majority of Americans, went to the polls to elect the mandate that President Trump got not just with a majority of Americans and a majority of electoral college, but all seven, seven out of seven swing states, all voted for President Trump because they wanted that agenda implemented. And what irritates the Democrats the most? The fact that President Trump is following through on the promises that he made, actually doing the things he said he would do. “He’s securing the border. That was the number one issue all across this country, no matter which state you went to, people wanted a secure border, and he’s following through on it. And yet the Democrat Party is criticizing him for doing that part of his job. Rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in government, something that should be bipartisan. In fact, it used to be bipartisan, to root out waste, fraud, and abuse. But now, because Donald Trump is doing it, the Democrat Party of today up here in Washington is so consumed with hatred that they oppose even rooting out waste, fraud and abuse that has been not only highlighted up here, but people around the country are talking about getting rid of that waste once they’ve seen it. “A lot of this was a veil that was pulled down where people couldn’t even find out what was going on because the payment systems were being hidden by the Biden Administration. We couldn’t even find out about a lot of that spending that we were anecdotally hearing about. But finally, you saw it on full display. And it was so embarrassing that some of those employees have left. Fortunately, a lot of that taxpayer money that was being wasted is now being saved, and the money is being recouped so that we can shore up programs that were vital for people.“The President talked about Social Security, a program that we helped protect. When you’ve got somebody that’s listed as 300 years old in the Social Security system, that shows you the kind of fraud and abuse that’s going on, and the fact that President Trump is willing to confront that and take it on so that people who actually paid into the program their whole lives can get the benefits they deserve. That’s what people elected President Trump and this majority on the Republican side to do. “But you would think Democrats would want to join in and help accomplish that, and yet, here they are on this floor, talking about things that aren’t even in the bill, trying to scare people, talking about cuts to veterans in the bill. And maybe because they just didn’t read the bill, it’s only 99 pages long. I would urge them to go read it. They may actually vote for this bill in the next hour because they’ll realize, in fact, the cuts that they’re talking about are not true. They’re not in the bill. There’s an increase for veterans in this bill. You know what else is in this bill, Mr. Speaker – and I want to applaud again the chairman of the Appropriations Committee and his members for negotiating something that’s been needed for a long time, and that is the largest pay raise for our junior enlisted military personnel in over 40 years. Now, if somebody doesn’t think our men and women in uniform deserve that pay raise. Maybe they’ll vote no. I’m proud to say I’m going to be voting yes to support our men and women in uniform who have been waiting for that raise and deserve it. How can you justify a no vote on that, Mr. Speaker. That’s actually in the bill.“As they talk all day about what’s not in the bill because they were against it before it was even written, if they actually read this bill again, only 99 pages. It’s a pretty quick read. You would find out that pay raise for our troops is in the bill. Stronger funding for our veterans is in the bill. But why are they voting no, you would ask? Just because the name of the president is Donald Trump. I think the people of this country are fed up with the kind of hatred that consumes people here in Washington. Again, when you watch the State of the Union address, and the President is not even talking about his agenda, he’s introducing and paying tribute to a 13 year old boy who just beat cancer, and they couldn’t even stand up and applaud that on their side because of the person who said it. If the hatred is so consuming that you can’t even support what’s great about America, maybe you need to reevaluate what’s important in doing these jobs.“We are elected to represent the people. And if the president, no matter who he or she is, has a great idea, you support it. There were a lot of things about Barack Obama’s policies I disagreed with Mr. Speaker. Yet, when he said something that was good for America at the State of the Union, I stood up. We actually worked with the President, the chairman was part of that, Chairman Cole, in passing the 21st Century Cures Act, last bill that Barack Obama signed to help put more funding into NIH so we could cure major diseases. We protect those gains in this bill. But if they’re advocating to vote no, they’re advocating for a government shutdown. It’s a binary choice. It’s not like there’s a plan B behind door number two, Mr. Speaker. “So if the plan is to vote no, what you’re really saying is you want to shut down the government. And I know a lot of Democrats – we all get to bring a guest to the State of the Union, and they get to sit up in the balcony. You’ve got the First Lady and the President’s guests up there, and the 13-year-old boy who beat cancer, the widow of a slain police officer who was in the balcony that they would not even applaud and pay tribute to. But they were there too, but everybody else got to bring a guest. Most Democrats bragged that they were bringing federal workers as their guests. You saw a lot of them holding rallies out in front of federal offices with federal employees, some of whom hadn’t shown up for work in three years since COVID, but they found their way to the office not to work but to protest. Democrats are about to vote to furlough all of those federal workers. Why? Not because of what’s in the bill. They’ve been telling you stories that aren’t even true about what’s in the bill. They don’t like it because of the name of the President of the United States. Aren’t we bigger than that? Aren’t we a better country than that, Mr. Speaker? “This is our responsibility to get this job done and then turn the page and go to work. This is the business, frankly, of the Biden Administration that we’re cleaning up. And we all ought to join together and finish that, and then come together and start a real appropriations process where we move not just 70% of the bills in the House and zero in the Senate. And Senator Thune, to his credit, is the new majority leader has vowed to actually work on a true appropriations process. So we’re not working at the midnight hour on CRs, but where we can actually have a full functioning appropriations process, something we haven’t seen in this town in a long time. “We have to first take care of yesterday’s business before we can start on tomorrow’s appropriations process. And so it’s critical that we get this job done. Not to vote to lay off and furlough all the federal workers, the TSA agents, you won’t even be able to go to the airport or your favorite federal park if they got their way. Let’s actually get our work done so we can start a 12-bill appropriations process that moves through the Senate too, where you can actually have a negotiation between two sides of the aisle. Again, something we haven’t seen in a long time, but is long past due.“It’s a new day in America, and I applaud President Trump. We had Vice President JD Vance this morning come and talk about the importance of passing this bill, too, because they want to fix the problems of this nation. They want to fulfill the promises that were made during the campaign and follow through on the mandate that was given to President Trump, Vice President Vance, and this Republican majority in the House and Senate by 77 million people to turn this country around. Let’s get back to being the greatest country in the history of the world. We can do it. We can come together and solve big problems. But we solve big problems by first taking care of the basics of government, and that’s to keep the government open. Let’s pass the CR, let’s see a big vote to do it, too. I welcome both sides of the aisle. My friends, on the other side, they can criticize a bill they’ve never read, but once they look at this bill, I think you might even see some of them vote yes as well. Let’s get our work done, and let’s move on to the next challenges that the American people expect us to deliver on for them.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: Paramedic still missing after aid worker killings, Palestinian Red Crescent Society calls for answers

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) on Friday called for urgent answers over the whereabouts of a missing paramedic, coupled with a full independent investigation into the killing of 15 humanitarian workers in Gaza on 23 March. 

    Last Sunday, a joint PRCS and UN humanitarian coordination office (OCHA) mission uncovered a shallow grave in Rafah. The bodies of eight PRCS paramedics, six civil defence workers, and one UN staff member were found.

    They had been killed by the Israeli military while attempting to reach victims of shelling on 23 March.

    “They were humanitarians. They wore emblems. They should have been protected,” the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC)’s Permanent Observer, Dylan Winder, told journalists during a briefing at UN Headquarters on Friday.

    Dr. Younes al-Khatib, PRCS President, confirmed that one of the team members – now identified as Assad – is still unaccounted for.

    He explained that the incident was the “single most deadly attack” against Red Cross Red Crescent workers anywhere in the world since 2017.

    Investigation in progress

    PRCS officials said it remains unclear whether their colleague, Assad, had been killed at the scene or taken into detention.

    A video recorded from one of the PRCS ambulances appears to show Israeli tanks firing on clearly marked emergency vehicles, refuting claims that the ambulances were unidentifiable or operating without sirens.

    “It’s a trap,” one responder can be heard shouting in the footage, according to PRCS Vice President Marwan Jilani.

    The final words of one PRCS paramedic, captured in an audio recording found on his phone, were also shared during the briefing.

    “Forgive me, mom. I just wanted to help people. I wanted to save lives,” he said, moments before he was killed. His phone was discovered with his body.

    Dr. al-Khatib noted that a forensic report is being prepared and will be released in due course.

    PRCS officials reiterated calls for an international, independent investigation, challenging the “narrative” put forward by the Israeli Government and demanding justice for the victims and their families.

    Humanitarian operations under siege

    The grim discovery comes as Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens, with all crossings still closed.

    Speaking to reporters on Thursday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric warned that thousands more families have been forced to flee westward in the Gaza Strip, following new displacement orders issued by Israeli forces in parts of Gaza City.

    “These displacement orders have left civilians exposed to hostilities and deprive them of access to essential services for their basic survival,” he said, citing information from OCHA.

    According to the World Food Programme (WFP), food parcel distributions are expected to end soon. Hot meal distributions continue but supplies are running low.

    Meanwhile, sanitation conditions are worsening. OCHA reports infestations of fleas and mites in three makeshift displacement sites in Al-Mawasi, causing rashes and other health issues.

    Treatment is impossible without the chemicals and medical supplies that remain blocked at closed border crossings.

    UN humanitarian partners also report a spike in criminal looting and insecurity – a food distribution centre from the Palestine refugee agency (UNRWA) and surrounding buildings were looted on Wednesday.

    West Bank operations

    In the West Bank, OCHA reports that tens of thousands of people remain displaced due to ongoing Israeli operations, particularly in Jenin and Tulkarm.

    Mr. Dujarric noted that humanitarian partners are providing urgent assistance and psychosocial support to affected communities, but conditions continue to deteriorate.

    ‘Gaza cannot be left alone’

    More than 220 PRCS staff have been killed over the last 50 years, noted Dr. al-Khatib, stressing: “We are looking for action.”

    The PRCS leadership made five formal appeals to the international community, including an immediate ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access and an end to impunity for attacks on aid workers.

    “Gaza cannot be left alone,” Dr. al-Khatib concluded. “This is a cry to our international community.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Second fatality following crash, Christchurch Akaroa Road, Little River

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

     A second person has died following a single-vehicle crash near Little River on Thursday 3 April.

    Emergency services were called to Christchurch Akaroa Road, Little River at around 10.40am.

    One person died in hospital a short time later and a second person transported in a critical condition has died in hospital overnight.

    A crash investigation is underway.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: WEEK 11 WINS: President Trump Unleashes Economic Prosperity

    Source: The White House

    It was another highly successful week for the American people as President Donald J. Trump continues his relentless pursuit of strength, prosperity, and peace — and lays the foundation for America to be the global powerhouse for generations to come.

    Here is a non-comprehensive list of wins in week 11:

    • Illegal crossings hit a stunning new record low — down 95% over last year.
      • The number of unaccompanied illegal immigrant children also reached a record low.
      • Los Angeles Times: “California-Mexico border, once overwhelmed, now nearly empty”
      • Bloomberg: “US-Bound Migration Plunges 99% Along Panama Jungle Route”
    • President Trump continued to rid our communities of illegal immigrant criminals.
      • The Trump Administration directed the successful arrests of three illegal immigrant MS-13 gang members in Florida, wanted on first-degree murder charges, and another high-ranking MS-13 member in New York, linked to 11 murders.
      • The Trump Administration directed the transfer of 17 violent illegal immigrant terrorists from the U.S. to El Salvador.
      • The Trump Administration, with state and local law enforcement, successfully arrested more than 40 individuals in a Texas operation targeting the brutal Tren de Aragua gang.
      • The Trump Administration deported an illegal immigrant “influencer” who infamously encouraged fellow illegal immigrants to become squatters.
      • Since taking office, the Trump Administration has arrested 113,000+ illegal immigrants, deported 100,000+ illegal immigrants, and released just nine illegal immigrants into the U.S. — a staggering 99.995% decrease over the same period last year under Biden.
    • President Trump implemented his bold plan for reciprocal trade as he seeks to reverse the decades of globalization that has decimated our industrial base.
      • Coalition for a Prosperous America: “A permanent, universal baseline tariff resets the global trade environment and finally addresses the destructive legacy of decades of misguided free-trade policies. President Trump’s decision to implement a baseline tariff is a game-changing shift that prioritizes American manufacturing, protects working-class jobs, and safeguards our economic security from adversaries like China. This is exactly the type of bold action America needs to restore its industrial leadership.”
      • National Cattlemen’s Beef Association: “For too long, America’s family farmers and ranchers have been mistreated by certain trading partners around the world. President Trump is taking action to address numerous trade barriers that prevent consumers overseas from enjoying high-quality, wholesome American beef.”
    • Americans saw early results of President Trump’s declaration that the days of economic surrender are over.
      • Nissan abandoned plans to eliminate a shift at its Tennessee production facility.
      • General Motors announced it will increase truck production at its Indiana assembly plant.
      • Guardian Bikes announced it will expand its production capacity and grow its U.S.-based investment.
      • Equipment giant JCB committed to doubling the size of its new U.S. manufacturing facility.
      • Ford Motor Company and Stellantis both announced they will offer U.S. consumers employee pricing on their vehicles.
    • President Trump continued to pursue peace through strength around the world.
      • President Trump deployed additional military assets to the Middle East as a warning to the Iranian regime.
      • The Trump Administration inked a $2 billion air defense deal with Poland.
      • President Trump secured a pledge from Finland to raise its defense spending to 3% of its GDP.
      • President Trump held a successful call with Egyptian President El-Sisi to discuss the immense progress the U.S. has made in eliminating Houthi terrorists.
      • President Trump had a “productive call” with Vietnamese leader To Lam, who expressed willingness to cut the country’s tariffs on U.S. imports.
    • President Trump’s economic agenda delivered more relief for Americans.
      • The latest jobs report shattered expectations for the second straight month — highlighted by massive private sector job growth, a spike in full-time employment, wage growth, and an expanding labor market.
      • CNBC: “Private companies added 155,000 jobs in March, more than expected”
      • Wholesale egg prices continued to drop, falling to an average price of $3 per dozen — or nearly 60% since January amid the Trump Administration’s efforts to combat the avian bird flu and repopulate the chicken supply.
    • President Trump secured the release of two U.S. citizens detained in Mexico.
    • President Trump signed an executive order to crack down on price gouging and ticket scalping in the entertainment industry.
    • President Trump established the United States Investment Accelerator to attract and facilitate billion-dollar investments in the U.S.
    • The Department of Energy unveiled plans to use thousands of acres of its land — including national laboratory campuses, nuclear sites, and former enrichment plants — to quickly develop data centers that will power the artificial intelligence revolution.
    • The Department of Energy removed additional regulatory barriers on liquefied natural gas exports.
    • The Department of the Treasury launched a new public-private partnership to safeguard the financial system against illicit activities by the Iranian regime and announced additional sanctions against Iran as part of the Trump Administration’s maximum pressure strategy.
    • The Department of the Treasury leveled new sanctions against financiers of the Sinaloa drug cartel, which has flooded our country with deadly fentanyl.
    • The Department of the Treasury announced additional sanctions against a network of Houthi terrorist facilitators.
    • The Department of the Treasury withdrew burdensome, duplicative climate-based financial risk guidelines from the banking industry.
    • The Department of the Interior announced its next oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of America, fulfilling President Trump’s pledge to unleash American energy.
    • The Department of the Interior implemented President Trump’s executive order to enhance public safety, clean up lands, protect federal parks, and preserve historic monuments in the District of Columbia.
    • The Department of Health and Human Services launched a department-wide restructuring to realign with its core mission and save taxpayers billions of dollars.
    • The Department of Health and Human Services announced states can bar welfare recipients from using taxpayer dollars to purchase unhealthy soft drinks.
    • The Department of Labor announced it will return $1.4 billion in unused COVID funds back to the U.S. Treasury.
    • The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced a record number of new agent applications under its new leadership.
    • The Department of Justice dismissed a Biden-era lawsuit against common-sense, effective Georgia election law reforms.
    • The Department of Justice launched investigations into DEI initiatives at Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Los Angeles, and University of California, Irvine.
    • The Department of Justice said it will pursue the death penalty for the accused cold-blooded killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
    • The Environmental Protection Agency continued cutting wasteful spending, shuttering a politicized museum erected by the Biden Administration, consolidating office space, and eliminating duplicative grants and contracts — saving taxpayers tens of billions of dollars.
    • The Department of Defense directed a review of the military’s physical fitness standards to ensure it remains the strongest, most lethal fighting force on the planet.
    • The Department of Education and the Department of Justice launched a joint effort to ensure rapid investigations into violations of women’s civil rights.
    • The Department of Education issued a final warning to Maine over its ongoing refusal to comply with Title IX by forcing women to compete against men in athletics.
    • The Department of Education warned states with unlawful K-12 “diversity, equity, and inclusion” programs that they are at risk of losing federal funding.
    • The Department of Education encouraged state education officials to leverage federal funds to support school choice initiatives — a key part of President Trump’s education agenda.
    • The Department of Agriculture paused federal funding to Maine over its unlawful policies forcing women to compete against men in athletics.
    • The Department of Agriculture announced sweeping reforms to protect forests and boost domestic timber production.
    • The Department of Transportation announced an updated Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program, eliminating DEI and environmental justice requirements that prevented money from getting where it is needed.
    • The Department of Transportation continued making progress on the unprecedented backlog of unfulfilled grants left over by the Biden Administration.
    • The Department of Housing and Urban Development launched a streamlined website that efficiently provides vital information to Americans and saves taxpayers in the long run.
    • U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services formally removed the option of a third gender on immigration paperwork, further restoring common sense to government.
    • Dr. Mehmet Oz was confirmed as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Matthew Whittaker was confirmed as the U.S. Ambassador to NATO — continuing the rapid pace at which President Trump’s nominees receive final approval.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Senate Floor, Klobuchar Supports Veterans, Opposes Congressional Republican Budget

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
    WATCH KLOBUCHAR’S FULL REMARKS HERE
    WASHINGTON—On the Senate Floor, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) spoke in opposition to the Congressional Republican budget resolution, which ignores the Administration’s actions weakening the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and leaving veterans and veteran families to pick up the pieces. 
    “We have worked so hard… to upgrade the benefits for our veterans, to upgrade the kind of services they have gotten, and for the most part, there have been some major improvements, but the VA is under attack, sadly, by the Trump administration, and in particular, by Elon Musk. We need to stand up for the more than 9 million veterans who rely on the VA for care, including 106,000 veterans in my state,” said Klobuchar. 
    Download full Klobuchar’s remarks HERE. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Atlanta unveils results of labor trafficking operation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    ATLANTA – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in collaboration with the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and other key law enforcement partners, executed a federal search warrant at Wellmade Performance Flooring and multiple residences in the Bartow County area March 26, as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

    This operation targeted allegations of labor trafficking involving foreign nationals, as well as financial crimes linked to the employer’s business practices.

    As a result of the evidence uncovered during the operation, Wellmade Industries’ owner, Zhu Chen, and nephew, Jiayi Chen were arrested on state charges for trafficking persons for labor servitude. Additionally, dozens of victims employed at Wellmade Performance Flooring were rescued from labor exploitation.

    “This operation underscores our steadfast commitment to combat labor trafficking and hold accountable those who exploit vulnerable individuals for profit,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Steven N. Schrank, who also oversees Georgia and Alabama. “The arrests of Zhu Chen and Jiayi Chen, along with the rescue of numerous victims, reflect the tireless efforts of HSI and our law enforcement partners. We will continue to leverage all available resources to dismantle these criminal networks and bring perpetrators to justice.”

    HSI urges anyone with information related to labor exploitation, human trafficking, or financial crimes to contact law enforcement through the ICE Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423 or email HSI-DALTON-TIPS@hsi.dhs.gov. Your assistance is crucial in protecting vulnerable individuals and ensuring justice is served.

    For more information about HSI’s work, please follow us on X: @HSIAtlanta.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Washington, D.C. investigation results in 14-year prison sentence for Jamaican national drug trafficking case

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    RICHMOND, Va. – An investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; along with the Virginia State Police; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office ​for the Eastern District of Virginia, led to the sentencing of Jamaican national Kirkville Virgo, 47, March 28, to 14 years in prison for attempting to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

    “This sentence sends a clear message that those who traffic dangerous drugs like methamphetamine will be held accountable,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Washington D.C. acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck. “This case would not have been possible without the dedication and collaboration of our state law enforcement partners and prosecutors. Together, we are making our communities safer by stopping the flow of drugs and ensuring those responsible face the consequences of their actions.”

    According to the investigation, Virgo and another person shipped methamphetamine from California to a hotel in Richmond, purportedly for “Christoper Jackson.” Law enforcement intercepted a package that contained 10 heat-sealed bundles of methamphetamine weighing approximately 9,080 grams March 23, 2024. Agents replaced approximately 18 pounds of methamphetamine with “sham” rock salt, leaving approximately two pounds of meth in the parcel, and performed a controlled delivery to the hotel.

    Virgo later entered the hotel, using the name Delbert Dujon, and took custody of the package from the front desk. Law enforcement then took custody of Virgo.

    Virgo was previously permanently removed from the United States Feb. 5, 2013, and was in the United States illegally at the time of the offense.

    ICE HSI Washington, D.C., and VSP investigated this case, which is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

    Members of the public with information about criminal activity in your community are encouraged to contact the ICE Tip Line at 877-347-2423.

    Learn more about HSI’s mission to increase public safety in your community on X at @HSI_DC.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Irish national charged in multistate home repair fraud scheme

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    PROVIDENCE, R.I. – An Irish national illegally residing the United States and initially arrested for immigration violations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been ordered detained on criminal wire fraud and conspiracy charges related to an alleged scheme to defraud homeowners in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

    Prior to making an initial appearance April 3 for criminal charges in U.S. District Court on a federal criminal complaint charging him with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, John O’Brien, 28, was arrested for immigration violations on March 28 for violating the terms of his admission and failing to depart the United States as required by October 2021.

    Charging documents allege that O’Brien and others defrauded property owners by inducing them to pay for home repairs that were not needed and often not completed. O’Brien misrepresented the need for the repairs and services, as well as the qualifications of his purported construction business, Traditional Masonry & Construction.

    O’Brien’s alleged fraud scheme came to the attention of law enforcement when an 83-year-old Warwick resident, identified in court documents as Victim 1, contacted the Warwick Police Department to complain that he had been defrauded by a contractor. Victim 1 reported that O’Brien told him that, while doing work in the neighborhood, he observed cracks in Victim 1’s foundation. O’Brien offered to professionally repair the damage to the foundation. O’Brien collected $9,500 from Victim 1. As work proceeded, O’Brien allegedly claimed that further damage was discovered. O’Brien allegedly revised the costs for repairs and sought an additional $80,000 from the victim. A home inspector hired by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island later reviewed the property and found no evidence of a need for these extensive foundation repairs.

    As described in court documents, other alleged victims have been identified who described similar interactions with O’Brien that began with initial, unsolicited recommendations for small home repairs, followed by O’Brien’s purported discovery of major repairs needed, and often a representation that the homeowner’s foundation was in urgent need of repairs. It is estimated that this scheme has defrauded homeowners out of over $1,000,000.

    At the time of O’Brien’s arrest, investigators allegedly seized from his vehicle hundreds of Traditional Masonry & Construction flyers, identical to the ones handed out to the victims in this case, and four binders containing quotes, contracts, and invoices for Traditional Masonry & Construction. The documents and contracts are dated between April 2024 through March 2025, and range from $300 to $205,000. The approximate value of the contracts contained within the binders totaled $1,987,650.00.

    The scheme O’Brien is alleged to have been executing is becoming increasingly common throughout the United States. It has come to be known as Traveling Conman Fraud. According to the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, Conmen Travelers are groups of Irish or U.K. nationals who entered the United States on pleasure or tourist visas and overstayed their visits or, more commonly, entered the United States illegally. Once in the United States, they go to different cities and states, soliciting construction work. The members often quote a low price and after further inspection, demand much more money and convince the homeowner that their property is in need of major repairs. The fraudsters often hire day laborers; do not have work authorization documents or pull permits; and do low quality, unnecessary, or incomplete work, sometimes damaging homeowners’ residences.

    A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The case was investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations Providence and the Warwick and East Providence Departments.

    ICE HSI and the United States Attorney’s Office recommend consumers follow a few simple rules to lessen the likelihood of being defrauded by this organization or others:

    • Be very cautious with offers from contractors who visit unsolicited saying they noticed a problem that needs to be fixed.
    • Don’t fall victim to high pressure scare tactics. Proceed cautiously before you commit to allowing work to be done.
    • Get at least one second opinion and cost estimate.
    • Check that contractors have a legitimate business address and consider visiting to verify that the business does exist.
    • Verify that the contractor is licensed before agreeing to have any work started. In Rhode Island, confirm licensing information on the Contractors’ Registration and Licensing Board website; in Massachusetts check the website of the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.
    • Ensure that the contractor obtains permits to do the work from your local city or town before work begins. Ask to see the permit and verify its authenticity with your city or town.
    • Beware of schemes where work is begun with a relatively small job and then the contractor claims to have found far greater damage that will cost significantly more money to repair
    • Don’t leave new or unfamiliar contractors alone at your house, even if they’re working outside. Bad actors may intentionally cause damage. Keep a close eye on work being done.

    If you or someone you know believes they may have fallen victim to the Traveling Conman Fraud scheme, you are urged to contact ICE HSI via email at HSINewEnglandVictimAssistance@hsi.dhs.gov or via the ICE Tipline by calling 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Marches into April with 259 New Immigration Cases

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 259 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from March 28 through April 3.

    Among the new cases, Mexican national Miguel Angel Torres-Segura resided illegally in San Antonio and was arrested March 28 for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. A criminal complaint alleges that Torres-Segura participated in a human smuggling organization (HSO) that transported illegal aliens using tractor trailers, carrying out at least 19 human smuggling events and leading to the apprehension of more than 900 aliens between May 2021 and June 2022. Torres-Segura allegedly communicated with high-level leaders and organizers and assisted the HSO by transporting aliens and preparing tractor trailers for transport. Torres-Segura has multiple convictions, including two illegal entries in 2009 and 2010 and an illegal re-entry in 2011. He was convicted again for illegal re-entry on March 26 following an October 2024 arrest and has now been charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens.

    On March 26, 2025, in Presidio County, Texas, Miguel Andres Aguilar, a citizen and national of Mexico, was found in the United States illegally after having been preciously deported. Aguilar was removed in February 2017 through San Ysidro California. Border Patrol Agents had determined Aguilar had been deported from the US on four prior occasions.

    On March 31, 2025, at the Camino Real International Bridge II in Eagle Pass, Texas, Customs and Border Protection Officers conducting outbound operations observed a black semi-automatic pistol in the luggage being carried by Roman Lagunas-Nazario.  Lagunas, a permanent resident alien, advised officers that he lives in Mexico and was in the US to visit family in Houston.  He admitted being hired to transport the firearm to Mexico for $100. Lagunas was charged with smuggling goods from the United States and faces imprisonment for up to 10 years.

    On March 27, 2025, Victor Alfonso Cruz-Garcia was charged with illegal reentry after deportation in Del Rio, Texas, after being arrested by US Border Patrol Agents.  Cruz had been previously removed from the US on two occasions and was previously convicted of second degree murder.

    Customs and Border Protection Officers at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry arrested Juan Sebastian Cortez-Calzada on March 26, 2025. Cortez was taken to Passport Control Secondary where record checks confirmed that he is a native and citizen of Mexico with no legal right to enter the United States. Record checks further revealed that Cortez was deported to Mexico on February 22, 2012, through the Port of Laredo, Texas. Additionally, Cortez has a felony conviction for a controlled substance prior to his removal.

    Ronald Keith Henderson Jr. was arrested near Eagle Pass, Texas on Sunday, March 27, 2025. The driver of a gray Chevrolet Malibu, he was stopped near the Kickapoo Reservation in Eagle Pass. Three subjects in the vehicle were determined to be illegally present in the United States and freely admitted to had just crossed the Rio Grande River. Henderson admitted to conspiring with unknown subjects to transport aliens further into the United Staes.

    Carlos Heliberto Solares y Solares, a Guatemalan citizen, traveling in a Chevrolet Malibu with California plates entered a checkpoint in Hudspeth County Texas on March 28, 2025. Solares told agents he was traveling from Los Angeles to Houston to visit his daughter. From Statements made by Solares, it was determined he was without immigration documents allowing him to remain in the United States legally. During an interview with Border Patrol Agents, Solares was asked if he knew he had been ordered removed by a judge and needed to leave the United States in which Solares stated “yes.”  Solares was ordered removed by an immigration judge on December 05, 2007.  Solares had been previously convicted for cruelty to the elderly and domestic violence in 2021 and 2022.

    In an area known as Rusty’s Canyon approximately 31 miles east of Fort Hancock Texas, LeonelaAlejandra Prado-Sanchez was apprehended attempting to conceal herself in the brush.  Prado was determined to be a native and citizen of Honduras without immigration documents allowing her to be in the United States legally. Prado had previously been removed from the United States to Mexico on February 5, 2025 through Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

    On April 1, 2025, Mexican national Gabriel Gonzalez Carillo was arrested in Hudspeth County 31 miles from Fort Hancock Texas Point of Entry. Gonzalez told agents that he would be paid to be a foot guide and that he was obtaining routes and other information via messages from an unknown smuggler in Mexico. Gonzalez and other illegal aliens were found attempting to conceal themselves in the brush in an area known as Rusty’s Canyon.

    Kelvin Sauceda-Reyes, a passenger on a Greyhound Bus that entered an immigration inspection lane in Hudspeth County was placed under arrest on March 30, 2025. Sauceda, a citizen of Honduras, handed Border Patrol Agents and expired immigration document. Further search by agents revealed fraudulent Social Security Card and a fraudulent Lawfully Permanent Resident card in his wallet. After questions, Sauceda admitted he purchased the documents for $70 USD.

    Luis Alberto Escobedo-Duenas was found approximately 2.8 miles west of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry in Fort Hancock, Texas.  Escobedo is a citizen and national of Mexico who had previously been removed from the US on seven prior convictions and had been previously convicted of illegal entry in El Paso, Texas in 2008, on federal drug trafficking charges in Alpine, Texas in 2012 for which he was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release, on Indiana state marijuana dealing charges in 2015 for which he was sentenced to two years imprisonment in 2017, on Indiana state resisting law enforcement charges for which he was sentenced to one year imprisonment also in 2017, and was sentenced in 2018 to 13 months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release after his 2012 supervised release was revoked.  Escobedo was arrested and charged in federal court in El Paso with illegal reentry after deportation.

    Eduardo Garcia-Gutierrez will face illegal reentry after deportation charges in El Paso, Texas, after he was arrested at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry.  Garcia presented himself for entry indicating he wanted to travel to California.  Garcia admitted that he did not have entry documents and was a citizen of Mexico who had previously been removed from the US.  Records checks revealed that Garcia had been previously removed on nine prior occasions, with the last being in 2023.  Criminal records check revealed Garcia had been convicted of transportation/sale of narcotics in 1994 for which he was sentenced to three years imprisonment, possession of narcotics and use of false citizenship documents in 1996 for which he was sentenced to three years imprisonment and was sentenced on four occasions for probation violations from 2018 to 2023.

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

    These cases are 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).

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A convicted felon who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced today to more than nine years in federal prison.

    Trajuan Laroy West, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 14, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

    On January 3, 2024, Iowa State Patrol Troopers stopped a vehicle that West was driving for speeding.  During the traffic stop, a Trooper located marijuana and a gun in the vehicle.  The slide of the gun had been reported stolen out of Arkansas.  West was prohibited from possessing firearms based on three prior felony drug-related convictions as well as a prior misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence. 

    West was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  West was sentenced to 112 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

    West is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol, the Waterloo Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-2029.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Traveling Nurse Sentenced to Prison for Tampering with Morphine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A former traveling nurse was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for tampering with morphine at a local rehabilitation facility.

    Loralie LaBroad, 55, of Hampton, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julia E. Kobick to three months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release during which she is prohibited from practicing as a registered nurse or any other work with access to prescription medication or other controlled substances. In November 2024, LaBroad pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product. LaBroad was charged by an Information in September 2024.

    LaBroad worked as a registered nurse for over 30 years, licensed in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In 2021, LaBroad voluntarily surrendered her New Hampshire nursing license following an investigation by the New Hampshire Board of Nursing after being fired from a rehabilitation center in Derry, N.H. as a result of allegations that she had tampered with morphine bottles.

    After surrendering her New Hampshire license, LaBroad continued to practice under her Massachusetts license. From December 2021 through at least May 12, 2022, LaBroad was employed as a traveling nurse through a healthcare staffing company and was assigned to various nursing and rehabilitation facilities throughout Massachusetts. Several of these Massachusetts facilities also began to suspect that LaBroad was diverting morphine from patients because of her consistent access to the bottles of morphine and evidence of tampering (i.e. bottles that were leaking or appearing to be the wrong color). Several of these bottles were tested and came back at significantly diluted concentrations.

    In the spring of 2022, LaBroad was assigned to work at a nursing and rehabilitation center in Danvers. LaBroad had access to morphine because she was charged with treating multiple patients who had been prescribed morphine for relief of their pain. In April 2022, the rehabilitation center contacted law enforcement after a nurse noticed a bottle of morphine was wet and leaking. Administrators at the facility reviewed other bottles of morphine on other medicine carts and identified three additional bottles that appeared to have been tampered with because the color of the bottle was lighter than expected or the bottle had puncture holes in the seal. Laboratory tests confirmed all bottles were diluted to varying degrees. LaBroad had been assigned to the medicine carts containing these bottles of morphine approximately two days before they were discovered.

    Following these suspected incidents of tampering, law enforcement undertook a “controlled operation” to determine whether LaBroad was tampering with the bottles of morphine. On May 12, 2022, prior to LaBroad’s next shift, law enforcement worked with the Danvers rehabilitation center administrators to review and photograph the bottles of morphine on the cart to be assigned to LaBroad. The cart included two bottles of morphine assigned to the same patient – one of which was fully sealed before LaBroad’s shift and the other was opened, from which investigators took a control sample. LaBroad was the only individual with access to the medicine cart for the duration of her shift.

    At the end of LaBroad’s shift, law enforcement seized the two bottles of morphine before they could be dispensed to the assigned patient. It was discovered that the previously sealed bottle was a different color, leaking and showed evidence of multiple puncture holes. Laboratory testing results confirmed that both bottles of morphine had been tampered with and diluted.
            
    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; and Robert H. Goldstein, MD, PhD, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren A. Graber of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Westminster Man Found Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Firearms Crimes in Federal Court

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury has found Rodney Gaines, 35, of Westminster, Maryland, guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base and to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and two counts of distribution of cocaine. 

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the verdict with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr. Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MDSP); Sheriff James T. DeWees, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office; and Chief Thomas Ledwell, Westminster Police Department.

    During the two-and-a-half-week trial, the Government presented evidence of Gaines’s cocaine and crack-cocaine distribution activities in Westminster, Maryland.   Investigative methods included wiretaps, initially approved in state court and later federal court, in which law enforcement recorded and monitored Gaines’s phone conversations and text messages. 

    Wiretapped calls revealed Gaines arranging sales of cocaine to various customers.  During the conversations, the cocaine was referred to in coded phrases such as “powder,” “8-balls,” “balls,” and the “sister,” among other terms.  Law enforcement also seized quantities of cocaine from Gaines’s customers after sales were conducted. 

    The wiretaps also showed that Gaines sold cocaine in conspiracy with numerous accomplices, including people who he directed to deliver cocaine to customers; prepared the crack cocaine by “cooking” powder cocaine into crack; and hid drugs at various locations including burying the drugs in wooded areas around Westminster.  Near the end of the investigation, law enforcement recovered more than $250,000 in cash in apparent drug proceeds from a storage unit that was acquired by another member of the conspiracy.  The jury found that the conspiracy involved 280 grams or more of cocaine base.

    Evidence at trial also proved that Gaines’s activities and the activities of his conspiracy involved firearms.  During late January 2022, the wiretap showed that Gaines attempted to acquire two firearms — a 9mm handgun and a 40-caliber handgun — from an accomplice.  However, law enforcement intercepted the firearms, along with ammunition and ammunition clips, from the accomplice before the guns found their way to Gaines.   

    Gaines is facing up to life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum term of 10 years for the narcotics conspiracy offense.  The other counts are each punishable by up to 20 years.

    Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, MDSP, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and Westminster Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaRai N. Everett and Michael C. Hanlon who are prosecuting the federal case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Pleads Guilty to November 2024 Armed Carjacking and August 2022 Armed Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Demonta King, 18, of Chevy Chase, MD, pleaded guilty today for carjacking a taxicab driver at knifepoint in November 2024 and robbing another victim at gunpoint in August 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                King pleaded guilty today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of armed carjacking and one count of armed robbery. The Honorable Jennifer Di Toro scheduled sentencing for June 16, 2025.

                According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 1:50 a.m., on November 18, 2024, in the 5000 block of Fort Totten Drive, NE, King, while armed with a knife, approached the victim, a taxicab driver, who was standing approximately five feet from his taxicab. King announced a robbery and said, “Give me everything,” and ordered the victim to hand over his keys. King then stabbed the victim in the hand causing him to drop the keys. The defendant picked up the keys and took the victim’s taxicab, along with his phone, driver’s license, bank cards and other personal items. Officers later spotted the victim’s vehicle, traveling at a high rate of speed, in the 500 block of Chillum Road in Hyattsville, MD, when the defendant crashed and exited on foot. Police gave chase and stopped the defendant.

                In a separate incident, according to the government’s evidence, at approximately 5:45 a.m., on August 26, 2022, in the 100 Block of Gallatin Street and 1st Place NE, King approached a different victim, brandished a firearm, took the victim’s backpack and cell phone, and then struck the victim in the face with the firearm and fled.  King was 16-years-old when he committed this offense and was prosecuted as an adult under Title 16.

                King was placed under arrest at the scene of the armed carjacking and has been in custody since his arrest.

                This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Green.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Malibu Man Found Guilty of Defrauding Investors Out of Over $20 Million via False Claims about Celebrity App’s Business Performance

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A Malibu man has been found guilty by a jury of defrauding investors out of more than $20 million by lying to them about his technology company’s financial performance related to a software application designed to help celebrities and social media influencers monetize their brand endorsements, the Justice Department announced today.

    Bernhard Eugen Fritsch, 63, was found guilty late Thursday of one count of wire fraud.

    According to evidence presented at a nine-day trial, Fritsch was the founder and CEO of StarClub Inc., a Santa Monica-based tech company. From 2014 to 2017, Fritsch raised more than $20 million from investors to build out the company’s app, also known as StarSite, claiming celebrities and influencers would use the technology to post content on social media sites such as Facebook. At the same time, the app would deliver advertising content and share ad revenue with the celebrity poster.

    While pitching the StarClub offering to investors, Fritsch made several false and fraudulent claims, including that StarClub was on the verge of entering commercial deals with, or obtaining investments and buyout offers from major media companies such as Disney; that StarClub had earned $15 million in revenue in 2015; and that StarClub’s current investors included major media companies and a global investment banking firm. 

    Fritsch also claimed he would use the investors’ money to build out StarClub’s channels and technology and for general corporate purposes. Instead, Fritsch used much of the investor money to enrich himself and support his luxurious lifestyle, including by purchasing luxury cars such as a McLaren and a Rolls-Royce, fixing up his yacht, and renovating his Malibu mansion, located near Carbon Beach. 

    Law enforcement seized the yacht, McLaren, and the Rolls-Royce and they are subject to forfeiture proceedings.

    One victim invested more than $20 million in StarClub over the course of two years, based on Fritsch’s false statements. This victim also introduced Fritsch to other victims who invested millions of additional funds in the company. Prosecutors estimate that Fritsch caused at least approximately $25 million in victim losses because of his scheme.

    The jury found Fritsch not guilty of a second wire fraud count. He remains free on bond.

    United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer is expected to schedule a sentencing hearing to occur in the coming months. Fritsch faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

    The FBI investigated this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Monica E. Tait, Sarah S. Lee, and Joseph L. De Leon of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced To 15 Months In Federal Prison For Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara today sentenced Herman Vazquez-Padilla to 15 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after committing an aggravated felony. Vazquez-Padilla was found guilty on December 23, 2024.

    According to court documents, Vazquez-Padilla, an alien and citizen of Mexico, reentered the United States without obtaining permission, after removal, following a conviction of an aggravated felony. Vazquez-Padilla was convicted of conspiracy to transport one hundred or more illegal aliens on September 19, 2012. He was ordered removed on June 7, 2021, and was removed on November 10, 2021. Sometime after November 10, 2021, Vazquez-Padilla voluntarily and illegally reentered the United States. Vazquez-Padilla did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On August 28, 2024, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers found Vazquez-Padilla in Hillsborough County, Florida.

    This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Beckley Man Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Prison for Key Role in Drug Trafficking Organization

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

    BECKLEY, W.Va. – Ronald Lavaughn Mason, 46, of Beckley, was sentenced today to 11 years and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.” Mason admitted to his major role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Mason participated in the DTO in April and May 2024, working with other individuals to distribute fentanyl and crack in and around Beckley. During phone calls intercepted by law enforcement, Mason arranged transactions for cocaine and fentanyl with as many as 11 other individuals during the time period. As part of his guilty plea, Mason admitted that he supplied other individuals with controlled substances that they would redistribute. Mason further admitted to delivering the controlled substances to these individuals at times, and at other times have them come to his Beckley residence to pick up the drugs.

    On April 9, 2024, Mason sold co-defendant Tilford Joe Bradley Jr. a half-ounce of controlled substances while they were in Mason’s vehicle in Beaver.  Mason admitted that law enforcement officers conducting surveillance saw him meet Bradley for the transaction, and that he knew Bradley intended to redistribute the controlled substances.

    On May 30, 2024, officers executed a search warrant at Mason’s residence and seized approximately 540 grams of cocaine, 324 grams of fentanyl analogue, 228 grams of fentanyl, and $10,293. Mason admitted that he possessed the seized controlled substances and intended to distribute them.

    Mason has a long criminal history that includes two prior drug trafficking convictions, both in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.

    Mason and Bradley are among 12 individuals indicted on charges alleging the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and crack within the Southern District of West Virginia from in or about June 2023 to in or about May 2024. All 12 have pleaded guilty, including two defendants who pleaded guilty to separate charges in lieu of the offenses alleged in the indictment.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.

    Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.

    The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-90.

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Energy – Ripple effects from Equinor in Norway continue to grow

    Source: Equinor

    04 APRIL 2025 – A new report finds that deliveries within exploration, development projects and operation of Equinor-operated fields and onshore facilities in Norway continued to grow in 2024.

    Equinor procured goods and services with a total value of NOK 142.6 billion, an increase from 134 billion in 2023. 93 per cent of this came from Norwegian suppliers located in 260 different municipalities. This resulted in an employment effect of more than 85 thousand full-time equivalents.

    “The report demonstrates extensive ripple effects and employment effects from Equinor’s activity in Norway. The greatest ripple effects come from operating our fields and onshore facilities, which account for more than 85 billion in deliveries. With the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) in a mature phase, high levels of exploration activity and maturing of new oil and gas resources are important to ensure that this continues,” says Kjetil Hove, Equinor’s executive vice president for EPN.

    The report was prepared by Kunnskapsparken Bodø (KPB) which analysed actual purchases of goods and services from around 1900 suppliers and several thousand sub-suppliers in nearly 300 sectors.

    Development projects contributed Norwegian deliveries worth more than NOK 36 billion and more than 20 thousand full-time equivalents. The largest share of this comes from subsea developments, which accounted for 31%. Johan Castberg was Equinor’s largest Norwegian field development in 2024, and accounted for 26%. The various electrification projects also created significant ripple effects with 23%.

    “Looking towards 2035, Equinor plans to continue to ramp up activity. On the NCS alone, we want to see 250 exploration wells, 600 more development wells, 75 subsea developments, 3000 interventions, 2500 modification projects and 50 low-pressure projects. This robust activity level will require a cost level that yields profitability. Together with its partners and the supplier industry, Equinor must maintain to achieve competitive solutions. If we succeed with this, we’ll be able to maintain value creation on the NCS, as well as preserve high energy deliveries to Europe over the long term,” Hove concludes.

    Equinor’s exploration activity had deliveries amounting to NOK 10.8 billion, an increase of just over 3 billion from 2023.

    “Equinor’s activity generates work for suppliers all across the country, which demonstrates that this company is important for people and local communities. The competition to secure important contracts and long-term supplier relationships also helps develop competence and innovation throughout the entire supplier industry. We have lots of small suppliers in the Norwegian supplier industry who are the leading specialists within their respective areas. We must continue to build on our strengths as an energy nation,” says Per Steinar Stamnes, head of the union Styrke Norwegian Continental Shelf in Equinor, on behalf of the five trade unions in Equinor; Styrke, SAFE, Lederne, NITO and Tekna.

    The 2024 analysis also includes operation of renewable energy facilities and low-carbon solutions, where the Norwegian supplier industry delivered services worth 170 million from the operation of Hywind Tampen and the development of Northern Lights.

    Facts

    The ripple effects report computes the ripple effects that result from the delivery of goods and services for 46 fields, 6 onshore facilities, exploration, development projects and operation of facilities for renewable energy and low-carbon solutions.
    Kunnskapsparken Bodø (KPB) is responsible for analyses and reporting results. Comparable analyses have been conducted on an annual basis since 2019.
    In addition to Equinor-operated fields and onshore facilities, the analysis has evolved over time to also include activities within exploration (from 2022), development projects (from 2023) and facilities for renewable and low-carbon solutions (from 2024).

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Norcross Receives JNESO’s 2025 “Public Servant of the Year” Award

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

    CHERRY HILL, NJ — Today, Representative Donald Norcross (NJ-01) earned recognition as the “2025 Public Servant of the Year” from Jersey Nurses Economic Security Organization (JNESO) District Council 1 IUOE-AFL-CIO, the professional healthcare union. JNESO presents this award to local lawmakers who support healthcare professionals.

    “Healthcare workers keep our kids safe and our communities healthy. Let us never forget the sacrifices they made during the pandemic; healthcare heroes were on the frontlines putting their lives at risk every day for our families. I have been proud to work alongside JNESO and its members to advocate for healthcare workers to get fair wages, affordable healthcare benefits, and hard-earned retirement security. That’s why I’m honored to accept the Public Servant of the Year award and continue fighting to protect our healthcare workers,” said Congressman Norcross. “As the co-founder of the Congressional Labor Caucus, I will continue fighting in Congress to give healthcare workers the resources they need to be successful in their mission.”

    “Congressman Donald Norcross has been a friend and supporter of JNESO for more than two decades, and we are proud to name him JNESO’s 2025 Public Servant of the Year,” said Douglas Placa, Executive Director of JNESO, which represents nearly 5,000 nurses and technologists in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. “He has made his mark both as a former labor leader and in Congress, standing up for workers’ rights, fighting for fair wages, and supporting the efforts of labor unions. He is a tremendous asset to N.J., and to the nurses and healthcare workers of our great state.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –