NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two brothers from India arraigned on indictment for selling counterfeit cancer drugs and adulterated medications

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Men are extradited from Singapore following their 2023 arrest after FDA and ICE undercover probe

    Seattle – Two brothers from India appeared in court today on a 2022 indictment for multiple counts related to their scheme to sell counterfeit and adulterated drugs in the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Avanish Kumar Jha, 38, and Rajnish Kumar Jha, 35, were arrested in Singapore on April 20, 2023, based on a request from the United States. In January 2025, a judge in Singapore ruled the men could be extradited to the U.S. to face 28 felony charges and the Minister for Law ordered their surrender on February 24, 2025. Both defendants entered pleas of not guilty and trial was scheduled for May 5, 2025, in front of U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez.

    “The defendants in this case allegedly made hundreds of thousands of dollars while defrauding people who were clinging to hope that a late-stage cancer medication could save their life. Because of this fraud, victims received counterfeit medication that contained none of the cancer-fighting substance they thought they were ordering,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “This fraud scheme didn’t just steal money; it stole the prospect of more time with loved ones for those battling cancer.”

    The investigation of the Jha brothers began in 2019, when investigators reviewed internet postings and other evidence indicating that the Jha brothers and their company, Dhrishti Pharma International, were offering to sell prescription drugs to buyers in the United States and elsewhere. Undercover agents with the Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began communicating with the Jha brothers and ordered some of their products.  Of particular concern was a “medication” labeled as “Keytruda,” a Merck drug for late-stage cancer. An analysis revealed that the Jha brothers were selling counterfeit Keytruda that contained none of active ingredient that made the authentic product effective. Other products contained contaminants.

    The brothers allegedly shipped the counterfeit and adulterated drugs from India. They accepted various means of payment including wire transfers and direct money exchanges. In some cases, they used intermediaries in the United States to pick up cash payments. The drugs were packaged in such a way to avoid detection by international customs or other regulators.

    Both men had been detained in Singapore since their arrest in April 2023 based on a provisional arrest request from the United States. The United States submitted a formal extradition request to Singapore in June 2023.

    “This case highlights ICE HSI’s commitment to protecting the public from dangerous and fraudulent practices that put vulnerable individuals at risk,” said acting Special Agent in Charge of ICE HSI Seattle Matthew Murphy. “The company in question preyed on those in desperate need of lifesaving treatments by offering counterfeit medications that provided nothing but false hope. Thanks to the diligent work of our special agents and our law enforcement partners, we are taking swift action to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”

    The case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations and ICE HSI.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Philip Kopczynski. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance with securing the extradition. Significant assistance was provided by law enforcement partners at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore, including the ICE HSI Attaché and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Office of Overseas Criminal Investigations, and Singaporean authorities, particularly the Singapore Police Force and Attorney-General’s Chambers.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Stoneham Police Officer Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Bribery Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant defrauded a company to obtain tens of millions of dollars of Mass Save funds through paying bribes and kickbacks to company employees

    BOSTON – A former Stoneham Police Officer has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for a bribery and kickback scheme that netted millions of dollars in Mass Save contracts.  

    Joseph Ponzo, 51, of Stoneham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 27 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Joseph Ponzo was also ordered to pay $115,528 in restitution and a $100,000 fine. In November 2024, Joseph Ponzo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud; 24 counts of honest services wire fraud; one count of making false statements to government officials; and four counts of causing false tax returns to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service from 2016 to 2019. Joseph Ponzo was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2023 along with his brother Christopher Ponzo.

    “Joseph Ponzo was a sworn officer, who pledged an oath to uphold the law, not violate it. However, he chose greed over integrity,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Joseph Ponzo’s greed came at the cost of consumers who were left paying the bill. A prison sentence is the price he will now pay for taking bribes and kickbacks.”

    “When an officer shrugs off his sworn oath and breaks the law to pad his paycheck like Joseph Ponzo did, he betrays the people of his community – and all of us who wear a badge,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “Every year, Massachusetts homeowners spend millions of dollars to fund energy conservation projects for consumers. Joseph Ponzo and his brother cheated them by shelling out hundreds of thousands of dollars in a steady stream of bribes and kickbacks to an insider who steered contracts their way, ignoring all ethical boundaries. Know that the FBI will continue to tenaciously investigate such corruption, and bring those involved to justice.”

    “Today’s sentencing of Joseph Ponzo demonstrates IRS-CI’s commitment to routing out corruption from all levels of the government.” said Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Ponzo orchestrated an elaborate kickback scheme to improperly obtain contracts from a government backed program designed to aid the citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Programs like Mass Save are designed to help all citizens of Massachusetts, especially the less fortunate, who otherwise would not be able to afford these upgrades to their homes.”

    Joseph Ponzo, along with his brother and co-conspirator Christopher Ponzo, conspired to pay, and did pay, tens of thousands of dollars in cash bribes, kickbacks, and other in-kind benefits, including a John Deere tractor, a computer, home bathroom fixtures and free electrical work, among other things, to Company A employees (Associates 1 and 2) in exchange for the Associates’ assistance in getting the defendants millions of dollars in Mass Save contracts.

    Massachusetts law requires utility companies to collect an energy efficiency surcharge on all Massachusetts energy consumers. These funds, which amount to hundreds of millions of dollars each year, are to be disbursed by the utility companies to fund energy efficiency programs and initiatives in Massachusetts. Under the Mass Save program, the utility companies select lead vendors, like Company A, to approve and select contractors to perform energy improvement work for residential customers. This contracting work – performed by contractors at no-cost or reduced cost to the customer – is then paid for by Company A with Mass Save funds.

    On a weekly basis, from 2013 to 2017, Christopher Ponzo paid Associate 1 $1,000 in cash. At times, Christopher Ponzo paid Associate 1 $5,000 to $10,000 in cash, telling Associate 1 that the extra money was from Joseph Ponzo for his part in the bribery scheme. In return for these payments, Associate 1, among other things, helped Joseph Ponzo set up a shell company, Air Tight, to do insulation work and get approved as a Company A contractor under the Mass Save program. Joseph Ponzo put his spouse’s name on Air Tight incorporation documents and contracting licenses in order to conceal his involvement in his corrupt side business. Despite having no professional experience in residential insulation work, Joseph Ponzo collected over $7 million under the Mass Save program.    

    After Associate 1 left Company A in 2017, Christopher Ponzo and Joseph Ponzo recruited Associate 2 to the bribery-kickback scheme from approximately 2018 to 2022, paying Associate 2 thousands of dollars in cash and hiring a relative of Associate 2 as part of the ongoing scheme.

    During the course of the bribery-kickback scheme, Joseph Ponzo aided in the filing of false tax returns from 2016 to 2019 by claiming hundreds of thousands of dollars in false business deductions. To disguise personal expenses as business deductions, Joseph Ponzo used his company credit card to make hundreds of thousands of dollars in purchases at The Home Depot, Lowes and Staples, claiming to his tax preparers that charges at those establishments were business-related. In reality, Joseph Ponzo used the company credit card at those stores to purchase gift cards that he and his spouse then used to make thousands of dollars in personal expenditures.  

    In April 2022, both Joseph Ponzo and Christopher Ponzo falsely denied making bribe payments to any Company A employees when interviewed by federal agents.

    In February 2025, Christopher Ponzo was sentenced to 27 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Christopher Ponzo was also ordered to pay a $300,000 fine.

    U.S. Attorney Foley; FBI SAC Cohen; and IRS Acting SAC Demeo made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Maynard and Dustin Chao of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Purpose Investments Announces Temporary Absorption of Series F and Series A Management Fees of Purpose Premium Money Market Fund

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Purpose Investments Inc. (“Purpose”) announced today that it has temporarily absorbed a portion of the management fees on Series F and Series A shares of Purpose Premium Money Market Fund (the “Fund”). Until Purpose confirms otherwise, the annual management fee payable by investors in Series F shares of the Fund will be 0.20%; the annual management fee for Series A shares will be 0.45%.

    There are no changes to the investment objective of the Fund. Current shareholders of the Fund are not required to take any actions as a result of this absorption.

    About Purpose Investments Inc.

    Purpose Investments is an asset management company with over $23 billion in assets under management. Purpose Investments has an unrelenting focus on client-centric innovation and offers a range of managed and quantitative investment products. Purpose Investments is led by well-known entrepreneur Som Seif and is a division of Purpose Unlimited, an independent, technology-driven financial services company.

    For further information, please email us at info@purposeinvest.com

    Media inquiries:
    Keera Hart
    keera.hart@kaiserpartners.com
    905-580-1257

    Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mutual fund securities are not covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or by any other government deposit insurer. There can be no assurances that the fund will be able to maintain its net asset value per security at a constant amount or that the full amount of your investment in the fund will be returned to you. Past performance may not be repeated.

    Forward-looking information        

    Purpose cautions the reader not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements contained herein, which speak only as of the date they are made. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “on pace”, “anticipates”, or “does not anticipate”, “believes”, and similar expressions or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “should”, “might”, or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved.

    Forward-looking statements are based on information available to management at the time they are made, management’s current plans, estimates, assumptions, judgments and expectations. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Purpose to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical, technological and social uncertainties. Although the forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on assumptions that Purpose believes to be reasonable at the date such statements are made, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Purpose does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Rubio meets with Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Secretary of State Marco A.Rubio  meets with Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis at the Department of State, on February 28, 2025.

    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
    X: https://x.com/StateDept
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statedept
    Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/statephotos/

    Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
    Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: http://ow.ly/diiN30ro7Cw

    State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
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    White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
    Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou

    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW6v5gnfgX4

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Attorney General Pamela Bondi and Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove Phone Call with Son of DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi and Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove held a powerful and emotional phone call with Judge Enrique Camarena, son of DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. In 1985, Special Agent Camarena was abducted, tortured, and killed. His alleged killer, Rafael Caro Quintaro, was among the 29 wanted defendants taken into U.S. custody yesterday, who will now face prosecution under U.S. law.  

    “President Trump and I are committed to holding every member of the cartels accountable for their crimes and to bring justice to the family of each and every victim,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “It was truly an honor to speak with Judge Camarena to express my sincere condolences for the loss of his father and assure him that we will be relentless in our pursuit of justice in this case.”

    Statement provided by the Camarena family:

    “Today is a day we have long awaited. Forty long years of waiting, wondering, and hoping that justice would finally come. After four decades, the person responsible for taking our beloved Kiki from us has been brought to the United States to answer for what he did.

    “There are no words to fully describe the pain we have endured: the empty seat at the dinner table, the birthdays, and holidays without him. The life that was stolen, not just from him, but from all of us who loved him. We have lived with this loss every single day.

    “For 14,631 days, we held on to hope — hope that this moment would come. Hope that we would live to see accountability. And now, that hope has finally turned into reality. While no amount of time can erase the pain or bring back what we lost, today marks a step toward justice.

    “We want to thank the DEA, law enforcement agencies, investigators, and officials— both in the United States and abroad — who never gave up.

    “We want to thank President Trump for using the weight of this country to accomplish what we thought would never occur. Thank you to everyone who has worked on this case for 40 years. We don’t know all of you but please know that you have our family’s deepest thanks and appreciation.

    “To those who have stood by us, supported us, celebrated Red Ribbon Week with us and carried us through the darkest moments — our extended family, friends, and even strangers who have shared in our grief — we are forever grateful.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for 11 Years and Three Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.

    Frank Cotto, age 38, was sentenced on February 28, 2025, to 11 years and three months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.

    Cotto was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2024, and pleaded guilty on December 11, 2024.

    On November 30, 2023, Cotto was involved in a traffic stop following a trip to Colorado to obtain drugs. During the search of the vehicle law enforcement found over 2,000 fentanyl pills and six pounds of methamphetamine that was intended to be distributed in the Rapid City area. Officers also located a handgun in the door of the vehicle. Cotto is a prohibited person due to his use of methamphetamine and marijuana.

    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.

    This case was investigated by the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Meghan N. Dilges and Edward Tarbay prosecuted the case.

    Cotto was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following his sentencing. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Acting United States Attorney Fondren Announces Federal Indictment Against Gynecologist for Sexually Abusing Patients, Adulterating Medical Devices for Reuse on Patients, and Healthcare Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Memphis, TN – Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced today that Sanjeev Kumar, 44, was arrested this morning and charged with enticing and inducing four victims to travel interstate to engage in illegal sexual activity, adulteration of medical devices, misbranding of medical devices, and healthcare fraud.

    The indictment unsealed today alleges that from at least in or about September 2019 and up to and including at least in or about June 2024, Kumar enticed and induced four victims to travel interstate to his medical offices in Memphis, Tennessee, at least in part for the purpose of subjecting them to a sexual activity for which he could be charged with a criminal offense in violation of Tennessee Code Annotated Section 39-13-503.

    According to the Indictment, between 2019 and 2024, Kumar sexually abused women by conducting medically unnecessary gynecologic procedures with medical devices that he held under insanitary conditions and reused on patients when they were required to be disposed of or properly reprocessed. Kumar did not inform patients that he was reusing “single use” or improperly reprocessed devices before he inserted the devices into their vaginas. He also billed Medicare and Medicaid as if the procedures were medically necessary and as if he had used a new or properly reprocessed device for each procedure.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren said: “Kumar was consistently the top-paid provider in Tennessee for Medicare and Medicaid for hysteroscopy biopsy services, and he profited substantially from these criminal acts. The allegations indicate that Kumar acted as a predator in a white coat and used the cover of conducting medical examinations to put his patients at risk and enrich himself.”   

    “This doctor put profit ahead of patients,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The abusive behavior alleged here took place over five years, which means there could be many victims out there we have not heard from. We want you to know FBI victim specialists, special agents, and analysts investigating this case are here for each and every one of you, and we are your advocates. It is important to remember nothing Dr. Kumar has done was, or ever will be, your fault. We see time and time again that voices matter, and those who have stepped forward have empowered others to do the same. If you have any information concerning this case, or if you believe you are a victim or may have been affected by these alleged crimes, please visit www.fbi.gov/KumarVictims and complete the questionnaire so that we can contact you.  Your responses are voluntary but would be useful in the federal investigation and would enable us to serve you as a victim.”

    “Physicians have a sworn duty to prioritize the health and safety of their patients,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG).  “HHS-OIG is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who exploit their patients and federal health care programs for personal gain.”

    This case is being investigated by the United States HHS-OIG, the United States Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.  If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of the factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Lynn Crum, Scott Smith, and Sarah Pazar Williams for prosecuting this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case. 

    ###

    For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rapid City Man Found Guilty of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted William Henry Riese, age 34, of Rapid City, South Dakota, of Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography, and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on February 27, 2025.

    The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in custody and a maximum penalty of up to life in custody, and/or a $250,000 fine, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $400 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

    Riese was arrested and federally indicted in August of 2022, following the undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Following multiple chats and sexually explicit text messages with a person Riese believed to be a 14-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent, Riese proceeded to negotiate a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When Riese went to the pre-determined location to meet the minor, he was instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.

    A presentence investigation was ordered, and sentencing has been scheduled for May 30, 2025. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Statement On President Trump’s Oval Office Remarks To Ukrainian President Zelenskyy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    February 28, 2025
    ROCKFORD – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today released the following statement after President Trump and Vice President Vance’s tense and embarrassing meeting in the Oval Office with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy:
    “After calling the President of Ukraine ‘a dictator’ and blaming him for invading his own country, President Trump and Vice President Vance berated President Zelenskyy for not showing enough gratitude. With 46,000 Ukrainians fallen in battle against the real invader, Vladimir Putin, the Unites States should be thanking President Zelenskyy for Ukraine’s heroic stand on the frontlines of democracy against the Russian war criminal. 
    “Former President Ronald Reagan and the late Senator John McCain are rolling over in their graves at the thought of an American president sullying America’s image by siding at the UN with dictators in Russia, North Korea, Belarus, and Nicaragua while disrespecting a true American ally—Ukraine. Let me be clear: We cannot let President Trump rewrite history or upend proven partnerships with decades of bipartisan support. I extend my sincere apologies to President Zelenskyy and again reaffirm my support for our Ukrainian friends.”
    Earlier this week, Durbin introduced the Protecting our Guests During Hostilities in Ukraine Act, legislation that would provide temporary guest status to Ukrainians and their immediate family members who are already in the United States through the “Uniting for Ukraine” parole process. The bill allows Ukrainians to stay and work in the U.S. until the Secretary of State determines that hostilities in Ukraine have ceased and it is safe for them to return. U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Alex Padilla (D-CA) are cosponsors of the legislation. Bill text can be found here.  
    Durbin also joined U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and others in leading a simple resolution this week that expresses continued solidarity with the people of Ukraine and condolences for the loss of thousands of lives to Russian aggression; rejects Russia’s attempts to militarily seize sovereign Ukrainian territory; reaffirms U.S. support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine; and states unequivocally that Ukraine must be at the table for negotiations on its future.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Two Canyon County Men Arrested for Enticing of Children

    Source: US State of Idaho

    [BOISE] – Attorney General Raúl Labrador has announced investigators with his Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, working in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies, arrested two (2) men in Canyon County. On Wednesday, February 26th, 2025, Jesse Elam (42) and on Thursday, February 27th, 2025, Garrett Vinni (37) were arrested and charged with (1) count each of enticing a child through use of the internet or other communication device.
    Both men were arrested as part of a coordinated undercover operation by law enforcement.  The operation targeted offenders communicating with children via text, social media, and other chat platforms to meet for sexual activity. During the two-night operation, officers worked undercover to expose adults seeking to sexually abuse children and share child sexual abuse material. Both suspects are incarcerated in the Canyon County Jail.
    “I’m grateful to each one of our participating agencies and partners in this ongoing effort to keep kids safe from exploitation,” said Attorney General Labrador. “The ICAC Task Force and our growing statewide network have a singular focus – to remove threats to children from our streets. We will not stop this pursuit.”
    This operation was a cooperative effort that included officers, attorneys, and support personnel from across the State of Idaho. Agencies included the Idaho Office of the Attorney General, Canyon County Sheriff Office, Idaho State Police, Canyon County Prosecutors Office, United States Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI), and the Idaho ICAC Unit including affiliate Investigators from the Boise Police Department, Pocatello Police Department, Idaho Falls Police Department, Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, Rupert Police Department, Moscow Police Department, Coeur d’Alene Police Department and Nampa Police Department.
    “This case is a testament to the power of law enforcement agencies working in unison to take down criminals,” said Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue. “Thanks to the relentless efforts of those involved, child predators have been removed from our streets, making Canyon County a safer place. We will not stop pursuing justice. Parents, you must remain aware—these predators are out there, and your children are at risk.”
    The Idaho Office of the Attorney General would like to convey appreciation to all who participated and to the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office for hosting the operation.Anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children is encouraged to contact local police, the Idaho Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at 208-947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.
    To learn more about the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force please visit: icactaskforce.org or ICACIdaho.org.
    The charges listed above are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

    (L to R) Canyon County Prosecutor Chris Boyd, Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue, Attorney General Raúl Labrador, and Boise Police Chief Chris Dennison

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: High-Ranking Member of Violent Mexican Drug Cartel Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: US State of California

    A Mexican national and high-ranking, violent member of the Los Zetas cartel pleaded guilty today to conspiring to manufacture and distribute large quantities of cocaine and marijuana destined for the United States.

    According to court documents, Jaime Gonzalez-Duran, also known as Hummer, 49, was an original member of Los Zetas, a drug trafficking organization comprised of former Mexican military officers that began as an armed militaristic wing of the Gulf Cartel. Los Zetas later formed an alliance with the Gulf Cartel, and they collectively operated under the name “The Company.” Gonzalez-Duran, a high-ranking member of Los Zetas, served as a plaza boss in the city of Miguel Aleman, Mexico, controlling the Company’s drug-trafficking activities in and through that area, and, later, as a regional commander in the cities of Nuevo Laredo, Miguel Aleman, and Reynosa, Mexico, supervising dozens of Los Zetas members in the region. In his roles, Gonzalez-Duran bribed law enforcement officers to ensure drug loads would not be disturbed; maintained weapons, explosives, and ammunitions caches; and committed acts of violence against rival drug trafficking groups during conflicts for control over drug plazas and trafficking routes. Gonzalez-Duran was personally responsible for the importation into the United States of more than 450 kilograms of cocaine and 90,000 kilograms of marijuana.

    Gonzalez-Duran pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine and marijuana for unlawful importation into the United States from Mexico. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Field Division made the announcement.

    The DEA Houston Field Division investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and October 2022 extradition of Gonzalez Duran.

    Trial Attorneys Tara Arndt and Jayce Born and Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

    The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strength of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Baldwin Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Increase Oversight of Foreign Ownership of American Agriculture

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act to increase scrutiny surrounding the purchase of agricultural land by foreign adversaries like China. The bipartisan bill would permanently add the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to add additional scrutiny of farmland and agricultural industry purchases by foreign adversaries like China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran and help prevent improper foreign disruption to the U.S. agriculture industry.
    “Wisconsin’s farms are the backbone of our state,” said Senator Baldwin. “They’re not just about food, they’re about people’s livelihoods, our economy, and our way of life. That’s why I’m fighting to protect our family farms and agricultural communities from bad actors like China that threaten our food supply, economy, and national security. I’m proud to work with Democratic and Republican colleagues to protect our farmers and rural communities and ensure our Made in Wisconsin agricultural economy stays strong for the next generation.”
    CFIUS is the governmental body that oversees the vetting process of foreign investment and acquisition of American companies. In addition to permanently adding the Secretary of Agriculture to CFIUS, the bill would require that the Secretary report any transaction that could threaten national security, specifically concerning purchases made by adversarial nations like China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran.
    Over the past few years, the United States has experienced a rapid increase in foreign investment in the agricultural sector, particularly from China. Growing foreign investment in agriculture and other essential industries, like health care and energy, threatens our country’s national security. 
    According to USDA data from December 2023, foreign investors own approximately 45 million acres of U.S. agricultural land. This represents an increase of over 1.5 million acres in one calendar year. Foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land increased modestly from 2012 to 2017 at an average increase of 0.6 million acres per year. However, since 2017, this number skyrocketed to an average of 2.6 million acres annually. Additionally, between 2010 and 2021, entities or individuals from China increased their ownership of U.S. agricultural land more than twentyfold, from 13,720 acres to 383,935 acres.
    Data from the 2023 Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) report shows that Kansas agricultural land with foreign interest totals over 1.3 million acres.
    CFIUS is authorized to oversee and review foreign investment and ownership in domestic businesses as it relates to national security. Currently, the Committee does not directly consider the needs of the agriculture industry when reviewing foreign investment and ownership in domestic businesses.
    Specifically, the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act would:
    Add the Secretary of Agriculture as a member of CFIUS
    Protect the U.S. agriculture industry from foreign control through transactions, mergers, acquisitions, or agreements
    Designate agricultural supply chains as critical infrastructure and critical technologies
    Require a report to Congress on current and potential foreign investments in the U.S. agricultural industry from USDA and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) 
    The bill is led by Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) and also co-sponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Todd Young (R-IN), and Deb Fischer (R-NE). U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA-04) also introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
    Full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Demands Answers Regarding the Harmful Termination of Contracts at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    February 28, 2025
    “Veterans hospitals cannot provide lifesaving services safely to veterans without these contracts. That is an unconscionable betrayal of commitments made to Americans who served our country”
    Washington DC—U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today demanded answers from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs about the termination of contracts that will cause the shutdown of x-rays, computed tomography scans (CT scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), interventional radiology (IR) rooms, cardiac catheterization laboratories (cath labs), nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography (PET)-CT scans, fluoroscopy, mammography, and other essential services at VA hospitals in Oregon and across America.
    In a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins, Senator Wyden wrote: “I have fought tooth and nail over my career to enact several laws to expand veterans healthcare, including my own law that expanded mammography services for women veterans. I am appalled to hear that the VA may have callously terminated contracts, undermining these laws. Veterans are already facing long wait times for appointments and too often do not receive the timely care they require for serious service-connected diseases and conditions. With the promises made to veterans in mind, I ask that you restore these contracts immediately and detail all disruptions to patient care across VA facilities. I also ask that you commit to ensuring that there will be no other disruptions to veterans healthcare.”
    Full text of the letter is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: High-Ranking Member of Violent Mexican Drug Cartel Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Mexican national and high-ranking, violent member of the Los Zetas cartel pleaded guilty today to conspiring to manufacture and distribute large quantities of cocaine and marijuana destined for the United States.

    According to court documents, Jaime Gonzalez-Duran, also known as Hummer, 49, was an original member of Los Zetas, a drug trafficking organization comprised of former Mexican military officers that began as an armed militaristic wing of the Gulf Cartel. Los Zetas later formed an alliance with the Gulf Cartel, and they collectively operated under the name “The Company.” Gonzalez-Duran, a high-ranking member of Los Zetas, served as a plaza boss in the city of Miguel Aleman, Mexico, controlling the Company’s drug-trafficking activities in and through that area, and, later, as a regional commander in the cities of Nuevo Laredo, Miguel Aleman, and Reynosa, Mexico, supervising dozens of Los Zetas members in the region. In his roles, Gonzalez-Duran bribed law enforcement officers to ensure drug loads would not be disturbed; maintained weapons, explosives, and ammunitions caches; and committed acts of violence against rival drug trafficking groups during conflicts for control over drug plazas and trafficking routes. Gonzalez-Duran was personally responsible for the importation into the United States of more than 450 kilograms of cocaine and 90,000 kilograms of marijuana.

    Gonzalez-Duran pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine and marijuana for unlawful importation into the United States from Mexico. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Field Division made the announcement.

    The DEA Houston Field Division investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and October 2022 extradition of Gonzalez Duran.

    Trial Attorneys Tara Arndt and Jayce Born and Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

    The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strength of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Admit Committing Fraud with Checks Stolen from the Mail

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – Four Franklin County, Missouri men have admitted using stolen checks from the U.S. Mail to commit bank fraud.

    Matthew Cahill, 40, pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and four counts of bank fraud. Cahill admitted that from roughly February 2020 through September 2021, he and others stole personal checks, business checks, bank account information and the personally identifying information of multiple victims by removing outgoing or delivered mail from mailboxes, residences and vehicles. Cahill and the others altered the checks or created counterfeit checks, and then used those checks at retail stores, deposited them or cashed them at banks. Cahill also electronically accessed a victim’s account and sent an unauthorized online ACH payment to an associate. The scheme created an actual and intended loss of $67,807.

    Cahill is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29.

    Donald Anderson, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and three counts of bank fraud and has been sentenced to 24 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to repay $26,527 to victims.

    Joshua Hopkins, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to repay $1,395.

    Harvey Hale, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of bank fraud and has been sentenced to 12 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to repay $19,550.

    The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the police departments in the cities of Washington, Union, Eureka, St. Clair and St. Charles investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: D.C. Man Convicted of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, and Drug Distribution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Deangelo Lorenzo Lewis, 28, of Washington D.C., was found guilty today of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 30, 2025.

                The conviction was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and United States Marshal Robert A. Dixon, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean T. Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division,

                According to court documents, Deputy U.S. Marshals arrested Lewis on October 3, 2023, in an apartment that he had rented using a stolen identity.  After securing Lewis and the apartment, Deputy U.S. Marshals applied for, received, and executed a search warrant on the apartment where they discovered more than $150,000 worth of checks that appeared to have been stolen from the U.S. mail, a check printer, and blank check stock, as well as driver’s licenses and social security cards issued to persons other than Lewis. Deputy U.S. Marshals also discovered a Century Arms, Micro Draco 7.62 x 39mm semi-automatic assault pistol, two 9mm handgun magazines, and approximately 1 ½ pounds of marijuana packaged for distribution.  The Micro Draco was loaded with 26 rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber.

                The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service with assistance from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson, Justin F. Song, Jacqueline O. Yarbro and Paralegal Specialist Jenna Lee.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Oak Valley Community Bank Announces Commercial Credit Officer Hiring

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OAKDALE, Calif., Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oak Valley Community Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oak Valley Bancorp (NASDAQ: OVLY), announced that Jean Turpen has joined the bank as Vice President, Commercial Credit Officer. She is based out of the Roseville Office located at 1478 Stone Point Drive.

    Turpen has 21 years of banking experience and a distinguished career in the banking industry, having held various leadership positions in commercial credit and lending. Her understanding of commercial lending, credit risk management, and financial analysis makes her an invaluable addition to the bank. In her new role, she will be responsible for client relationship management, portfolio management, and credit analysis. She will work closely with the Greater Sacramento Region team to drive sustainable growth and maintain our commitment to excellence in service and performance.

    “We’re excited to welcome Jean to our team. Her experience and proven track record in the banking sector will be instrumental in driving our commercial credit strategies and supporting our growth objectives,” said Gary Stephens, EVP Commercial Banking Group.

    Turpen earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from University of Alaska Anchorage. She is a member of the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA). Turpen resides in Orangevale with her husband and two sons. In her free time, she enjoys fitness, gardening, orchestral music, and reading.

    Oak Valley Bancorp operates Oak Valley Community Bank & their Eastern Sierra Community Bank division, through which it offers a variety of loan and deposit products to individuals and small businesses. They currently operate through 18 conveniently located branches: Oakdale, Turlock, Stockton, Patterson, Ripon, Escalon, Manteca, Tracy, Sacramento, Roseville, two branches in Sonora, three branches in Modesto, and three branches in their Eastern Sierra division, which includes Bridgeport, Mammoth Lakes, and Bishop. The company will open its 19th branch location in Lodi later this year. For more information, call 1-866-844-7500 or visit www.ovcb.com.

    Date: February 28, 2025
    Contact: Chris Courtney/Rick McCarty
    Phone: (209) 848-BANK (2265) 
      Toll Free (866) 844–7500
      www.ovcb.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: CalAmp Welcomes Thomas Polan as Product Director for Student Safety Business Unit

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CalAmp, a leading provider of telematics and connected intelligence solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Thomas Polan as Product Director for its Student Safety Business Unit. Polan, a co-founder of the Synovia K-12 solution acquired by CalAmp in 2019, brings extensive expertise in student transportation technology and a proven dedication to innovation.

    Polan’s leadership in developing Synovia’s industry-leading solutions transformed school transportation by improving safety, efficiency, and transparency for school districts, contractors, and transportation consortiums. In his new role, he will spearhead product strategy, focusing on customer-centric solutions that enhance operational effectiveness and student safety.

    “Thomas Polan is a recognized leader in student transportation technology, and we’re thrilled to welcome him back to drive our Student Safety product strategy,” said Mark Gaydos, General Manager of Student Safety at CalAmp. “His deep industry insight and passion for innovation align perfectly with our mission to deliver cutting-edge solutions to school districts, contractors, and consortiums.”

    Polan’s appointment reflects CalAmp’s ongoing commitment to strengthening its education offerings through advanced telematics, fleet management, and safety technologies. His expertise will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of student transportation solutions and solidifying CalAmp’s market leadership.

    “I’m excited to rejoin CalAmp and continue advancing solutions that matter to the student transportation industry,” said Polan. “School districts rely on dependable, innovative technology to ensure student safety and operational efficiency. I look forward to collaborating with CalAmp’s talented team to deliver exceptional value to our customers.”

    About CalAmp

    CalAmp provides flexible solutions to help organizations worldwide monitor, track, and protect their vital assets. Our unique device-enabled software and cloud platform enables commercial and government organizations worldwide to improve efficiency, safety, visibility, and compliance while accommodating the unique ways they do business. With over 10 million active edge devices and 220+ approved or pending patents, CalAmp is the telematics leader organizations turn to for innovation and dependability. For more information, visit calamp.com, or LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube or CalAmp Blog.

    CalAmp, LoJack, TRACKER, Here Comes The Bus, Bus Guardian, CalAmp Vision, CrashBoxx and associated logos are among the trademarks of CalAmp and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. Spireon acquired the LoJack® U.S. Stolen Vehicle Recovery (SVR) business from CalAmp and holds an exclusive license to the LoJack mark in the United States and Canada. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Innovator ETFs® Announces Closure of ETFs

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Innovator Capital Management, LLC (Innovator), pioneer and provider of the largest lineup of Defined Outcome ETFs™, today announced its intention to close four ETFs. Please reference the table below for important dates surrounding the closure of each ETF.

    Name Ticker End of ETF
    Outcome Period    		 Trading
    Halts    		 Liquidation
    Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated ETF® – April XDAP 3/31/25 4/1/25 4/4/25
    Innovator Premium Income 9 Buffer ETF™ – April HAPR 3/31/25 4/1/25 4/4/25
    Innovator Premium Income 10 Barrier ETF™ – April APRD 3/31/25 4/1/25 4/4/25
    Innovator Premium Income 40 Barrier ETF™ – April APRQ 3/31/25 4/1/25 4/4/25

    The closing of the ETFs coincides with the end of their respective outcome periods. Shareholders may sell their ETF shares at any point during trading hours prior to the market close on its last day of trading. If investors do not sell their shares before trading is halted, the shares will be automatically redeemed on the liquidation date. After shares are redeemed, shareholders will receive cash equal to the amount of the net asset value (NAV) of their shares on the liquidation date. Payment will be made in the form of a liquidating distribution that is electronically credited to shareholders’ brokerage or other applicable financial-intermediary accounts on or around the liquidation date.

    The ETFs may pay one or more dividends or other distributions prior to, or along with, any redemption payment. As is the case with any redemption of ETF shares, these liquidation proceeds will generally be subject to federal and, as applicable, state and local income taxes if the redeemed shares are held in a taxable account and the liquidation proceeds exceed the shareholder’s adjusted basis in the shares redeemed. Shareholders should consult with their tax adviser for further information regarding the federal, state and/or local income tax consequences of this liquidation that are relevant to their specific situation.

    Innovator also intends to close the July and October series of the funds listed above during the 2025 calendar year. More information about those closures will be released in the coming months.

    The combined assets under management in the four ETFs listed above was $37 million as of February 13, 2025, representing 0.16% of Innovator’s total AUM.

    Media Contact
    Frank Taylor / Stephanie Dressler
    (646) 808-3647 / (949) 269-2535
    Frank@dlpr.com / Stephanie@dlpr.com

    The Funds have characteristics unlike many other traditional investment products and may not be suitable for all investors. For more information regarding whether an investment in the Fund is right for you, please see “Investor Suitability” in the prospectus.

    Investing involves risks. Loss of principal is possible. The Funds face numerous market trading risks, including active markets risk, authorized participation concentration risk, buffered loss risk, cap change risk, capped upside return risk, correlation risk, liquidity risk, management risk, market maker risk, market risk, non-diversification risk, operation risk, options risk, trading issues risk, upside participation risk and valuation risk. For a detail list of fund risks see the prospectus.

    The Funds’ investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses should be considered carefully before investing. The prospectus and summary prospectus contains this and other important information, and it may be obtained at innovatoretfs.com. Read it carefully before investing.

    The following marks: Accelerated ETFs®, Accelerated Plus ETF®, Accelerated Return ETFs®, Barrier ETF™, Buffer ETF™, Defined Income ETF™, Defined Outcome Bond ETF®, Defined Outcome ETFs™, Defined Protection ETF™, Define Your Future®, Enhanced ETF™, Floor ETF®, Innovator ETFs®, Leading the Defined Outcome ETF Revolution™, Managed Buffer ETFs®, Managed Outcome ETFs®, Stacker ETF™, Step-Up™, Step-Up ETFs®, Target Protection ETF™, 100% Buffer ETFs™ and all related names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans are the trademarks of Innovator Capital Management, LLC, its affiliates or licensors. Use of these terms is strictly prohibited without proper written authorization. All rights reserved.

    Innovator ETFs® are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

    Copyright © 2025 Innovator Capital Management, LLC | 800.208.5212

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Arrest Man Wanted in Connection with Deadly I-480 Shooting

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Euclid, OH – This afternoon, members of the U.S. Marshals led Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) arrested Michael Sanchez Roman, 30. Roman was wanted by the Bedford Heights Police Department for aggravated murder.

    On February 1, 2025, officers with the Bedford Heights Police Department responded to I-480 West near Aurora Road exit for a report of a disabled vehicle. Upon arrival officers located a deceased male who had suffered fatal gunshot wounds. The male was later identified as Johndiel Sanchez Rivera, 19. Michael Gabriel Alvarado, 21, and Michael Sanchez Roman, 30, were identified as being involved in the deadly shooting and warrants were issued for their arrest. Alvardo was arrested by the Bedford Heights Department on February 26.

    This afternoon, members of the NOVFTF arrested Roman at an address in the 1400 block of E. 221st Street, Euclid, Ohio. During the arrest attempt, Roman initially barricaded himself inside the residence with a 2-year-old child. Members of the task force were able to safely negotiate Roman to surrender.

    U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated, “The safest option for these fugitives during an arrest is to comply with our officers’ orders and then everyone involved, including the fugitive, our officers and the public will be safe. Thankfully, no one was injured during this arrest and our officers were able to negotiate a safe surrender.”

    Anyone with information concerning a wanted fugitive can contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833), or you can submit a web tip. Reward money is available, and tipsters may remain anonymous.  Follow the U.S. Marshals on Twitter @USMSCleveland.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Skilled Nursing Facility and Acute Care Hospital to Pay $6.5 Million to Settle Civil False Claims Act Allegations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – Providence Park, Inc., doing business as Ascension Living Providence Village, and Ascension Providence, formerly known as Providence Health Services of Waco, have agreed to pay the United States and the State of Texas $6,526,851.64 to resolve allegations under the Federal False Claims Act and the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act.

    The United States alleged that Providence Park, which owns and operates a skilled nursing facility in Waco, submitted medically unnecessary Ultra-High Resource Utilization Group therapy claims to federal healthcare programs. The United States further alleged that Ascension Providence, which owns and operates an acute care hospital in Waco, submitted false claims to federal healthcare programs for individual outpatient therapy services at the Lacy Lakeview Clinic when group therapy was being provided, and for therapy services at Woodway, Providence Sports & Physical Therapy, and Lacy Lakeview when there was no plan of care signed by a physician.

    “My office will hold providers accountable when they submit inaccurate claims or seek reimbursement for medically unnecessary services,” said Acting United States Attorney Margaret F. Leachman of the Western District of Texas. “I encourage providers that identify instances of improper billing to work proactively to remedy the issue, as happened in this case.”

    Providence Park and Ascension Providence received cooperation credit under the terms of the settlement pursuant to the Department of Justice’s Guidelines for Taking Voluntary Disclosure, Cooperation, and Remediation into Account in False Claims Act Matters. They cooperated with the United States’ investigation by, among other things, disclosing the results of an internal investigation at Ascension Providence that resulted in an overpayment refund to Medicare, voluntarily identifying overpayments for outpatient therapy services at Ascension Providence pursuant to the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General Healthcare Fraud Self-Disclosure Protocol, and identifying corrective actions to address the issues identified in the self-disclosure.

    The civil settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit is captioned United States and Texas ex rel. Bland and Ellison v. Ascension Health Senior Care, et al., No. 5:21-CV-269 (W.D. Tex.).

    Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Parnham negotiated the settlement on behalf of the United States.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis County Man Admits Pandemic-Related Unemployment Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Friday admitted possessing stolen identities and engaging in several schemes, including one in which he falsely obtained COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits.

    Daryl Jones Jr., 45, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to three felonies: conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and wire fraud.

    Between June 22, 2020, and July 15, 2020, the State of Pennsylvania deposited $84,592 in COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits on debit cards fraudulently issued in the identities of Jones and four others. Debit cards were issued in the stolen identities of four more people, but no deposits were made.

    Jones obtained some of the personal information to set up the accounts from Cheryl Johnson, his girlfriend, who had supervised the victims while employed at various St. Louis area businesses.

    On June 3, 2021, Jones submitted counterfeit pay stubs from a fake business associated with Johnson to obtain a $31,700 vehicle loan. He and Johnson submitted counterfeit insurance identification cards to accept delivery of the vehicle. On June 25, 2021, they arrived at the St. Louis County home of James Whitiker in that vehicle, as law enforcement was performing a court-approved search. Investigators found a notebook containing the names, Social Security numbers and birthdates of about 35 individuals, two more pieces of paper with the identifying information of 18 others, three stolen identification documents, nine Pennsylvania unemployment insurance benefit debit cards and stolen credit and debit cards.

    Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29.

    Johnson, 44, pleaded guilty February 20 to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced in May. Whitiker, 43, pleaded guilty in July to a conspiracy charge and was sentenced in October to three years of prison. He admitted using two debit cards during the conspiracy and knowing that Jones and Johnson were using his home to commit the unemployment fraud.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eight Gang Members Arrested in Operation Targeting Area Known as “Dead End”

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Eight gang members were arrested Tuesday in ATF-led  “Operation Blue Laces,” announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.

    Monday’s takedown, which occurred in the Wheatley Place Neighborhood in South Dallas, resulted in the apprehension of eight members of the 42 Oakland Crips street gang. They made their initial appearances Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renee H. Toliver.

    Those charged in three separate indictments include: 

    • Kendrick Jamal Young, aka “Peanut,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, felon in possession of a firearm (a Springfield Hellcat 9mm pistol, a Ruger 9mm pistol, and a FedArm AR-15 style pistol), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
    • Christopher Jamiel Love, aka “Black,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, felon in possession of a firearm (a Springfield Hellcat 9mm pistol, a Ruger 9mm pistol, and a FedArm AR-style pistol) and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
    • Alex Jerome Bowman, aka “Big A,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
    • Victor Scott Wingham, aka “Johnny Joe,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
    • Joshua Jimond Wheatley, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
    • Travion Williams, aka “Traa Savage,” charged with carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence (a Taurus 9mm pistol and a Glock 9mm pistol)
    • Jihadd Thies Gorree Thomas, charged with carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence (a Taurus 9mm pistol and a Glock 9mm pistol)
    • Jamarian Augustus Hewitt, charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substances, felon in possession of a firearm (a Ruger 9mm pistol), possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime , and using a communication facility (cell phone) to facilitate a drug felony

    At a detention hearing on Friday, prosecutors said defendants had been dealing drugs on a daily basis on Dallas’ Casey Street, in an area known as the “Dead End.” Phone records introduced into evidence showed that several members of the conspiracy texted to warn one another about upcoming law enforcement raids, sent young people in to look for missing dope following the raids, and went right back to dealing drugs after the raids concluded.

    Many of the arrestees had extensive criminal histories, with rap sheets that included drug and gun crimes.

    During the takedown, agents seized 14 firearms, more than a kilogram’s worth of methamphetamine pills, as well as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, alprazolam, marijuana, TXC wax, hash, and more than $47,000 in cash. They also seized six vehicles, several pieces of Crips -themed jewelry, and a caiman alligator, which was transported to the Dallas Zoo. 

    Indictments are merely allegations of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

    If convicted, some defendants face up to life in federal prison. 

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division, the Dallas Police Department, Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, IRS – Criminal Investigative Division, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Game Wardens. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service assisted with care and transportation of the seized alligator. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert is prosecuting the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Farmington Hills Man Convicted in a Racially Motivated Assault of a Postal Worker

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DETROIT – A Farmington Hills man was convicted by a federal jury yesterday on charges of assaulting a United States Postal Worker, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced today.

    Beck was joined in the announcement by Rodney Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the U.S Postal Inspection Service’s Detroit Division. 

    Russell Valleau, 62, was convicted following a three-day jury trial before United States District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds. The jury also unanimously found that Valleau intentionally selected the letter carrier as the object of his offense because of her actual or perceived race or color. The jury deliberated approximately two hours before returning their verdict.  Valleau was convicted of assaulting a federal employee but acquitted of using a dangerous weapon in the assault.

    Evidence presented at the trial established that Valleau, angered by receiving a black person’s mail in his mailbox, aggressively approached the passenger window of his letter carrier’s postal truck yelling racially charged insults at her. This letter carrier, a black woman herself, tried to diffuse the situation by directing him to leave the unwanted mail in his mailbox. Undeterred, Valleau continued his insults, now pointing the vitriol directly to the letter carrier.  When she asked him to step away from her vehicle, he attempted to attack her through her open passenger window.  Valleau was only thwarted when the letter carrier sprayed him in the face with her USPS-issued mace and drove away.  Once apprehended, Valleau continued his offensive and profane language while in the custody of the officers – this included referring to his letter carrier as a “f**king smelly n**ger.” When officers admonished him for his language, he responded: “Oh, you like n**gers.”

    Acting U.S. Attorney Beck stated, “A letter carrier was simply trying to do her job, and this defendant physically attacked her while using racist and offensive language. This type of behavior has no place in our community and will not be tolerated.”

    “As the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Postal Service, the Postal Inspection Service prioritizes the safety and security of postal employees above all else,” said Detroit Division Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins. “Let this verdict be a warning to those who threaten, intimidate, or otherwise harm the dedicated men and women of USPS: We will arrest you, and we will seek to prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”

    The Court scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 27, 2025 at 10:00 AM.  Valleau faces up to twelve months incarceration.

    This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Farmington Hills Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Carlson and Darrin Crawford. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cartel Boss Tied to Southlake Murder-for-Hire Among Defendants Extradited From Mexico

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Among the 29 cartel bosses extradited from Mexico to the United States on Thursday was Northern District of Texas defendant Jose Rodolfo Villarreal Hernandez, aka “El Gato,” announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham. 

    Mr. Villarreal Hernandez, a Mexican national who held a high-level position in the Beltran-Leyva Organization (BLO) Drug Cartel, was charged in June 2018 with interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire in the brutal slaying of a 43-year-old Southlake, Texas lawyer in 2013. 

    He was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List in October 2020 and arrested by Mexican law enforcement agents in Atizapán de Zaragoza, Mexico in January 2023.

    Attorney General Pam Bondi announced his successful extradition yesterday, pledging to prosecute all extradited cartel bosses “to the fullest extent of the law in honor of the brave law enforcement agents who have dedicated their careers — and in some cases, given their lives — to protect innocent people from the scourge of violent cartels.” 

    Mr. Villarreal Hernandez will make his initial appearance in federal court next week.

    According to evidence presented at the trial of his coconspirators, Mr. Villarreal Hernandez allegedly directed and financed a multi-year effort to locate and assassinate his victim, an attorney with ties to a rival cartel. Testimony revealed that Mr. Villarreal Hernandez allegedly believed the attorney was involved with the death of Mr. Villarreal Hernandez’s father and wanted revenge. 

    The victim was shot while sitting in the passenger seat of his vehicle outside an upscale shopping center in  Southlake on May 22, 2013. His wife was standing near the driver’s side door when her husband was killed. 

    Three men who, acting on orders from Mr. Villarreal Hernandez, tracked the victim prior to his death were convicted and sentenced in 2016: Jose Luis Cepeda-Cortes and Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Cepeda were convicted at trial of interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire; Mr. Cepeda-Cortez was also convicted of tampering with documents or proceedings. Both men received life sentences. Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Campano, son of Mr. Ledezma-Cepeda, pleaded guilty prior to trial to one count of interstate stalking and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

    A fourth defendant, Ramon Villarreal-Hernandez, the brother of Jose Rodolfo, was arrested in Mexico and extradited to the United States in 2020. He pleaded guilty to interstate stalking in June 2022 and was sentenced to ten years in prison.

    According to the U.S. State Department, in addition to allegedly ordering the Southlake murder, Mr. Villarreal Hernandez is believed to have overseen the importation of large quantities of cocaine into the United States as well as committing violent acts within the Republic of Mexico and the United States to maintain his organization’s power and status.

    “After more than a decade, Mr. Villarreal Hernandez will have to answer for his alleged crimes in an American courtroom,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “Since the victim was gunned down in a public parking lot in 2013, law enforcement’s commitment to this case has never wavered. I extend my sincere thanks to the federal, state, local, and international partners who have pulled together to ensure this defendant will be brought to justice.”

    An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Villarreal Hernandez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

    The statutory maximum penalty for interstate stalking is life in prison; the statutory maximum for the murder-for-hire charge is life in prison or death.

    The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division, with assistance from the Southlake Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, US. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, the Fort Worth Police Department, and the Grapevine Police Department. The  Mexican Secretariat of the Navy, Fiscalía Generalde la República (FGR), Coordinación Nacional Antisecuestro (CONASE) coordinated in the arrest of Mr. Villarreal-Hernandez.  The U.S. Marshal Service for the Northern District of Texas assisted in securing the defendant upon his arrival in Texas. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Mexico City, and the U.S. Marshals Mexico City Foreign Field Office provided valuable assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Burgess (fmr) and Aisha Saleem prosecuted the case against Mr. Luis Cepeda-Cortes, Mr. Ledezma-Cepeda, and Mr. Ledezma-Campano. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn Smith and Laura Montes are prosecuting the case against Mr. Villarreal Hernandez.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis County Felon Who Shot at Police Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Friday sentenced a convicted felon who shot at St. Louis County Police Department officers in 2020 to 25 years in prison.

    On Sept. 1, 2020, Dexter McKinnies shot at police, including officers who were members of the FBI Violent Crime Safe Streets Task Force, as they were trying to arrest him. Police had been trying to locate Dexter McKinnies during an investigation of multiple violent crimes and learned that his brother, Lawton McKinnies, had an active felony arrest warrant for three counts of first-degree assault and three counts of armed criminal action.

    Officers arranged a meeting as a ruse. The McKinnies went to the meeting believing that they would be performing maintenance work on a property. When Lawton McKinnies arrived, officers arrested him and discovered that he was armed with a 9mm pistol. Dexter McKinnies was across the street and fired multiple shots at officers with a 9mm pistol, striking an FBI truck. Officers returned fire and struck McKinnies.

    Both McKinnies are convicted felons and are thus barred from possessing a firearm.

    Dexter McKinnies, now 34, pleaded guilty in November to five felonies: one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts each of assault on a federal officer and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

    Lawton McKinnies, now 36, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to three years in prison. In March, he was sentenced to another year for violating his supervised release.

    The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donald Boyce and Nichole Frankenberg prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the 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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Co-Leader of Transnational Drug Trafficking Organization Arrives in the U.S. to Face Federal Narcotics and Murder Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – An alleged leader of a transnational drug trafficking enterprise co-helmed by former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding has been sent to the United States from Mexico to face federal charges alleging that he ran a continuing criminal enterprise, committed murder and attempted murder, and conspired to possess, distribute, and export cocaine, the Justice Department announced today. 

    Andrew Clark, 34, a Canadian citizen who was residing in Mexico, was arrested by Mexican authorities in October 2024 and is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday in United States District Court in Phoenix on charges contained in a 16-count superseding indictment out of the Central District of California. Alongside Wedding, Clark allegedly controlled a billion-dollar drug enterprise with supply routes that transported ton-quantities of cocaine from Colombia to Canada by way of Mexico and Southern California.

    From March to August 2024, Wedding and Clark allegedly conspired with others to export, possess, and distribute more than 1,800 kilograms of cocaine. In addition, using a network of virtual currency wallets, Wedding, Clark, and their co-conspirators transferred approximately a quarter of a billion dollars from April to September 2024. In one day, investigators seized more than $3 million dollars from one cryptocurrency wallet. 

    “The defendant, as described in the superseding indictment, played a key role in running a violent, international drug trafficking organization that was responsible for multiple murders,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “We are grateful to have him in the United States where he will face justice. When law enforcement officials around the globe work together, there is nowhere criminals can hide.”

    The superseding indictment alleges that Wedding and Clark, whose aliases include “The Dictator,” directed the November 20, 2023, murders of two individuals and the attempted murder of a third victim in Ontario, Canada. Wedding and Clark also allegedly ordered the murder of a fourth individual on May 18, 2024. Clark and another co-defendant are also charged with the April 1, 2024, murder of a fifth individual in Ontario, Canada.

    Clark is the second-named defendant in the superseding indictment that charges a total of 16 defendants. With Clark’s expected court appearance, a total of eight defendants will have been arraigned in this case. Clark’s co-conspirators are scheduled to begin trial on May 6.

    An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

    If convicted, Clark would face a mandatory minimum penalty of life in federal prison on the continuing criminal enterprise charge. The murder and attempted murder charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The drug trafficking charges carry mandatory minimum penalties of 10 years in prison.

    The FBI investigated this matter with the Los Angeles Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Los Angeles Field Division, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Federal Policing. In addition, significant assistance was provided by U.S. law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations – Detroit and United States Customs and Border Protection – Buffalo; Canadian law enforcement partners, including Niagara Regional Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Toronto Police Service, and Peel Regional Police; Mexican law enforcement partners, including the Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalía General de la República) and the Criminal Investigation Agency (Agencia de Investigación Criminal); and Colombian law enforcement partners, including Colombian National Police – Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol, Special Interagency Investigation Group (Policía Nacional de Colombia – Dirección de Investigación Criminal e Interpol, Grupo Especial de Investigación Interagenciales). This investigation was conducted with the support of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).

    Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndsi Allsop and Maria Jhai of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Ryan Waters of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Slams DOGE’s Unlawful USAID Firings and Termination of Billions of Dollars of Life-Saving Aid

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    Welch Demands Explanation from Secretary Rubio
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, today sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding an urgent response to the baseless mass-firings of over 5,500 federal employees at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In the letter, Senator Welch demanded answers from the State Department on Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE’s, actions that directly violate funds appropriated by Congress through the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Department of State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Act. 
    Senator Welch released the following statement:   
    “I’m deeply distressed by the Trump Administration and Secretary Rubio’s reckless and illegal actions terminating thousands of experienced, dedicated USAID employees without cause or credible justification. These public servants, many of whom have spent decades serving their country and protecting U.S. interests around the world, were given less than 15 minutes to clear out their desks. It’s immoral and illegal. 
    “I’m also appalled by how Secretary Rubio and Elon Musk’s DOGE have unlawfully cut off funding appropriated by Congress for vital international assistance programs that protect U.S. security interests around the world. In recent weeks, Secretary Rubio has terminated billions of dollars in U.S. foreign assistance programs on which hundreds of millions of people depend for their health, safety, and well-being, in direct contravention of the law. These funds were provided on a bipartisan basis in prior appropriations acts which included many pages of provisions requiring the Administration to obligate the funds for explicit purposes. While DOGE’s mission might be to ‘save money,’ it cannot do so in ways that plainly violate federal law and the Constitution. And it should not do so if the result would undermine U.S. national interests and damage our international credibility. 
    “As the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, I’ll state what every American knows and DOGE needs to learn: the Constitution does not allow the President to ignore the law. Trump’s blatant disregard for the Constitution and the destruction of hard-earned goodwill around the world is beyond distressing and requires immediate action. Congress and the American people deserve answers from Secretary Rubio regarding how he intends to ensure that the State Department complies with the law.” 
    Under the Trump Administration, hundreds of millions of dollars in State Department programs have been illegally terminated under categories and programs explicitly required by the FY24 Department of State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Act. By law, funds appropriated by Congress are to be spent as specified for each of the countries, programs, projects, and activities. 
    By way of example, the FY24 Department of State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Act provides no less than: 
    $960,000,000 for food security and agricultural development programs to carry out the purposes of the Global Food Security Act of 2016, including for the Feed the Future Innovation Labs. 
    $451,000,000 for water supply and sanitation projects. 
    $365,750,000 for biodiversity conservation programs. 
    $300,000,000 to carry out the purposes of the Countering Russian Influence Fund, as authorized by the Countering Russian Influence in Europe and Eurasia Act of 2017. 
    $250,000,000 to implement a multi-year strategy to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, including efforts to combat a variety of forms of violence against women and girls. 
    $225,500,000 for programs in sub-Saharan Africa. 
    $117,040,000 to the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor for programs that support good governance, credible and competitive elections, freedom of expression, association, assembly, and religion, human rights, labor rights, independent media, and the rule of law. 
    $111,000,000 for activities to combat trafficking in persons internationally, including for the Program to End Modern Slavery. 
    Read the full letter and watch a video of Senator Welch’s remarks on DOGE’s Unlawful USAID Firings and Termination of Billions of Dollars of in Aid.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former State Official and State Representative Charged with Offenses Related to Cancelled State Audit of Medicaid Provider

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an 18-count indictment charging KONSTANTINOS “KOSTA” DIAMANTIS, 68, of Farmington, and CHRISTOPHER ZIOGAS, 73, of Bristol, with various offenses related to the cancelling of a state audit of a Medicaid provider who engaged in health care fraud.

    The indictment was returned on February 25, 2025.  Diamantis and Ziogas each appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport, entered pleas of not guilty to the charges in the indictment, and were released on $500,000 bonds.

    As alleged in the indictment, between January and June 2020, Diamantis, while serving at Deputy Secretary of the State of Connecticut’s Office of Policy and Management (OPM), and Ziogas, who served as a State Representative for Connecticut’s 79th Assembly District, engaged in a scheme in which Diamantis solicited and received corrupt payments and benefits from Helen Zervas, an optometrist and owner of Family Eye Care in Bristol, in exchange for official acts concerning a State of Connecticut audit of Zervas’s and Family Eye Care’s Medicaid overbilling.  Diamantis and Ziogas then took steps to conceal their conduct.

    As part of the alleged scheme, in January 2020, an official with Connecticut’s Department of Social Services (DSS) provided notice that it would perform an audit of Zervas’s and Family Eye Care’s Medicaid billing.  Zervas, who has been charged separately, knew that she had fraudulently overbilled Medicaid for medical services that she had not provided, or that were not medically necessary.  Zervas sought assistance from Ziogas, who was her fiancée, to prevent the DSS audit from proceeding.  Ziogas, in turn, sought help from Diamantis.  In exchange for payments from Ziogas and Zervas, Diamantis undertook official acts, and pressured other state officials to undertake official acts, aimed at favorably resolving the DSS audit.

    As alleged in the indictment, on March 4, 2020, Ziogas made a bribe payment to Diamantis in the amount of $20,000.  On that date, Zervas’s attorney emailed a DSS official with a settlement offer to resolve DSS’s audit.  The next day, Zervas reimbursed Ziogas with a $25,000 check from Family Eye Care.  On March 12, 2020, Ziogas made a $10,000 bribe payment to Diamantis, and was subsequently reimbursed by Zervas.  After having been advised and pressured indirectly by Diamantis through officials at OPM and DSS, the DSS official cancelled the DSS audit and, on May 1, 2020, accepted Zervas’s settlement proposal.

    The indictment further alleges that, on May 12, 2020, Diamantis and Ziogas delivered a check from Family Eye Care in the amount of $599,810 to DSS.  On May 15, 2020, Ziogas, through Zervas, made a final bribe payment of $65,000 to Diamantis.

    The indictment also alleges that Diamantis and Ziogas made multiple false statements when interviewed by the FBI during the investigation of this matter, and that Diamantis failed to include the $95,000 in corrupt payments on his 2020 federal tax return.

    Finally, the indictment alleges that Ziogas, an attorney, separately committed bank fraud.  Ziogas was the trustee of a client trust, identified in the indictment as “Trust-1.”  In November 2019, Ziogas prepared and caused to be negotiated a check from Trust-1 in the amount of $5,500 made out to “Kosta Diamantis.”

    The indictment charges Diamantis and Ziogas with extortion under color of official right, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; bribery, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.

    The indictment also charges Diamantis with seven counts, and Ziogas with two counts, of making false statements, which carries maximum term of imprisonment of five years on each count; Diamantis with one count of filing a false tax return, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of three years; Ziogas with three counts of making illegal monetary transactions, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count; and Ziogas with one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan N. Francis and David E. Novick.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Seymour Woman Sentenced for $850,000 Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Seymour, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for a more than $850,000 fraud scheme in which she used the personal identity information of her fellow inmates in state prison to obtain student loans and tax refunds.

    Renee Delann Clouse, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Clouse to pay $857,618 in restitution and to forfeit to the government $857,618. Clouse was taken into custody at the end of the hearing to immediately begin serving her sentence.

    On April 23, 2024, Clouse pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. Clouse admitted that she harvested the personal information of fellow inmates while she was incarcerated on a state drug conviction, then after being released from prison used that information to fraudulently obtain a total of $338,610 in student loan funds and tax refunds to which she was not entitled.

    Clouse fraudulently obtained federal education loans of 18 other individuals totaling $285,435, in addition to more than $500,000 that was sent to the educational institutions, for a fraud scheme that totaled $804,434. Clouse also fraudulently obtained IRS refunds of 10 other individuals totaling $53,174.

    According to court documents, Clouse continued her fraud scheme even after she knew she was being investigated by federal agents, and after agreeing to plead guilty.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, Kansas City, Mo.

    MIL Security OSI –