Category: Transport

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New reforms to support victims of child sexual abuse
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Victims of child sexual abuse will be better supported with new reforms that prioritise their rights.
Three-year limit for compensation claims to be axed – enabling victims to come forward when ready

Burden of proof to shift from survivors to defendants – protecting victims from reliving trauma

Measures deliver recommendations of Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

The Government is delivering on recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) to make it easier for victims to gain an apology and to pursue claims in the civil court.

The three-year time limit for victims to bring personal injury claims will be removed. So will the burden of proof that currently rests on victims’ shoulders, who must prove it is possible to hold a fair trial for one to go ahead. Now, that burden is lifted off victims and placed on defendants, who must show a fair trial cannot proceed if they intend to block one. This will enable cases to be heard more easily, and protect victims from reliving their trauma.

The Law of the Apologies will also be amended to encourage employers to apologise to people wronged by their employees, where currently they fear doing so because of institutional liability, meaning that victims are likelier to receive apologies from schools, care facilities or hospitals for abuse carried out by an individual at these institutions.

The Government has listened to victims, survivors and experts through two consultations – and they have said they want action.

Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood said:

Child sexual abuse causes lifelong trauma and these important changes, recommended by Professor Jay, are long overdue.

These measures help survivors pursue their path to justice. They build on the Government’s mission of halving violence against women and girls and support our Plan for Change.

Currently civil child sexual abuse claims must be brought within three years of turning 18, unless the victim can prove a fair trial can proceed despite the time lapse. But as the IICSA heard, a “significant number” of claims are being rejected because it can take “decades for survivors to feel able to discuss their sexual abuse”.

As a direct result of today’s reforms, all cases brought will proceed unless the defendant proves that a fair hearing cannot take place, for example due to lack of evidence.

IICSA also heard that in many child sexual abuse cases, an apology by an institution was desired but never delivered, blocking victims’ path to closure.

Often organisations are reluctant to apologise because of concerns it may be interpreted by individuals such as insurers, as an admission of fault. The Government will clarify, as per the IICSA recommendation, that apologies could and should be offered by employers for the actions of current or former employees.

Justice Minister Sarah Sackman KC said:

The courts must work for the public they serve – and we recognise that victims and survivors need time to process their trauma.

By changing the law, it will now be possible for victims to come forward, and seek justice, when they feel ready to do so.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse heard the powerful testimonies of more than 7,000 victims and made 20 final recommendations.

The measures announced today build on action already taken across government to respond to horrific child sexual abuse crimes, including providing £10 million to drive change at a local level to protect children across the country from grooming gangs, and a suite of legislative measures to tackle online child sexual abuse, including two world leading measures on AI-generated child sexual abuse material. These measures form part of our commitment – underscored by our Plan for Change – to halve violence against women and girls this decade.

Legislation will also be brought forward to make grooming an aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offences, and introduce a new Mandatory Reporting duty, in the Crime and Policing Bill to be put before Parliament this Spring. A new offence will also be created so anyone covering up child sexual abuse will face criminal sanctions.

Changes to the Law of Apologies and Limitation Law, follow two Government consultations in 2024.

Gabrielle Shaw, Chief Executive of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), said:

This is a watershed moment for survivors of child sexual abuse. These reforms recognise the long-term impact of trauma and ensure survivors are not excluded from seeking redress simply because of the time taken to come forward.

NAPAC also welcomes greater clarity on apologies. A sincere apology, when freely given and supported by meaningful action, is invaluable – especially as part of wider efforts to ensure accountability and prevent future harm.

These important changes reflect the growing understanding of what survivors need to access justice and healing, and we welcome the government’s commitment to making them a reality.

Civil claims are made where someone feels that they have suffered a harm or a wrong which another person or organisation is accountable for. It is made by issuing a claim form at the relevant court (such as the County Court), and serving it on the defendant.

Further information:

The apologies legislation would not apply to all types of civil litigation or regulatory disputes, including public inquiries or defamation cases.

The apologies legislation will not be retrospective. The changes for both reforms require primary legislation and will be implemented in due course.

To read the full apologies consultation response visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforming-the-law-of-apologies-in-civil-proceedings

As recommended by the IICSA, removal of the three-year limitation period will apply to all civil child sexual abuse claims brought by victims and survivors (though not to claims brought on behalf of victims and survivors` estates) except where claims have been dismissed by a court or settled by agreement.

To read the full limitation consultation response visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/limitation-law-in-child-sexual-abuse-cases

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Published 5 February 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Wisconsin Man Indicted for Selling and Smuggling Firearms to Buyers in Saudi Arabia

Source: US State Government of Utah

A six-count indictment was unsealed today charging Mark John Buschman, 60, of Viroqua, Wisconsin, for allegedly selling firearms and related parts without a license to buyers in Saudi Arabia, shipping the prohibited items, and then lying to federal inspectors about it.

According to the indictment, Buschman allegedly conducted an illegal export conspiracy for more than five years, lasting from about February 2019 to about December 2024. Buschman obtained firearms and firearms parts in the U.S. and advertised the items for sale on eBay and other online marketplace-style websites. When buyers in Saudi Arabia expressed interest in the items for sale, he agreed to sell and ship the items out of the country to them. Throughout the course of the conspiracy, Saudi Arabian-based buyers paid the defendant approximately $398,000.

Court documents indicate that serial numbers from some of the firearms and firearms parts were removed before he shipped the items. The defendant then prepared the items further before shipping them by concealing the firearms and firearm parts inside of common household appliances and tools such as toasters, coffee makers, space heaters, fans, and landscaping edge trimmers. For example, the defendant concealed rifle barrels in items such as car axles, and smaller pistols inside of toasters. Using a fake return address, the defendant shipped the items through the U.S. Postal Service to freight forwarders, which are companies that specialize in the logistics of shipping items from one country to another. The defendant allegedly shipped the items to freight forwarding companies that operated out of Ohio, New Jersey, Oregon, and elsewhere without declaring that the shipments contained firearms and firearms parts.

Buschman is charged by indictment with conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States; attempted smuggling of goods from the United States; transporting and shipping firearms with removed, obliterated, or altered serial numbers; mailing firearms as nonmailable prohibited items; unlawful dealing in firearms without a license; and making false statements to law enforcement. If convicted on all counts, Buschman faces a maximum penalty of 42 years in prison and fines of up to $1.5 million. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Homeland Security Investigations Cleveland Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Cleveland Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives are investigating the case with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Shepherd and Jerome J. Teresinski for the Northern District of Ohio, Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan for the Western District of Wisconsin prosecuted the case.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Owner of District Real Estate Company Sentenced for Defrauding Paycheck Protection Program

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

WASHINGTON – Patrick Strauss, 54, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 48 months of probation – including six months of home confinement to be followed by a period of intermittent incarceration, that is, 26 weekends in jail – and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $304,900 and fined $8,784, all for participating in a conspiracy that fraudulently obtained more than $304,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans.

           The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, D.C. Inspector General Daniel Lucas, and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C., Field Office.

           Strauss pleaded guilty on September 12, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. According to court documents, Strauss was owner of Powergrid Real Estate LLC. In 2020, he was approached by someone who asked him if he wanted to file an application for a PPP loan. Strauss was aware that Powergrid did not qualify for a PPP loan because it had no employees and no payroll.

           A co-conspirator prepared the PPP loan application for Powergrid, that falsely claimed that the company had 16 employees and an average monthly payroll of $132,547.17. The co-conspirator also prepared phony federal tax forms and payroll records to support the fraudulent PPP loan applications.

          In July 2020, Strauss submitted the PPP loan application to Capital Bank. On July 29, 2020, Capital Bank wired $304,900 into Powergrid’s bank account. In July 2021, a co-conspirator prepared false and fraudulent federal tax returns. Strauss submitted the faked papers to Capital Bank in support of loan forgiveness for Powergrid.

The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.

The PPP allowed qualifying small-businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1 percent. PPP loan proceeds were required be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allowed the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spent the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated time after receiving the proceeds and used at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.

The case was investigated jointly by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C., Field Office. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin commended the work of those who investigated the case.

This matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Crabb, Jr.

           Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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MIL Security OSI –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Oglala Man Found Guilty in Federal Trial of Involuntary Manslaughter

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Clayton Fire Thunder, age 40, of Oglala, South Dakota, of Involuntary Manslaughter and two counts of False Statement following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on January 30, 2025.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of eight years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Fire Thunder was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024.

The conviction relates to the following facts presented at trial. At approximately 4:00 A.M. on September 15, 2022, Fire Thunder caught a ride to a man’s residence just a few miles east of Pine Ridge, South Dakota. Fire Thunder was intoxicated. The individual Fire Thunder was seeking to contact was a methamphetamine dealer. Fire Thunder had acquired a firearm and intended to exchange the firearm with the methamphetamine dealer. As Fire Thunder approached the front door of the residence, he heard noises coming from inside the residence. At some point while on the exterior of the residence, Fire Thunder mishandled the firearm, causing a bullet to discharge into the house. Fire Thunder heard a female screaming, and he left the residence. A later investigation revealed that the bullet had traveled through the siding of the residence and into the adjacent bedroom where the methamphetamine dealer and a female were present. The female was struck by the bullet on her left side slightly below her arm. She later succumbed to her injuries. During two separate interviews with FBI agents in October 2023 and May 2024, Fire Thunder made false statements about the firearm and his involvement in the killing.

This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.

A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has been set for April 25, 2025. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

MIL Security OSI –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Sisseton Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Abuse

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Sisseton, South Dakota, man convicted of Child Abuse. The sentencing took place on January 27, 2025.

Nathaniel Yazzie, 24, was sentenced to one year and seven months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Yazzie was indicted for Child Abuse by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on October 31, 2024.

On July 29, 2024, Yazzie struck a three-year-old child multiple times in the face and head while the child was in his care. A concerned party heard the child being abused in Yazzie’s room and called law enforcement. Upon arrival at Yazzie’s residence, law enforcement found the child with a bloody lip and bruising on his face, including linear bruises consistent with being slapped. Yazzie was arrested on tribal charges, and the child was transported to the hospital for medical care.

This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.

Yazzie was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

MIL Security OSI –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Marty Man Convicted at a Federal Jury Trial of Kidnapping and Assault Charges

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Ellery Zephier, Sr., age 39, of Marty, South Dakota, of Kidnapping and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The jury acquitted Zephier on two counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The verdict was returned on January 23, 2025.

The assault charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

The kidnapping charge carries a maximum penalty of any term of years, up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Zephier was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2024.

Between July 20-25, 2024, Zephier kidnapped and held a woman against her will in his home in Marty. During that same time frame, Zephier assaulted the woman resulting in her sustaining serious bodily injury.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Yankton Sioux Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige Petersen and Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.

A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for April 28, 2025. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

MIL Security OSI –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Oregon Check Casher Sentenced to Federal Prison for Payroll Tax Scheme Involving $177 Million

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

PORTLAND, Ore.–A Tualatin, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for conspiring to defraud the United States and filing false currency transaction reports.

David Katz, 48, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $44,877,254 in restitution to the IRS.

According to court documents and trial testimony, from January 2014 through December 2017, Katz, as president of Check Cash Pacific, Inc., conspired with others in the construction industry to defraud the United States by facilitating under-the-table payments to construction workers. To carry out the scheme, sham construction companies were created and used to cash more than $177 million in payroll checks at different Check Cash Pacific locations. The cash was used to pay construction workers under-the-table, with no taxes being withheld or reported to the IRS.

Construction companies would notify Katz when they planned to bring checks into one of his check cashing locations so that Katz could ensure he had enough cash on hand to complete the transaction. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of payroll checks were cashed daily and Katz was aware that at least one of his co-conspirators used a false name and social security number. Acting as compliance officer, Katz allowed hundreds of false regulatory reports to be filed knowing they contained the fake identity.

For his role in the scheme, Katz received a 2% commission on each transaction which, in total, amounted to more than $4 million. Over the course of their conspiracy, Katz and his co-conspirators prevented the IRS from collecting more than $44 million in payroll and income taxes due on the cash wages.

On December 2, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a five-count indictment charging Katz with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and four counts of filing false currency transaction reports with FinCEN. On June 12, 2024, a federal jury in Portland found Katz guilty of all charges.

This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Robert S. Trisotto and Andrew T. Ho, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

MIL Security OSI –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI: Veea Issues Letter to Shareholders

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Veea Inc. (NASDAQ: VEEA), a pioneer in edge computing and AI-driven solutions, today issued a Letter to Shareholders from Founder and Chief Executive Officer Allen Salmasi.

Dear Fellow Shareholders,

On the occasion of Veea ringing the Nasdaq Opening Bell on February 5, I want to welcome our shareholders and share our insights with respect to our vision, strategy, and the opportunities that lie ahead.

Connecting the World at the Edge
I am thrilled to share with you that a monumental shift in technology has occurred, one that now directly aligns with our vision of the future dating back to the founding of the company ten years ago. This transformation is the convergence of Edge Computing, Hyperconverged Networks, and the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the very edge that all things connect to the network, commonly referred to as Edge AI.

We have developed a portfolio of fully integrated, scalable, and turnkey wireless and wired communications and computing devices and services – VeeaHub products, VeeaWare, and VeeaCloud – that deliver cloud-to-edge solutions and allow businesses to manage high volumes of data to enable real-time applications and maintain system reliability. Our solutions have been iterated over the last several years to minimize production costs, reduce installation expenses, and deliver scalability with easy integration to third party solutions, resulting in a lower total cost of ownership compared to typical edge computing solutions.

We possess more than 100 exclusively-owned patents covering 26 patent families, and a significant partner ecosystem. Our products have been deployed to enterprises and SMB/SMEs across several countries, providing real-world solutions across various end markets. We are transforming lives from remote villages in Indonesia, where Veea’s mesh network is empowering internet connectivity in health, education, and agriculture, to retailers in Mexico, farms in North America, a campus in Hong Kong, and a 21-acre commercial building complex in Orlando, Florida where our Veea Edge Platform is enabling common indoor and outdoor common area Wi-Fi.

Well Positioned to Support the 5^thIndustrial Revolution
Significant advances in AI technologies are now driving the 5th Industrial Revolution, fundamentally reshaping how we live, work, and interact. Unlike previous industrial revolutions driven by mechanization, electricity, computing, and automation, the 5th Industrial Revolution is characterized by the seamless integration of AI and human intelligence to enhance decision-making, improve productivity, and drive innovation across every sector. This is not just a technological trend; it is a pivotal force shaping the future of industries, economies, and our organization.

AI inferencing is at the heart of this revolution, driving a new business paradigm that demands a fresh approach to technology infrastructure and service delivery. AI inferencing refers to the process where a trained AI model applies its learned knowledge to analyze new, unseen data and generate predictions or decisions based on the patterns it has identified during training; essentially, it’s the “action” of using an AI model to make sense of “new information” and draw conclusions from it. For many enterprise and consumer use cases massive amounts of data must be collected and processed at the edge. Among many of its utilities, this is what Veea Edge Platform does most efficiently.

Veea’s unique implementation of Edge AI brings the power of AI closer to where data is generated—at the “edge” of networks. This means faster decision-making, reduced latency, enhanced security, increased reliability, data privacy and sovereignty, and real-time insights without the dependency on centralized cloud infrastructure. Edge Computing complements this by processing data locally, significantly improving efficiency and reducing bandwidth costs.

Edge Computing is not just a supporting technology—it is the core capability that enables AI inferencing to deliver real-time, context-aware insights to both enterprises and consumers alike. By processing data closer to the source, Edge Computing ensures that AI applications are responsive, resilient, and efficient. This shift requires businesses to adopt new operational models, emphasizing agility, scalability, and decentralized intelligence.

AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS)
At Veea, we are at the forefront of this transformation, leveraging Edge Computing to power our AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) offerings. Traditional business models are no longer sufficient to support the speed, scale, and complexity required by broadly adopted AI-driven applications. Some believe that AI Agents will eventually replace SaaS solutions.

Hyperconverged Networking (HCN) is the backbone that supports this rapid data processing and AI-driven environment. By integrating computing, storage, and networking into a unified system, HCN enhances scalability, simplifies IT infrastructure, and ensures robust data flow between edge devices and core systems. Veea’s virtualized software environment, supporting cloud-native applications, together with one of the most advanced HCN implementations, positions us very well to lead in the delivery of highly optimized solutions in this new era, creating unparalleled value for our customers and sustainable growth for our shareholders.

Through the seamless integration of Edge AI, Edge Computing, and Hyperconverged Networking, all supported by Veea’s cloud-managed products, we are driving:

– Innovation: Delivering cutting-edge products and services that meet the demands of the widest range of the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

– Operational Efficiency: Reducing costs and improving performance for many industries.

– Growth Opportunities: Expanding into new markets and sectors that are rapidly adopting AI inferencing and edge technologies.

– Shareholder Value: Enhancing our competitive advantage, creating revenue streams, and supporting long-term financial performance.

A Unique Business Model Supported by Technology that Delivers Solutions to Real World Problems
What sets Veea apart in this transformative era is our unique business model as a Managed Service Provider (MSP) that is delivering solutions such i) as 5G fixed wireless access through our VeeaHub edge computing products with AI-driven cybersecurity, and a range of value-added services currently being rolled-out by network operators to SMBs and SME, as one of its highly scalable use cases, and ii) Edge AI inferencing through our innovative AIaaS offering with complete turnkey hardware and software solutions (i.e., full stack). This model allows us to deliver AI-powered applications and insights at scale without requiring the end-users to invest heavily in infrastructure or specialized talent.

Through our AIaaS platform, we provide end-to-end management of AI workloads, from deployment and optimization to continuous monitoring and maintenance. This approach offers several key differentiators:

– Scalability: Clients can easily scale their AI capabilities as their business grows, without the complexities of managing hardware and software.

– Cost Efficiency: By offering AI on a subscription basis, we lower the barriers to entry, making advanced AI accessible to organizations of all sizes.

– Agility: Our managed services enable rapid deployment and iteration, allowing businesses to adapt quickly to changing market demands.

– Expertise: Clients benefit from our deep expertise in AI, edge computing, and hyperconverged networking, ensuring optimal performance and reliability.

AI inferencing supported by Edge AI represents a compelling business model and a significant growth opportunity for several reasons:

– Explosive Market Demand: The global demand for real-time, data-driven decision-making is rising across industries including retail, healthcare, manufacturing, smart buildings, smart cities, and smart farming. Organizations need solutions that process data instantly, making Edge AI inferencing critical.

– Recurring Revenue Streams: The MSP and AIaaS business models enable predictable, recurring revenue through subscription-based offerings. This stabilizes our financial outlook and supports sustainable growth.

– Competitive Advantage: Edge AI allows businesses to differentiate themselves through faster, smarter, and more secure operations. By providing managed AI inferencing services, we help our clients maintain a competitive edge, which in turn strengthens our market position.

– Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): Our managed services reduce the cost and complexity for customers, making it more attractive for businesses to adopt advanced AI without large upfront investments.

– Global Scalability: The decentralized nature of Edge AI allows us to serve clients worldwide, expanding our reach and unlocking new markets without the limitations of traditional centralized data processing.

– Rapid Innovation Cycle: Continuous improvements in AI algorithms, edge devices, and networking technologies create opportunities for us to innovate and offer enhanced services regularly, driving both customer retention and new customer acquisition.

– Portable Software Stack: Our full stack software can run on third-party hardware (i.e., CPU-based or GPU-based servers, Access Points (APs), routers, etc.) with a Linux host that meet our minimum requirements, making our cloud-managed platform hardware agnostic.

In Closing
Our commitment to innovation and excellence, combined with a differentiated business model, not only strengthens our value proposition to customers but also positions us to develop a robust, recurring revenue stream that drives sustainable growth and profitability.

We are committed to investing in these transformative technologies, fostering strategic partnerships, and continuing to lead in innovation. Our goal is to ensure that Veea remains at the forefront of this technological revolution, delivering growth and value to our shareholders.

Thank you for your continued support and trust in our vision. Together, we are shaping the future.

Warm regards,

Allen Salmasi
Founder & Chief Executive Officer

About Veea
Veea Inc. (NASDAQ: VEEA) was formed in 2014 and is headquartered in New York City with a rich history of major innovations in the development of advanced networking, wireless and computing technologies. Veea makes living and working at the edge simpler and more secure. Veea has unified multi-tenant computing, multiaccess multiprotocol communications, edge storage and cybersecurity solutions through fully integrated cloud- and edge-managed products. Veea’s fully integrated turnkey solution offers end-to-end cloud management of devices, applications and services with Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), optionally with a highly simplified plug and play 5G-based Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) offering. Veea Edge Platform™ enables direct connections from the wide area optical fiber, cellular and satellite networks to devices on the local area networks created by a VeeaHub® mesh cluster over network-managed Wi-Fi and IoT devices – a unique patented capability called Multiprotocol Private Network Slicing (MPNS) for ISPs to offer subscription-based services for one or a group of endpoints. Veea Developer Portal and development tools provide for rapid development of edge applications including federated learning with pre-trained models for inferencing to cost-effectively enable Edge AI for most enterprise use cases.

Veea was recognized in 2023 by Gartner as a Leading Smart Edge Platform for the innovativeness and capabilities of our Veea Edge Platform™ and a Cool Vendor in Edge Computing in 2021. Veea was named in Market Reports World’s in its research report published in October 2023 as one of the top 10 Edge AI solution providers alongside IBM, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services among others. For more information about Veea and its product offerings, visit veea.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”) as well as Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe the Company’s future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “seek,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “project,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely” or other comparable terms, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release regarding the Company’s strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause the Company’s actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties including those regarding: the Company’s business strategies, and the risk and uncertainties described in “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements” and the additional risk described in Veea’s Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2024 and any subsequent filings which Veea makes with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The forward-looking statements made in the press release relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in the press release. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events except as required by law. You should read this press release with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect.

The Equity Group

Devin Sullivan
Managing Director
dsullivan@equityny.com

Conor Rodriguez
Analyst
crodriguez@equityny.com

The MIL Network –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Mast Exposes Outrageous USAID and State Department Grants

Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

Media Contact 202-321-9747

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast released the following video exposing radical, far-left grants issued by the State Department and United States Agency for International Development under the Biden administration.

WATCH HERE

Democrats and unaccountable bureaucrats don’t want Americans to know how their hard-earned tax dollars are being wasted abroad. Chairman Mast is here to set the record straight.

Several egregious examples include:

$15 million for condoms to the Taliban through USAID.

$446,700 to promote the expansion of atheism in Nepal through the State Department.

$1 million to boost French-speaking LGBTQ groups in West and Central Africa through the State Department.

$14 million in cash vouchers for migrants at the southern border through the State Department.

$20,600 for a drag show in Ecuador through the State Department.

$47,020 for a transgender opera in Colombia through the State Department.

$32,000 for an LGBTQ-centered comic book in Peru through the State Department.

$55,750 for a climate change presentation warning about the impact of climate change in Argentina to be led by female and LGBT journalists through the StateDepartment.

$3,315,446 for “being LGBTQ in the Caribbean” through USAID.

$7,071.58 for a BIPOC speaker series in Canada through the State Department.

$80,000 for an LGBTQ community center in Bratislava, Slovakia through the State Department.

$3.2 million to help Tunisian migrants readjust to life in Tunisia after deportation through the State Department.

$16,500 to foster a “united and equal queer-feminist discourse in Albanian society” through the State Department.

$10,000 to pressure Lithuanian corporations to promote “DEI values” through the State Department.

$8,000 to promote DEI among LGBTQ groups in Cyprus through the State Department.

$1.5 million to promote job opportunities for LGBTQ individuals in Serbia through USAID.

$70,884 to create a U.S.-Irish musical to promote DEI in Ireland through the State Department.

$39,652 to host seminars at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on gender identity and racial equality through the State Department.

$2.5 million to build electric vehicle charging stations in Vietnam’s largest cities through USAID.

$425,622 to help Indonesian coffee companies become more climate and gender friendly through USAID.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Superseding Indictment Charges Chinese National in Relation to Alleged Plan to Steal Proprietary AI Technology

Source: US State of California

Note: View the superseding indictment here.

A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today charging Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, 38, with seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets in connection with an alleged plan to steal from Google LLC (Google) proprietary information related to AI technology.

Ding was initially indicted in March 2024 on four counts of theft of trade secrets. The superseding indictment returned today describes seven categories of trade secrets stolen by Ding and charges Ding with seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets.

According to the superseding indictment, Google hired Ding as a software engineer in 2019. Between approximately May 2022 and May 2023, Ding uploaded more than 1,000 unique files containing Google confidential information from Google’s network to his personal Google Cloud account, including the trade secrets alleged in the superseding indictment.

While Ding was employed by Google, he secretly affiliated himself with two People’s Republic of China (PRC)-based technology companies. Around June 2022, Ding was in discussions to be the Chief Technology Officer for an early-stage technology company based in the PRC. By May 2023, Ding had founded his own technology company focused on AI and machine learning in the PRC and was acting as the company’s CEO.

The superseding indictment alleges that Ding intended to benefit the PRC government by stealing trade secrets from Google. Ding allegedly stole technology relating to the hardware infrastructure and software platform that allows Google’s supercomputing data center to train and serve large AI models. The trade secrets contain detailed information about the architecture and functionality of Google’s Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) chips and systems and Google’s Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) systems, the software that allows the chips to communicate and execute tasks, and the software that orchestrates thousands of chips into a supercomputer capable of training and executing cutting-edge AI workloads. The trade secrets also pertain to Google’s custom-designed SmartNIC, a type of network interface card used to enhance Google’s GPU, high performance, and cloud networking products.

As alleged, Ding circulated a PowerPoint presentation to employees of his technology company citing PRC national policies encouraging the development of the domestic AI industry. He also created a PowerPoint presentation containing an application to a PRC talent program based in Shanghai. The superseding indictment describes how PRC-sponsored talent programs incentivize individuals engaged in research and development outside the PRC to transmit that knowledge and research to the PRC in exchange for salaries, research funds, lab space, or other incentives. Ding’s application for the talent program stated that his company’s product “will help China to have computing power infrastructure capabilities that are on par with the international level.”

If convicted, Ding faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for each trade-secret count and 15 years in prison and $5,000,000 fine for each economic-espionage count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Boome and Molly K. Priedeman for the Northern District of California and Trial Attorneys Stephen Marzen and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

Today’s action was coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states.

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

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Three Mexican Nationals arrested with 14 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Seattle – Three citizens of Mexico were arrested late last week in Bellevue, Washington in connection with a drug deal involving more than 25 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. All three men are being held at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac, Washington, on a criminal complaint.

According to records filed in the case, on January 29, 2025, an undercover agent with Homeland Security Investigations began communicating with a transnational drug organization about purchasing crystal methamphetamine. The deal was set for the next day: 30 pounds of crystal methamphetamine for $62,000 to be exchanged at a restaurant parking lot in Bellevue.

After the undercover agents were shown the drugs, they walked the defendants back towards a vehicle where they claimed the money was waiting. As law enforcement swooped in to arrest the drug traffickers, they attempted to flee but were taken into custody. The men are charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of controlled substances with attempt to distribute.

The three men are identified as:

Eber Omar Barrones-Madrid, age 24

Juan Jose Prado-Estrada, age 25

Jose Manuel Ochoa-Sanchez, age 27

The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vince Lombardi.

MIL Security OSI –

February 5, 2025

MIL-OSI: Bitdeer Announces Strategic Acquisition of 101 MW Site and Gas-fired Power Project in Alberta to Deliver the Industry’s First Fully-Vertically Integrated Bitcoin Mining Site

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SINGAPORE, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitdeer Technologies Group (NASDAQ: BTDR) (“Bitdeer” or the “Company”), a world-leading technology company for blockchain and high-performance computing, today announced the successful close of the acquisition of a fully licensed and permitted 101 MW site and gas-fired power project situated on 19 acres of land near Fox Creek, Alberta in an all-cash transaction for $21.7 million. The site has potential to scale to 1 GW of power, reflecting Alberta’s abundant energy resources, supportive regulatory posture and pro-business environment.

The 101 MW gas-fired power project includes all permits and licenses required to construct an on-site natural gas power plant, as well as approval for a 99 MW grid interconnection with Alberta Electric System Operator (“AESO”). Bitdeer will develop and construct the power plant in partnership with a leading Engineering, Procurement and Construction (“EPC”) company and is expected to be energized by Q4 2026.

Concurrently, the Company plans to build 99 MW of datacenter capacity for Bitcoin mining. This newly acquired site and power generation project provides the Company a unique opportunity to become the world’s first fully-vertically integrated Bitcoin miner at scale and potentially achieve some of the lowest Bitcoin mining production costs in the industry.

Strategic Benefits

Full vertical integration: The Company will have control of the land, power generation, electrical and datacenter infrastructure as well as using its own internally developed and manufactured Bitcoin mining machines. The Company can deploy approximately [9] EH/s of its SEALMINER A3 mining machines upon completion, which are anticipated to have industry leading machine-level efficiency of 11-12 J/TH.
Low Power Costs: Projected energy production costs of approximately $20 to $25 per MWh¹, based on current gas prices.
Sustainability & Potential Carbon Credit Upside: As part of the project acquisition, Bitdeer will deploy a carbon utilization system that captures CO2 making the project a net zero carbon producer. This initiative aims to offset Canada’s carbon tax obligations and may generate future revenue through carbon credits.
Energy Cost Optimization & Revenue Flexibility: The Company expects to curtail and sell power back to the Alberta grid to stabilize prices during periods of high demand. The Company estimates this could potentially optimize costs even further.

“We are really excited about planting roots in Alberta, our first site in Canada. This acquisition is the culmination of extensive collaboration with multiple government agencies and the Canadian Blockchain Consortium. It marks a significant step in our strategy to become the first fully-vertically integrated Bitcoin miner, giving us unmatched control over costs, energy efficiency, and scalability,” said Haris Basit, Chief Strategy Officer at Bitdeer. “By combining our own power generation, SEALMINER mining machines and opportunistic grid participation, we believe this site will set a new benchmark for industry unit economics.”

Regarding the project, Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta said, “We are so pleased to welcome the world’s first net-zero, fully integrated off-grid Bitcoin mining facility — right here in Alberta. Today’s investment is another sign that Alberta continues to be a leader in technology and innovation not only across the country, but across the world. If you want to do business and have a plan to bring your own power, then Alberta is the place for you.”

Estimated Costs and Development Timeline
The Company plans to commence site preparation and initial infrastructure development in Q2 2025 and energization in Q4 2026.

Asset	Actual and Estimated Costs
101 MW Fox Creek Site and 19-acre land near Fox Creek, Alberta	$21.7 million cash
Gas-fired power plant	~$90 million
Electrical & datacenter infrastructure	$300K per MW or ~$30 million

About Bitdeer Technologies Group
Bitdeer is a world-leading technology company for blockchain and high-performance computing industry. Bitdeer is committed to providing comprehensive computing solutions for its customers. The Company handles complex processes involved in computing such as equipment procurement, transport logistics, datacenter design and construction, equipment management, and daily operations. The Company also offers advanced cloud capabilities to customers with high demand for artificial intelligence. Headquartered in Singapore, Bitdeer has deployed datacenters in the United States, Norway, and Bhutan. To learn more, visit https://ir.bitdeer.com/ or follow Bitdeer on X @ BitdeerOfficial and LinkedIn @ Bitdeer Group.

Investors and others should note that Bitdeer may announce material information using its website and/or on its accounts on social media platforms, including X, formerly known as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Therefore, Bitdeer encourages investors and others to review the information it posts on the social media and other communication channels listed on its website.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans, and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “anticipate,” “look forward to,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including factors discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Bitdeer’s annual report on Form 20-F, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in Bitdeer’s subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof. Bitdeer specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether due to new information, future events, or otherwise. Readers should not rely upon the information on this page as current or accurate after its publication date.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Investor Relations
Orange Group
Yujia Zhai
bitdeerIR@orangegroupadvisors.com

Public Relations
BlocksBridge Consulting
Nishant Sharma
bitdeer@blocksbridge.com

¹ Assumes natural gas costs of ~$2.06 / GJ, plus regular maintenance and O&M

The MIL Network –

February 5, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Votes NO On Advancing RFK Jr.’s Nomination for HHS Secretary

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

02.04.25

Cantwell Votes NO On Advancing RFK Jr.’s Nomination for HHS Secretary

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, at a meeting of the Senate Committee on Finance, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) voted no on advancing the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

“I wanted to vote for Mr. Kennedy in the context of my family’s history. My dad stood behind his father the night his father gave the famous speech. I told him in my office, in my family, the Kennedy’s stood up. But when he answered Senator Cassidy’s question, and he couldn’t even give him the answer — that yes, the data is there to support vaccines today — I don’t need any more data, all of a sudden.”

Sen. Cantwell continued: “I need someone at HHS who is going to say, we are going to be a leader in medical technology, science, vaccines, we are going to fight foreign powers, we are going to be there to provide global health. And I don’t want a recalcitrant. I need a leader. And that is why I’m voting no,” said Sen. Cantwell.

The speech Sen. Cantwell referenced was on the night of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination on April 4, 1968, when Sen. Robert F. Kennedy Sr. spoke in Indianapolis and delivered the tragic news to attendees. Her father, Paul Cantwell, was standing just behind the late Senator during that speech. Today, the Kennedy-King National Commemorative Site near the site of the speech honors both Dr. King and Sen. Kennedy.

Last week, Sen. Cantwell grilled Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his nomination hearing before the Senate Finance Committee on his anti-science and anti-vaccine views, and his promise to cut 600 employees from the National Institutes of Health:

“I represent a very big innovation state – innovation in health care, specifically. Innovation like NIH funding to the Fred Hutch Cancer Center that helped develop the HPV vaccine, which has the potential to eliminate over 95% of cervical cancer. NIH also funds a lot of jobs and grants – nearly 11,000 people in the State of Washington and over $1.2 billion worth grants,” Sen. Cantwell said last week during the nomination hearing. “I definitely am troubled by the medical research side of innovation, and some of the things that you have said. In fact, this issue about laying off 600 employees at NIH.”

Video of Sen. Cantwell’s Q&A with RFK Jr. during last week’s nomination hearing is available HERE; audio is HERE; and a transcript of Sen. Cantwell’s questioning is available HERE. Our full press release on the nomination hearing is available HERE.

For decades, Sen. Cantwell has remained a staunch supporter of medical innovation and evidence-based science, including treatments for fentanyl addiction, abortion, vaccinations, stem cell research, and more.

Video of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks during today’s Finance Committee markup is available HERE, audio HERE, and transcript HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Barrasso: Pam Bondi Will Usher in a New Era of Safety, Sanity, and Justice

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, spoke on the Senate Floor as the Senate prepares to vote on the confirmation of Pam Bondi, President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for Attorney General.

Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks.

Sen. Barrasso’s remarks as prepared:

“The Justice Department needs a leader who has the qualifications, the experience, the determination, and the moral clarity to keep America safe.

“Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is that leader. She has my vote and my vocal support.

“The Attorney General is America’s top prosecutor. The role should be filled by an experienced prosecutor.

“Attorney General Bondi has prosecution experience. A lot of it.

“She spent almost 30 years as a criminal prosecutor and then as a state attorney general. She has more trial experience than any modern U.S. Attorney General.

“Attorney General Bondi is the most experienced career criminal prosecutor ever to be America’s chief law enforcement officer. She is ready to lead on Day One.

“In Florida, Attorney General Bondi prosecuted a range of violent crimes. She locked up the worst of the worst. Her signature achievements were in fighting illegal drugs and human trafficking.

“When she became Florida Attorney General in 2011, the state was overrun with pill mills and opioid overdoses.

“Pam Bondi shut down the pill mills. She locked up the drug dealers. She pushed for stronger laws to stop the spread of synthetic opioids.

“Under her leadership, Florida led the fight against this deadly epidemic.

“Attorney General Bondi also protected victims of human trafficking in Florida. She pledged to make combatting human trafficking a top priority at the Department of Justice.

“Pam Bondi is a fierce advocate for safety. She is also a skilled leader.

“The Department of Justice is a huge agency. It controls 40 separate organizations. It employs more than 115,000 people. It oversees all 94 U.S. Attorneys across the country.

“Leading the DOJ is an enormous undertaking. Pam Bondi is up to the challenge.

“The Florida Attorney General’s office is one of the largest in the country.

“It handles a broad scope of civil and criminal investigations, just like the Department of Justice. She led that office effectively and efficiently.

“Attorney General Bondi has received overwhelming support from across the country.

“More than 100 former senior DOJ officials wrote a letter to the Judiciary Committee in support of Pam Bondi. Here is what they said about Bondi’s track record: It shows ‘the no-nonsense, law-and-order, pro-law enforcement approach she will bring to the Department of Justice.’

“The Fraternal Order of Police also urged the Senate to confirm Pam Bondi. This is an organization of more than 377,000 members of law enforcement.

“Attorney General Bondi has also earned the support of Second Amendment advocates.

“United States Attorney General Pam Bondi will stand in stark contrast to the prior administration’s Justice Department.

“The previous administration gave us two tiers of justice.

“It labeled parents as ‘domestic terrorists.’ It brought charges against pro-life protestors, then threw them in prison. It worked with left-wing judges and prosecutors to try to throw President Trump in jail.

“This doesn’t begin to get into the Russiagate Hoax or covering up for Hunter Biden. In both cases, you saw rogue federal agents try to subvert the democratic process.

“At her hearing before the Judiciary Committee, Attorney General Bondi promised a different path.

“Instead of playing politics, Pam Bondi pledged to enforce the law fairly,
fully, and faithfully.

“As she said in her opening statement, she will return the DOJ to its ‘core mission of keeping Americans safe and vigorously enforcing the law.’

“Her commitment to the Constitution, public safety, and equal justice under the law is exactly what America needs.

“The partisan, politicized, and polarizing prosecutions are over. Pam Bondi will usher in a new era of safety, sanity, and justice. Pam Bondi has my vote to be United States Attorney General.

“The Senate should confirm her without delay.”

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI: Avoiding Burnout in Legal Practice: How Practice AI Lightens the Load for Attorneys
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Burnout has become a significant challenge in the legal industry, particularly for personal injury attorneys managing demanding caseloads. Practice AI is tackling this issue head-on with its cutting-edge solutions, AI Demands and AI Doc Reader, designed to streamline workflows, reduce repetitive tasks, and help attorneys focus on higher-value legal work.

The Growing Challenge of Burnout in Law

The legal profession is known for its high-stress levels, long hours, and intense pressure to deliver results. Attorneys often find themselves buried in paperwork, from drafting demand letters to reviewing complex legal and medical documents. This burden can lead to fatigue, decreased efficiency, and ultimately burnout.

“With the increasing complexity of legal work, it’s critical to equip attorneys with tools that reduce stress and improve efficiency,” said Hamid Kohan, CEO of Practice AI. “Our goal is to empower lawyers with AI-driven solutions that handle the heavy lifting, allowing them to focus on what they do best: Advocating for their clients.”

How Practice AI Reduces Workload and Enhances Productivity

Practice AI provides two essential tools that transform the way attorneys handle their most time-consuming tasks:
- AI Demands : Automates the drafting of personal injury demand letters, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and customization in a fraction of the time.
- AI Doc Reader : Extracts critical information from legal and medical records, summarizing key details for faster case analysis and decision-making.
The Impact of AI on Legal Workflows

Legal professionals can now generate demand letters in minutes instead of hours, significantly cutting down on administrative work and freeing up time for strategic case management. Document review, which traditionally consumes valuable hours, is streamlined through AI Doc Reader, allowing attorneys to access relevant information quickly and efficiently.

A Smarter Approach to Legal Work

Rather than replacing attorneys, Practice AI ensures that technology enhances their capabilities. “AI should be seen as an assistant, not a replacement,” Kohan emphasized. “By integrating AI, we’re reducing the mental load of repetitive tasks, enabling attorneys to maintain quality work while improving their overall well-being.”

Key Benefits for Attorneys
- Time-Saving Automation: Attorneys can focus on case strategy and client relationships instead of routine paperwork.
- Enhanced Accuracy and Compliance: AI ensures that legal and medical details are correctly incorporated into demand letters and case summaries.
- Reduced Workload, Reduced Burnout: With less administrative burden, attorneys experience lower stress and improved work-life balance.
Experience Demands AI Today

Practice AI invites legal professionals to experience the efficiency and relief our AI solutions bring to daily practice.

How to Get Started
1. Visit the Platform: Head to mylawfirm.ai to sign up—NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED.
2. Create Your Account: Create a user and your organization by following the steps.
3. Access the Trial: Enjoy the benefits of the trial mode by generating your first demand at no extra fees.
4. Subscribe: By adding your credit card, you can subscribe to Demands and generate your demand letters. We offer a transparent pricing structure.
This simple process ensures that attorneys can quickly integrate Demands into their practices.

About Law Practice AI

Practice AI leads the way in developing AI-powered solutions tailored for legal and medical professionals. With products like AI Demands and AI Doc Reader, the company focuses on streamlining workflows, enhancing accuracy, and delivering secure, compliant tools that improve outcomes for professionals and their clients.

For more information about Practice AI’s tools, visit Practice AI or contact us below.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Practice AI
Address: 21731 Ventura Blvd. #175, Woodland Hills, CA 91364
Phone: (424) 476-5858
Email: sales@mylawfirm.ai

Visit us on social media:
Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | X.com

The MIL Network –
February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Risch, Crapo, Daines Lead Bill to Defend Firearm Businesses and the Second Amendment

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

Bill Prohibits Federal Government from Using Taxpayer Dollars to Enter into Contracts with Anti-Second Amendment Corporations?

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) introduced the Firearm Industry Non-Discrimination (FIND) Act to prohibit the federal government from entering into contracts with groups that discriminate unfairly against firearm associations or businesses.

“We cannot allow businesses with anti-Second Amendment policies and rhetoric to benefit from taxpayer-funded government contracts,” said Risch.“The FIND Act ensures the federal government doesn’t line the pockets of businesses working against Idahoans’ right to keep and bear arms.”

“Taxpayer dollars should not support businesses that unfairly target law-abiding citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights. Full stop,” said Crapo.

“Democrats and woke corporations have proven over and over again that they want to carry out an unconstitutional, overreaching gun-grabbing agenda, and under no circumstances should our federal government use taxpayer dollars for these efforts. Doing business with anti-Second Amendment corporations erodes Americans’ trust and infringes on law-abiding citizens’ Constitutional rights. It must stop,” said Daines.

The legislation was cosponsored by Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.).

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Superseding Indictment Charges Chinese National in Relation to Alleged Plan to Steal Proprietary AI Technology

Source: United States Attorneys General 12

Note: View the superseding indictment here.

A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today charging Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, 38, with seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets in connection with an alleged plan to steal from Google LLC (Google) proprietary information related to AI technology.

Ding was initially indicted in March 2024 on four counts of theft of trade secrets. The superseding indictment returned today describes seven categories of trade secrets stolen by Ding and charges Ding with seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets.

According to the superseding indictment, Google hired Ding as a software engineer in 2019. Between approximately May 2022 and May 2023, Ding uploaded more than 1,000 unique files containing Google confidential information from Google’s network to his personal Google Cloud account, including the trade secrets alleged in the superseding indictment.

While Ding was employed by Google, he secretly affiliated himself with two People’s Republic of China (PRC)-based technology companies. Around June 2022, Ding was in discussions to be the Chief Technology Officer for an early-stage technology company based in the PRC. By May 2023, Ding had founded his own technology company focused on AI and machine learning in the PRC and was acting as the company’s CEO.

The superseding indictment alleges that Ding intended to benefit the PRC government by stealing trade secrets from Google. Ding allegedly stole technology relating to the hardware infrastructure and software platform that allows Google’s supercomputing data center to train and serve large AI models. The trade secrets contain detailed information about the architecture and functionality of Google’s Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) chips and systems and Google’s Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) systems, the software that allows the chips to communicate and execute tasks, and the software that orchestrates thousands of chips into a supercomputer capable of training and executing cutting-edge AI workloads. The trade secrets also pertain to Google’s custom-designed SmartNIC, a type of network interface card used to enhance Google’s GPU, high performance, and cloud networking products.

As alleged, Ding circulated a PowerPoint presentation to employees of his technology company citing PRC national policies encouraging the development of the domestic AI industry. He also created a PowerPoint presentation containing an application to a PRC talent program based in Shanghai. The superseding indictment describes how PRC-sponsored talent programs incentivize individuals engaged in research and development outside the PRC to transmit that knowledge and research to the PRC in exchange for salaries, research funds, lab space, or other incentives. Ding’s application for the talent program stated that his company’s product “will help China to have computing power infrastructure capabilities that are on par with the international level.”

If convicted, Ding faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for each trade-secret count and 15 years in prison and $5,000,000 fine for each economic-espionage count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Boome and Molly K. Priedeman for the Northern District of California and Trial Attorneys Stephen Marzen and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

Today’s action was coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states.

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

MIL Security OSI –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Keep AM Radio in New Vehicles

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) to reintroduce the bipartisan AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act. The legislation would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to require automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their new vehicles at no additional charge.

“AM radio is the backbone of our emergency alert system, especially for tens of millions of Americans in rural areas. It’s been a part of our daily commutes and road trips for decades. Iowans rely on AM radio to catch up on local news, weather and commodity and livestock markets, as well as to hear competing viewpoints about the important issues of the day. The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act will protect this critical resource, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation,” Grassley said.

“During weather disasters or power outages, AM radio is consistently the most reliable form of communication and is critical to keep millions of Texans safe. AM radio has long been a haven for people to express differing viewpoints, allowing free speech and our robust democratic process to flourish for decades. I am honored to once again partner with Sen. Markey on this bipartisan legislation on behalf of our constituents who depend on AM radio and public airwaves for access to news, music, talk, and emergency alerts,” Cruz said.

“As we witness more tragic climate change-induced disasters like the wildfires in Los Angeles, broadcast AM radio continues to be a critical tool for communication. AM radio is a lifeline for people across the country for news, sports, and especially emergency information,” Markey said. “Tens of millions of listeners across the country have made clear that they want AM radio to remain in their vehicles. Our AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act heeds their words and ensures that this essential tool doesn’t get lost on the dial.”

Additional cosponsors are Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jim Justice (R-W.V.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), John Barrasso (R-Wy.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), and John Hoeven (R-N.D.).

Read the bill text HERE.

Background:

Grassley and his colleagues previously introduced the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act during the 118^th Congress. The legislation passed the Senate Commerce Committee in July 2023 and the House Energy and Commerce Committee in September 2024.

-30-

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Welch Work to Provide Rural Hospitals with Financial Stability and Security
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

WASHIGNTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced the bipartisan Rural Hospital Support Act to prevent rural hospital closures by extending and modernizing critical Medicare programs.

“As a lifelong resident of rural Iowa, I know the importance of having access to health care services close to home. In addition to providing life-saving care, rural hospitals are a source of economic security for many rural communities,” Grassley said. “Our bipartisan bill will ensure the continuity of these vital programs and help keep rural hospitals’ doors open.”

“Rural hospitals provide essential care to patients in rural communities, including to folks who rely on Medicare and Medicaid. In Vermont, rural hospitals are also job creators and economic drivers. But across the country, rural hospitals are struggling to stay open, and they need a lifeline,” Welch said. “Our bipartisan legislation will help ensure rural hospitals are reimbursed for resources they need to continue delivering vital care in our rural communities.”

Specifically, the Rural Hospital Support Act would:
- Permanently extend the Medicare-Dependent Hospital (MDH) program to ensure eligible rural hospitals are reimbursed for their costs;
- Permanently extend the Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) program to level the playing field for rural hospitals whose operating costs often outpace their revenue;
- Update the rebasing year for Sole Community Hospitals (SCH) and MDHs to allow hospitals to tie reimbursement estimates to more recent trends in costs.
Cosponsors of the bill include Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.).

The Rural Hospital Support Act has garnered support from Iowa and national stakeholders, including the Iowa Hospital Association, MercyOne, UnityPoint Health, the Alliance for Rural Hospital Access, the American Hospital Association and the National Rural Health Association.

Download audio of Grassley discussing the bill HERE.

Find bill text HERE and a summary HERE.

Background:

Rural hospitals provide critical care for patients, many of whom rely on Medicare and Medicaid. These hospitals also serve as economic anchors – accounting for around 14 percent of total employment in rural areas.

The MDH and LVH programs have supported rural communities for decades. The programs were last extended as part of the Continuing Resolution on December 20, 2024, and would expire on March 31, 2025, without congressional action. The Rural Hospital Support Act does not change other rural hospital Medicare programs including critical access hospitals (CAH), rural referral centers (RRC), Rural Community Hospital Demonstration or the new voluntary rural emergency hospitals (REH). Each of these rural programs offer unique flexibilities to ensure health care services are accessible in rural America.

-30-
MIL OSI USA News –
February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Owning the Wrong Stuff

Source: ACT Party

The Haps

David Seymour’s speech at the Treaty Grounds today is widely anticipated. This week’s Free Press covers other matters, but for a preview of ACT’s Treaty approach, you can read Seymour’s column in the Herald.

The COVID Royal Commission, Mark II, designed by Brooke van Velden, is open to public submissions, and now there’s an online portal to make it easy. After Labour’s attempted whitewash, ACT campaigned for people to be able to say what they think about the lockdowns, mandates, and other public health measures. There will be another pandemic, probably not this decade but almost certainly this century, and lessons learned from this one could be worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

If you don’t normally listen to Radio New Zealand, we understand. However Kathryn Ryan interviewed David Seymour for half an hour on the Regulatory Standards Bill, and we think it’s worth an exception.

Owning the Wrong Stuff

Last Monday we shared David Seymour’s State of the Nation speech. This week it is still in the headlines. How is this possible? The speech said two things people know deep down are true, but politicians are afraid to say.

The Government owns the wrong stuff. Its books show $570 billion worth of assets, enough to build a four-lane highway from Whangarei to Invercargill six times, but you wouldn’t know it. The Government is having to downsize hospitals while the rest of the world is buying military hardware, and our roads and pipes need attention.

Meanwhile, in New Zealand, the Government is invested in houses (60,000), a property valuation firm, farms, electricity generators, and sunset industries such as mail and television, among many other weird and wonderful things.

Could it be an idea to, just maybe, just ask the question, without anyone getting their knickers in a knot: Does the Government own the right stuff. And if not, should it try selling some shares in power companies to invest in some roads and water treatment plants?

Perhaps all Governments should think of ownership like this. Every year we ask what we own, what benefits the public get from it, and could the Government own something with greater public benefits for the same money? If the answer is yes, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to change, then sell the thing that doesn’t pay and buy something that does.

As for healthcare and education, the Government shells out a fortune, nearly $6,000 in healthcare for every single person each year. That’s up from $4,000 five years ago, but nobody’s happy. Perhaps it is time to say, if you want to take your $6,000 to a private insurer like Southern Cross, you can.

There would have to be rules. The company would need to accept any patient who applied, without discrimination. The company could never cancel anyone’s policy. They would become responsible for all of the person’s care. Hospitals still owned by the Government would need to accept patients from any insurer at the same price.

If this all sounds out there, fear not. It’s roughly how most healthcare systems in Europe work. It means that there would be people with an incentive to sort out the endless waste and dysfunction in what’s been described as our third world system run by first world medics.

The Left say in a private system the poor miss out. Europeans would be surprised to hear this. What the Left don’t seem to get is this: You can have equal public funding, but allow competition to provide the service. Some would say the best of all worlds.

Of course there is a reason why few politicians dare to raise these questions. The media have demanded to know from David Seymour exactly what he will sell tomorrow. They want a list. The hard Left say this is another Seymourian conspiracy, but they can’t say what. The Opposition have called on the Chris Luxon to rule out ever selling anything. Luxon says he won’t now but might in the future.

There’s another reason why there are still articles in today’s papers, ten days after the speech was given. People know that, while New Zealand is a success story, as countries go, we’re not holding our ground at the moment. What we’re doing isn’t working.

If we want to remain a first world nation and an island paradise—most countries can only do one—we need to work differently. That’s the other thing about Seymour’s speech, it told the truth we avoided all through the Clark-Key-Ardern era.

As goes the Treaty Principles Bill, so goes this speech. This country needs a party that’s brave, articulate, and patriotic, and we’re glad we have ACT.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Massachusetts Member of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Sentenced to 44 Years in Prison for Terrorism Offenses

Source: US State Government of Utah

Minh Quang Pham, also known as “Amim”, 41, of Massachusetts, was sentenced today to 44 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for attempted suicide bombing in alliance with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a designated foreign terrorist organization.

“The defendant was sentenced for an attempt to commit an act of terrorism and plotting a suicide bombing on behalf of AQAP,” said Devin DeBacker, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will not rest in seeking justice for acts of terrorism and will continue to thwart any attempt to jeopardize global security.”

“Pham coordinated with known terrorist Anwar al-Aulaqi on a plot to conduct a suicide bombing at Heathrow International Airport which could have killed or injured many people, but fortunately that plan was stopped,” said Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Pham also tried to recruit others to commit acts of terrorism. The FBI will work with our partners to hold accountable those who align themselves with terrorist organizations and attempt to carry out acts of violence.”

“Minh Quang Pham’s actions were not just an affront to the safety of this country, but to the principles of peace and security that we hold dear,” said U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon for the Southern District of New York. “Today’s sentencing underscores our collective resolve to stop terrorism before it occurs, and place would-be terrorists in prison.”

According to court documents, in December 2010, Pham informed others that he planned to travel to Ireland while residing in London. From Ireland, he traveled to Yemen, the principal base of operations for AQAP. Pham traveled to Yemen in order to join AQAP, wage jihad on behalf of AQAP, and martyr himself for AQAP’s cause. After arriving in Yemen, he swore an oath of loyalty to AQAP in the presence of an AQAP commander.

While in Yemen in 2010 and 2011, Pham provided assistance to and received training from Anwar al-Aulaqi, a U.S.-born senior leader of AQAP. Al-Aulaqi advised Pham to return to the U.K. for the purpose of finding and making contact with individuals who, like Pham, wanted to travel to Yemen to join AQAP. Al-Aulaqi also provided Pham with money, as well as a telephone number and e-mail address that Pham was to use to contact al-Aulaqi upon his return to the U.K. In addition, Pham exchanged his laptop computer with al-Aulaqi, who provided him with a new “clean” laptop to take with him when he returned to the U.K. so that the authorities would not find anything if they searched his computer.

In or about June 2011, prior to his departure from Yemen, Pham approached al-Aulaqi about conducting a suicide attack whereby he would “sacrifice” himself on behalf of AQAP. Al-Aulaqi personally taught Pham how to create a lethal explosive device using household chemicals and directed Pham to detonate such an explosive device at the arrivals area of Heathrow International Airport following Pham’s return to the U.K. in 2011. Al-Aulaqi instructed Pham to carry an explosive in a concealed backpack and target the area where flights arrived from the U.S. or Israel. During this time, Pham made videos depicting his preparation to carry out that attack. In one video, Pham is shown wiring an electrical device for the use of making an explosive device. In another video, he sketches an explosive device to be contained in a backpack, and in a third, Pham wears a backpack with wiring for explosives on it, which he turns on in the video.

During this time, around June or July 2011 — shortly before Pham returned from Yemen to the U.K. — Pham recorded a video in which he attempted to recruit and encourage individuals in the West to engage in violent jihad abroad or in their home countries. In this video, he also expresses a desire to martyr himself. At the outset of this video, consisting of an approximately 13-minute-long monologue, Pham states that, “America itself is not fighting a war with a group or an organization, they are fighting with the army of Allah, the believers.” He continues, in part, “We have that opportunity, that ability to be in their midst, in their land . . . and I advise the brothers inshallah to, whatever you can, to gather and prepare and strike the enemy in their own land . . . The saying, a thousand cuts, you hit them with as much as you can until inshallah the enemy will bleed to death.” During his time in Yemen, Pham also assisted with the preparation and dissemination of AQAP’s propaganda magazine, Inspire. Pham, who has college degrees in both graphic design and animation, worked directly with now-deceased U.S. citizen, Samir Khan, who was a prominent member of AQAP responsible for editing and publishing Inspire.

Pham also received a six-page document entitled “Your Instructions” from al-Aulaqi in Yemen, which provided detailed instructions on how Pham was to commit his suicide attack at Heathrow. The document from al-Aulaqi instructed Pham, “[d]o not do anything for the first three months” and “[y]ou should target Christmas/ New Year season[.]” The instructions from al-Aulaqi provided explicit direction about the importance of using shrapnel to kill as many people as possible, including that “[t]he proper use of shrapnel is as important as the main charge itself. The detonation wave from a main charge of AP by itself is most likely not going to cause the death of anyone except those who are in its immediate vicinity. It is the shrapnel that would do the job. You may imagine this IED as a shotgun that is firing in all directions.” The document therefore instructed Pham to take “special care” with the “proper arrangement and choice of shrapnel,” and to “poison” it to inflict maximum death.

On July 27, 2011, Pham returned to the U.K. Upon his arrival at Heathrow, U.K. authorities detained Pham, searched him, and recovered various materials from him, including a live round of 7.62mm caliber armor-piercing ammunition, which is consistent with ammunition that is used in a Kalashnikov assault rifle, a type of weapon for which Pham received training from AQAP in Yemen. U.K. authorities released Pham and cautioned him for his possession of the live round of ammunition, before, in December 2011, arresting him pursuant to their authorities under U.K. immigration law. In searches of Pham’s residence, other locations, and vehicles, U.K. authorities recovered several pieces of electronic media. Among other things, a forensic analysis of Pham’s electronic media showed that he was accessing speeches and writings of al-Aulaqi as late as December 2011 — months after Pham’s return to the U.K.

On May 24, 2012, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Pham with terrorism offenses and U.S. authorities sought Pham’s extradition from the U.K. He was provisionally arrested with a view towards extradition on June 29, 2012, and he was extradited to the United States on Feb. 26, 2015. On Jan. 8, 2016, Pham pleaded guilty to terrorism offenses related to certain of the same underlying conduct. On May 27, 2016, Pham was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan principally to a term of 40 years in prison. On Sept. 12, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed Pham’s conviction and sentence. Thereafter, Pham made a motion that, based on intervening Supreme Court decisions, resulted in the vacatur of one of the counts of his conviction. Ultimately, the government, with Pham’s consent, moved to vacate Pham’s earlier convictions. On April 8, 2021, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment, reinstating certain charges and filing other new charges against Pham, and which formed the basis for Pham’s May 11, 2023, guilty plea and conviction.

The FBI Washington and New York Field Offices investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Metropolitan Police Service/SO 15 Counter Terrorism Command at New Scotland Yard, Crown Prosecution Service, and the Home Office provided assistance in the investigation, extradition, and prosecution of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob H. Gutwillig for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney John Cella of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Firearm, drugs seized during vehicle intercept at Claremont

Source: Tasmania Police

Firearm, drugs seized during vehicle intercept at Claremont

Wednesday, 5 February 2025 – 9:50 am.

A man has been charged after police seized a loaded firearm and a trafficable quantity of methylamphetamine (ice) from a vehicle at Claremont yesterday.
The driver of the vehicle – a 29 year old Claremont man – was arrested and charged with driving while disqualified, trafficking in a controlled substance, and multiple firearm offences.
During a subsequent search of an address at Claremont, officers from Southern Drugs & Firearms Unit, the Dog Handler Unit, and Glenorchy Criminal Investigation Branch seized additional ammunition and a trafficable quantity of MDMA.
The driver was detained to appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court today.
Detective Acting Inspector Richard Penney said “One loaded firearm on the streets illegally, is one too many”.
“Tasmania Police remains committed to ensuring those who deal in illicit drugs and firearms are brought to justice.”
Anyone with information about illegal drug and firearm activity is urged to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

MIL OSI News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Member of Capital District Drug Trafficking Organization Admits to Dealing Methamphetamine
Source: Office of United States Attorneys

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Todd Austin, age 64, of Gloversville, New York, pled guilty today to conspiracy and drug distribution charges in connection with his distribution and possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of pure methamphetamine.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), made the announcement.

Austin admitted that between March and July 2023, he obtained methamphetamine from his Albany-based methamphetamine supplier that he then sold to others from his Gloversville residence.

Austin was one of nine defendants to be charged in this investigation. The following defendants have pled guilty and have been sentenced or are pending sentencing:
- Andrew Deleon was sentenced to 72 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release;
- Stefanie Plass was sentenced to 24 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release;
- Ahmad Burke is scheduled to be sentenced on April 9, 2025;
- Keisha Duboise is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19, 2025;
- Flor Arencibia is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2025; and
- Melissa Karwan is scheduled to be sentenced on February 24, 2025.
Austin faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life. He will be sentenced on June 6, 2025, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

Charges against the two remaining defendants, Felix Arencibia and Christian Mur-Santana, are pending. The charges in the indictment against Arencibia and Mur-Santana are merely accusations. They are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

These cases are being investigated by the DEA and USPIS. Assistant United States Attorneys Ashlyn Miranda and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting the cases.

These cases are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

MIL Security OSI –
February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Manhattan Man Pleads Guilty to Mailing a Letter Containing a Threat to Kill Two Judges

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christopher McCarty, age 33, of Manhattan, pled guilty today to mailing a letter containing a threat to kill two New York State judges. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

McCarty admitted that between May and June 2023, he was incarcerated at the Auburn Correctional Facility in Auburn, New York. McCarty admitted that on or about May 31, 2023, he mailed a letter to New York State Governor Kathy Hochul. In the letter, McCarty wrote that when he was released from prison, he was going to kill two New York State judges who had presided over his case leading to his incarceration at Auburn Correctional Facility.

At sentencing scheduled for June 10, 2025, before Senior United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby, McCarty faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years, post-release supervision of up to 3 years, and a fine of up to $250,000.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss is prosecuting the case.

MIL Security OSI –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Massachusetts Member of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Sentenced to 44 Years in Prison for Terrorism Offenses

Source: United States Attorneys General 13

Minh Quang Pham, also known as “Amim”, 41, of Massachusetts, was sentenced today to 44 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for attempted suicide bombing in alliance with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a designated foreign terrorist organization.

“The defendant was sentenced for an attempt to commit an act of terrorism and plotting a suicide bombing on behalf of AQAP,” said Devin DeBacker, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will not rest in seeking justice for acts of terrorism and will continue to thwart any attempt to jeopardize global security.”

“Pham coordinated with known terrorist Anwar al-Aulaqi on a plot to conduct a suicide bombing at Heathrow International Airport which could have killed or injured many people, but fortunately that plan was stopped,” said Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Pham also tried to recruit others to commit acts of terrorism. The FBI will work with our partners to hold accountable those who align themselves with terrorist organizations and attempt to carry out acts of violence.”

“Minh Quang Pham’s actions were not just an affront to the safety of this country, but to the principles of peace and security that we hold dear,” said U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon for the Southern District of New York. “Today’s sentencing underscores our collective resolve to stop terrorism before it occurs, and place would-be terrorists in prison.”

According to court documents, in December 2010, Pham informed others that he planned to travel to Ireland while residing in London. From Ireland, he traveled to Yemen, the principal base of operations for AQAP. Pham traveled to Yemen in order to join AQAP, wage jihad on behalf of AQAP, and martyr himself for AQAP’s cause. After arriving in Yemen, he swore an oath of loyalty to AQAP in the presence of an AQAP commander.

While in Yemen in 2010 and 2011, Pham provided assistance to and received training from Anwar al-Aulaqi, a U.S.-born senior leader of AQAP. Al-Aulaqi advised Pham to return to the U.K. for the purpose of finding and making contact with individuals who, like Pham, wanted to travel to Yemen to join AQAP. Al-Aulaqi also provided Pham with money, as well as a telephone number and e-mail address that Pham was to use to contact al-Aulaqi upon his return to the U.K. In addition, Pham exchanged his laptop computer with al-Aulaqi, who provided him with a new “clean” laptop to take with him when he returned to the U.K. so that the authorities would not find anything if they searched his computer.

In or about June 2011, prior to his departure from Yemen, Pham approached al-Aulaqi about conducting a suicide attack whereby he would “sacrifice” himself on behalf of AQAP. Al-Aulaqi personally taught Pham how to create a lethal explosive device using household chemicals and directed Pham to detonate such an explosive device at the arrivals area of Heathrow International Airport following Pham’s return to the U.K. in 2011. Al-Aulaqi instructed Pham to carry an explosive in a concealed backpack and target the area where flights arrived from the U.S. or Israel. During this time, Pham made videos depicting his preparation to carry out that attack. In one video, Pham is shown wiring an electrical device for the use of making an explosive device. In another video, he sketches an explosive device to be contained in a backpack, and in a third, Pham wears a backpack with wiring for explosives on it, which he turns on in the video.

During this time, around June or July 2011 — shortly before Pham returned from Yemen to the U.K. — Pham recorded a video in which he attempted to recruit and encourage individuals in the West to engage in violent jihad abroad or in their home countries. In this video, he also expresses a desire to martyr himself. At the outset of this video, consisting of an approximately 13-minute-long monologue, Pham states that, “America itself is not fighting a war with a group or an organization, they are fighting with the army of Allah, the believers.” He continues, in part, “We have that opportunity, that ability to be in their midst, in their land . . . and I advise the brothers inshallah to, whatever you can, to gather and prepare and strike the enemy in their own land . . . The saying, a thousand cuts, you hit them with as much as you can until inshallah the enemy will bleed to death.” During his time in Yemen, Pham also assisted with the preparation and dissemination of AQAP’s propaganda magazine, Inspire. Pham, who has college degrees in both graphic design and animation, worked directly with now-deceased U.S. citizen, Samir Khan, who was a prominent member of AQAP responsible for editing and publishing Inspire.

Pham also received a six-page document entitled “Your Instructions” from al-Aulaqi in Yemen, which provided detailed instructions on how Pham was to commit his suicide attack at Heathrow. The document from al-Aulaqi instructed Pham, “[d]o not do anything for the first three months” and “[y]ou should target Christmas/ New Year season[.]” The instructions from al-Aulaqi provided explicit direction about the importance of using shrapnel to kill as many people as possible, including that “[t]he proper use of shrapnel is as important as the main charge itself. The detonation wave from a main charge of AP by itself is most likely not going to cause the death of anyone except those who are in its immediate vicinity. It is the shrapnel that would do the job. You may imagine this IED as a shotgun that is firing in all directions.” The document therefore instructed Pham to take “special care” with the “proper arrangement and choice of shrapnel,” and to “poison” it to inflict maximum death.

On July 27, 2011, Pham returned to the U.K. Upon his arrival at Heathrow, U.K. authorities detained Pham, searched him, and recovered various materials from him, including a live round of 7.62mm caliber armor-piercing ammunition, which is consistent with ammunition that is used in a Kalashnikov assault rifle, a type of weapon for which Pham received training from AQAP in Yemen. U.K. authorities released Pham and cautioned him for his possession of the live round of ammunition, before, in December 2011, arresting him pursuant to their authorities under U.K. immigration law. In searches of Pham’s residence, other locations, and vehicles, U.K. authorities recovered several pieces of electronic media. Among other things, a forensic analysis of Pham’s electronic media showed that he was accessing speeches and writings of al-Aulaqi as late as December 2011 — months after Pham’s return to the U.K.

On May 24, 2012, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Pham with terrorism offenses and U.S. authorities sought Pham’s extradition from the U.K. He was provisionally arrested with a view towards extradition on June 29, 2012, and he was extradited to the United States on Feb. 26, 2015. On Jan. 8, 2016, Pham pleaded guilty to terrorism offenses related to certain of the same underlying conduct. On May 27, 2016, Pham was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan principally to a term of 40 years in prison. On Sept. 12, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed Pham’s conviction and sentence. Thereafter, Pham made a motion that, based on intervening Supreme Court decisions, resulted in the vacatur of one of the counts of his conviction. Ultimately, the government, with Pham’s consent, moved to vacate Pham’s earlier convictions. On April 8, 2021, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment, reinstating certain charges and filing other new charges against Pham, and which formed the basis for Pham’s May 11, 2023, guilty plea and conviction.

The FBI Washington and New York Field Offices investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Metropolitan Police Service/SO 15 Counter Terrorism Command at New Scotland Yard, Crown Prosecution Service, and the Home Office provided assistance in the investigation, extradition, and prosecution of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob H. Gutwillig for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney John Cella of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.

MIL Security OSI –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Europe – Research Highlights: 5K+ Women Reveal Career Progression Barriers In Tech Industry

Source: Women Go Tech

Women Go Tech published results from a Google.org and OSCE-backed study on the challenges and disparities facing women at all levels of the tech sector. Over 40 experts and 5,000 women provided insight into how the situation can be improved, mostly through public policy and private development.

February 5, Vilnius–Lithuania. Women Go Tech, a Lithuanian NGO focused on empowering women in tech, recently released a new study highlighting the challenges women in Central and Eastern Europe face during their career progression in the tech industry, and presenting strategies to empower women in tech.

The study, “Building the Future Power Hub for Women in Tech,” surveyed 5,475 women across 13 countries, with support from Google.org and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The results revealed which countries are most ready to enable women in tech: Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania, and Latvia. On the other hand, Slovakian, Czech, and Croatian women are experiencing the most barriers to enter the industry.

“After women shared their experiences, they were analyzed by more than 40 experts, outlining solutions to shift the tech industry landscape to help women succeed faster, in CEE and around the world,” Žydrūnė Vitaitė, co-founder of Women Go Tech, shared.

In the study, respondents from all CEE countries agreed that ageism, negative stereotypes about women’s abilities, and education bias were all factors holding women back or discouraging them from pursuing careers in tech. Women also reported poor work-life balance and low representation in leadership roles as influencing their career decisions, as well as fewer opportunities to learn about tech compared to men.

Specifically in Slovakia, Czechia, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Poland, Austria, Estonia, and Latvia, women also believe it is harder for them to succeed in the tech sector than for men. Croatian and Slovenian women are still facing the strongest stereotypes regarding female incapacity to work in the tech sector.

“Although women in the tech sector today face several challenges, this study also explains where the tech industry can improve and how it can attract more female talent,” noted Žydrūnė. “We need to create a robust environment where women feel supported and empowered not only by the government but also by their peers and other women. A more gender-balanced company will understand and serve the diverse demands of its users and clients, resulting in better products and services. This in turn will help unlock the CEE’s potential to become a global leader in tech innovation.”

Bulgaria, for instance, boasts one of the highest rates of women in tech and science in all of Europe, and respondents in the WGT study recognized opportunities for upskilling as well as equal access to education and jobs. The country’s tech sector grew by 12% in 2023 and has witnessed steady growth over the past 15 years and is one of Europe’s most dynamic tech hubs.

According to a 2023 McKinsey study of 1,265 companies in 23 countries, those companies performing in the top quartile of gender representation had a 39% better chance of financial outperformance versus their peers in the bottom quartile. The same held true for diversity on companies’ boards of directors, with a 27% greater likelihood of outperformance. Moreover, the study concluded that diverse representation will foster diverse talent and innovation.

Governmental input into mentorship programs is needed to close the gap

Better compensation is the primary motivator for women of any age or experience to enter the tech sector, despite the persistence of a pay gap. Work flexibility and work-life balance are also important incentives. Unfortunately, many women working in tech report a lack of these elements in their jobs.

“This discrepancy may be discouraging to women’s willingness to mentor and inspire others to join the industry,” said Vitaitė.

Study revealed that most women surveyed did not have a mentor while progressing through a tech sector.

Survey also revealed that to change the dynamic, policymakers should invest in mentorship and training programs tailored to women. While this is recommended on a governmental level, businesses should also prioritize mentorship programs for women, embrace diverse hiring practices, and work to increase female representation in leadership positions.

An issue that remains in the industry is equal pay, alongside the need to promote transparent equal pay policies. The study encourages hybrid and remote work options in tech. Enabling equal career progression for IT professionals is crucial as Europe faces Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills shortage–only 12 million specialists are projected by 2030 despite EU’s target of 20 million.

“Building the Future Power Hub for Women in Tech” also included a section focusing on the barriers and biases faced by Ukrainian women in exile who are working to build professional lives within the tech sector.

About Women Go Tech

The organization “Women Go Tech” is an NGO navigating women toward careers in tech. Started as a first mentorship program for women in Lithuania in 2017, it has now expanded activities in the CEE. The organization is committed to educating 20,000 women on the use of AI tools and applications. So far, 700+ women have successfully transitioned into the IT industry with the help of the mentorship program and over 19,000 women participated in the introduction course “Discover Tech”. Having positively impacted the lives of hundreds of women and cultivated a new generation of female role models in tech, the NGO has grown from a local project into a movement with significant influence across the region. The organization is a long-term grantee of Google.org.

MIL OSI – Submitted News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Trump Administration “Fork Directive” Unlawful as Written, Unions Urge Court to Find

Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union

Offer, FAQs Are Misleading, Coercive

Lawsuit Seeks to Stay February 6 Deadline, Require Agency to Articulate a Lawful Policy

Massachusetts – In a legal challenge filed today, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), AFGE Local 3707, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, (AFSCME), and the National Association of Government Employees (NAGE) represented by Democracy Forward, are seeking a to halt the Trump-Vance administration’s “Fork Directive” Feb. 6 deadline and require the government to articulate a policy that is lawful, rather than an arbitrary, unlawful, short-fused ultimatum which workers may not be able to enforce. The complaint was filed in Federal District Court in Massachusetts.

The “Fork Directive” is the latest attempt by the Trump-Vance administration to implement Project 2025’s dangerous plans to remove career public service workers and replace them with partisan loyalists. The “Fork Directive” amounts to a clear ultimatum to a sweeping number of federal employees: resign now or face the possibility of job loss without compensation in the near future. Even so, as employees face threats from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that failure to resign may result in being fired without compensation, workers are being offered a package that violates the law. For example, it is wholly unclear how the government can promise to pay workers for a deferred resignation when the funds to do so have not been appropriated.

The complaint further describes FAQs made available promoting the “Fork Directive” that are misleading. For example, despite assertions that workers would be free to accept other jobs after resigning, longstanding federal ethics regulations place numerous restrictions on the outside employment opportunities that a current federal worker can accept.

“AFGE is bringing this suit with our partners today to protect the integrity of the government and prevent union members from being tricked into resigning from the federal service,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley. “Federal employees shouldn’t be misled by slick talk from unelected billionaires and their lackeys. Despite claims made to the contrary, this deferred resignation scheme is unfunded, unlawful, and comes with no guarantees. We won’t stand by and let our members become the victims of this con.”

“We are filing this lawsuit to stop the purge of qualified professionals from the federal government workforce. Not only are these actions illegal and a scam, but they are eroding the health and well-being of our communities. These workers do everything from making sure families receive their Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security benefits on time to protecting our drinking water and the food we eat to overseeing our national security. If this chaos goes unchecked, it will have devastating impacts on working people,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders.

“The ‘Fork Directive’ is a blatant attempt to undermine the merit-based foundation of our civil service,” said NAGE National President David J. Holway. “NAGE will not allow our members to be intimidated into making hasty decisions based on misleading information. The administration must be held accountable for this unlawful directive, and we are committed to protecting the rights and jobs of our members. NAGE stands firmly against any effort to replace qualified professionals with partisan loyalists at the expense of the American people.”

“The vast majority—more than 90%— of Americans believe that government employees should be hired and promoted based on merit, not political loyalty. Yet, President Trump and his unelected associates are threatening that value and our hardworking, dedicated, and independent civil servants—individuals who swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution and the American people,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “Civil service members deserve more than one-sided ultimatums and misleading schemes. Our team is proud to represent these unions that have been at the forefront of Trump’s attacks on our civil service, and we will continue to urge the court to act swiftly to examine unlawful ultimatums and protect our federal employees.”

The complaint alleges the “Fork Directive” violates the federal Administrative Procedure Act as arbitrary and capricious and for exceeding statutory authority under the Antideficiency Act. A copy of the complaint is available here.

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AFGE is the largest federal employee union, representing more than 800,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia. For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center.

NAGE represents over 125,000 public and private sector workers across the country, including 75,000 federal employees. Individuals who work tirelessly to support our communities, from keeping the lights on and water clean, highways safe, and state & federal Governments running, to providing essential EMS care and community protection services, NAGE members set the standard of service. For more information, please visit nage.org

Democracy Forward is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Public invited to learn about SR 509 construction in south King County
Source: Washington State News 2

Open house on Feb. 11 includes roundabout displays, construction timeline, tolling information

BURIEN – Construction work is ramping up on the State Route 509 Completion Project in Burien, Des Moines, Kent and SeaTac.

The Washington State Department of Transportation is hosting an open house on Tuesday, Feb. 11, for people to learn more about the final stage of the completion project. This stage builds the remaining 2 miles of the tolled expressway between 24th Avenue South in SeaTac and South 188th Street, in addition to building new roundabouts at South 160th and South 188th streets in south King County.

SR 509 completion open house information
- When: 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11
- Where: Burien Community Center
  14700 Sixth Ave. SW
- Details: People are invited to stop in at any time. There is no formal presentation planned. WSDOT and contractor staff will be available to answer questions about planned construction, anticipated closures, roundabouts, noise, multimodal improvements, environment processes and studies, traffic and the toll-rate setting process.
SR 509 Completion Project information

The SR 509 Completion Project builds 3 miles of new tolled expressway between Interstate 5 and South 188th Street near the south end of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The new expressway will be completed in stages. The first mile between I-5 and 24th Avenue is currently under construction and scheduled to open in fall 2025. The entire project is planned for completion by 2029.

Photos of construction work are available on the project’s Flickr page. An interactive project map that allows people to explore the new SR 509 Expressway, the SR 516 interchange and other elements of the completion project is also available online.

Puget Sound Gateway Program overview

The SR 509 Completion Project is part of WSDOT’s Puget Sound Gateway Program, which also includes the SR 167 Completion Project in Pierce County. Combined, the two completion projects finish critical missing links in Washington’s highway and freight network.

MIL OSI USA News –
February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Member of Drug Trafficking Organization that Distributed Controlled Substances Shaped to Resemble Candy Pleads Guilty

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

Investigation resulted in what is believed to be one of the largest single-location seizures of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Massachusetts and the region – an estimated 8 million individual doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder

BOSTON – A Lynn man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking organization (DTO) on the North Shore of Massachusetts. In November 2023, millions of doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder with street value estimated to be over $7 million, were seized from a stash location and clandestine laboratory used by organization.

Deiby Felix, 41, of Lynn, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to manufacture and distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and other controlled substances; and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2025. Felix was arrested and charged along with Emilio Garcia and Sebastien Bejin in November 2023.

In July 2023, an investigation into an overdose death in Salem led investigators to a DTO led by Felix, Bejin and, allegedly, Garcia. On Nov. 1, 2023, searches were conducted at four locations in Lynn that were identified as locations frequented by Bejin and, allegedly, Garcia. The searches resulted in what is believed to be, one of the largest single-location seizures of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Massachusetts and the region. The seizure included nine kilograms (20 pounds) of pink heart shaped fentanyl-laced pills pressed to look like candy. Additional narcotics and five firearms were also seized. During the course of the investigation over 75 kilograms (198 pounds) of fentanyl and methamphetamine was seized, along with multiple additional kilograms of cocaine and dozens of kilograms of cutting agents, including xylazine, that is used to adulterate controlled substances.

In total, an estimated eight million individual doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder was seized. The street value is believed to be upwards of $8 million.

A search of Felix’s residence resulted in the seizure of more than three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of pressed pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl and a firearm. A subsequent search of the residence also revealed a clandestine drug laboratory that had been built into a small room in the basement. Multiple industrial pill presses, mixing equipment and other manufacturing paraphernalia and equipment were also recovered.

Bejin pleaded guilty on Jan. 15, 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 1, 2025. Garcia is scheduled to plead guilty on Feb. 7, 2025.

The charge of possession with intent to manufacture and distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and other controlled substances provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to life of supervised release, a fine of up to $10,000,000 and forfeiture. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison, to be served consecutively to the underlying drug trafficking crime, up to five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Lynn, Lynnfield and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

MIL Security OSI –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Urges Action at Senate Judiciary Hearing on Fentanyl Epidemic Featuring Minnesota Mom’s Testimony

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

WATCH KLOBUCHAR QUESTIONS HERE

WASHINGTON – At today’s Senate Judiciary hearing on the fentanyl epidemic, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) highlighted the need for Congress to take action to stop online drug trafficking to save children’s lives and give law enforcement what they need to combat the crisis.

Bridgette Norring of Hastings, Minnesota testified about her son’s death from illicit fentanyl. Norring’s 19-year old son Devin died in April 2020 after buying a pill online for tooth pain that he thought was a painkiller but turned out to be a fentanyl laced counterfeit. Bridgette founded the Devin J. Norring Foundation to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and advocate for stronger drug prevention measures.

“My husband and I are no different than every American parent doing the best we can to protect our kids from the constant threat that social media poses. We did our due diligence in spot-checking our children’s accounts when they were minors. We preached constantly about internet safety and etiquette. None of that stopped Snapchat from allowing my children to open multiple new accounts to avoid our scrutiny. It did not stop them from pushing products designed to addict and exploit America’s young people. It did not stop them from blaming parents when our kids died. And it is no different than when opioid companies created a product they knew was extremely harmful and addictive, told the public that it was safe, and then blamed the parents when kids died as a result,” said Norring at the hearing.

“Social media has been a gateway to drugs for too many kids, and we must meet this threat with the all-hands-on-deck response it requires. We need to crack down on the sale of fentanyl through social media platforms and pass the Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act. And we need to stop these illicit drugs and fake pills from entering our borders in the first place, by making sure law enforcement has the resources they need, including cutting-edge technology to detect and intercept fentanyl at our borders. Thank you to Bridgette Norring for her bravery in coming forward and sharing her story,” said Klobuchar in a statement.

In 2023, nearly 75,000 Americans lost their lives to synthetic opioids like fentanyl, including nearly 950 opioid-related deaths in Minnesota. In Hennepin County, fentanyl kills an average of one resident every day. The number of Minnesotans who died from opioids last year was more than double the total number of people who died from car accidents.

Senator Klobuchar is a leader in the fight to pass the Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act, which would require social media companies to report to the DEA when they know of the sale or distribution of illicit drugs including fentanyl, methamphetamine, or a counterfeit controlled substance on their platforms.

Witnesses at the hearing include:

Bridgette Norring Survivor Parent and Founder Devin J. Norring Foundation Hastings, MN; Jaime Puerta President and Co-Founder of Victims of Illicit Drugs (“V.O.I.D.”) Co-Chair of Project Facing Fentanyl Santa Clarita, CA; Timothy W. Westlake, M.D., FFSMB, FACEP Emergency Physician ProHealth Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital Oconomowoc, WI; Cecilia Farfán, Ph.D. Affiliated researcher Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, University of California San Diego San Diego, CA; Donald Barnes Vice President of Homeland Security, Major County Sheriffs of America Sheriff-Coroner of Orange County, California Orange County, CA.

A transcript of Klobuchar’s full questioning is available below. Video is available HERE.

Senator Klobuchar: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Ms. Norring, I think everyone was touched by your story and your bravery for coming forward. I’ve been honored to get to know you, and I want to thank you for everything that you’ve done. As you said, “all the hopes and dreams we as parents had for Devin were erased in the blink of an eye, and no mom should have to bury their kid.” Those were your words. And I know the words of your all of your friends there that stand there to support you and have had their own pain. All he did was buy a pill off Snapchat. Thought it was a Percocet. You were there for that testimony with the tech executives, and there’s a bunch of us here that have had some battle wounds going after them when we just want to put some sensible rules in place or get rid of this legal protections that they have that other companies do not have, as you so well pointed out, but no wounds compared to what you have. You heard their testimony back then in January 2024. Do you think the social media companies are doing enough to stop the sale of drugs to kids online?

Bridgette Norring: I do not think that they are doing enough. In fact, it’s still continuing. I was introduced to two new families just last week from Minnesota, both with ties to fentanyl, with their children passing, so no, they’re not doing enough. They could be doing more. I was just informed that Evan Spiegel is in support of the Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act. And I must ask then if you are in such support of it, all these companies are in support of the Kids Online Safety Act. Why? Why aren’t they implementing those features and doing the job now? Why do we have to come before Congress and … have you make them do that?

Klobuchar: Good point, thank you. Mr. Puerta, do you think we should get rid of or reform Section 230 in some way? Just to make this very clear.

Jaime Puerta: Absolutely, Senator Klobuchar. In 1996, as we all know, this legislative body came up with Section 230 C of the Communication Decency Act, and what it was meant to do was to protect free speech. But what’s happening right now cannot be free speech. When you have a drug dealer selling illicit fentanyl to unsuspecting children, that’s not free speech. Or a grown man sending unwarranted pictures to young ladies, sexual exploitation. This is not free speech. This is criminal behavior. And like Ms. Norring said, if it’s criminal, if it’s a criminal act in the real world, then it should be as well in the social media world.

Klobuchar: So you’re looking for that reform, which also I appreciate you bringing up Senator Cruz and I have this TAKE IT DOWN Act. There’s a number of other bills involving pornography as well. Sheriff Barnes, … thank you for your testimony and being here. Funding, as we look into this next year, funding for law enforcement, do you think that that is important to take on this Fentanyl crisis, as well, as well as the HIDTA program that helps your deputies get fentanyl off the streets?

Donald Barnes: Senator, yes, thank you for the question. The HIDTA funding has been stagnant and still for the last 10 years. Hasn’t grown. If you look at the time value of money, it’s about 1/3 reduction over the last 10 years, and our costs have gone up, so it’s about 50 cents on the dollar. It’s not a fully funded program. My HIDTA program is funded at about 1/6 of the costs that we put into it and mostly subsidized through my investment of stabilizing that as other municipal agencies have withdrawn personnel. So yes, I think at this, the nation’s worst time in history, we have to reinvest those monies. We have to look at the use of those monies. And I think we have to look at what I call a Super HIDTA, the original intent of the gateway HIDTA, to invest on the greatest offense, which is our border HIDTA, and stop as much as drugs as we can at the border before they make it into the content of the United States.

Klobuchar: Thank you. Dr Westlake, why does class-wide scheduling reduce the incentives for drug cartels to create new fentanyl variants?

Timothy Westlake: So the incentives were there before because when they initially created these without under the normal Controlled Substances Act, they were legal. So they could modify it. Instead of putting an ethyl group in, you could put a methyl group in. It’s a legal substance. I was on the controlled substance board in Wisconsin 2015. We had nine different fentanyl variants, fentanyl-related substances that were killing people. We could schedule them immediately, and then they were illegal. And when you schedule them and make them illegal, there’s no incentive for them to be created anymore, and there’s a cookbook of changes that you can do easily, look up the research to find what different chemicals to use. So, it literally just stops the incentive. It doesn’t stop illicit fentanyl incentive, but it closes the speculative fentanyl substances.

Klobuchar: Thank you. One last point. Ms. Norring, and we’ll talk more in this committee. I am so pleased that Senator Grassley and Durbin will lead this together on some of the social media issues that go way beyond the ones we’ve talked about now. But you’ve also embarked on an education campaign, along with a lot of our sheriffs in Minnesota, that I think has been pretty effective going back in the schools with “One Pill Can Kill.” Ten seconds on that, and I’m out of time.

Norring: We have to do it because nobody else is doing it. It falls back on us. If we sit by and say nothing, children continue to die. So we feel it’s our obligation to get out there educate our community and the children because, as the ranking chair mentioned, the conversation really begins at home. It really has to begin at home.

Klobuchar: Thank you.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025

Category: Transport

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Open house on Feb. 11 includes roundabout displays, construction timeline, tolling information

SR 509 completion open house information

SR 509 Completion Project information

Puget Sound Gateway Program overview