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  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito, Justice Applaud Appointment of Matt Harvey and Moore Capito as U.S. Attorneys for West Virginia by President Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) released a statement following President Donald Trump’s nomination of Moore Capito as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia and Matt Harvey as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia:

    “As a respected attorney and former member of the West Virginia House of Delegates where he served as the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Moore Capito understands the issues that matter most to Appalachian communities—from combating the opioid epidemic to protecting our energy jobs and securing economic opportunity. His proven leadership and legal expertise make him the ideal candidate to uphold justice in the Southern District. As a dedicated prosecutor and leader in the Eastern Panhandle, Matt Harvey has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to public safety. His experience and proven leadership in addressing violent crime, drug trafficking, and community security aligns precisely with the needs of the Northern District,” Senator Capito said.

    “I am thrilled and extremely proud that President Trump has chosen these two stellar candidates to be West Virginia’s next U.S. Attorneys. I look forward to supporting their confirmations quickly so they can get to work on behalf of West Virginia,” Senator Capito continued.

    “Moore Capito and Matt Harvey are rock solid picks by President Trump for U.S. Attorney in West Virginia. These guys are serious conservatives, have lengthy experience in the legal realm, and are qualified beyond belief – which is why I’m proud to have recommended them to the President for their respective positions. I extend my congratulations to both Moore and Matt, I wish them the best of luck in their roles, and know they will do great things while serving as U.S. Attorney because they are truly both sons of West Virginia,” Senator Justice said.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, law enforcement partner investigation results in a significant prison sentence for a South Texas man convicted of kidnapping illegal aliens

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    SAN ANTONIO — A La Pryor man was sentenced July 1 to 120 years in prison for one count of conspiracy to kidnap and two counts related to harboring illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and placing the life of a person in jeopardy. He was sentenced to the maximum of 20 years on each of the harboring counts and was sentenced to 80 years on the kidnapping count, with the sentences to run consecutively. This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with assistance from the San Antonio Police Department.

    Joshua Lee Balderas, 33, was sentenced for to various counts related to human smuggling. He was arrested Oct. 28, 2022, and found guilty on all counts by a federal jury on Oct. 11, 2024.

    “This sentence, undoubtedly keeping Balderas confined for the remainder of his life, reflects the egregious nature of these human smuggling crimes,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons. “It should send a clear message throughout the nation and across our borders that we take these prosecutions very seriously and will aggressively seek to deliver justice.”

    “The sentencing of this defendant to 120 years in prison marks a significant victory in our ongoing fight against human smuggling,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “This severe penalty reflects the gravity of the crimes committed and serves as a stern warning to those who exploit vulnerable individuals for profit. I commend the agents and our San Antonio Police Department partners for their hard work during this successful investigation.”

    According to court documents, in March 2022, Balderas and other conspirators transported and harbored a group of seven aliens, including one woman, who had recently crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. When the group was picked up by the smugglers, the woman was suffering from significant injuries to her feet and was severely dehydrated. Balderas transported the group from La Pryor to San Antonio, where the aliens were held captive in hotel rooms and ransomed to their families for thousands of dollars. One family member was forced to pay $7,000 for an alien’s release.

    Balderas and one of his co-conspirators, Kaylen Alexander Brondo, 26, of San Antonio, frequently brandished firearms in the hotel rooms to ensure compliance from the migrants and at trial, a victim testified that Balderas pointed a firearm directly at her to ensure her obedience during a ransom call.

    While the aliens were being held for ransom, Balderas sexually assaulted one of them while threatening her with a firearm.

    Brondo was arrested Oct. 24, 2022, and pleaded guilty on Sept. 30, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to kidnap. Brondo is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 26. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery is presiding over the cases for both defendants.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Western District of Texas Amanda Brown and Adrian Rosales prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, law enforcement partner investigation results in a significant prison sentence for a South Texas man convicted of kidnapping illegal aliens

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    SAN ANTONIO — A La Pryor man was sentenced July 1 to 120 years in prison for one count of conspiracy to kidnap and two counts related to harboring illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and placing the life of a person in jeopardy. He was sentenced to the maximum of 20 years on each of the harboring counts and was sentenced to 80 years on the kidnapping count, with the sentences to run consecutively. This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with assistance from the San Antonio Police Department.

    Joshua Lee Balderas, 33, was sentenced for to various counts related to human smuggling. He was arrested Oct. 28, 2022, and found guilty on all counts by a federal jury on Oct. 11, 2024.

    “This sentence, undoubtedly keeping Balderas confined for the remainder of his life, reflects the egregious nature of these human smuggling crimes,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons. “It should send a clear message throughout the nation and across our borders that we take these prosecutions very seriously and will aggressively seek to deliver justice.”

    “The sentencing of this defendant to 120 years in prison marks a significant victory in our ongoing fight against human smuggling,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “This severe penalty reflects the gravity of the crimes committed and serves as a stern warning to those who exploit vulnerable individuals for profit. I commend the agents and our San Antonio Police Department partners for their hard work during this successful investigation.”

    According to court documents, in March 2022, Balderas and other conspirators transported and harbored a group of seven aliens, including one woman, who had recently crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. When the group was picked up by the smugglers, the woman was suffering from significant injuries to her feet and was severely dehydrated. Balderas transported the group from La Pryor to San Antonio, where the aliens were held captive in hotel rooms and ransomed to their families for thousands of dollars. One family member was forced to pay $7,000 for an alien’s release.

    Balderas and one of his co-conspirators, Kaylen Alexander Brondo, 26, of San Antonio, frequently brandished firearms in the hotel rooms to ensure compliance from the migrants and at trial, a victim testified that Balderas pointed a firearm directly at her to ensure her obedience during a ransom call.

    While the aliens were being held for ransom, Balderas sexually assaulted one of them while threatening her with a firearm.

    Brondo was arrested Oct. 24, 2022, and pleaded guilty on Sept. 30, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to kidnap. Brondo is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 26. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery is presiding over the cases for both defendants.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Western District of Texas Amanda Brown and Adrian Rosales prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Celebrating Independence Day: a Message from IAM International President Brian Bryant

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    Dear IAM Family,

    As we celebrate Independence Day and Canada Day, we recognize the powerful ideals that gave rise to our nations: liberty, equality, and the belief that ordinary people should have a voice in shaping their future.

    For us in the IAM Union, these values are more than national pride—they are the very heart of the labor movement. The freedom to organize a union, to stand together in solidarity, and to demand fair wages, safe working conditions, and dignity on the job is a freedom worth celebrating—and protecting.

    Our ability to organize and collectively bargain has lifted generations of working families out of poverty and into the middle class. Every time a group of workers stands up and says, “We deserve better,” they are honoring the legacy of those who came before—and blazing a trail for those who will come after.

    These freedoms weren’t just given to us. They were fought for—by our brave men and women in uniform, and by union members who walked picket lines, who faced down powerful corporations, and who refused to back down in the face of injustice.

    As we celebrate, let’s recommit to the struggle. Because these rights must belong to everyone—no matter who you are, who you love, or where you come from. Solidarity is our strength, and together, we will continue building a fairer, freer world for all working people.

    Sincerely,

    Brian Bryant
    IAM Union International President

    The post Celebrating Independence Day: a Message from IAM International President Brian Bryant appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Celebrating Independence Day: a Message from IAM International President Brian Bryant

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    Dear IAM Family,

    As we celebrate Independence Day and Canada Day, we recognize the powerful ideals that gave rise to our nations: liberty, equality, and the belief that ordinary people should have a voice in shaping their future.

    For us in the IAM Union, these values are more than national pride—they are the very heart of the labor movement. The freedom to organize a union, to stand together in solidarity, and to demand fair wages, safe working conditions, and dignity on the job is a freedom worth celebrating—and protecting.

    Our ability to organize and collectively bargain has lifted generations of working families out of poverty and into the middle class. Every time a group of workers stands up and says, “We deserve better,” they are honoring the legacy of those who came before—and blazing a trail for those who will come after.

    These freedoms weren’t just given to us. They were fought for—by our brave men and women in uniform, and by union members who walked picket lines, who faced down powerful corporations, and who refused to back down in the face of injustice.

    As we celebrate, let’s recommit to the struggle. Because these rights must belong to everyone—no matter who you are, who you love, or where you come from. Solidarity is our strength, and together, we will continue building a fairer, freer world for all working people.

    Sincerely,

    Brian Bryant
    IAM Union International President

    The post Celebrating Independence Day: a Message from IAM International President Brian Bryant appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Professor John Mathieu to Receive Academy of Management Organizational Behavior Lifetime Achievement Award

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    An Expert on Team Dynamics, Mathieu Says His Specialty is Critical as Workplace Norms Change Rapidly

    Professor John Mathieu will receive the 2025 Academy of Management’s Organizational Behavior Lifetime Achievement Award later this month recognizing his impactful work in the field.

    Mathieu, a UConn Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, is an expert in organizational behavior, team effectiveness and optimization, and leadership. His work has ranged from investigating the dynamics of teamwork in a space capsule, to aligning strategy among multiple military organizations, to synchronizing the delivery of care for cancer patients.

    The Academy’s pinnacle career-achievement award recognizes Mathieu among an elite group of international scholars. It is the third time he has received such a prestigious academic achievement honor in the last decade.

    Subhead: Walking in the Footsteps of Giants

    Mathieu said he is humbled by the recognition.

    “The people who were the early winners of this award were gurus when I was coming into the field. They were the top scholars of the day, and they shared their time and expertise with me. They were role models, sources of support, and great people,’’ he said. “From them I aspired to pay it forward and to help and develop other professionals in organizational behavior.’’

    His most recent research has focused on the cancer-care continuum, a topic he is passionate about.

    “Healthcare is a very complex system and until a few years ago it was very broken,’’ he said. “But now the big cancer centers, such as Sloan-Kettering, Dana Farber, Anderson, and others, are developing networks for cancer care, to make it a more integrated process from early diagnosis to treatment to recovery.’’

    The Workplace Is Ever-More Complicated

    Leadership and teams research is growing in significance today, particularly in the workplace, he said.

    “The world is getting more chaotic and it is spinning quickly,’’ Mathieu said. “The old, bureaucratic structures aren’t cutting it anymore. The face of work is changing, the way we conduct work is evolving, and the way we interact at work is becoming more complex.’’

    “Fewer of us work in an office five days a week; we assemble clusters of people to collaborate on a project, then disband them; and there is more pressure to be versatile, nimble and manage people effectively. In addition, new tools, like AI, are changing the ways we work and learn,’’ he said.

    “Leaders need to invest in employee talent, enable them, and then unleash them, in order to reap the most benefit,’’ he said. “Employees need to be adaptable and learn on the fly in order to be effective.”

    Mathieu Nominated by 30 Peers

    Travis Grosser, the interim department head in the Boucher Management & Entrepreneurship Department at the School of Business, said Mathieu is most deserving of the recognition.

    “With this award, John joins an elite group of eminent organizational behavior scholars at the pinnacle of the field. I cannot think of a more deserving person for this career-defining award,’’ he said.

    “Beyond his exceptional research contributions, John has served as an exemplary role model, mentor, and collaborator for numerous generations of UConn doctoral students and faculty,’’ Grosser said. “This honor reflects the caliber of excellence that defines our department and our university.’’

    Mathieu was nominated for the award by a team of former Ph.D. students, who contacted 30 professional acquaintances and asked them to submit recommendations to the 21,000-member Academy.
    While Mathieu said he is proud to see the impact of his work, he is equally excited to have mentored so many outstanding students.

    “Having the work that I produced be recognized is rewarding and gratifying,’’ he said. “But what is more exciting is that now I can watch my former students train future generations of scholars. That’s a huge force multiplier, directly or indirectly touching hundreds or thousands of faculty researchers. It’s gratifying to have created those ripples.’’

    Advised Fortune 500 Companies, NASA and More

    This is the third time that Mathieu has received a lifetime career award. He received the Joseph E. McGrath Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Study of Groups from the Interdisciplinary Network for Group Research in 2015, and the Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award from the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology in 2017. He has also been recognized with the Academy of Management’s Mentorship Award in 2017 and the Academy of Management’s Research Methods Division Distinguished Career Award in 2022.

    He is a Fellow of the Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology, American Psychological Association, and the Academy of Management. He joined the UConn faculty in 1999 and is the GE Professor in Business. He has worked with many Fortune 500 companies, three branches of the Armed Services, federal and state agencies, including NASA and the FAA, and numerous public and private organizations.

    Mathieu has produced more than 150 publications, given some 250 presentations at national and international conferences, and has been a principal investigator or co-investigator on more than $11.5 million in grants and contracts. He has also serves on the editorial boards of top journals.

    Mathieu will deliver a keynote address at the Academy’s 2026 conference in Philadelphia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: More and more tourists are flocking to Antarctica. Let’s stop it from being loved to death

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darla Hatton MacDonald, Professor of Environmental Economics, University of Tasmania

    VCG via Getty Images

    The number of tourists heading to Antarctica has been skyrocketing. From fewer than 8,000 a year about three decades ago, nearly 125,000 tourists flocked to the icy continent in 2023–24. The trend is likely to continue in the long term.

    Unchecked tourism growth in Antarctica risks undermining the very environment that draws visitors. This would be bad for operators and tourists. It would also be bad for Antarctica – and the planet.

    Over the past two weeks, the nations that decide what human activities are permitted in Antarctica have convened in Italy. The meeting incorporates discussions by a special working group that aims to address tourism issues.

    It’s not easy to manage tourist visitors to a continent beyond any one country’s control. So, how do we stop Antarctica being loved to death? The answer may lie in economics.

    Future visitor trends

    We recently modelled future visitor trends in Antarctica. A conservative scenario shows by 2033–34, visitor numbers could reach around 285,000. Under the least conservative scenario, numbers could reach 450,000 – however, this figure incorporates pent-up demand from COVID shutdowns that will likely diminish.

    The vast majority of the Antarctic tourism industry comprises cruise-ship tourism in the Antarctic Peninsula. A small percentage of visitors travel to the Ross Sea region and parts of the continent’s interior.

    Antarctic tourism is managed by an international set of agreements together known as the Antarctic Treaty System, as well as the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO).

    The Treaty System is notoriously slow-moving and riven by geopolitics, and IAATO does not have the power to cap visitor numbers.

    Pressure on a fragile continent

    About two-thirds of Antarctic tourists land on the continent. The visitors can threaten fragile ecosystems by:

    • compacting soils
    • trampling fragile vegetation
    • introducing non-native microbes and plant species
    • disturbing breeding colonies of birds and seals.

    Even when cruise ships don’t dock, they can cause problems such as air, water and noise pollution – as well as anchoring that can damage the seabed.

    Then there’s carbon emissions. Each cruise ship traveller to Antarctica typically produces between 3.2 and 4.1 tonnes of carbon, not including travel to the port of departure. This is similar to the carbon emissions an average person produces in a year.

    Global warming caused by carbon emissions is damaging Antarctica. At the Peninsula region, glaciers and ice shelves are retreating and sea ice is shrinking, affecting wildlife and vegetation.

    Of course, Antarctic tourism represents only a tiny fraction of overall emissions. However, the industry has a moral obligation to protect the place that maintains it. And tourism in Antarctica can compound damage from climate change, tipping delicate ecosystems into decline.

    Some operators use hybrid ships and less polluting fuels, and offset emissions to offer carbon-neutral travel.

    IAATO has pledged to halve emissions by 2050 – a positive step, but far short of the net-zero targets set by the International Maritime Organization.

    Can economics protect Antarctica?

    Market-based tools – such as taxes, cap-and-trade schemes and certification – have been used in environmental management around the world. Research shows these tools could also prevent Antarctic tourist numbers from getting out of control.

    One option is requiring visitors to pay a tourism tax. This would help raise revenue to support environmental monitoring and enforcement in Antarctica, as well as fund research.

    Such a tax already exists in the small South Asian nation of Bhutan, where each tourist pays a tax of US$100 (A$152) a night. But while a tax might deter the budget-conscious, it probably wouldn’t deter high income, experience-driven tourists.

    Alternatively, a cap-and-trade system would create a limited number of Antarctica visitor permits for a fixed period. The initial distribution of permits could be among tourism operators or countries, via negotiation, auction or lottery. Unused permits could then be sold, making them quite valuable.

    Caps have been successful at managing tourism impacts elsewhere, such as Lord Howe Island, although there are no trades allowed in that system.

    Any cap on tourist numbers in Antarctica, and rules for trading, must be based on evidence about what the environment can handle. But there is a lack of precise data on Antarctica’s carrying capacity. And permit allocations amongst the operators and nations would need to be fair and inclusive.

    Alternatively, existing industry standards could be augmented with independent schemes certifying particular practices – for example, reducing carbon footprints. This could be backed by robust monitoring and enforcement to avoid greenwashing.

    Looking ahead

    Given the complexities of Antarctic governance, our research finds that the most workable solution is a combination of these market-based options, alongside other regulatory measures.

    So far, parties to the Antarctic treaty have made very few binding rules for the tourism industry. And some market-based levers will be more acceptable to the parties than others. But doing nothing is not a solution.

    The authors would like to acknowledge Valeria Senigaglia, Natalie Stoeckl and Jing Tian and the rest of the team for their contributions to the research upon which this article was based.

    Darla Hatton MacDonald receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Forest and Wood Innovations Centre, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and the Soils CRC. She has received in-kind support from Antarctic tour operator HX.

    Elizabeth Leane receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Dutch Research Council, and DFAT. She also receives in-kind support and occasional funding from Antarctic tourism operator HX and in-kind support from other tour operators.

    – ref. More and more tourists are flocking to Antarctica. Let’s stop it from being loved to death – https://theconversation.com/more-and-more-tourists-are-flocking-to-antarctica-lets-stop-it-from-being-loved-to-death-258294

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Aguilar: The GOP’s One Big Ugly Bill is fundamentally un-American

    Source: US House of Representatives – Democratic Caucus

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI – July 02, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar joined Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, Budget Committee Ranking Member Brendan Boyle, Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig, Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal, Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone and House Democrats for a press conference on Trump’s One Big Ugly Bill. 

    CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Donald Trump promised the American people that he would cut costs on day one. Republicans in Congress swore up and down that their policies would fight inflation and make life easier for everyday Americans. More lies. But we’ve all seen under this President, and this Republican majority, the prices continue to rise and the American Dream slipping further from reach. 

    Today marks the culmination of Donald Trump’s betrayal of working people across this country. Because of this bill, your health care is going to go up. Your electric bill is going to be more expensive. The clothes and groceries that you buy are already rising due to his reckless tariffs. The only people who make out in this bill are people who can already afford to pay a little bit more at the checkout line. But that’s not the reality for most people in this country. This bill isn’t for the American people—it’s a reward to the mega-rich campaign donors that bankroll Republican campaigns. 

    Why would Gabe Evans in Colorado vote for this bill? 29,000 people will lose access to health care in his district. 30,000 households will lose access to food nutrition programs, and almost 1,000 energy jobs will be lost. No one asked 17 million people to lose their health insurance. No one asked for hospitals to close or nursing homes to be shuttered because billionaires want more tax breaks. Where I’m from, that’s not big or beautiful. That’s small and ugly. No one asked for food assistance to be taken away from children to give handouts to the same corporations gouging the American people. 

    House Democrats believe that this bill is fundamentally un-American. We are going to fight to make sure billionaires and wealthy corporations pay their fair share, so that we can build an economy that works for everyone. We are going to fight to make America less expensive. And we’re going to fight to give working class people more breathing room and opportunities to get ahead.

    I want to thank my House colleagues for standing with us in this time, against this bill. I want to thank the community members who have joined us as well. And members of the faith-based community as well.

    We’re not here in a partisan exercise. We’re here because the American people don’t deserve this suffering. Now we did take a little bit of liberty when we said, “Hell no.” We didn’t ask them, members of the clergy, but we stand in unison against this dangerous bill. And today, however long it takes, we will continue to vote against this bill. We will do it together, and we will do it with the American people in mind. Thank you so much. 

    Video of the full press conference can be viewed here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom marks historic expansion of California’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program, announces 16 new projects to film in the Golden State

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jul 2, 2025

    What you need to know: Governor Newsom is more than doubling the state’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program, and adding 16 new television projects that will generate $1.1 billion in new economic activity.

    BURBANK – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom joined labor representatives, entertainment leaders and state officials to mark the official expansion of California’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program—solidifying the Golden State’s status as the global epicenter of film and television production. The move more than doubles the program’s annual funding—from $330 million to $750 million—and introduces key updates to keep production, below-the-line jobs, and investments rooted in California.

    The Governor is also awarding 16 new television shows through the program which, taken together, are collectively anticipated to bring in $1.1 billion in total spending and nearly 6,700 cast and crew jobs across the Golden State.

    California is where filmed entertainment was born, and with this expansion, we’re making sure it stays here. We’re not just investing in productions and soundstages—we’re investing in middle-class careers, small businesses, and the communities that power this iconic industry.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Doubling down on California’s creative economy

    Since 2009, the tax credit has generated over $27 billion in economic activity and supported more than 209,000 well-paying jobs with health and pension benefits by awarding nearly  850 projects. In years past, for every dollar of tax credit awarded, California has seen massive returns – $24.40 in economic output, $16.14 in GDP and $8.60 in wages.

    The expanded program – now one of the largest capped film incentives in the nation – maintains California’s competitive edge in the creative economy while continuing to prioritize workforce diversity provisions, more funding for the Career Pathways Training Program, and the nation’s first Safety on Production Pilot Program.

    “This expansion is about California’s long game—supporting a dynamic industry that fuels our creative economy and reflects who we are,” said Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to the Governor & Director of GO-Biz. “By doubling down on this commitment, we’re ensuring California remains the premier place to work, create, and tell stories that reach across the world.”

    Why this expansion matters

    Critically, this historic investment in the entertainment industry is projected to increase the number of film jobs supported by the program by approximately fifty percent.

    This program has been oversubscribed year after year, with more productions applying than can be accommodated under the current cap. And in recent years, projects that were unable to secure California’s tax credits and were forced to move to other locations contributed to significant economic losses for California, with an estimated 69% of rejected projects subsequently filming out-of-state.

    Through the expansion of this program, local economies will now be able to keep these creative jobs and livelihoods here in California, all while investing in the future of the industry.

    “This expansion is a powerful investment in California’s future, strengthening the state’s position as the global leader in content creation, fueling job growth and supporting thousands of small businesses that rely on a thriving production industry,” said Colleen Bell, Director of the California Film Commission. “This program isn’t just about keeping cameras rolling — it’s about sustaining careers, building opportunity and ensuring that the economic and cultural benefits of filmmaking stay right here in the Golden State.”

    16 new projects to film in California

    These new projects, which have been approved across the program’s last three television application windows, include nine renewals, two pilots, four new shows and one relocating show.

    Altogether, these 16 projects are expected to hire 6,664 cast and crew members, as well as 59,000 background performers (measured in days worked), across 1,308 total California filming days. Highlights from the projects include:

    • Nine returning TV series, including HBO Max’s “The Pitt,” Hulu’s hit “Paradise,” and CBS’s “NCIS: Origins”

    • Two shows that will film outside of the Los Angeles area for a total of 23 filming days

    • One relocating series – Prime Video’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”

    “We are thrilled that we are going to be able to continue shooting our second season of Paradise in Los Angeles, thanks in no small part to California’s film and TV tax credit,” said “Paradise” Creator/Executive Producer/Showrunner Dan Fogelman and Star/Executive Sterling K. Brown. “We’ve been lucky enough to shoot in Los Angeles for the majority of our careers – it is home to the best crews in the world and allowing series to shoot (and remain) in L.A. provides consistent work for countless craftspeople, allowing us all to remain in town with our families and loved ones.”

    See the full list of productions that are part of the Film and Television Tax Credit Program here.

    What comes next

    While last week’s state budget bill delivered the $750 million expansion, the Governor is expected to soon sign additional legislation to modernize and further improve the program.

    In the meantime, these tax credits have become refundable for all projects for the first time since the program’s inception in 2009, beginning with Program 4.0 which officially commenced yesterday, July 1.

    The California Film Commission will integrate the expanded funding and refundable credit mechanism into its immediately upcoming application cycles, which are scheduled for July 7–9, 2025 (television) and August 25–27, 2025 (film). Updated guidelines and resources will be provided by the Film Commission in the coming days. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Felon Indicted for Illegal Possession of a Firearm Following Arrest in Northeast

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

    Defendant Charged as Part of Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Initiative

                WASHINGTON – Ronald Aiken, 48, of the District of Columbia, has been charged in an indictment, unsealed today in U.S. District Court, on a federal firearms charge as part of the “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful” initiative.

                The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Aiken is charged federally with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.

                According to court documents, on June 10, 2025, members of the MPD’s Fifth District Crime Suppression Team were on patrol following two shootings in the area. As officers drove on the 1700 block of D Street NE, they observed a gray Audi sedan without a front registration plate driving the wrong way down a one-way street. Officers stopped the Audi on the 1700 block of Gales Street NE, and approached the driver, later identified as Ronald Aiken.

                Through the window, officers observed an open can of beer in an unzipped backpack on the rear passenger seat. Officers searched the backpack and discovered a live round of ammunition. During a further search of the vehicle, officers discovered a firearm wedged behind the rear driver-side seat. Officers identified the firearm as a black Taurus G3 9×19 pistol, loaded with one round in the chamber and three additional rounds in the magazine.

                Aiken is prohibited from possession a firearm and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2024 Arlington County, Virginia Circuit Court conviction for the possession/transport of a firearm by a convicted felon.

                This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Sussler and Brendan Horan are prosecuting the case.

                An 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 –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Felon Indicted for Illegal Possession of a Firearm Following Arrest in Northeast

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

    Defendant Charged as Part of Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Initiative

                WASHINGTON – Ronald Aiken, 48, of the District of Columbia, has been charged in an indictment, unsealed today in U.S. District Court, on a federal firearms charge as part of the “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful” initiative.

                The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Aiken is charged federally with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.

                According to court documents, on June 10, 2025, members of the MPD’s Fifth District Crime Suppression Team were on patrol following two shootings in the area. As officers drove on the 1700 block of D Street NE, they observed a gray Audi sedan without a front registration plate driving the wrong way down a one-way street. Officers stopped the Audi on the 1700 block of Gales Street NE, and approached the driver, later identified as Ronald Aiken.

                Through the window, officers observed an open can of beer in an unzipped backpack on the rear passenger seat. Officers searched the backpack and discovered a live round of ammunition. During a further search of the vehicle, officers discovered a firearm wedged behind the rear driver-side seat. Officers identified the firearm as a black Taurus G3 9×19 pistol, loaded with one round in the chamber and three additional rounds in the magazine.

                Aiken is prohibited from possession a firearm and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2024 Arlington County, Virginia Circuit Court conviction for the possession/transport of a firearm by a convicted felon.

                This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Sussler and Brendan Horan are prosecuting the case.

                An 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 –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Lung cancer screening hopes to save lives. But we also need to watch for possible harms

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katy Bell, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney

    There is much to commend about Australia’s lung cancer screening program, which started on July 1.

    The program is based on gold-standard trial evidence showing this type of screening is likely to reduce lung cancer deaths.

    Some people will have their life prolonged due to this screening, which involves taking low-dose CT scans to look for lung cancer in people with a significant smoking history.

    In some of these people, cancer will be detected at an early stage, and they can be treated. Without screening, these people may have died of cancer because it would have been detected at a later, incurable stage.

    However, for some people, screening could also harm.

    How can screening harm?

    Screening for disease, including cancer, can cause harm – during screening, diagnosis and treatment.

    With lung cancer screening, a positive scan can prompt an invasive lung biopsy. This is where a sample of lung tissue is obtained with a special needle guided by imaging, or through surgery under anaesthesia.

    If, after examination under the microscope, the pathologist thinks there is lung cancer, then more extensive surgery and other treatments will likely follow, all of which have a risk of side effects.

    The diagnostic label “lung cancer” itself is distressing, and the stigma attached to the diagnosis may worsen this distress.

    These harms and risks may be considered acceptable if the treatment prevents the person’s cancer from progressing.

    However, as with other cancers, screening is likely to also cause overdiagnosis and overtreatment. That is, some of the lesions picked up through screening and diagnosed as cancer, would have never caused any trouble if they’d been left alone. If these lesions were left undetected (and untreated), they would never have caused symptoms or shortened the person’s life.

    But all patients with a cancer diagnosis will be offered treatment – including surgery, radiotherapy and cancer drugs. Yet patients who really have an indolent (non-lethal) lesion have the same risk of harm from diagnosis and treatment as others, but without potentially benefiting from treatment.

    A related issue is that of “incidental findings”. Reports from lung cancer screening programs overseas show there is a large potential to find things other than cancer on the CT scan.

    For instance, some people have lung “nodules” (small spots on the scan) that fall short of being suspicious for cancer, but nonetheless need close monitoring with repeat scans for a while. For these people, we need to make sure health-care workers follow protocols that prevent unnecessary intervention in a nodule that is not growing.

    The scans can also pick up other conditions. These include calcium in coronary arteries, small aneurysms of the aorta (bulges in the body’s largest artery), or abnormalities in abdominal organs such as the liver.

    Some of these “incidental findings” may lead to early detection of disease that can be treated. However, in many cases the findings would not have caused any issues if they’d been left undetected, another example of overdiagnosis. These patients experience risks from further cascades of interventions triggered by the incidental finding, but without these interventions improving their health.

    The potential for overdiagnosis and overtreatment is greater if screening extends beyond the high-risk group with a history of heavy smoking. Some people who don’t meet the eligibility criteria may still want to be screened. For example, lung cancer awareness campaigns may lead to people who don’t smoke requesting screening. If screening staff decide to refer them for imaging, this may result in unofficial “leakage” of the screening program to include people at lower risk of cancer.

    For example in the United States, an estimated 45% of scans done in its screening program are for people who do not meet eligibility criteria. In China, about 64% of those screened may be technically ineligible.

    We see the results of this in a number of Asian countries with widespread, non-targeted screening, including of people who do not smoke. This has resulted in high rates of cancer diagnosis – much higher than we would expect in this low-risk group – and even higher rates of lung surgeries.

    These surgeries, which involve cutting into the chest wall to remove lung tissue, carry significant operative risks. They may also cause longer-term impacts by removing normal lung tissue.

    Regular independent evaluation needed

    In Australia, for the eligible population with a significant smoking history, we anticipate net benefit, on balance, from the screening program.

    However, if unintended consequences from screening are higher in real life than in the trials, then this could tip it the other way into net harm.

    So, regular independent re-evaluation of the program is needed to ensure anticipated benefits are realised and harms are kept to a minimum.

    This should include analysis of data across the population to look for signs of benefit, such as decreases in rates of advanced-stage lung cancer and deaths.

    These data should also be scrutinised for signs of harm from overdiagnosis and overtreatment – including of both cancer and non-cancer conditions.

    There is much excitement about the potential for lung cancer screening to prevent some Australians from dying from this devastating disease. We too have cautious optimism the program could make a real difference.

    But we can’t let this optimism blind us to the potential for harm.

    This is the next article in our ‘Finding lung cancer’ series, which explores Australia’s first new cancer screening program in almost 20 years. Read other articles in the series.

    More information about the program is available. If you need support to quit smoking, call Quitline on 13 78 48.

    Katy Bell receives funding from NHMRC. She co-leads the Wiser Healthcare Research Collaboration and is on the Board of the Preventing Overdiagnosis Conference.

    Brooke Nickel receives fellowship funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). She is on the Scientific Committee of the Preventing Overdiagnosis Conference.

    Professor Mark Morgan is chair of the RACGP Expert Committee for Quality Care and receives research support from the Medical Research Future Fund.

    – ref. Lung cancer screening hopes to save lives. But we also need to watch for possible harms – https://theconversation.com/lung-cancer-screening-hopes-to-save-lives-but-we-also-need-to-watch-for-possible-harms-253625

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sobyanin took part in a meeting with members of the Russian Government

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Vladimir Putin held meeting with members of the Government of the Russian Federation via videoconference. Participation in it was taken by Sergei Sobyanin.

    The meeting began with a discussion of measures to support participants in the special military operation (SVO) who were injured and remained in military service. Their social security should remain one of the priority areas of work, the Russian President emphasized.

    The meeting also discussed topics related to the construction of high-speed highways, the first of which will connect Moscow and St. Petersburg. According to Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev, systematic work is underway to implement this project – all key financial and organizational procedures have already been completed.

    “The construction of a test section of the route, from Zelenograd to Tver, 129 kilometers long, will be critical for the implementation of the high-speed railway project. The section includes the sixth and seventh stages of the project and will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2027. It will become an experimental testing ground for all systems of the domestic high-speed train, developed at the Ural Locomotives plant by the Sinara Group. The delivery of the first two trains is synchronized with the construction of these sections,” said Vitaly Savelyev.

    Once the highway opens, travel time from Moscow to St. Petersburg will be just 2 hours and 15 minutes. Passenger traffic on the route is expected to be at least 23 million people by the end of 2030.

    It is planned that by 2045 the length of the high-speed highway network will exceed 4.5 thousand kilometers.

    Vitaly Savelyev also promised to report next spring on the completion dates and parameters of the remaining high-speed railways that are planned to be built next. These are the roads from Moscow to Yekaterinburg, Adler, Ryazan and Minsk.

    In addition, the meeting discussed issues of developing the country’s backbone airport network. According to Vladimir Putin, this work must be carried out dynamically, without losing momentum.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/13021050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Phil Scott Appoints Dave Wolk to Serve on School District Redistricting Task Force

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointment of Dave Wolk, of Rutland, to serve as the Governor’s appointee on the School District Redistricting Task Force after signing H.454, An act relating to transforming Vermont’s education governance, quality, and finance systems into law. The Task Force is charged with recommending new school district boundaries and configurations to the General Assembly for action next legislative session.

    “The passage of H.454 serves as a guide for education transformation in Vermont. The work ahead, this summer and into next legislative session, will be just as important, so we can deliver better outcomes for our kids at a price taxpayers can afford,” said Governor Phil Scott. “I believe Dave’s experience in education and leadership in all branches of government will bring an important perspective to this work and will prioritize what’s best for our kids.”

    “I am honored that Governor Scott has appointed me, and I am delighted to continue to serve Vermont.  I approach the Task Force with an open mind, knowing that the results of the endeavor are not likely to be popular or widely embraced across the state,” said Wolk. “But it is important work, with a short timeline, and it must be done thoughtfully, with a focus on what is best for all of our students and educators, as well as Vermont taxpayers.  It will be very challenging but very necessary, for the benefit of Vermont.”

    Wolk is a lifelong Vermonter and has led intertwined careers in education and government leadership, in all three branches of government, for over 50 years. He grew up in Rutland and graduated from Rutland High School before going on to earn degrees from Middlebury College, the University of Vermont, and Harvard University.

    He served as a guidance counselor and teacher at Mt. St. Joseph Academy, academic dean at the St. Sebastian’s School, principal of Barstow Memorial School, principal of Rutland High

    School, superintendent of schools in Rutland City (with a one-year return engagement in 2019) and Vermont’s Commissioner of Education.

    His government service included four years as a Vermont state senator from 1988-92. Wolk began his presidency at what later became Castleton University in 2001, and was the longest serving president in Castleton’s history, culminating in his first failed retirement in December 2017.

    After leaving Castleton he developed Wolk Leadership Solutions, where he assisted school, college and private sector leaders as a mentor and coach. He closed that enterprise in November 2022 when he was elected Rutland County Assistant Judge, and he has served in that capacity ever since. During his professional career he served on more than 40 state and national boards and commissions, including 12 years as a member and later chairman of the board of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation.

    Outside of his professional work, Wolk has officiated 39 weddings (often for former students) and serves as a hospice volunteer. His favorite days are weddings and the births of grandchildren, currently there are eight.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tennessee Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Conspiring to Murder Law Enforcement and Attack FBI Office

    Source: US State of California

    Edward Kelley, 36, of Maryville, Tennessee, was sentenced to life in prison today in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.

    On Nov. 20, 2024, following a three-day jury trial, Kelley was convicted of conspiracy to murder federal employees; solicitation to commit a crime of violence; and influencing a federal official by threat.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Kelley developed a plan to murder law enforcement, including agents, officers, and employees of the FBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Maryville Police Department, Blount County Sheriff’s Office, and Clinton Police Department. The evidence showed that Kelley developed a “kill list” of law enforcement and distributed the list – along with videos containing images of his targets – to a co-conspirator as part of his “mission.”

    A cooperating defendant, who previously pleaded guilty for his role in the conspiracy, testified that he and Kelley planned attacks on the Knoxville FBI office using car bombs and incendiary devices appended to drones. He also testified that the conspirators strategized about assassinating FBI employees in their homes and in public places such as movie theaters.

    At trial, the United States introduced recordings of the defendant calling for the development of a “course of action” related to his plan. In one such recording, the defendant gave the instructions to, among other things, “start it,” “attack,” and “take out their office” in the event of his arrest. Kelley was recorded stating, “You don’t have time to train or coordinate, but every hit has to hurt,” and “Every hit has to hurt.”

    Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI’s Knoxville Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey T. Arrowood and Kyle J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Tanya Senanayake and Jacob Warren of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tennessee Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Conspiring to Murder Law Enforcement and Attack FBI Office

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Edward Kelley, 36, of Maryville, Tennessee, was sentenced to life in prison today in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.

    On Nov. 20, 2024, following a three-day jury trial, Kelley was convicted of conspiracy to murder federal employees; solicitation to commit a crime of violence; and influencing a federal official by threat.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Kelley developed a plan to murder law enforcement, including agents, officers, and employees of the FBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Maryville Police Department, Blount County Sheriff’s Office, and Clinton Police Department. The evidence showed that Kelley developed a “kill list” of law enforcement and distributed the list – along with videos containing images of his targets – to a co-conspirator as part of his “mission.”

    A cooperating defendant, who previously pleaded guilty for his role in the conspiracy, testified that he and Kelley planned attacks on the Knoxville FBI office using car bombs and incendiary devices appended to drones. He also testified that the conspirators strategized about assassinating FBI employees in their homes and in public places such as movie theaters.

    At trial, the United States introduced recordings of the defendant calling for the development of a “course of action” related to his plan. In one such recording, the defendant gave the instructions to, among other things, “start it,” “attack,” and “take out their office” in the event of his arrest. Kelley was recorded stating, “You don’t have time to train or coordinate, but every hit has to hurt,” and “Every hit has to hurt.”

    Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI’s Knoxville Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey T. Arrowood and Kyle J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Tanya Senanayake and Jacob Warren of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Doctor Arrested for Multimillion-Dollar COVID-19 Insurance Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    The Attorney for the United States, Acting under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, Sean Buckley, and the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced the arrest of ALI RASHAN on charges of health care fraud.  As alleged in a five-count Indictment unsealed on June 25, 2025, RASHAN, a medical doctor, was the CEO and founder of ClearMD, a provider of COVID-19 testing services in New York City which fraudulently billed insurance companies for approximately $24 million for COVID-19 testing and submitted fraudulent medical records in furtherance of this fraudulent scheme.  RASHAN was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses on June 25 and the case has been assigned to Judge Paul A. Engelmayer.

    “While New Yorkers were doing their best to get through a public health crisis, Ali Rashan was allegedly cashing in on it,” said Attorney for the United States Sean Buckley.  “Our Office will not tolerate those who exploit the city’s pandemic response for personal profit.”

    “Ali Rashan allegedly facilitated an elaborate scheme using fabricated medical records to steal more than $24 million,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia.  “This defendant allegedly violated his dual authorities as a medical doctor and CEO to receive reimbursement from thousands of illegitimate claims.  The FBI remains dedicated to investigating any individual who selfishly exploits our health care system for their personal benefit.

    According to statements made in court and publicly filed documents in this case:[1]

    From at least 2021 until in or about 2023, RASHAN, the founder and owner of ClearMD, a provider of medical testing services, agreed to submit and caused to be submitted to insurers fraudulent claims that billed for unperformed and unrequested services purportedly provided to patients who sought testing for COVID-19 and fraudulent medical records in support of these fraudulent claims.  For example, RASHAN directed ClearMD to submit or cause the submission of thousands of claims that billed for evaluation and management (“E/M”) services that were never performed.  Furthermore, at times during the relevant period, RASHAN directed ClearMD to submit claims to insurers billing for two to four COVID-19 testing codes, even though ClearMD had administered only a single COVID-19 test to patients.  Thereafter, in response to requests from insurers for documentation supporting its claims for reimbursement, RASHAN instructed ClearMD staff to write a software program to generate false medical records to support ClearMD’s fraudulent billings.  RASHAN directed ClearMD to submit these fabricated medical records to insurers to deceive them about the services that ClearMD had provided and to justify ClearMD’s retention of amounts paid to ClearMD in response to fraudulent claims.  This scheme resulted in losses of at least approximately $24 million.

    *                *                *

    RASHAN, 41, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to make false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of false statements relating to health care matters, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

    The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

    Mr. Buckley praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.  Mr. Buckley also thanked the Office of Personnel Management’s Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration for their assistance in this investigation.

    The charges announced today are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in alleged false billings and over 15.6 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances.  The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets.  In connection with this nationwide health care fraud takedown, the Government seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, and other assets.

    Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rushmi Bhaskaran, Timothy Capozzi, and Jaclyn Delligatti are in charge of the prosecution.

    The charges contained in the Indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
     

    [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Men Charged in HIV Medication Fraud and Identity Theft Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging JOSUE TORRES and ANTHONY GUERRA with participating in a scheme to obtain high-cost medications for HIV and other illnesses by causing fraudulent prescriptions to be issued using the stolen identities of medical practitioners and those practitioners’ purported patients.  TORRES and GUERRA were arrested on June 17, 2025, and presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo.

    “As alleged, the defendants stole the identities of doctors and patients to convert valuable, life-saving medications into a source of illicit profits,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “By feeding the black market for prescription medications, the defendants’ alleged crimes endangered the safety of patients and undermined the integrity of our health care system.  Together with our partners at the FBI, we are committed to bringing to justice those who seek to profit by defrauding pharmacies, drug manufacturers, distributors, and insurers.”

    “Josue Torres and Anthony Guerra allegedly procured and resold hundreds of illegitimate prescriptions through unauthorized access to pharmaceutical databases and copay assistance,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia.  “These defendants allegedly exploited private medical information of both practitioners and patients to perpetuate this elaborate scheme. The FBI remains committed to apprehending any individual who steals medications for illicit black-market profits.”

    According to the allegations in the Complaint:[1]

    From at least in or about August 2021 through the present, TORRES and GUERRA participated in a scheme to cause fraudulent prescriptions to be issued for certain high-cost prescription medications (the “High-Cost Medications”) used to treat HIV and other diseases, and to obtain those High-Cost Medications by picking them up at pharmacies or by having them shipped to a physical address.

    TORRES accessed accounts on e-prescribing platforms using the names and other identifying information of certain physicians and other medical practitioners (the “Targeted Practitioners”) without the Targeted Practitioners’ authorization or knowledge.  TORRES and GUERRA then used the e-prescribing platforms to cause High-Cost Medication prescriptions (the “Fraudulent Prescriptions”) to be issued for certain individuals who did not require those medications (the “Sham Patients”).  The image below shows TORRES picking up HIV medication issued to a Sham Patient on or about December 30, 2022. 

    TORRES and GUERRA secured significantly reduced copay amounts for the High-Cost Medications associated with the Fraudulent Prescriptions through the use of copay assistance programs, with copay assistance cards that bore the names of the Sham Patients.  In some cases, a Sham Patient’s private health insurance provider paid out money to cover a portion of the cost of a High-Cost Medication.

    In total, TORRES, GUERRA, and other co-conspirators caused approximately 693 Fraudulent Prescriptions, including prescription refills, to issue from approximately 18 Targeted Practitioners.  Those Fraudulent Prescriptions contained approximately 55,626 tablets, capsules, or other units of medication, worth approximately $2,638,581.[1]

    TORRES and GUERRA went on to sell the High-Cost Medications, which have significant resale value on the black market.

    Below are texts messages from 2021 between TORRES (messages with green background) and GUERRA (messages with grey background). 

    *               *                *

    TORRES, 45, of Brooklyn, New York, and GUERRA, 37, of the Bronx, New York, are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison to run consecutive to any other prison term.

    The statutory minimum and maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

    Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI in connection with this investigation.

    The charges announced today are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in alleged false billings and over 15.6 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances.  The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets.  In connection with this nationwide health care fraud takedown, the Government seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, and other assets.

    Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry Ross is in charge of the prosecution.

    The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

    [2] The approximate total value of the Fraudulent Prescriptions was calculated by multiplying the number of prescription and prescription refills for a given High-Cost Medication by the national average drug acquisition cost, or “NADAC,” of that medication, as of in or about 2023. NADACs are published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services at: https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/nadac.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Serial Hacker ‘IntelBroker’ Charged for Causing $25 Million in Damages to Victims

    Source: US FBI

    Kai West, a British National, Is Charged With Operating the “IntelBroker” Online Identity, Infiltrating Victim Computer Networks, Stealing Data, Selling It, and Causing Millions in Damages to Dozens of Victims Around the World

    The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced the unsealing of a four-count criminal Indictment and Complaint charging KAI WEST, a/k/a “IntelBroker,” a/k/a “Kyle Northern,” with a years-long hacking scheme committed through the online identity “IntelBroker.”  WEST, using the IntelBroker identity, conspired with an online group named the CyberN[——], to steal data from a telecommunications company, municipal health care provider, an Internet service provider, and more than 40 other victims.  WEST, and his online co-conspirators, took that stolen data, and offered it for sale online for more than $2 million.  Collectively, WEST, through the “IntelBroker” identity and his online co-conspirators, caused in excess of $25 million in damages to victims.  WEST was arrested in France in February 2025, and the United States is seeking his extradition.  The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla.

    “The IntelBroker alias has caused millions in damages to victims around the world,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “This action reflects the FBI’s commitment to pursuing cybercriminals around the world.  New Yorkers are all too often the victims of intentional cyber schemes and our office is committed to bringing these remote actors to justice.”

    “Kai West, an alleged serial hacker, is charged for a nefarious, years-long scheme to steal victim’s data and sell it for millions in illicit funds, causing more than $25 million in damages worldwide,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia.  “Today’s announcement should serve as a warning to anyone thinking they can hide behind a keyboard and commit cyber-crime with impunity; the FBI will find and hold you accountable no matter where you are.”

    As alleged in the Indictment and Complaint:[1]

    “IntelBroker” is the online moniker of WEST, who, in concert with his co-conspirators, compromised victims’ (typically companies) computer systems, exfiltrated data from those systems (e.g. customer lists and company marketing data), and then sold the stolen data for profit.  WEST accomplished his scheme in connection with his leadership of an online hacking group called the “CyberN[——],” which frequented a particular internet forum (“Forum-1”).

    Between approximately 2023 to 2025, WEST offered hacked data for sale approximately 41 times; and offered to distribute hacked data for free (or for Forum-1 credits) approximately 117 times. WEST, and his co-conspirators, have sought to collect at least approximately $2,000,000 by selling the stolen data.  Based on information received from the victims of these breaches, WEST and his co-conspirators have cumulatively caused victim losses of at least $25,000,000.

    Based on a review of WEST’s IntelBroker Forum-1 posts, approximately 158 threads started by WEST offered stolen data for sale, for Forum-1 credit, or for free, since in or about January 2023 through in or about February 2025.  At least 41 of those 158 public messages sell data from companies based in the United States.  Of those 158 messages, approximately 16 provided a specific asking price for the stolen data, which cumulatively totals at least $2,467,000. At least 25 of the 158 public messages invited Forum‑1 users to private message IntelBroker (i.e. WEST) to negotiate a sales price.  The remaining 117 public messages offer hacked data for free to Forum-1 users or in exchange for Forum-1 credits.  At least 46 of the 158 public messages indicate that WEST worked in concert with a particular Forum-1 user (“CC-1”) to obtain the data through a “breach” (i.e. “hack”).  WEST’s public messages (as IntelBroker) indicate that he accepts payment via Monero, which is a cryptocurrency that uses a blockchain with privacy-enhancing technologies to attempt to obfuscate transactions and seek to achieve anonymity and fungibility.

    WEST’s prolific posting (as IntelBroker), and his sales of stolen data, have generated notoriety for the IntelBroker identity within the Forum-1 community. Indeed, from in or about August 2024 through in or about January 2025, “IntelBroker” was identified on Forum-1 as the site’s “owner.”  To further his username’s notoriety, WEST has associated different images with IntelBroker but primarily uses the following image as his calling card:

    WEST’s victims include a U.S.-based telecommunications provider.  WEST, using the IntelBroker moniker, sold data from that telecommunications company, which included information about its customers.  That data was accessed by WEST by illegally accessing a server which was improperly configured.  On or about March 6, 2023, WEST, using the IntelBroker moniker, authored a public message on Forum-1 titled “CyberN[——] [redacted reference to Victim] Database.”  In that post, WEST offered for sale data from a municipal healthcare provider which included patient data such as names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, genders, health plan information, employer information, among other information, from the victim’s patients. 

    *               *                *

    WEST, 25, a British national, is charged with conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; accessing a protected computer to obtain information, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

    The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

    Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI and the Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.  He also thanked the French, Spanish, British, and Dutch authorities for their assistance. 

    The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan B. Finkel is in charge of the prosecution.

    The charges contained in the Indictment and Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
     

    [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the Complaint, and the descriptions set forth herein, constitutes only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hertford County Man Sentenced to Over Seven Years After Armed Robbery in Winton

    Source: US FBI

    WILMINGTON, N.C. – Trevon Montez Freeman, of Hertford County, was sentenced today to 90 months in prison for interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during the robbery.  Freeman, 21, pled guilty to the charges on February 11, 2025.

    “Commercial armed robbery not only endangers the lives of victims and bystanders but tears at the fabric of our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “This result reflects our commitment to holding violent offenders accountable and providing some justice to the victim in this case.”

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, on November 26, 2023, just before 10 p.m., Hertford County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of an armed robbery at the Winton Deli on S. Main Street in Winton.  The clerk, who was shaking and in tears, explained that she and her nephew had been closing the store when a black male ran into the store and aimed a tan handgun at them.  The robber, who was wearing a black ski mask, Air Force 1 shoes, and a black hoodie, ordered the clerk to the register at gunpoint.  He took bills and change, later determined to be $257, from the register and left the store.  Deputies attempted a K-9 track, which led to a parking lot where fresh tire marks indicate a car had sped away.

    “The professionalism, dedication, and commitment shown by our team reflect our ongoing mission to protect the citizens and businesses of Hertford County,” said Hertford County Sheriff Dexter Hayes. “We remain steadfast in our pledge that anyone who chooses to commit a crime in our county will be held accountable. We will not tolerate those who threaten the safety of our community.”

    Surveillance video confirmed that the robber brandished a tan handgun with a light attached under the barrel.  He could be heard speaking on the video, and a deputy recognized the voice as belonging to the defendant Trevon Freeman.  Deputies began to patrol around Freeman’s house and just after midnight made a traffic stop on Freeman’s car for a speeding violation.  Freeman was wearing a black jacket and Air Force 1 shoes, and a black ski mask sat beside him in the passenger seat.  Deputies found a roll of bills and hundreds of coins in pocket, totaling nearly $200.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II.  The Hertford County Sheriff’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jake D. Pugh and Phil Aubart prosecuted.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-0018-M.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Multiple Eastern North Carolina Health Care Professionals Charged in Connection with 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown

    Source: US FBI

    RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar announced criminal charges against five individuals and one company, in connection with alleged schemes to defraud and abuse the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and other insurance carriers.  The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The charges stem from Medicaid kickbacks to patients in exchange for attending substance abuse services, and from false and fraudulent billings to Medicare for durable medical equipment.

    “Fraud against our healthcare system is not a victimless crime – it threatens patient care, burdens taxpayers, and undermines trust in critical programs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “Today’s charges demonstrate our offices resolve to pursue those who attempt to profit by violating federal law and jeopardizing public resources. We will continue to work with our federal and state law enforcement partners to ensure accountability.”

    “Today’s record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown sends a crystal-clear message to criminal actors, both foreign and domestic, intent on preying upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers: we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”

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

    The following individuals have been charged in the Eastern District of North Carolina:

    • Kimberly Mable Sims (a lab company owner), Francine Sims Super (an office manager), and Keke Komeko Johnson (a compliance officer), were charged by information in connection with the payment of more than $1 million in illegal remunerations in the form of gift cards to patients of Life Touch, LLC (“Life Touch”), a North Carolina substance abuse treatment company, and in connection with false statements to Medicaid auditors regarding the same. The inducements resulted in more than $25 million in payments from Medicaid to Life Touch. As alleged, over four years, Life Touch, through its compliance officer and managers, routinely paid patients based upon the number of days per week that they received services. Life Touch staff also received kickbacks from a lab company that it utilized for drug testing services. The charging documents further allege that Medicaid auditors were deceived regarding these ongoing practices at Life Touch and the lab company. In addition, Super and Johnson were each charged with failure to file a tax return. Life Touch and Brandon Eugene Sims were previously charged in this case. More than $6 million in assets in the form of cash, real estate and other assets haven been seized. The cases are being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tasha Gardner, and Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Gilmore of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

    • Randal Fenton Wood, 56, of Flagler Beach, Florida, was charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare, the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA), and other insurance programs for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (“DME”). As alleged in the information, Wood and others partnered with purported marketing entities which solicited Medicare beneficiaries to accept durable medical equipment, such as braces and pneumatic compression devices, by illegally waiving copays and pressuring beneficiaries to accept the equipment without verifying that the equipment was medically necessary. The marketing entities sold the beneficiary information and the prefilled orders to Wood and other DME supply companies, who developed and implemented a “doctor chase” model to pressure physicians into signing or altering orders so that they could be billed in full. The DME supply companies owned by or affiliated with Wood received over $39 million in reimbursement from Medicare for DME ordered through this scheme. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

    In addition to the foregoing cases, which were a part of the National Enforcement Action, Acting United States Attorney Bubar today also announces the convictions of the following healthcare and mental health practitioners in connection with an investigation into billing and documentation practices by Medicaid mental health providers Our Treatment Center and Partners Against Sexually Transmitted Diseases, which operated in Raleigh, North Carolina:

    • Dawn Marie Meacham, 61, of Raleigh, a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) pled guilty to Conspiracy to Make and Use Materially False Writings and Documents Relating to Health Care Matters, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.  At sentencing, which remains pending, Meacham faces up to 5 years of imprisonment on the charge.

    • Kim Jones Kelly, 68, of Greenville, a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS) pled guilty to Conspiracy to Make and Use Materially False Writings and Documents Relating to Health Care Matters, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.  At sentencing, which remains pending, Kelly faces up to 5 years of imprisonment on the charge.

    • Pius Ondachi, 54, of Raleigh, a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) pled guilty to Making and Using Materially False Writings and Documents Relating to Health Care Matters, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1035(a)(2).  At sentencing, which remains pending, Ondachi faces up to 5 years of imprisonment on the charge.

    • Tequila Vinson Bogan, 48, of Smithfield, a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) pled guilty to Conspiracy to Make and Use Materially False Writings and Documents Relating to Health Care Matters, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.  At sentencing, which remains pending, Bogan faces up to 5 years of imprisonment on the charge.

    • Ifeoma Ezugwu, 56, of Raleigh, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate (LCSWA) pled guilty to Making and Using Materially False Writings and Documents Relating to Health Care Matters, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1035(a)(2).  At sentencing, which remains pending, Ezugwu faces up to 5 years of imprisonment on the charge.

    • Queensly Onuzulike, 49, of Raleigh, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) pled guilty to Conspiracy to Make and Use Materially False Writings and Documents Relating to Health Care Matters, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.  At sentencing, which remains pending, Onuzulike faces up to 5 years of imprisonment on the charge.

    • Tamika Rochaelle Autry, 29, of Wilson, a Certified Peer Support Specialist and Qualified Practitioner, pled guilty to Making and Using Materially False Writings and Documents Relating to Health Care Matters, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1035(a)(2).  At sentencing, which remains pending, Autry faces up to 5 years of imprisonment on the charge.

    Special Assistant United States Attorney Tasha C. Gardner, of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office – Medicaid Investigations Division, serves as prosecutor on each of these cases.

    “Individuals and entities that participate in federal healthcare programs are expected to obey the laws meant to preserve the integrity of program funds,” said Kelly J. Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of Medicare and Medicaid fraud.”

    “Healthcare fraud isn’t a crime that only exists on paper. These schemes drain taxpayer-funded government programs designed to assist citizens who may not otherwise be able to afford healthcare. The FBI and our partners work tirelessly to stop people from defrauding the government, protect the integrity of the programs for those who truly need it, and bring offenders to justice,” said FBI Charlotte Acting Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr.

    “We remain committed to uncovering misconduct in use of healthcare funds and holding offenders accountable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Gaskins, Charlotte Field Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. “Our special agents will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to pursue individuals who try to exploit federal relief programs for their personal gain.”

    “These people were entrusted to help provide health care and necessary medical tests to patients, but instead they used patients’ information to commit Medicaid fraud,” said North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “I’m grateful for the work of our office’s Medicaid Investigations Division to hold these fraudsters accountable, as well as the partnerships with federal and state law enforcement and prosecutors that helped get this done. We’ll make sure anyone who abuses taxpayer dollars is held accountable.”

    “This criminal charge underscores the VA Office of Inspector General’s commitment to vigorously investigate those who would seek to defraud VA healthcare programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Nate Landkammer with the VA Office of Inspector General’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation.”

    Principal Assistant Deputy Chief Jacob Foster, Assistant Deputy Chief Rebecca Yuan, Trial Attorney Miriam L. Glaser Dauermann, and Data Analyst Elizabeth Nolte, all of the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, led and coordinated this year’s Takedown. The cases are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Columbia, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Middle District of Georgia, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Maine, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Northern District of Mississippi, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nevada, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Western District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, District of North Dakota, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, District of South Carolina, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Washington, and Northern District of West Virginia; and State Attorneys General’s Offices for California, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team used cutting-edge data analytics to identify and support the investigations that led to these charges.

    The Eastern District of North Carolina, in particular, worked with the following law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the enforcement period: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office – Medicaid Investigations Division (MID), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRSCI), the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), and the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Forces. Prior to the charges announced as part of today’s nationwide Takedown and since its inception in March 2007, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which operates in 27 districts, charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively billed Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurers more than $27 billion.

    A complaint, information, or 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 –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dozens of Violent Offenders Arrested in Operation Mongolian Beef

    Source: US FBI

    Twenty-eight members of the Mongols motorcycle gang were taken into custody today in a joint operation between the FBI Jacksonville Division, Volusia Sheriff’s Office, and the Seventh Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office. In addition, arrest warrants have been issued for three additional Mongols gang members and their arrests are pending.

    The following individuals have been charged with aggravated rioting related to the gas station shooting that occurred in New Smyrna Beach during Bike Week on March 8, 2025:

    • Tyler Maxamillian Araya
    • Max Martin Bastuardo
    • Gary Robert Bedsaul (arrest still pending)
    • John Paul Bertrand
    • Christopher Allen Boyd
    • Peri John Butler
    • Pablo Jorge Cardoza Baptista
    • Jarrad Bryce Cawley
    • Francis G. Gomez
    • Daniel Hernandez
    • Sean Jeffery Hoholik
    • Trevor Frank Kopp (arrest still pending)
    • Kevin Koul
    • Matthew David Limperatos
    • Daniel William Macumber
    • Robert Brandon Maness
    • Shawn Anthony Marshall
    • Steve Patino-Rangel
    • Justin Ballard Perry
    • Chadwick Lee Price
    • Michael Angel Rodriguez
    • Mario Silvestri (arrest still pending)
    • Spencer Ryan Skipworth
    • Timothy Adam Stephens
    • Joseph Harry James Summerhill
    • Anthony Christopher Trimboli
    • Jacob Rolando Velez
    • Clinton Neal Walker (previously arrested and charged related to this shooting)
    • Douglas Ray White
    • Kash Williams
    • Gaige Alexander Wilson

    Aggravated rioting (Florida Statute 870.01 3) is when a person participates in a riot of 25 or more other people. It is a second-degree felony and punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

    The FBI and partners also executed 14 search warrants, including at the Mongols Clubhouse in Edgewater, Florida; four homes in Volusia County; three homes in Brevard County; two homes in Miami-Dade County; one home in Chesterfield County, Virginia; one home in Palm Beach County; and two homes in Polk County.

    “The FBI has made a commitment to all Americans that we will crush violent crime across the country. I’m proud to share that the FBI is delivering our commitment to you here in Florida. Operation Mongolian Beef is just one example of how the FBI brings our full force of investigative capabilities to assist our law enforcement partners and protect our communities. There is no doubt Volusia County and, in fact, the entire state of Florida is safer today with these violent offenders off the street,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley.

    This joint operation was carried out by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, FBI Jacksonville, FBI Tampa, FBI Miami, FBI Richmond, FBI Newark, FBI Columbia, and FBI Charlotte, with assistance from the State Attorney’s Office for the Seventh Judicial Circuit, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S Marshals, FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the sheriff’s offices of Brevard, Broward, Collier, Escambia, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, and the police departments of Boca Raton, DeLand, Lakeland, New Smyrna Beach, Palm Bay, Orange City, Orlando, Rockledge, and Titusville.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: National Health Care Fraud Takedown Results in Charges Against 324 Individuals, Including 13 in Northern District of Illinois

    Source: US FBI

    Northern District of Illinois Defendants Charged for Nearly $2 Billion in Fraudulent Reimbursements

    CHICAGO — Thirteen defendants in the Northern District of Illinois are facing federal criminal charges as part of the largest national health care fraud enforcement action in Department of Justice history–and the largest ever in the Northern District of Illinois.  The Administration has identified health care fraud as a top priority for white-collar enforcement.

    More than 320 defendants were charged nationwide for allegedly participating in various health care fraud schemes involving more than $14.6 billion in intended losses.  The government seized more than $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and other assets as part of the national enforcement effort.  The takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represented an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit both patients and taxpayers.

    In the Northern District of Illinois, the 13 defendants are charged with various crimes related to health care, with some allegedly participating in fraud schemes involving more than $1.83 billion billed to government programs and private health insurers.  The fraud schemes caused the Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Medicare, and other insurers to pay more than $865 million in fraudulent reimbursements.

    The nationwide takedown was led and coordinated by the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and its core partners from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).  The cases were investigated by agents from HHS-OIG, FBI, DEA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and other federal and state law enforcement agencies.  The cases are being prosecuted by Health Care Fraud Strike Force teams from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, 48 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide, and nine State Attorney Generals’ Offices.

    “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois is proud to partner with the Department of Justice and multiple law enforcement agencies in the largest health care fraud takedown in our District’s history,” said Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.  “Health care fraud is an insidious crime that siphons off hard-earned tax dollars meant to provide care for people of limited means as well as the vulnerable and disabled.  It leads to increased health care costs, including higher insurance premiums and taxes, as well as potentially jeopardizing the quality and safety of treatment.  At nearly $2 billion, the alleged combined fraud at issue in these cases is staggering. This type of criminal conduct not only undermines the very fabric of our health care system, but also can lead to mistrust between patient and health care provider, especially when the criminal conduct is committed by medical professionals in a position of trust.  Our Office will continue to vigorously pursue those who seek to exploit these critically important health care programs by placing greed and profits above patient care.”

    “This record-setting health care fraud takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.  “Make no mistake–this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”

    The thirteen defendants in northern Illinois were charged in five cases filed in the Northern District of Illinois:

    U.S. v. Charolia, et al

    RUKNUDDIN “RICK” CHAROLIA, 43, AAMIR ALI ARIF, 32, SHEARYAR ARIF, 28, and FIZZA FARID, 29, all foreign citizens, were indicted for their alleged participation in a $700 million health care fraud scheme in which false and fraudulent claims were submitted to Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans for over-the-counter Covid-19 test kits, durable medical equipment products, and genetic tests that were not requested, not medically necessary, and/or not provided to the beneficiaries.  As alleged in the indictment, Charolia and Aamir Ali Arif operated a call center in Pakistan called Hello International Marketing Solutions (“HIMS”), that obtained Medicare beneficiary information, including Medicare beneficiary identification numbers, through theft and deception.  HIMS then purportedly contacted beneficiaries to obtain patient consent for the durable medical equipment products, Covid-19 test kits, and genetic tests, even though the products and services were often not requested or medically necessary.  The purported consent for the Covid-19 test kits was sometimes even faked through artificial intelligence.  Charolia, Aamir Ali Arif, Shearyar Arif, and Farid allegedly caused the durable medical equipment providers and laboratories to submit approximately $703 million in fraudulent claims for products and services that were not requested, not medically necessary, or not provided to beneficiaries, receiving at least approximately $418 million from Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans.  Additionally, Charolia, Aamir Ali Arif, and FAIZAN SALEEM, 28, also a foreign national, were charged for their alleged participation in a conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the Anti-Kickback Statute for their sale and distribution of Medicare beneficiary information, including Medicare BINs, to durable medical equipment providers and laboratories in the United States. 

    All five defendants were also charged with participating in a money laundering conspiracy in which fraud proceeds were transferred to various U.S. accounts controlled by the defendants in an effort to conceal the source, location, ownership, and control of the funds.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Kelly M. Warner and Claire Sobczak Pacelli of the Midwest Strike Force, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmina Vajzovic of the Northern District of Illinois.

    U.S. v. Ahmed, et al

    ANOSH AHMED, 41, formerly of Chicago and Houston, Texas, MOHAMED SIRAJUDEEN, 53, of Chicago, MAHMOOD SAMI KHAN, 36, of Houston, Texas, and SUHAIB AHMAD CHAUDHRY, 34, of Houston, Texas, were indicted for their roles in an alleged $894 million fraudulent Covid-19 testing scheme.  As alleged in the indictment, Ahmed, Sirajudeen, and Khan caused clinical laboratories in Illinois and Texas to submit false and fraudulent claims to the U.S. government’s HRSA Covid-19 Uninsured Program seeking reimbursement in the amount of approximately $894 million for Covid-19 testing, of which approximately $293 million was paid. 

    According to the indictment, Ahmed was a physician who used patient information obtained from a variety of sources, including a patient list from a hospital where he previously worked, to generate false claims that were submitted through a laboratory in Illinois.  Dr. Ahmed allegedly falsely represented that the identifiers were associated with uninsured individuals who had submitted biological samples for Covid-19 testing, knowing that the purported patients had not submitted any samples.  Ahmed allegedly also submitted false claims through labs in Texas that he owned but which were not operational.  According to the indictment, Ahmed, Sirajudeen, Khan, and Chaudhry then laundered the fraud proceeds through various bank accounts to conceal the origin of the funds.  Ahmed and Khan were charged with wire fraud and, along with Chaudhry, with conspiracy to commit money laundering.  Ahmed was also charged with conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, obtaining individually identifiable health information without authorization and for commercial advantage, and money laundering.  Sirajudeen was charged with money laundering.  

    The government has seized approximately $100 million in assets in this matter.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sheri Mecklenburg and Kelly Guzman of the Northern District of Illinois, and Trial Attorney Claire Sobczak Pacelli of the Midwest Strike Force.

    U.S. v. Elkoussa

    JAMIL ELKOUSSA, 35, of Orland Park, Ill., was charged with five counts of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud the U.S. government’s HRSA Covid-19 Uninsured Program.  As alleged in the indictment, Elkoussa operated Meridian Medical Staffing, which purported to collect samples for Covid-19 tests at numerous sites in Illinois and Florida.  Elkoussa allegedly caused a laboratory to submit approximately $233 million in fraudulent claims to the HRSA Uninsured Program for Covid-19 test specimens purportedly collected from patients, even though he knew that such test specimens had not been collected from the purported patients, and many of those patients did not exist.  According to the indictment, Elkoussa’s fraudulent conduct resulted in approximately $154 million in HRSA payments to the laboratory, for which Elkoussa received more than $60 million.   

    Approximately $6 million in assets have been seized in this matter.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Claire Sobczak Pacelli of the Midwest Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Guzman of the Northern District of Illinois.

    U.S. v. Muhammad, et al

    MINHAJ FEROZ MUHAMMAD, 37, and SUFYAN FEROZE, 34, both of Naperville, Ill., were charged in connection with their involvement with FZ Medical Inc., d/b/a Next Labs Inc., which allegedly submitted more than $72 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois for Covid-19 laboratory testing services that were not provided to insureds.  According to the indictment, the lab was paid more than $9.7 million for these claims.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Kelly M. Warner, with substantial assistance by former Trial Attorney Victor B. Yanz of the Midwest Strike Force.

    U.S. v. Farley

    CHER FARLEY, 52, of Earlville, Ill., was charged in connection with her acquisition of foreign-sourced drugs labeled as Botox and Sotox, and the subsequent dispensing of those drugs without a prescription.  As alleged in a criminal information, Farley caused foreign-sourced Botox and Sotox without proper labeling to be introduced into interstate commerce from China and dispensed without a prescription to multiple victims.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly of the Northern District of Illinois.

    ~~~

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which works in partnership with U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide.  Prior to the charges announced as part of today’s nationwide takedown and since its inception in March 2007, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which operates in 27 districts, charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively billed Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurers more than $27 billion.

    The public is reminded that charges are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Indicted in Federal Court for Allegedly Carjacking Two Vehicles and Robbing Two Credit Unions in Chicago

    Source: US FBI

    CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a man for allegedly carjacking two vehicles and robbing two credit unions in Chicago.

    MAURICE D. LEE, JR., committed the carjackings and robberies in May of last year, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  The first carjacking and robbery occurred on May 10, 2024, when Lee took a Toyota from a driver and robbed a credit union at the University of Illinois Chicago, the indictment alleges.  The second carjacking and robbery occurred on May 17, 2024, when Lee took a Toyota and robbed another credit union at the University of Illinois Chicago, the indictment states.  Lee allegedly brandished a handgun in all the carjackings and robberies. 

    The indictment charges Lee, 32, of Chicago, with two counts of carjacking, two counts of robbery, and four counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.  Each firearm count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years, resulting in a total mandatory minimum sentence of 28 years in federal prison.  Each robbery count is punishable by up to 20 years, while each carjacking count is punishable by up to 15 years.

    Lee was arrested two days after the second robbery.  He was in state custody until his arrest last month in the federal case.  He remains detained without bond awaiting trial in federal court.  Arraignment is set for July 7, 2025, at 9:45 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes.

    The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.  Valuable assistance was provided by the University of Illinois Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Police Department.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Asheeka Desai.

    The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Press Release on the recent development in Mali


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    The Ministry of External Affairs expresses its deep concern regarding the abduction of three Indian nationals employed at the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes, Republic of Mali. The incident occurred on 1st July 2025, when a group of armed assailants carried out a coordinated attack at the factory premises and forcibly took three (03) Indian nationals as hostages.

    2. It has come to the knowledge of the Government of India that many military and government installations at multiple locations of western and central Mali were attacked by terrorists on 01 July 2025.

    3. The Embassy of India in Bamako is in close and constant communication with the relevant authorities of the Government of Mali, local law enforcement agencies, as well as the management of Diamond Cement Factory. The Mission is also in touch with the family members of the abducted Indian nationals.

    4. The Government of India unequivocally condemns this deplorable act of violence and calls upon the Government of the Republic of Mali to take all necessary measures to secure the safe and expeditious release of the abducted Indian nationals. Senior officials of the Ministry are closely monitoring the evolving situation and remain engaged at various levels to facilitate safe and early release of Indian Nationals.

    5. The safety, security and welfare of Indian nationals abroad remains a matter of utmost priority for the Government of India. The Ministry advises all Indian citizens currently residing in Mali to exercise utmost caution, remain vigilant and stay in close contact with the Embassy of India in Bamako for regular updates and necessary assistance.

    6. The Ministry shall continue to extend all possible support and remains committed to ensuring the safe return of the abducted Indian nationals at the earliest.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of External Affairs – Government of India.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: European Union Integrated Border Management Assistance Mission in Libya Received New Mandate until June 2027


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    On 26 June, the Council of the European Union adopted a Decision to extend the mandate of the European Union Integrated Border Management Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM Libya) for another two years, from 1 July 2025 until 30 June 2027. The Mission has been allocated a budget of nearly €52 million for this period.

    Under its extended mandate, EUBAM Libya will continue supporting Libyan authorities in enhancing border management and combating cross-border crime, including human trafficking and migrant smuggling. As a civilian, non-executive mission, EUBAM Libya provides tailored technical advice, capacity building, and specialised training to Libyan law enforcement institutions. 

    EUBAM Libya’s principal counterparts include the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defence, among others. The coordination of Mission activities with Libyan authorities is led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

    The Mission was established in 2013, based on the invitation of State of Libya, to support the Libyan authorities to develop capacity for enhancing the security of land, sea and air borders.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of EU Border Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Lubero: United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) supports military justice in trials for sexual violence


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    Mobile court hearings conducted by the Butembo Military Court began on Thursday, 26 June, in the town of Lubero, North Kivu. Ninety-two defendants, including 45 Congolese soldiers and 47 civilians, are facing charges of rape, sexual violence, child abduction, and extortion. The crimes were committed between 2021 and 2024. These hearings, expected to last around ten days, are being held with the technical, logistical and financial support of MONUSCO’s Justice Support Section.

    The trials take place in a context of heightened militarization in this area of North Kivu, linked to Sukola I operations against armed groups.Judicial sources report that the prolonged interaction between civilians and military personnel has contributed to a rise in sexual violence, particularly involving minors.

    Formally requested by the Butembo Military Court, MONUSCO is supporting the initiative to ensure justice for victims, combat impunity and bring the judiciary closer to communities.These mobile hearings aim to enable victims to participate in the legal process, reduce prolonged pretrial detention at the Butembo urban prison, and deter future perpetrators of similar crimes.

    This initiative is part of MONUSCO’s strategic plan, which seeks to reduce violence, protect civilians and reinforce the rule of law.MONUSCO is providing technical and logistical support, including the transportation of trial participants, coordination of hearings and legal monitoring.

    The North Kivu Women’s League welcomed the initiative. Its coordinator, Hélène Makule, called it a step forward, while urging for strict enforcement of court rulings. “We want the perpetrators to be punished in accordance with the law. Too often, we are told they are in prison, but they remain at large, which puts human rights defenders at risk.” she said. This partnership between the Congolese military justice system and MONUSCO represents a key pillar in the fight against impunity.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mission de l’Organisation des Nations unies en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Zimbabwe: Arbitrary detention of journalist an assault on freedom of expression

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Responding to the arrest and detention of Faith Zaba, editor of the weekly Zimbabwe Independent, on allegations of undermining the authority of or insulting the country’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Khanyo Farisè, Amnesty International’s Senior Researcher in East and Southern Africa, said:

    “Amnesty International strongly condemns the arrest and detention of Faith Zaba for exercising her constitutionally guaranteed rights as a journalist. This is an assault on the right to freedom of expression and press freedom.

    “Zimbabwean authorities must immediately release Faith Zaba and drop all charges against her as she is detained simply for doing her job. Journalism is not a crime. Authorities must allow journalists to carry out their work freely, safely and without fear of harassment, intimidation or reprisals.

    “The arrest of journalists such as Zaba, and her colleague Blessed Mhlanga who was arbitrarily detained earlier this year simply for doing their job, are part of an ongoing pattern in which the criminal justice system is being misused to target independent media voices to instill fear and curb press freedom.

    Zimbabwean authorities must immediately release Faith Zaba and drop all charges against her as she is detained simply for doing her job. Journalism is not a crime. Authorities must allow journalists to carry out their work freely, safely and without fear of harassment, intimidation or reprisals.

    Khanyo Farisè, Amnesty International’s Senior Researcher in East and Southern Africa

    “These tactics pose a significant threat to a free media in Zimbabwe and the public’s right to information. Authorities must end the growing restriction on civic space in the country and allow everyone to freely exercise their human rights.”

    The arrest of journalists such as Zaba, and her colleague Blessed Mhlanga who was arbitrarily detained earlier this year simply for doing their job, are part of an ongoing pattern in which the criminal justice system is being misused to target independent media voices to instill fear and curb press freedom.

    Khanyo Farisè,

    Background

    Faith Zaba was arrested on 1 July and detained in Harare on allegations of undermining the authority of or insulting the President. According to her lawyer, Chris Mhike, the charge relates to a satirical article published in the weekly’s Muckraker column last Friday. Her bail application has been postponed to 3 July, pending a review of her medical record due to her ill health. Zaba’s arrest comes after the recent arrest and lengthy detention of another journalist from the same outlet, Alpha Media House’s head of news at HSTV, Blessed Mhlanga, who spent 72 days in pretrial detention.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: UK: Amnesty International urges UK Government to use the opportunity provided by the Timms Review to establish an independent social security commission

    Source: Amnesty International –

    In response to the Government’s welfare bill passing its second reading in Parliament tonight, Jen Clark, Amnesty International UK’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Lead, said

    “The legislative process surrounding this welfare bill has been incredibly harmful to disabled people who depend on social security. It is disappointing that the bill advanced despite the dedicated efforts of campaigners and supportive MPs to abolish it. The rushed timeline restricts proper scrutiny of its remaining elements, particularly those that discriminate against individuals with fluctuating conditions, falling short of international standards.

    “While we are cautiously relieved that some of the most harmful aspects of the bill, specifically the changes to PIP, have been paused, the overwhelming lack of public support for these changes is undeniable. Recent polling by Savanta, commissioned by Amnesty, shows that 75% of respondents believe that removing PIP from people in need is cruel. Although the Government’s concession on this issue is welcome, serious questions still need to be addressed.

    “We are waiting for key details about the Timms review, which must not serve as a smokescreen to evade accountability or scrutiny through statutory consultation. This review presents a vital opportunity to realign social security with its fundamental purpose: ensuring that no one has to live in poverty

    “Amnesty International calls on the UK government to establish a Social Security Commission with statutory powers, drawing inspiration from the Beveridge Report and past Royal Commissions. This Commission should carry out an independent inquiry into the UK social security system, driving comprehensive reform to ensure that all individuals have an adequate standard of living grounded in dignity and human rights.”

    Rick Burgess Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People added, “Kier Starmer has marked his first year in parliament by betraying disabled people. Our lives have been traded through a shambolic, farcical parliamentary process. They have won a small battle but we’ll keep fighting. There’s no peace because there’s no justice.” 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Institutional communication of the Commission and the situation in Türkiye – P-001397/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    During the High-Level Economic Dialogue between the EU and Türkiye, the Commissioner for Enlargement stressed that adhering to the rule of law and high democratic standards were essential for Türkiye as a candidate country and expressed concerns about recent political developments.

    The Commissioner for Enlargement made clear that while Türkiye is a key partner of the EU and enhancing economic cooperation is a joint ambition, only a relationship based on clear commitments to democratic values and freedoms will unfold its full potential.

    The EU is carefully considering engagement with Türkiye and recalibrate as necessary depending on political developments. This is in line with the November 2023 Joint Communication[1], calling for a progressive, proportionate and reversible approach, which underlines that Türkiye’s own constructive engagement will be instrumental in advancing the various areas of cooperation.

    The Commissioner for Enlargement raised EU concerns bilaterally and cancelled a visit to the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, planned for 11-13 April 2025, as well as a meeting with the Turkish Foreign Minister.

    The Commissioner for Enlargement will continue to raise matters of concern related to the rule of law, as reconfirmed in a speech at the European Parliament’s Plenary on 6 May 2025[2].

    • [1] https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/joint-communication-european-council-state-play-eu-turkiye-political-economic-and-trade-relations-0_en.
    • [2] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CRE-10-2025-05-06-ITM-014_EN.html.
    Last updated: 2 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –