NewzIntel.com

Category: US Department of Justice

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lewiston Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    William Noddin possessed firearms while subject to a domestic violence protective order

    Portland, Maine: A Lewiston man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to unlawfully possessing a firearm while subject to a domestic violence protective order. 

    According to court records, in December 2023, deputies with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a disabled vehicle in New Gloucester. Deputies located the vehicle and were approached by William Noddin, 58, who said he was operating the vehicle when it got stuck. He also said he had two handguns in the vehicle’s trunk. At the time he possessed the firearms, he was subject to a domestic violence protective order and was prohibited from possessing firearms while the order was in effect.

    Noddin faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a maximum supervised release term of three years. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

    Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mongols Motorcycle Club Member Arrested, Other Also Charged, with Assault and Murder of Rival Gang Member Last Month in Ontario

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RIVERSIDE, California – A member of the Mongols Motorcycle Club was arrested today, and another Mongols member has been charged, both in connection with the assault and murder of a rival motorcycle gang member at a San Bernardino County bar last month.

    Clifford Michael Lavoy, 51, a.k.a. “Buckshot,” of Montclair, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint that charges him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering. Julian Pulido, 35, a.k.a. “Juls,” of Upland is charged via the same federal complaint with murder in aid of racketeering.

    Lavoy was arrested this morning and made his initial appearance in United States District Court in Riverside this afternoon. A federal magistrate judge ordered him jailed without bond and scheduled a May 6 arraignment in Riverside federal court.

    Pulido currently is in state custody, charged in San Bernardino County Superior Court with murder. He is expected to make his initial appearance in Riverside federal court in the coming weeks.

    According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, during the early morning hours of March 4, Pulido and Lavoy violently attacked the victim – a member of the Vagos, a rival motorcycle gang and who is identified in court documents as “V.S.” – at an Ontario bar. Inside the bar, the defendants confronted the victim, who was wearing clothing reflecting his Vagos membership, argued with him, and told the victim that he needed to show respect to them as Mongols members.

    Later, the defendants assaulted and overpowered the victim, including by punching the victim in the face, choking him, and causing injuries to the victim’s face, head, and neck. 

    When the victim tried to run out of the bar, Pulido allegedly pulled out a gun and shot the victim several times in the back, causing the victim to fall through the door of the bar and bleed out on the sidewalk. The defendants then fled the scene. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:45 a.m.

    Later that same day, Pulido led law enforcement on a nine-hour chase across five counties in California. He was arrested after crashing a black Dodge vehicle into a ditch during a high-speed chase along Highway 46 near Lost Hills in Kern County. At the time of his arrest, Pulido possessed the same Mongols-branded clothing he had worn on the night of V.S.’s murder. 

    Lavoy was arrested in Whittier, was booked then later released.

    A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    If convicted, Pulido would face a mandatory minimum sentence of life in federal prison and Lavoy would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating this matter with the Ontario Police Department. The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office provided substantial assistance.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Declan T. Conroy and Daniel H. Weiner of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Lowering Drug Prices by Once Again Putting Americans First

    Source: The White House

    class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1.  Purpose.  My first term included numerous significant actions, including some of the most aggressive in recent history, to deliver lower prescription drug prices to American patients.  The message was clear:  no longer would the executive branch sit idly by as pharmaceutical manufacturers charged patients in our Nation more than those in other countries for the exact same prescription drugs, often made in the exact same places.

    These actions included encouraging the development of generic and biosimilar alternatives to higher cost brand name prescription drugs and biologics to harness competitive forces and increase access to affordable medicines.  The United States also, for the first time, established a pathway to expand access to lower cost drugs imported from outside of the country.  Reform efforts ensured that Government-mandated discounts were passed through to patients instead of being retained by middlemen.  New price transparency rules were promulgated to allow patients, doctors, and employers to see the actual cost of prescription drugs before purchase.  Insulin copayments were capped for Medicare beneficiaries, and manufacturers, instead of patients and taxpayers, were forced to foot the bill through the provision of larger discounts.  I also called on the Congress to come to the table to help craft sustainable solutions that would promote innovation and affordable access for the long-term.  When the Congress refused, I proposed the test of an innovative new payment mechanism that would prevent drug manufacturers from charging our patients much higher prices than those found abroad.
    Combined, these bold actions were delivering real savings for American patients and set the foundation to dramatically narrow the price disparity between the United States and foreign nations over time.
    Unsurprisingly, the Biden Administration reversed, walked back, or neglected many of these initiatives, undoing the progress made for American patients.  The Biden Administration then signed into law the misnamed Inflation Reduction Act, which included the Medicare Prescription Drug Negotiation Program.  While this program has the commendable goal of reducing the drug prices Medicare and its beneficiaries pay, its administratively complex and expensive regime has thus far produced much lower savings than projected.  Further, accompanying changes to the Medicare Part D program led to inflated premiums and diminished coverage choices for seniors, prompting a taxpayer-funded bailout of insurance companies offering Part D plans.  Finally, the program imposes price controls on small molecule prescription drugs, usually in tablet or capsule form, 4 years earlier than on large molecule biological products.  Known as the “pill penalty,” this discrepancy threatens to distort innovation by pushing investment towards expensive biological products, which are often indicated to treat rarer diseases, and away from small molecule prescription drugs, which are generally cheaper and treat larger patient populations.
    The American people deserve better.  It is time to restore the progress our Nation made in my first term to deliver lower prescription drug prices by putting Americans first and making America healthy again.

    Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of the United States that Federal health care programs, intellectual property protections, and safety regulations are optimized to provide access to prescription drugs at lower costs to American patients and taxpayers.

    Sec. 3.  Improving upon the Inflation Reduction Act.  (a)  Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary), consistent with sections 1191 to 1198 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320f-1320f-7) and other applicable law, shall propose and seek comment on guidance for the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program for initial price applicability year 2028 and manufacturer effectuation of maximum fair price under such program in 2026, 2027, and 2028.  The guidance shall improve the transparency of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, prioritize the selection of prescription drugs with high costs to the Medicare program, and minimize any negative impacts of the maximum fair price on pharmaceutical innovation within the United States.
    (b)  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, in coordination with the Secretary, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB Director), and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, shall provide recommendations to the President on how best to stabilize and reduce Medicare Part D premiums.
    (c)  The Secretary shall work with the Congress to modify the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program to align the treatment of small molecule prescription drugs with that of biological products, ending the distortion that undermines relative investment in small molecule prescription drugs, coupled with other reforms to prevent any increase in overall costs to Medicare and its beneficiaries.

    Sec. 4.  Reducing the Prices of High-Cost Drugs for Seniors.  Within 1 year of the date of this order, the Secretary shall take appropriate steps to develop and implement a rulemaking plan and select for testing, consistent with 42 U.S.C. 1315a(b)(2), a payment model to improve the ability of the Medicare program to obtain better value for high-cost prescription drugs and biological products covered by Medicare, including those not subject to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program.

    Sec. 5.  Appropriately Accounting for Acquisition Costs of Drugs in Medicare.  Within 180 days of the date of this order, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, the Secretary shall publish in theFederal Register a plan to conduct a survey under section 1833(t)(14)(D)(ii) of the Social Security Act to determine the hospital acquisition cost for covered outpatient drugs at hospital outpatient departments.  Following the conclusion of this survey, the Secretary shall consider and propose any appropriate adjustments that would align Medicare payment with the cost of acquisition, consistent with the budget neutrality requirement in section 1833(t)(9)(B) of the Social Security Act and other legal requirements.

    Sec. 6.  Promoting Innovation, Value, and Enhanced Oversight in Medicaid Drug Payment.  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the OMB Director, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, in coordination with the Secretary, shall jointly provide recommendations to the President on how best to ensure that manufacturers pay accurate Medicaid drug rebates consistent with section 1927 of the Social Security Act, promote innovation in Medicaid drug payment methodologies, link payments for drugs to the value obtained, and support States in managing drug spending.

    Sec. 7.  Access to Affordable Life-Saving Medications.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, the Secretary shall take action to ensure future grants available under section 330(e) of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 254b(e), are conditioned upon health centers establishing practices to make insulin and injectable epinephrine available at or below the discounted price paid by the health center grantee or sub-grantee under the 340B Prescription Drug Program (plus a minimal administration fee) to individuals with low incomes, as determined by the Secretary, who:
    (a)  have a high cost-sharing requirement for either insulin or injectable epinephrine;
    (b)  have a high unmet deductible; or
    (c)  have no healthcare insurance.

    Sec. 8.  Reevaluating the Role of Middlemen.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, in coordination with the Secretary, the OMB Director, and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, shall provide recommendations to the President on how best to promote a more competitive, efficient, transparent, and resilient pharmaceutical value chain that delivers lower drug prices for Americans.

    Sec. 9. Accelerating Competition for High-Cost Prescription Drugs.  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary, through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, shall issue a report providing administrative and legislative recommendations to:
    (a)  accelerate approval of generics, biosimilars, combination products, and second-in-class brand name medications; and
    (b)  improve the process through which prescription drugs can be reclassified as over-the-counter medications, including recommendations to optimally identify prescription drugs that can be safely provided to patients over the counter.

    Sec. 10.  Increasing Prescription Drug Importation to Lower Prices.  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary, through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, shall take steps to streamline and improve the Importation Program under section 804 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to make it easier for States to obtain approval without sacrificing safety or quality.

    Sec. 11.  Reducing Costly Care for Seniors.  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary shall evaluate and, if appropriate and consistent with applicable law, propose regulations to ensure that payment within the Medicare program is not encouraging a shift in drug administration volume away from less costly physician office settings to more expensive hospital outpatient departments.

    Sec. 12.  Improving Transparency into Pharmacy Benefit Manager Fee Disclosure.  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Labor shall propose regulations pursuant to section 408(b)(2)(B) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to improve employer health plan fiduciary transparency into the direct and indirect compensation received by pharmacy benefit managers.

    Sec. 13.  Combating Anti-Competitive Behavior by Prescription Drug Manufacturers.  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary or his designee shall conduct joint public listening sessions with the appropriate personnel from the Department of Justice, the Department of Commerce, and the Federal Trade Commission and issue a report with recommendations to reduce anti-competitive behavior from pharmaceutical manufacturers.

    Sec. 14.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

    (i.) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

    (ii.) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

      (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
      (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

                                     DONALD J. TRUMP

      THE WHITE HOUSE,
          April 15, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal jury finds human smuggler guilty of possessing child sexual abuse material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 43-year-old Lyford man has been convicted of possessing 150 images of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    The jury deliberated for approximately 15 minutes before finding Jose Rodriguez Jr. guilty after a one-day trial.

    Law enforcement originally arrested Rodriguez Aug. 12, 2024, in connection with an alien transportation event. At that time, they seized his phone and discovered over 150 images and videos of child sexual assault material (CSAM).

    During the trial, the jury heard testimony and evidence regarding the multiple images and videos of CSAM downloaded and stored on Rodriguez’s phone over multiple months. The evidence included numerous files depicting sexual assaults of prepubescent children. The jury also learned Rodriguez has a prior conviction for criminal attempted sexual assault from 2010 which involved a minor victim.

    The defense attempted to convince the jury that a virus downloaded the CSAM onto his phone. However, evidence showed that Rodriguez had over 100 user accounts on the phone linked to him and that the child pornography was downloaded on 20 separate occasions from April through August of 2024.

    The jury also heard from a computer forensic expert who rendered an opinion that the pattern of activity indicated intentional downloading.

    “The Southern District of Texas has zero tolerance for child sex offenses, much less repeat sex offenders like the defendant in this case,” said Ganjei. “We are grateful to the jury for serving justice in this case.”

    U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton set sentencing for July 15. At that time, Rodriguez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    Rodriguez was charged in a separate case for the human smuggling event and later pleaded guilty.

    He was taken into custody following the verdict where he will remain pending sentencing in both cases.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol conducted the investigation with assistance from Raymondville Police Department and Willacy County Sheriff’s Office. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devin Walker and Jose Garcia are prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Delivers Remarks Following Conviction of Michael Sang Correa

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    Thank you, Acting United States Attorney Grewell, Special Agent in Charge of HSI’s Denver Field Office, Steve Cagan, and everyone for being here. My name is Matthew Galeotti, and I am the Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

    Today, the Justice Department secured the conviction of Michael Sang Correa on multiple counts of torture and one count of conspiracy to commit torture.

    This verdict underscores the Justice Department’s determination to protect victims and prevent perpetrators of torture and other heinous human rights abuses abroad from seeking a new life here in America.  You cannot hide here.  We can and will prosecute you if you come to the United States after committing atrocities abroad. This country will not be a safe haven for human rights violators.

    At the outset, I want to express my admiration and gratitude for the strength and courage of the victim witnesses who travelled all the way from Africa to a courtroom in Denver, Colorado, to tell the jury what Correa and his co-conspirators did to them. Reliving those horrific crimes and facing their tormenter in person again takes tremendous bravery. It must have been painful and difficult, and we thank them for enduring this ordeal in the interests of justice.

    I also want to express my appreciation and commend the prosecutors from the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Assistant United States Attorneys from the District of Colorado, and agents from Homeland Security Investigations for relentlessly pursuing this case, and ensuring justice was done.

    The evidence presented at trial exposed the depravity of the torture Correa committed in 2006, prior to his arrival in the United States, where he sought to escape accountability for his crimes here in Colorado.

    The government’s evidence showed that Correa, along with his co-conspirators, tortured and abused victims accused of plotting a coup against the regime then in power in The Gambia, a West African country which at the time was under the regime of President Yahya Jammeh.

    Correa belonged to a special unit of President Jammeh’s security forces, known as the “Junglers,” who brutally cracked down on what the regime claimed was a coup plot.

    Trial testimony revealed the direct role Correa played in that torture.

    With the intent to cause severe pain and suffering, Correa and his co-conspirators:

    Dripped hot, molten plastic onto the bare skin of one of their victims; they put plastic bags over victims’ heads, restricting breathing; one of Correa’s co-conspirators put the barrel of a pistol into the mouth of a victim; they threatened victims with knives and stabbed one of them; they electrocuted their victims, on their hands, and on their genitals; they extinguished cigarettes into their skin; they rubbed sand into their eyes; they hit one victim in the face with a hammer; and they beat their victims ruthlessly, using fists, feet, firearms, sticks, branches, wire, and pipes, to inflict pain and cause injury.

    There were virtually no bounds on their cruelty.

    But, just as there were no bounds on the defendant’s cruelty, there are no bounds on how far this Justice Department, under the leadership of Attorney General Pamela Bondi, will go to hold people who commit such brutality to account.

    People who have committed violent crimes — let alone human rights abuses — should not come to the United States. Period. They are not entitled to live the American Dream. They belong in prison. A core policy objective of the Justice Department is to secure our communities against criminal aliens, and today’s conviction of Correa is one more step taken in that direction.

    Wherever we have jurisdiction, the Justice Department will prosecute persons who have committed atrocities abroad under the federal criminal statutes proscribing torture, war crimes, genocide, and the recruitment or use of child soldiers, among other criminal charges. The Department can also use our criminal and civil immigration and naturalization laws to revoke U.S. citizenship or obtain other criminal penalties.

    The Department of Justice participates in an interagency effort to deny safe haven in the United States to human rights violators, working closely with the Department of Homeland Security, FBI and other agencies to identify such individuals and prevent them from entering the United States. This verdict today is the outcome of successful collaboration across agencies, and especially with Homeland Security Investigations and its Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center.

    My thanks also go to the Department’s prosecutors, paralegal specialists, historian/analysts, and others who have worked on the Correa case with impressive determination and skill. They did so while always putting the victims first, which is one of the Department’s core principles.

    Correa’s conviction is the third time in which a defendant has been found guilty of torture in federal court, and it won’t be the last. Today’s verdict is a demonstration of our commitment to leave no stone unturned to prosecute human rights violators.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Texas Man Charged with Child Pornography Offenses

    Source: US State of California

    A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week charging Carlos Eduardo Pineda-Morales, 34, of Denton, Texas, with receipt of child pornography and access with intent to view child pornography.

    According to an indictment unsealed today, Pineda-Morales used a communications application, a cloud storage service, and digital devices that he owned to receive and access child pornography between Oct. 7, 2024, and Oct. 30, 2024.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin Jr. for the Eastern District of Texas made the announcement.

    The FBI Dallas Office – Frisco Resident Agency and the Denton Police Department investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller for the Eastern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

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

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gambian Man Convicted on Torture Charges

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A Colorado jury convicted a Gambian national, Michael Sang Correa, on torture charges for his participation in the torture of numerous victims in The Gambia in 2006, including through beating and flesh burning, because of the victims’ purported involvement in a plot against The Gambia’s then-President, Yahya Jammeh.

    “Michael Sang Correa tried to evade responsibility for his crimes in The Gambia by coming to the United States and hiding his past,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “But we found him, we investigated him, and we prosecuted him. The lesson is: if you commit violent crimes—let alone torture or other human rights violations—do not come to the United States. If you do, the Department of Justice, together with its law enforcement partners, will leave no stone unturned to see that your crimes are exposed and justice is served. I thank the jurors for their service and the witnesses for the courage to relive the horror they experienced at Correa’s hands.”

    “The torture inflicted by Michael Sang Correa and his co-conspirators is abhorrent,” said Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell for the District of Colorado. “Today’s verdict shows you can’t get away with coming to Colorado to hide from your past crimes. The jurors are to be commended for their service throughout this trial and the witnesses for traveling so far to serve the interests of justice.”

    “Correa’s crimes caught up with him today,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Cagen of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Denver, who oversees HSI operations in Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming. “Correa chose the wrong country to try to escape from justice. HSI actively investigates and apprehends human rights violators who run from their criminal pasts and come here. We have a zero-tolerance policy for human rights violators.”

    According to evidence presented at trial, Michael Sang Correa, 46, served in an armed unit known as the “Junglers,” which answered to The Gambia’s then-President, Yahya Jammeh. The jury found that, as a Jungler, Correa conspired with others to commit torture. The jury also found that, together with others, he tortured five victims. The evidence at trial showed that Correa and his co-conspirators targeted these victims based on suspicions that they plotted against Jammeh.

    The evidence at trial proved that in March 2006, shortly after a failed coup attempt, Correa and his co-conspirators transported the victims to the main prison of The Gambia, known as “Mile 2 Prison.” For the rest of the month of March and well into April 2006, Correa and his co-conspirators beat, stabbed, burned, and electrocuted the victims. A victim testified that he had his thigh burned by hot, molten plastic; the Junglers also placed the victim in a large bag, suspended him in the air, and dropped him to the ground. Another victim testified that he was suffocated when Correa and his co-conspirators placed a plastic bag over his head; one of Correa’s co-conspirators also put the barrel of a pistol in his mouth. In addition to suffocation from a plastic bag over the head, another victim testified he was electrocuted on his body, including his genitals; hanged upside down and beaten in that position; and stabbed in the shoulder. A fourth victim endured electrocution and was hit in the head with a pistol. A fifth victim’s testimony indicated that he had cigarettes extinguished into his skin and experienced electrocution and was also struck in the face with a hammer. These and other horrific acts of torture and abuse emerged in the testimony of the victims at trial and revealed that Correa played an integral role in inflicting this torture on the victims.

    Ten years after these crimes, Correa obtained a visa to enter the United States, arriving in this country in December 2016. Correa escaped apprehension until 2019, and upon his arrest by ICE that year he was placed in removal proceedings. He was charged with torture in 2020. This is the first conviction of a non-U.S. citizen on torture charges in a federal district court.

    Correa faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the five torture counts and the count of conspiracy to commit torture. He will remain in U.S. custody pending his sentencing at a date to be determined by the Court. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The HSI Denver Field Office investigated the case, with support from HSI agents in Senegal, as well as personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Banjul, The Gambia, and the FBI Legal Attaché in Senegal.  The Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC) significantly supported the case. Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers.

    Acting Principal Deputy Chief Christina Giffin and Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Hindman and Laura Cramer-Babycz for the District of Colorado prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden.

    Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also email HRV.ICE@ice.dhs.gov or complete its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Barry Moore introduces Why Does the IRS Need Guns Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Barry Moore

    Washington D.C. – This week, U.S. Representative Barry Moore (AL-01) introduced the Why Does the IRS Need Guns Act. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has clearly been weaponized against the American people and their latest abuse is the use of taxpayer dollars to purchase firearms for agents. This legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Harriet Hageman (R-WY), Mary Miller (R-IL), and Clay Higgins (R-LA).

    Since the start of 2020, the IRS has spent $10 million on weapons, ammo, and combat gear.

    This legislation:

    • Prohibits the IRS from purchasing, receiving, or storing firearms and ammo.
    • Requires the IRS to transfer to the General Services Administration (GSA) any firearms or ammunition under IRS control.
    • Compels GSA to initiate the sell and auction of the firearms to licensed dealers and the ammunition to the general public.
    • Transfers the IRS Criminal Investigations Division to be folded into the Department of Justice’s jurisdiction.

    “The IRS has consistently been weaponized against American citizens, targeted religious organizations, journalists, gun owners, and everyday Americans,” said Moore. “Arming these agents does not make the American public safer. My legislation, the Why Does the IRS Need Guns Act, would disarm these agents, auction off their guns to Federal Firearms License Owners, and sell their ammunition to the public. The only thing IRS agents should be armed with are calculators.”

    “It is a shocking fact that the Biden administration spent over $10 million on firearms and ammunitions for IRS employees. This is especially troubling in light of the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government’s investigation into the IRS which exposed patterns of political targeting and harassment by agents. I am proud to support Congressman Moore’s bill which rightly strips the IRS of its arsenal and transfers the Criminal Investigations Division to the Department of Justice. The Why Does the IRS Need Guns Act will ensure the agency sticks to its mission of collecting revenue rather than moonlighting as a paramilitary law enforcement agency susceptible to politicization.” said Congresswoman Hageman.

    “There is absolutely zero justification for wasting taxpayer dollars to arm a federal agency that was never meant to act as an enforcement arm of the government,” said Congresswoman Mary Miller. “The IRS doesn’t need a stockpile of guns and ammunition — it needs proper transparency, oversight, and accountability. I fully support Rep. Moore’s bill to disarm the IRS and end this dangerous power grab once and for all.”

    “The weaponization of the IRS against working Americans is a threat to our Constitutional freedoms,” said Congressman Higgins. “IRS agents should not hit homes and businesses like SWAT teams, and they should not terrorize American families. This legislation disarms the IRS. I thank my colleague Congressman Moore for introducing this important legislation.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Robert Garcia and Congressman Maxwell Frost Demand Oversight CODEL Travel to El Salvadorian Prison Holding Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Garcia California (42nd District)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42) and Congressman Maxwell Frost (FL-10) sent a letter to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer requesting authorization for a Congressional Member Delegation (CODEL) to visit Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT). The maximum-security prison in Tecoluca, El Salvador, is illegally holding Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national and resident of Maryland who held legal status. The letter can be found here. 

    “In a unanimous decision in Noem v. Abrego Garcia, the United States Supreme Court ordered “the government to ‘facilitate’ Mr. Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been, had he not been wrongfully deported.” A Congressional delegation would allow Committee Members to conduct a welfare check on Mr. Abrego Garcia, as well as others held at CECOT, such as Andry José Hernandez—a 30-year-old LGBTQ makeup artist who passed a ‘credible fear’ interview during his legal asylum process before being deported,” wrote the lawmakers.

    Congressman Garcia remains committed to reforming our immigration system, creating fair pathways to citizenship, and treating immigrants with respect and dignity. In July 2024, Congressman Garcia introduced the SHIELD Act, which allocated grants through the Attorney General and the Department of Justice to local and state governments to support the recruitment of staff and attorneys to ensure that immigrants receive quality, affordable representation in immigration court. Last Congress, Congressman Garcia led investigations into fundamental integrity and credibility issues within the DHS, including identifying what actions have been taken to address the threat of domestic violent extremism within the DHS. Congressman Garcia has also defended humane immigration procedures and condemned extreme rhetoric on immigration and border security that dehumanizes migrants legally seeking asylum. Congressman Garcia has also investigated the use of inappropriate language and behavior among Border Patrol agents within ICE toward immigrants following reports from the Huffington Post. Congressman Garcia also continues to champion legislation that increases resources and efficiencies for vital government departments and agencies.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Continues Efforts to Stop Unlawful Tax Return Preparers

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    Today, the federal tax filing deadline, the Justice Department’s Tax Division acknowledges the majority of taxpayers and tax return preparers who voluntarily meet their yearly filing obligations. The Tax Division also cautions taxpayers to choose their return preparers carefully and to look out for unscrupulous preparers who make promises of tax reductions not based on legitimate positions and who include errors or false information on tax returns that could leave a taxpayer subject to liability for unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest.

    Over the last year, the Tax Division has worked with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices around the country to bring civil and criminal actions against dishonest tax preparers. These actions include criminal indictments and prison sentences when appropriate as well as civil injunctions to stop ongoing fraud, civil penalties, and disgorgement of ill-gotten proceeds when appropriate. The Justice Department’s message has been clear: those who prepare fraudulent returns will face serious and lasting consequences.

    Examples of civil injunctions obtained by the Tax Division over the last and current filing seasons include:

    • On Oct. 28, 2024, a federal district court in the Southern District of Indiana permanently enjoined Juan Santiago and his tax preparation business, Madison Solutions LLC, from preparing tax returns for others or employing any person acting as a federal tax return preparer. The government’s complaint alleged that Santiago and his business engaged in fraudulent filing schemes by improperly claiming Head of Household filing status, the Child Tax Credit, and business deductions to which their clients were not entitled. The government estimated that these false returns cost the government over $1 million each filing season.
    • On Oct. 3, 2024, a federal district court in the Southern District of Florida entered a permanent injunction against George and Luis Brito and their business, Brito and Brito Accounting USA Inc. The injunction prohibits them from preparing tax returns for others. The government’s complaint alleged that since 2019, the Britos had prepared thousands of tax returns annually, and that they prepared returns that understated their clients’ income by claiming false or inflated business expenses and fabricating residential energy credits.
    • On March 29, 2024, following a 12-day trial, a federal district court in the Eastern District of Michigan permanently enjoined Annetta Powell and seven of her businesses from preparing tax returns for others. The court found that Powell and her businesses prepared returns that reported fake Schedule C businesses and business expenses, claimed household help income they knew the customers did not qualify for, and claimed head of household filing status without doing the required due diligence. The court also ordered Powell to disgorge $697,797 in ill-gotten profits.

    The Tax Division has also sought to strip fraudulent preparers of ill-gotten gains and to hold in contempt those who attempt to flout court-ordered restraints on further fraudulent activity. Over the last year, the division has brought these cases to court, including:

    • On Oct. 24, 2024, a federal district court in the Northern District of Texas held that Jennifer Murley violated a previous injunction against returning tax returns for others. The IRS had suspended Murley’s Electronic Filing Identification Number (EFIN), but she and her tax preparation firm misappropriated EFINs assigned to others. The court ordered Murley to disgorge over $700,000 in ill-gotten gains she received for preparing returns in violation of the previous court order.
    • On Oct. 23, 2024, a federal district court in the Southern District of Florida found Gerald Vito and James Eleby in contempt for violating a previous injunction from 2021 that enjoined them from preparing tax returns for others. Vito and Eleby worked with Kwame Thomas to continue to file returns after being barred from doing so, and the court ordered them to disgorge a total of $988,789.56 in ill-gotten and to notify their clients of the injunction or face possible incarceration.

    Criminal indictments and convictions against fraudulent preparers obtained by the Tax Division since the 2024 filing season include the following :

    • Thierry Musese, who ran a return preparation business from his barbershop located in Auburn, Maine, was charged with preparing false returns and generating fraudulent refunds for clients by including bogus business losses, fuel and residential energy credits. Musese also allegedly defrauded his clients by diverting a portion of their tax refund to himself without their permission. If convicted Musese faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of preparing a false tax return and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for wire fraud.
    • John Borgela, a Florida return preparer, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for conspiring to file hundreds of false tax returns for clients from his business, Empire Tax services. Borgela typically inflated tax withholdings and reported fictitious itemized deductions to reduce his clients’ tax liability or to generate refunds. He concealed his involvement in the fraud by not including his name as the person who prepared the return on his clients’ tax returns.
    • Vervia Watts, a return preparer in Illinois, was sentenced to one year and a day in prison for preparing and filing false returns for clients. Watts prepared over 900 fraudulent income tax returns for her clients, reporting false education expenses and business income to obtain larger refunds from the IRS. She caused a tax loss to the United States of approximately $1.3 million.
    • On April 17, 2024, Jonathan Barefoot, a Mississippi return preparer, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for preparing false tax returns for clients. Barefoot conspired with others to claim inflated tax refunds for clients by reporting false education credits, itemized deductions, and business losses. He and his co-conspirators caused a loss to the United States of approximately $3.5 million.

    The Tax Division reminds taxpayers that the IRS has information, tips, and reminders on its site for choosing a tax preparer carefully (Choosing a Tax Professional and How to Choose a Tax Return Preparer) and has launched a free directory of credentialed federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers taxpayers tips to protect their identities and wallets when filing their taxes.

    In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $79,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too.

    In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained civil injunctions and criminal convictions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gambian Man Convicted on Torture Charges

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    A Colorado jury convicted a Gambian national, Michael Sang Correa, on torture charges for his participation in the torture of numerous victims in The Gambia in 2006, including through beating and flesh burning, because of the victims’ purported involvement in a plot against The Gambia’s then-President, Yahya Jammeh.

    “Michael Sang Correa tried to evade responsibility for his crimes in The Gambia by coming to the United States and hiding his past,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “But we found him, we investigated him, and we prosecuted him. The lesson is: if you commit violent crimes—let alone torture or other human rights violations—do not come to the United States. If you do, the Department of Justice, together with its law enforcement partners, will leave no stone unturned to see that your crimes are exposed and justice is served. I thank the jurors for their service and the witnesses for the courage to relive the horror they experienced at Correa’s hands.”

    “The torture inflicted by Michael Sang Correa and his co-conspirators is abhorrent,” said Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell for the District of Colorado. “Today’s verdict shows you can’t get away with coming to Colorado to hide from your past crimes. The jurors are to be commended for their service throughout this trial and the witnesses for traveling so far to serve the interests of justice.”

    “Correa’s crimes caught up with him today,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Cagen of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Denver, who oversees HSI operations in Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming. “Correa chose the wrong country to try to escape from justice. HSI actively investigates and apprehends human rights violators who run from their criminal pasts and come here. We have a zero-tolerance policy for human rights violators.”

    According to evidence presented at trial, Michael Sang Correa, 46, served in an armed unit known as the “Junglers,” which answered to The Gambia’s then-President, Yahya Jammeh. The jury found that, as a Jungler, Correa conspired with others to commit torture. The jury also found that, together with others, he tortured five victims. The evidence at trial showed that Correa and his co-conspirators targeted these victims based on suspicions that they plotted against Jammeh.

    The evidence at trial proved that in March 2006, shortly after a failed coup attempt, Correa and his co-conspirators transported the victims to the main prison of The Gambia, known as “Mile 2 Prison.” For the rest of the month of March and well into April 2006, Correa and his co-conspirators beat, stabbed, burned, and electrocuted the victims. A victim testified that he had his thigh burned by hot, molten plastic; the Junglers also placed the victim in a large bag, suspended him in the air, and dropped him to the ground. Another victim testified that he was suffocated when Correa and his co-conspirators placed a plastic bag over his head; one of Correa’s co-conspirators also put the barrel of a pistol in his mouth. In addition to suffocation from a plastic bag over the head, another victim testified he was electrocuted on his body, including his genitals; hanged upside down and beaten in that position; and stabbed in the shoulder. A fourth victim endured electrocution and was hit in the head with a pistol. A fifth victim’s testimony indicated that he had cigarettes extinguished into his skin and experienced electrocution and was also struck in the face with a hammer. These and other horrific acts of torture and abuse emerged in the testimony of the victims at trial and revealed that Correa played an integral role in inflicting this torture on the victims.

    Ten years after these crimes, Correa obtained a visa to enter the United States, arriving in this country in December 2016. Correa escaped apprehension until 2019, and upon his arrest by ICE that year he was placed in removal proceedings. He was charged with torture in 2020. This is the first conviction of a non-U.S. citizen on torture charges in a federal district court.

    Correa faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the five torture counts and the count of conspiracy to commit torture. He will remain in U.S. custody pending his sentencing at a date to be determined by the Court. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The HSI Denver Field Office investigated the case, with support from HSI agents in Senegal, as well as personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Banjul, The Gambia, and the FBI Legal Attaché in Senegal.  The Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC) significantly supported the case. Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers.

    Acting Principal Deputy Chief Christina Giffin and Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Hindman and Laura Cramer-Babycz for the District of Colorado prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden.

    Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also email HRV.ICE@ice.dhs.gov or complete its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Carter Lake Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Carter Lake man was sentenced on March 12, 2025, to 84 months in in federal prison for receiving child pornography.

    According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip that an account, later determined to be associated with Jay McCall Schnider, 52, received and uploaded files containing child sexual abuse material between April 2020 and July 2023. Law enforcement seized an electronic device during the execution of a search warrant of Schnider’s Carter Lake residence. A forensic examination of the seized electronic device showed that Schnider used the device to receive images and videos containing child sexual abuse material.

    After completing his term of imprisonment, Schnider will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

    United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Charged with Child Pornography Offenses

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week charging Carlos Eduardo Pineda-Morales, 34, of Denton, Texas, with receipt of child pornography and access with intent to view child pornography.

    According to an indictment unsealed today, Pineda-Morales used a communications application, a cloud storage service, and digital devices that he owned to receive and access child pornography between Oct. 7, 2024, and Oct. 30, 2024.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin Jr. for the Eastern District of Texas made the announcement.

    The FBI Dallas Office – Frisco Resident Agency and the Denton Police Department investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller for the Eastern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

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

    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: Canadian Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Transportation of a Minor to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Saskatchewan, Canada man was sentenced on March 6, 2025 to 14 years in federal prison for transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

    According to public court documents, Quentin Joel Nighttraveller, 45, drove his fourteen-year-old daughter from Canada to the United States. Nighttraveller worked as a commercial truck driver. In Rogers, Minnesota, Nighttraveller stopped to get the truck repaired. Nighttraveller sexually assaulted the victim. They continued the trip and while in Avoca, Iowa, the victim ran from the truck in the gas station and requested assistance. Nighttraveller drove away.

    After completing his term of imprisonment, Nighttraveller will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

    United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: We Hear You: Amid Growing Social Security Disruption Concerns, Attorney General Bonta Launches New Complaint Page

    Source: US State of California

    Tuesday, April 15, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    Encourages Californians impacted by Social Security disruptions to submit complaints 

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Bonta today announced the launch of a new webpage to allow Californians to report any disruptions they’ve experienced to their Social Security benefits. 

    “Your social security benefits should not be impacted by President Trump and Elon Musk’s cuts to federal funding and programs,” said Attorney General Bonta. “If you experience any disruptions to your social security benefits, I want to know. Please report any disruptions to my office using the form found at oag.ca.gov/socialsecurity.” 

    Within the last months, chaotic changes and disruptions within the Social Security Administration have caused issues for people trying to access their benefits, including reported website outages, difficulty accessing online accounts, and potential delays in benefits. These issues are largely attributed to changes including a cut to 12% of the Social Security workforce, potential gutting of its phone services, and the closure of field offices. The California Department of Justice is committed to protecting Californians from unlawful actions by the Trump Administration which should not impede access to federal entitlement programs — including social security benefits.

    While the California Department of Justice does not represent individuals, this information is vital to ascertaining the impact of federal actions on California and aiding with any potential future action by the state. To file a complaint with the California Department of Justice, please visit here.

    People experiencing disruptions to their Social Security benefits or difficulty reaching the Social Security Administration should also contact their Congressional representatives, who may be able to assist. 

    ·       Find your House Representative

    ·       Connect with Senator Alex Padilla

    ·       Connect with Senator Adam Schiff

    Local legal aid programs may also be able to help. For more information about legal aid resources in your community, please refer to lawhelpca.org. 

    You may also submit a complaint directly to the Social Security Administration at or call 1-800-772-1213 to discuss your issue. To report social security fraud, please contact the Social Security Office of the Inspector General. 

    If you wish to contact the Trump Administration directly, you may do so here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Warren, Banks Open Bipartisan Investigation Into Harms of Private Equity in Fire Truck Manufacturing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    April 15, 2025

    Private equity roll-ups of fire truck manufacturers create sky-high prices and manufacturing backlogs, putting firefighters and communities in danger 

    “While CEOs and shareholders pad their pockets, consolidation in the industry impedes fire fighters’ ability to do their jobs safely and effectively, squeezes fire departments’ budgets, and forces taxpayers to bear the consequences.”

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) opened a bipartisan investigation into the harms of private equity roll-ups of fire truck manufacturers. The lawmakers wrote to the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), North America’s largest union of firefighters, seeking information about the adverse impact of private equity consolidation on firefighters and communities in Massachusetts, Indiana, and across the country. 

    “While CEOs and shareholders pad their pockets, consolidation in the industry impedes fire fighters’ ability to do their jobs safely and effectively, squeezes fire departments’ budgets, and forces taxpayers to

    bear the consequences,” wrote the lawmakers. “We have heard from dozens of fire departments in Massachusetts, Indiana, and elsewhere about difficulties they have faced related to serial roll-ups of fire truck manufacturers, including delivery delays, defective parts, and price increases.”

    In 2006, private equity group American Industrial Partners (AIP) began rolling up independent fire equipment manufacturers, eventually consolidating four smaller companies into REV Group. Today, as a result of additional acquisitions, REV Group owns about a third of the fire truck manufacturing market, the largest share of any company. Meanwhile, independent companies account for only about 20 percent of the market.

    Large fire truck manufacturers may be exploiting their market power to raise fire truck prices and restrict the supply of fire trucks. In 2013, a pumper truck cost $500,000, and a ladder truck cost $900,000. Today, these prices have skyrocketed to nearly $1 million and $2 million, respectively, far outpacing inflation for heavy-duty truck manufacturing over that time period. Some manufacturers also use “floating” prices, increasing the final price of a truck after it goes into production and even withholding the delivery of the vehicles if fire departments do not agree to the price increases. At the same time, companies like REV have permanently shut down their own manufacturers’ plants, reducing manufacturing capabilities and leading to a nationwide backlog in fire truck delivery. 

    “Rising costs and longer delivery times for fire apparatus and ambulances are hurting fire departments and communities across Massachusetts. I just ordered a fire engine that won’t be delivered for another four years. It took three years for our community to get two ambulances. These manufacturing roll-ups only make it harder for us to do our jobs and protect families,” said Mike Kelleher, President of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts and Chief of the Foxborough Fire Department.

    Firefighters report that they are forced to use outdated fire trucks because their department can’t afford new trucks. When Los Angeles faced deadly wildfires in January 2025, more than half of the Los Angeles Fire Department’s fire trucks were out of service, hindering the Department’s ability to effectively contain the fires. Skyrocketing costs and lengthy wait times for fire trucks and truck repairs, spurred by private equity’s entry into the fire truck manufacturing industry, leave communities across the country less safe. 

    “Private equity is padding shareholders’ wallets at the expense of public safety,” wrote the lawmakers.

    On a shareholders’ call, REV Group’s CFO noted that manufacturing backlogs benefit the company, saying “strong backlogs” provide the “visibility and opportunity to drive significant shareholder value.”

    The senators warned that private equity’s serial roll-ups may be allowing companies to increase their market share while evading antitrust scrutiny. The Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Justice’s 2023 Merger Guidelines clarify that when a merger is part of a series of multiple acquisitions, the agencies may examine the whole series. 

    “These guidelines are important, as they make clear that antitrust enforcers have authority to investigate and unwind serial roll-ups that threaten competition in a single industry,” concluded the senators. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner of New Jersey Businesses Admits to Fraudulently Obtaining Over $3.2 Million from The Paycheck Protection Program

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TRENTON, N.J. – An owner of several New Jersey businesses admitted to fraudulently obtaining over $3.2 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Daniel Dadoun, 48, of Israel, formerly of South Plainfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch to an information charging bank fraud and money laundering. 

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    From April 2020 through August 2022, Dadoun engaged in a scheme to illegally obtain over $3.2 million in PPP loans for his New Jersey businesses by submitting false and fraudulent loan applications. After receiving the PPP loan proceeds, Dadoun sought to keep the money by submitting false and fraudulent PPP loan forgiveness applications that misrepresented payroll expenses and the number of employees at his companies.  In support of the loan and forgiveness applications, Dadoun submitted falsified tax documents and altered bank statements.

    The charge of bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $1,000,000, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest.  The charge of money laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, or twice the amount of criminally derived property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater.  Sentencing is scheduled for August 13, 2025.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office, under direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr., special agents of the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, Boston New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.

    The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.

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

                                                                           ###

    Defense counsel: Anthony J. Pope, Jr., Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arizona Man Sentenced to 15 years after Kidnapping a 13-Year-Old to Engage in Sexual Conduct

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Tadashi Kura Kojima, also known as Aaron Michael Zeman, 29, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release, after he kidnapped a Utah teenager to engage in illegal sexual activity.

    The sentence, imposed by Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr., comes after Kojima pleaded guilty in November 2024 to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.  

    According to court documents and statements made at Kojima’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Kojima admitted that between December 26, 2022 to December 28, 2022, he traveled from Arizona and kidnapped a 13-year-old from Utah. They were located in Nebraska and Kojima was arrested. The purpose of traveling was to engage in sexual activity with the victim. See prior press release: Arizona Man Arrested for Kidnapping a Utah Teenager is Facing Federal Charges Including Intent to Engage in Sexual Conduct with a Minor.

    The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Layton Police Department and Grand Island Police Department in Nebraska.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. 

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Grassley, Lee Urge DOJ To Protect Vital Antitrust Field Offices

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    April 14, 2025
    Senators to Justice Department: “The closure of the Chicago and San Francisco field offices would weaken antitrust enforcement in two vital sectors of the economy: agriculture and tech.”
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Mike Lee (R-UT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, are advocating for the Chicago and San Francisco antitrust field offices to remain open. Many agricultural and tech antitrust cases are referred to these offices.  
    “Now more than ever, antitrust enforcement is needed in the agricultural and technology sectors. Industries like meatpacking, fertilizers, and seeds are consolidating at an alarming rate. And Americans are struggling to afford their groceries. Additionally, the Antitrust Division has ongoing investigations into, and litigation against, large technology platforms,” the Senators wrote. 
    “We strongly urge you to reconsider the Department’s plans to shut down these critical field offices. We should be ramping up our enforcement operations across America, not scaling them back. At a time when Americans are deeply concerned about food prices and the influence of Big Tech, DOJ must root out any anticompetitive behavior that drives up prices, decreases quality or stifles innovation. Maintaining these field offices will further that objective,” the Senators concluded. 
    Read the Senators’ full letter here. 
    On March 25, 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) proposed eliminating its antitrust field offices in Chicago, Illinois, and San Francisco, California.  
    The Chicago field office plays a critical role in enforcing antitrust laws in the agricultural sector. The office serves as the main antitrust enforcement team in the Midwest and helped spearhead the landmark prosecution of Archer Daniels Midland for price-fixing of animal feed additives. This investigation culminated in the defendant pleading guilty and agreeing to pay the largest antitrust fine ever imposed at the time. 
    The San Francisco field office maintains a key role in civil enforcement, focusing on the technology and media industries, as well as criminal enforcement, prosecuting violations including bid-rigging and price-fixing. The San Francisco office recently led two of the Antitrust Division’s largest criminal investigations – the first culminating in over $125 million in fines and the second culminating in over $1.39 billion in fines, as well as 13 executives being sentenced to prison terms ranging from six months to three years. 
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar, Lee Urge DOJ to Investigate Fanatics-Ticketmaster Agreement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Lee (R-UT) are urging the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division to investigate the recent Live Nation-Ticketmaster and Fanatics agreement that would allow Ticketmaster to sell secondary tickets to sporting events through the Fanatics sports app despite reports that Fanatics explored entering the ticket resale market itself. 
    “We write to express our concern that Live Nation-Ticketmaster has entered yet another concerning transaction that may undermine competition, deter innovation, and ultimately harm consumers seeking to buy tickets online,” wrote the Senators. “Last month, reporting indicated that Live Nation-Ticketmaster and Fanatics reached an agreement that would allow Ticketmaster to sell secondary tickets to sporting events through the Fanatics sports app.”
    “This deal may raise competitive concerns, especially in light of Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s history of anticompetitive conduct detailed in the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Live Nation, which cites numerous transactions to “eliminate rivals, expand its network, and grow its moat,” in addition to a track record of charging high fees to consumers,” the Senators continued. “Though not an acquisition, this deal appears that it may have the effect of eliminating a potential rival in secondary sports ticket sales, expanding its ticketing network, and growing its moat through anticompetitive means.”
    The full letter is available here and below. 
    Dear Assistant Attorney General Slater,
    We write to express our concern that Live Nation-Ticketmaster has entered yet another concerning transaction that may undermine competition, deter innovation, and ultimately harm consumers seeking to buy tickets online.
    Last month, reporting indicated that Live Nation-Ticketmaster and Fanatics reached an agreement that would allow Ticketmaster to sell secondary tickets to sporting events through the Fanatics sports app. This deal may raise competitive concerns, especially in light of Live Nation Ticketmaster’s history of anticompetitive conduct detailed in the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Live Nation, which cites numerous transactions to “eliminate rivals, expand its network, and grow its moat,” in addition to a track record of charging high fees to consumers. Though not an acquisition, this deal appears that it may have the effect of eliminating a potential rival in secondary sports ticket sales, expanding its ticketing network, and growing its moat through anticompetitive means.
    Since its founding in 2002, Fanatics has grown exponentially, disrupting various sports-related markets, including those for officially licensed merchandise, sports memorabilia, and trading cards. Recently, Fanatics announced an ambitious plan to “evolve into a leading global digital sports platform,” seeking to become a one-stop shop for sports fans. To this end, Fanatics has secured official licensing deals with major sports leagues, acquired Topps trading cards, and launched Fanatics Collectibles and Fanatics Betting and Gaming, where it claims to serve “approximately 95% of the addressable online sports bettor market in the U.S.” In short, Fanatics has a strong track record of aggressive expansion into new sports-related markets and appeared poised to enter the online ticketing market for sporting events as a potential competitor to Ticketmaster.
    But instead of using its expertise in developing complex online marketplaces and its strong relationships with every major sports league in the country to enter the online ticketing market, Fanatics instead partnered with a company that the Justice Department has found controls more than 70 percent of all primary tickets sold from NBA and NHL arenas and has “a growing share of ticket resales in the secondary market.” Reporting about the deal confirms that Fanatics “explored possible M&A, and it also looked into building its own platform before settling on the Ticketmaster partnership.”
    While the terms of the deal are not public, that Fanatics entered an agreement with an online ticketing monopolist, rather than innovate, disrupt, and compete themselves as they have in numerous other sports-related markets, raises significant questions about whether Live Nation-Ticketmaster used its monopoly power to prevent Fanatics from entering the online ticketing market, depriving consumers of the benefits of competition. Given Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s long history of anticompetitive conduct, we urge you to look into this deal to determine if any antitrust laws were broken and whether consumers were illegally denied the benefits of new competition in this market.
    We appreciate your attention to this important issue. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Charged with Threatening Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Her Family

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    ATLANTA – Aliakbar Mohammad Amin has been arrested and charged pursuant to a criminal complaint with transmitting interstate threats to injure Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard and her family. 

    “Threatening to harm public officials is a criminal act that cannot be excused as political discourse,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr.  “Our Office, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, will vigorously prosecute individuals who commit these acts of violence.”

    “The FBI sees all threatening communications as a serious federal offense. We will employ every investigative tool and resource available to identify those responsible and ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Let this arrest serve as a clear warning: if you engage in this kind of criminal behavior, you will be caught and you will go to prison.”

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the complaint, and other information presented in court: Between March 29 and April 1, 2025, Amin allegedly sent text messages that included threats against DNI Gabbard and her husband, including the following statements: 

    • “You and your family are going to die soon” and “I will personally do the job if necessary.”
    • “Death to America means death to America literally, Tulsi is living on borrowed time.
    • “The home you two own . . . is a legitimate target and will be hit at a time and place of our choosing.”
    • “Prepare to die, you, Tulsi, and everyone you hold dear. America will burn.”

    During the investigation, federal agents also discovered similar threats allegedly made by Amin in social media posts, including an image depicting a firearm pointed at a photograph of DNI Gabbard,  and a second image of a firearm pointed at a photograph of DNI Gabbard and her husband. Federal agents later recovered a firearm while executing a warrant to search Amin’s home.

    Aliakbar Mohammad Amin, 24, of Lilburn, Georgia, was charged on April 11, 2025, via a previously sealed criminal complaint alleging a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c). He was ordered detained pending trial by a U.S. Magistrate Judge after making his initial appearance in federal court.

    This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Biddeford Man Sentenced for Child Exploitation Offense

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man was sentenced on Monday in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing child sex abuse materials.

    U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Jeffrey Gray, 63, to 10 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Gray pleaded guilty on February 13, 2023.

    According to court records, in September 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at Gray’s  residence following reports that he had shared child sexual abuse material over a peer-to-peer file sharing network. Investigators seized eight electronic devices, and based on material recovered from several of those devices, executed a second search warrant in November 2022, recovering three additional devices. A forensic examination of the devices revealed hundreds of child sexual abuse images. Gray has a previous conviction in Rockingham (New Hampshire) Superior Court in 2012 for aggravated felonious sexual assault.

    Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police investigated the case.

    To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lorton man sentenced to 18 years in prison for sexually exploiting children on Snapchat

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Lorton man was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for sexually exploiting minor girls as young as nine years old and enticing them to create and send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves on Snapchat.

    According to court documents, between at least May 1, 2021, and May 8, 2024, Jose Alejandro Belmonte Cardozo, 31, used Snapchat to find minor girls and entice them to send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Belmonte Cardozo created different Snapchat accounts depending on the scheme he used to obtain CSAM from the minors.

    For example, Belmonte Cardozo used a particular account to catfish two 15-year-old girls, convincing them that he was a teenage boy. He sent the minors pictures that he claimed depicted him, but which actually depicted a boy who appeared to be approximately 16 years old. Belmonte Cardozo persuaded the minors to send him CSAM, which he surreptitiously recorded on a second cell phone to avoid the in-app notification. He then saved the recordings to a password-protected hidden folder on his cell phone.

    Belmonte Cardozo used a second account to convince other minors to send him CSAM in exchange for admission to a phony group chat he purported to administer. Once Belmonte Cardozo obtained CSAM from the minors, he enticed them to send him additional images and videos.

    Belmonte Cardozo amassed more than 1,000 images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct on five different electronic devices. On May 8, 2024, he transported two cellphones containing approximately 600 sexually explicit images and videos of minors, into the United States at Dulles International Airport.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Halper and Zoe Bedell prosecuted the case.

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

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-125.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 1789, Promptly Ending Political Prosecutions and Executive Retaliation Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 1789 would allow a current or former President or Vice President to remove to federal court a civil action or criminal prosecution brought against them in a state court. Under current law, the option for removal is limited to cases where the defendant is a federal official or an officer of the legislative or judicial branch, acting in an official capacity. In addition, the bill would create a presumption of legal immunity for those officials, establish procedures and standards of evidence for removal of proceedings, and authorize the Attorney General to represent or pay for private representation of officials who are the subject of a charge or claim. The legislation would apply to cases that are pending on the date of enactment and those filed in state courts thereafter.

    CBO expects that cases that are removed from state to federal courts under the bill would result in additional costs for the federal judiciary. There is significant uncertainty surrounding the number of cases that would be removed and the duration of the resulting litigation. Using information from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, CBO estimates that the cost of removing those cases to federal court would be less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. That spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    In addition, any payments made by the Attorney General to compensate private counsel retained by officials who are the subject of a charge or claim would be recorded in the budget as direct spending. There is significant uncertainty surrounding the number of cases that would be removed, the duration of resulting litigation, and the extent to which the Department of Justice would pay for private counsel. Because CBO expects that the number of affected cases would be small, any increase in direct spending would be insignificant.

    Litigants in state courts also would need to pay a filing fee to remove their case to federal court. Such fees are recorded in the budget as revenues, and courts can spend those fees without further appropriation. Because CBO expects that the number of affected cases would be small, CBO estimates that the effect on direct spending and revenues would be insignificant.

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jon Sperl. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Panamanian Doctor Pleads Guilty in Criminal Fraud Case Expected to Save U.S. Government $25M

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Based on assistance provided by the United States, Panamanian authorities have obtained a criminal plea from Dr. Rolando Chin, a surgeon residing in Panama, in connection with a widespread fraud scheme perpetrated against the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by Dr. Chin and others in Panama.

    The Department of Justice, the Department of State, and VA initially uncovered rampant fraud perpetrated by various medical doctors and pharmacies in Panama making claims to the VA’s Foreign Medical Program (FMP), which supports vital medical care for U.S. veterans living abroad. The agencies found evidence that Panamanian doctors and pharmacies were submitting false and inflated claims to the FMP, including claims for services never rendered or medicines never received, as well as deceptive billing for services performed.

    “The Department is committed to combating fraud against the United States wherever such conduct occurs,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Our efforts in this case have not only recovered funds on behalf of the American taxpayers, but have also prevented significant future losses. We are grateful to our Panamanian colleagues for their ongoing cooperation and collaboration in this matter.”     

    In December 2022, the United States filed a criminal complaint with Public Ministry of Panama against almost 40 Panamanian defendants, including doctors, pharmacies, corporations, and a hospital, for aggravated fraud and money laundering. Working closely with the Department of Justice, Panamanian prosecutors subsequently initiated an investigation, and in August 2023, brought the first set of formal charges based on the U.S. complaint. Earlier this year, the Panamanian prosecutors successfully obtained the first guilty plea from Dr. Chin to certain fraud charges, which led to a contemporaneous restitution agreement with the United States. Panamanian prosecutors are continuing to pursue proceedings against the other indicted individuals, as well as their investigation of the other defendants named in the U.S. complaint.

    Following the United States’ filing of its complaint in Panama, the VA instituted a government-wide suspension of the defendants, which took effect in August 2024. As a result of this suspension, the VA projected that its FMP expenditures in Panama for Fiscal Year 2025 will be cut in half from the previous year. This represents a projected savings of almost $25 million.

    This ongoing matter is a coordinated effort between the Department of Justice’s Office of Foreign Litigation (OFL) and the VA, with support from the VA Office of Inspector General, as well as the U.S. Department of State. OFL’s Attorney-in-Charge of Latin American Litigation Christine Brennan and Assistant Director Kiesha Minyard are handling the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ahead of Tax Day, Warren, Wyden, Pocan Demand Intuit Explain Continued Efforts to Kill IRS’ Free Filing Alternative, Overcharge Taxpayers on TurboTax

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    Senator Warren’s office tested TurboTax, finding that a sample taxpayer would pay $128 to file her taxes using TurboTax’s “free” software, while being upsold multiple times in the process.

    Intuit spent nearly $4 million in 2023 and again in 2024 to sabotage “Direct File,” the IRS’ free tax filing program

    Washington, D.C. – Ahead of Tax Day, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Ron Wyden (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, along with Representative Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.), pressed Intuit on the company’s lobbying to end Direct File, a free tool for taxpayers to file directly with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and its misleading sales tactics to upsell customers using TurboTax.  

    In 2024, the IRS launched Direct File, an online program that allows people with simple filing situations to file their taxes online for free and directly with the IRS. Direct File has helped hundreds of thousands of taxpayers file their taxes accurately and securely. The program received excellent reviews and has expanded to 25 states and over 30 million eligible Americans. 

    Despite Treasury Secretary Bessent’s promise to keep Direct File going through the 2025 tax filing season, the long-term future of the program continues to be threatened, in no small part due to Intuit’s lobbying. Intuit has spent nearly $4 million in 2023 and again in 2024 attempting to kill the program. During the 2024 election cycle, Intuit joined other commercial tax preparation companies to make large donations to Republican congressmembers who later worked to eliminate Direct File. Recent reports also indicate that some members of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) hope to end Direct File entirely, and Republican lawmakers, bankrolled by Intuit, have continued to call on the Trump Administration to end the program.

    Intuit also has a history of misleading customers about costs, relentlessly upselling taxpayers, and misusing customer data. A simulated filing by Senator Warren’s office found that these efforts continue. Despite TurboTax’s promises that its services are free, Senator Warren’s office found that a sample taxpayer would pay $128 to file her taxes, while being upsold multiple times in the process. In comparison, the cost for that same taxpayer would be $0 on DirectFile with no upselling. 

    “It is unconscionable that Intuit is engaged in an ‘aggressive’ and ‘covert’ war on Direct File, which makes it easy and free for millions of taxpayers across the country to file their taxes, while misleading, upselling, and overcharging them for your own services. You should end these abusive tactics and relinquish your efforts to eliminate Direct File once and for all,” concluded the lawmakers.

    The lawmakers pressed Intuit for more information on its efforts to eliminate Direct File, its relentless upselling tactics through TurboTax, and its lobbying and donations over the last year. 

    Senator Warren is leading voice in advocating for low-income taxpayers and for improved IRS resources: 

  • In February 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) reintroduced the Internal Revenue Service Math and Taxpayer Help (IRS MATH) Act, to improve math error notices — an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) authority used to quickly adjust taxpayers’ returns.

  • In January 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren led over 135 members of Congress in writing to Treasury Secretary-Designate Scott Bessent and Internal Revenue Services’ (IRS) Commissioner-Designate Billy Long, urging them to maintain and expand the IRS’ Direct File program. 

  • In October 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Representative Katie Porter (D-Calif.) wrote to the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service urging the agencies to make the Direct File tax filing program more secure and accessible by ending reliance on ID.me, which uses a flawed facial recognition software.

  • In April 2024, following the 2024 tax filing deadline, at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Elizabeth Warren questioned IRS Commissioner Daniel I. Werfel, on the IRS’s use of Inflation Reduction Act funds to successfully pilot a Direct File program, a first-of-its-kind option for Americans in twelve states to be able to file their taxes online directly with the IRS, easily and for free.

  • In April 2024, Senator Warren and colleagues applauded the success of Direct File’s Pilot during the 2024 tax filing season, highlighting rave reviews, millions of dollars in refunds claimed and filing fees saved.

  • In April 2024, Senator Warren sent a letter to Chair Lina M. Khan of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), blasting Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, for continuing to relentlessly upsell TurboTax users despite numerous FTC and state lawsuits and settlements. Senator Warren applauded the FTC’s oversight of Intuit, and urged the Commission to continue to take action to protect taxpayers from tax preparation companies that pile junk fees onto users.

  • In March 2024, Senator Warren celebrated the successful launch of the IRS’s Direct File pilot.

  • In March 2024, Senator Warren highlighted the positive feedback that the IRS’s Direct File pilot in 12 states has received from taxpayers and asked Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen to commit to expanding and extending the program in 2025 if positive feedback continues, which Yellen agreed to. 

  • In February 2024, Senators Warren, Blumenthal, Sanders, and Representative Porter sent a response to Intuit, blasting the company for its failure to answer basic questions the lawmakers asked in their January 2, 2024 letter seeking an accounting of the expenses underlying the company’s massive federal research tax breaks.

  • In January 2024, Senators Warren, Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Representative Katie Porter (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Intuit requesting a full accounting of the expenses underlying the company’s massive federal research tax breaks by January 16, 2024. Intuit disclosed that it received $94 million in federal research tax credits in 2022, while simultaneously spending millions lobbying against the establishment of a free program for Americans to file their taxes online. 

  • In October 2023, Senators Warren, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Blumenthal, Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Sanders, Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Representative Porter sent letters to five tax preparation companies—H&R Block, TaxAct, TaxSlayer, Ramsey Solutions, and Intuit—that recently received notices of penalty offenses from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding the misuse of taxpayer’s sensitive and confidential information. 

  • In October 2023, Senators Warren and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Representatives Porter, Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), and Don Beyer (D-Va.) released a statement supporting the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) joint announcement of their 2024 pilot of Direct File, a program that allows Americans to file tax returns digitally and free of charge. The lawmakers acknowledged the Inflation Reduction Act’s role in the program’s development, and stated their intention to support the IRS’s efforts to develop and expand the Direct File pilot. 

  • In August 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Porter sent a letter to the Free File Alliance, the American Coalition for Taxpayer Rights, Intuit, and H&R Block admonishing the companies’ relentless lobbying against the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) direct free filing tool. 

  • In July 2023, Senators Warren, Wyden, Blumenthal, Duckworth, Sanders, and Whitehouse and Representative Porter released a report revealing the outrageous, extensive, and potentially illegal sharing of taxpayers’ sensitive personal and financial information with Meta by online tax preparation companies. The lawmakers also sent a letter to the IRS, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Justice highlighting their key findings and calling on these departments to fully investigate this matter and prosecute any company or individuals who violated the law.

  • In June 2023, Senators Warren and Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Representatives Sherman, Porter, and Beyer, led a coalition of 99 Democratic lawmakers in a letter to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel and Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale Adeyemo, applauding the IRS’s announcement of a pilot of a free tax filing tool next year.

  • In May 2023, Senator Warren’s call for a Free E-File Program was finally answered by the IRS through the Inflation Reduction Act .

  • In April 2023, Senators Warren and Carper led 29 other senators in a letter to the IRS Commissioner, urging the agency to simplify the tax process and broaden access to free e-filing options.

  • In April 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Warren questioned the IRS Commissioner about the agency’s failed Free-File partnership with private tax preparation software companies and called on the agency to implement a direct E-File program. 

  • In December 2022, Senators Warren and Wyden and Representatives Porter and Sherman sent letters to tax preparation companies H&R Block, TaxAct, and TaxSlayer, plus big tech firms Meta and Google, amid reports that the tax preparation companies have been secretly transmitting individual taxpayers’ sensitive financial information to Meta and Google

  • In August 2022, Senator Warren highlighted key priorities she secured in the Senate’s Inflation Reduction Act, including establishing an IRS task force to look into developing and running an IRS-run free direct E-File tax return system, based on Senator Warren’s Tax Filing Simplification Act. 

  • In July 2022, Senator Warren led 22 lawmakers to introduce the Tax Filing Simplification Act of 2022, legislation that would direct the IRS to develop its own free online tax preparation and filing service that would simplify the tax filing process for millions of Americans. 

  • In June 2022, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen agreed with Senator Warren on the need to create a free tax filing system that actually works for Americans. 

  • In June 2022, Senator Warren and Representatives Porter and Sherman sent a letter to Richard K. Delmar, Acting Treasury Department Inspector, General, J. Russell George, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and Andrew Katsaros, Acting Inspector General at the Federal Trade Commission, regarding troubling reports of Intuit’s abuse of the revolving door and the company’s hiring of former federal regulators and influence-peddlers to defend its shady business practices. In the letter, which is a follow up to the prior April 2022 letter, the lawmakers call out Intuit for forcing American taxpayers into paying for services that should be free, and request an in-depth investigation into the company and its use of the revolving door to influence policy decisions at those agencies. 

  • In April 2022, Senator Warren and Representatives Sherman and Porter sent a letter to Intuit regarding the company’s unethical use of the revolving door to hire former regulators to defend their shady business practices that scam taxpayers out of billions of dollars. In June 2022, the lawmakers sent a follow-up.

  • In February 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) sent a letter to the Acting Inspector General of the Department of Treasury and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, calling on them to open an investigation into the unethical revolving door between the world’s largest accounting firms and the Treasury Department and IRS. 

  • In February 2022, Senator Warren made the case for increased funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) through the Build Back Better Act and called on the administration to create the simplified filing tools proposed in her Tax Filing Simplification Act. 

MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Attorney’s Office Announces Departure of Delia L. Smith as U.S. Attorney

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    First Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper is now Acting U.S. Attorney
     

    St. Thomas, VI – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands announced today the departure of Delia L. Smith as U.S. Attorney.

    Under the Vacancies Reform Act, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper is now the Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of the Virgin Islands. As Acting U.S. Attorney, he is the chief federal law enforcement official in the territory of the Virgin Islands.

    Sleeper is a career prosecutor with the United States Attorney’s Office. He has served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney and as Appellate Chief.

    Sleeper received an undergraduate degree from Connecticut College and a law degree from Cornell Law School. Before joining the Department of Justice, he clerked for Judge Curtis Gómez of the District Court of the Virgin Islands and Judge Joel Carson III of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He also worked as an associate in the Boston, Massachusetts office of an international law firm.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Augustine Convicted Child Sex Offender Sentenced To 27 Years For Filming A Video Of Himself Sexually Abusing A 13-Year-Old Child

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Christopher Lee Smith (43, St. Augustine) to 27 years in federal prison for producing a child sex abuse video. Smith was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and pay $4,000 in restitution to a child victim. Smith is a registered child sex offender, having been previously convicted on January 10, 2012, of traveling from Georgia to St. Johns County to meet an 8-year-old child for sexual activity. Smith was arrested on September 2, 2021, and has been detained since that time. Smith pleaded guilty on March 18, 2024. 

    According to court documents, on June 28, 2021, Smith engaged in a text conversation on a social media application (app) with an undercover FBI agent who was posing as the parent of a minor “child.” Smith advised the undercover agent that he wanted to have sex with the “child” and discussed in detail the sexual acts that he wished to perform on the “child.” On August 30, 2021, Smith and the undercover agent engaged in more online conversations on the app. Smith advised that he had twice sexually abused a particular child and sent a video to the undercover agent that depicted this child being sexually abused. Through further investigation, FBI agents confirmed the identities of both Smith and the 13-year-old victim.

    On September 2, 2021, FBI agents arrested Smith and seized his cellphone. A search of the phone revealed that Smith had been exchanging sexually explicit text messages with this 13-year-old child for several months. The phone also contained videos and photos depicting children being sexually abused. Further investigation revealed that on July 31, 2021, Smith drove to meet this child at a retail store in St. Johns County and took the child back to Smith’s residence in St. Augustine. While at the residence, Smith used produced a video depicting him sexually abusing the child. Later, Smith distributed several clips of the video to the child by text message.     

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Nat’l security education promoted

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Security Bureau (SB) and its disciplined services and auxiliary services held a flag-raising ceremony, a national security knowledge challenge and other activities to mark the 10th National Security Education Day today.

    The SB and its disciplined services jointly held a flag-raising ceremony at the Police College this morning.

    Officiating at the ceremony, Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki said that the flag-raising ceremony instils passion and loyalty towards the country and the people as well as deepens the understanding of the responsibility and mission to safeguard national security.

    He noted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to leverage the strengths of the National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance to build a strong line of defence to maintain security and stability in the Hong Kong SAR, and to provide solid institutional safeguards to promote good governance.

    Mr Chan then officiated at the Safeguarding National Security Cup awards presentation ceremony to commend the contestants of the SB, disciplined services and auxiliary services for holding sports competitions, which showcased their vitality and unity to inject impetus to the promotion of safeguarding national security.

    In the afternoon, the Department of Justice, the SB, the Education Bureau and the Hong Kong Shine Tak Foundation jointly organised the finals and award presentation ceremony of the Territory-wide Inter-school National Security Knowledge Challenge 2024/25.

    The events were held at a shopping mall for the first time to allow more students, teachers, parents and members of the public to participate. This year, an English section was also set up for the first time for non-Chinese speaking secondary school students.

    The challenge attracted more than 126,000 students from 610 primary and secondary schools, an increase of over 20% in the number of participants compared to last year.

    Chief Executive John Lee said in a video speech that June 30 marks the fifth anniversary of the promulgation and implementation of the National Security Law in the Hong Kong SAR.

    He stated that the Government will hold a series of activities to deepen public understanding of the pivotal role the legal framework plays in safeguarding national security as Hong Kong’s anchor of stability over the coming months.

    Mr Lee emphasised that safeguarding national security is a constitutional duty of the Hong Kong SAR and a shared obligation of every Hong Kong citizen. He encouraged students to become guardians of national security by integrating the knowledge they gained about national security through the competitions into their daily lives and sharing it with their family and friends.

    Also officiating at the ceremony, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam supplemented that he was delighted at the enthusiastic response to the competitions and encouraged young people to continue embracing safeguarding national security as their personal responsibility and to integrate into the country’s development.

    The highlights of the finals and the award presentation ceremony will be broadcast at 10.30 tonight and April 20 on HOY Infotainment.

    Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung and Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin meanwhile, jointly officiated at the launch ceremony of the new national security comic book Andy & Security Bear.

    Produced by SB members, the comic series was published online as part of the National Security Law virtual exhibition from July last year and was well received for its charming characters and engaging storylines.

    The SB brought the online stories to print and has distributed the first batch to over 2,000 schools and public libraries in Hong Kong by the end of March.

    At the ceremony, Mr Tang and Ms Choi presented the comic books to the principal representatives of secondary schools, primary schools and kindergartens.

    To mark National Security Education Day, the disciplined services and auxiliary forces under the SB will hold open days on various weekends and public holidays this month.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 1,020 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Second week in April as part of Operation Take Back America.

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 1,020 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Second week in April as part of Operation Take Back America.

    Since the inauguration of President Trump, the Department of Justice is playing a critical role in Operation Take back America, a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 

    MIL OSI USA News –