Southern District of Florida
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Bahamian National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Bahamian national who was unlawfully present in the U.S. and wanted for murder in the Bahamas pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing a firearm as an illegal alien.
According to court records, Shelton Thompson, 38, of the Bahamas, has been unlawfully present in the U.S. since August 2024. During a traffic stop, law enforcement encountered Thompson and determined that he was illegally present in the U.S. after initiating a traffic stop. A subsequent search of his residence uncovered a firearm that Thompson was prohibited from possessing under federal law.
“South Florida's proximity to international borders makes vigorous enforcement of immigration and firearms laws essential to public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Individuals who enter or remain in this country unlawfully and illegally possess firearms will be investigated and prosecuted. We will continue to use every lawful tool available to protect our communities from dangerous offenders.”
Thompson faces up to 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami is investigating the case, with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Pierce is prosecuting the case.
This case is being prosecuted by the Border and Immigration Crimes Enforcement (BICE) Section. BICE was created by U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones in November of 2025 to strengthen South Florida’s border security posture, protect maritime and land points of entry, enforce federal immigration law, and dismantle transnational smuggling networks operating through the region. The Section brings together narcotics, immigration, fraud, and violent-crime expertise into a single coordinated unit focused on border-driven threats.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20087.
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Three Noncitizens Convicted of Illegal Voting and Related Election Offenses in Federal ElectionsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Three noncitizens have pleaded guilty in separate federal cases to illegally voting in federal elections and related election offenses.
Federal law requires that a person be a U.S. citizen to register and vote in federal elections. According to court records, the defendants knowingly registered and voted in federal elections despite being ineligible to do so because they were to U.S. citizens.
“Voting in federal elections is one of the most important rights and responsibilities of American citizenship,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Federal law is clear: only United States citizens may vote in federal elections. These defendants admitted that they knowingly violated that law. The Southern District of Florida is committed to protecting the integrity of our elections and ensuring that those who undermine public confidence in the electoral process are held accountable.”
Moises Lima Junior, a Brazilian national who became a lawful permanent resident on Jan. 17, 2024, registered to vote on Feb. 18, 2024, and falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen. On Oct. 21, 2024, Lima Junior knowingly voted in a federal election despite knowing he was not a U.S. citizen. He pleaded guilty to making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and voting by an alien on February 12 and was sentenced on May 27.
Gordon Louis, a Haitian national and a convicted felon, knowingly voted in the 2020 general election for federal offices, including President, Vice President, and member of the House of Representatives, despite knowing he was not a U.S. citizen. Louis pleaded guilty to voting by an alien and was sentenced on April 15.
Roberto Figueredo, a Cuban national whose lawful permanent resident status had been revoked and who had been ordered removed from the U.S., submitted a Florida voter registration application on Jan. 29, 2020, falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen and falsely affirming that he was eligible to vote. At the time, Figueredo was a convicted felon whose voting rights had not been restored. On Oct. 1, 2020, he knowingly cast a ballot in a federal election. Figueredo pleaded guilty to casting a false ballot and voting by an alien on Sept. 30, 2025 and was sentenced on February 4.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, made the announcement.
HSI Miami and HSI Fort Lauderdale investigated the cases, with assistance from the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Killoran and Timothy Farina prosecuted the cases.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 25-cr-60254 (Lima Junior), 25-cr-20237 (Louis), and 25-cr-80094 (Figueredo).
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Dominican National Sentenced for Fraudulently Obtaining Social Security Benefits and Medicare Coverage Using Stolen IdentityRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Dominican national has been sentenced to federal prison for using a stolen identity to fraudulently obtain more than $100,000 in Social Security disability benefits and health care services through Medicare.
Senior U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck sentenced Juan Francisco De La Cruz Mejia, 38, of Miami Springs, to 52 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to theft of government funds, Social Security fraud, health care fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
“This defendant stole an American citizen's identity and used it to siphon taxpayer-funded benefits for years,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Social Security and Medicare exist to serve eligible beneficiaries, not fraudsters. The Southern District of Florida will continue to prosecute those who steal public benefits, abuse government programs, and exploit the trust of American taxpayers.”
“This sentencing demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of Social Security programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Conor Washington of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Eastern CDI Division. “The defendant, a foreign national unlawfully present in the United States, stole an American citizen’s Social Security number and used it to illegally receive more than $100,000 in Social Security benefits. SSA OIG will continue to aggressively investigate benefit fraud schemes to safeguard taxpayer funds and protect the public.”
“Identity theft and health care fraud undermine the integrity of federal health care programs that exist to serve some of our nation’s most vulnerable individuals,” said Special Agent in Charge Isaac M. Bledsoe of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “By stealing another person’s identity to improperly access Medicare benefits, the defendant siphoned taxpayer-funded resources meant to care for legitimate Medicare enrollees. HHS-OIG will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable those who attempt to defraud federal health care programs.”
According to court records, beginning in February 2021, De La Cruz Mejia unlawfully used the name and Social Security number of another individual to obtain Social Security Title II disability benefits to which he was not entitled. He continued the scheme for more than four years, causing the Social Security Administration to suffer losses exceeding $105,000.
Between February 2021 and August 2025, De La Cruz Mejia received and used $105,057.90 in Social Security disability benefits obtained through stolen identity. In April 2021, he also used the same identity to enroll in Medicare.
By fraudulently obtaining Medicare coverage, De La Cruz Mejia received medical services and prescriptions drugs under another person’s identity, causing health care providers to submit claims to Medicare for services rendered to him. The claims — including Medicare Parts A, B, and D benefits and durable medical equipment — totaled approximately $3.4 million in billed charges, resulting in Medicare payments of approximately $108,057.63.
SSA OIG and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikole Hiciano prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20460.
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Owner of Two South Florida Nursing Schools Pleads Guilty in Fraudulent Nursing Diploma SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Following a two-week trial in Fort Lauderdale, a South Florida nursing school owner and operator pleaded guilty for her role in a scheme that sold fraudulent nursing diplomas and transcripts to individuals seeking nursing licenses and employment throughout the U.S.
Carleen Noreus, 52, of Plantation, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to money laundering.
“Nursing licenses must be earned through education, training, and demonstrated competence, not purchased through fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “By selling thousands of fraudulent diplomas and transcripts, the defendant undermined the integrity of the nursing profession and our healthcare system. The Southern District of Florida remains committed to holding accountable those who profit by corrupting professional licensing processes and placing the public at risk.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Noreus served as president of Carleen Home Health School, Inc. in Plantation and vice president of Carleen Home Health School II, Inc. in West Palm Beach.
Noreus conspired with others to sell fraudulent nursing diplomas and educational transcripts to individuals who had not completed the required coursework or clinical training to earn Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse/Vocational Nurse (LPN/VN), or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) credentials.
The fraudulent diplomas and transcripts falsely represented that purchasers had successfully completed the academic and clinical requirements of the schools when, in reality, they had not. These documents enabled purchasers to sit for the national nursing board examinations and, after passing those examinations, obtain nursing licenses and employment in the healthcare field.
Evidence admitted at trial established that between April 17, 2018, and Oct. 8, 2025, Noreus was responsible for providing 2,956 fraudulent nursing diplomas through the schools. State authorities have since terminated both schools as a result of the investigation.
Of the individuals who obtained fraudulent credentials from the school, approximately 2,274 passed nursing board examinations, allowing them to obtain nursing licenses and work as nurses in Florida and across the country.
Noreus faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of the second phase of Operation Nightingale, a nationwide effort targeting fraudulent nursing diploma schemes operated by for-profit nursing schools in South Florida. The investigation uncovered an illegal shortcut to professional licensure and employment that resulted in fraud-related charges against 13 defendants, including Noreus, for their roles in selling fraudulent nursing diplomas and transcripts.
In Phase I of Operation Nightingale, 30 defendants were charged and convicted in 2023 through guilty pleas or trial verdicts.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Isaac M. Bledsoe of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Clark and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon M. Juenger presented the case at trial on behalf of the government. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-60039.
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Gainesville Man Indicted for Attempted Mass Shooting Targeting Jewish VictimsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida has returned an indictment charging a Gainesville man with federal hate crime and firearm offenses for allegedly attempting a mass shooting targeting Jewish victims because of their race and religion.
According to court records, Forrest Kendall Pemberton, 27, of Gainesville, armed himself with an AR-15-style rifle equipped with a silencer and traveled to the office of a non-profit organization dedicated to lobbying the U.S. government in support of Israel. On December 23, 2024, he allegedly attempted to carry out a mass shooting targeting the organization’s employees because they were Jewish.
Pemberton is charged with attempted hate crime, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a short-barreled rifle. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment on the attempted hate crime count, a mandatory consecutive sentence of up to 30 years’ imprisonment on the firearm count, and up to five years’ imprisonment on the possession count.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Jacksonville Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Jacksonville is investigating the case, with assistance from FBI Miami; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Miami Field Office; the Gainesville Police Department; and the Tallahassee Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Abbie D. Waxman of the National Security Division for the Southern District of Florida and Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Manpreet “Monica” Uppal-Gupta of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-60040.
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Florida Man Indicted for Attempted Mass Shooting Targeting Jewish VictimsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida has returned an indictment charging a Florida man with federal hate crime and firearm offenses for allegedly attempting a mass shooting targeting Jewish victims because of their race and religion.
According to court records, Forrest Kendall Pemberton, 27, of Gainesville, armed himself with an AR-15-style rifle equipped with a silencer and traveled to the office of a non-profit organization dedicated to lobbying the U.S. government in support of Israel. On Dec. 23, 2024, he allegedly attempted to carry out a mass shooting targeting the organization’s employees because they were Jewish.
Pemberton is charged with attempted hate crime, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a short-barreled rifle. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison on the attempted hate crime count, a mandatory consecutive sentence of up to 30 years in prison on the firearm count, and a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the possession count.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley of the FBI Jacksonville Field Office made the announcement.
FBI Jacksonville is investigating the case, with assistance from FBI Miami; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Miami Field Office; the Gainesville Police Department; and the Tallahassee Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Abbie D. Waxman of the National Security Division for the Southern District of Florida and Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Manpreet “Monica” Uppal-Gupta of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Nicaraguan National Extradited from Costa Rica to Face Passport Fraud and Counterfeit Currency ChargesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Nicaraguan national has been extradited from Costa Rica to face charges in two indictments unsealed today alleging a scheme to furnish counterfeit United States passports and traffic in counterfeit United States currency.
According to court records, between January and June 2020, Armando Morales Obando, 63, residing in Costa Rica, allegedly conspired with others to manufacture and sell counterfeit U.S. passports to individuals in South Florida. Morales Obando allegedly negotiated the sale of five fraudulent U.S. passports, coordinated the collection of payments totaling $5,500, and arranged for the passports to be shipped from Nicaragua to Broward County. The counterfeit passports allegedly contained the identifying information of real individuals but bore photographs of other persons and were represented as valid documents for international travel.
Additionally, Morales Obando allegedly conspired with others to manufacture and distribute counterfeit U.S. currency. Morales Obando and his co-conspirators allegedly created $20,000 in counterfeit U.S. currency and exchanged it for $6,000 in genuine U.S. currency.
Morales Obando is charged with conspiracy to commit an offense against the U.S., two counts of passport fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. In a related case, Morales Obando is charged with conspiracy to commit an offense against the U.S. and uttering counterfeit currency. If convicted, Morales Obando faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the counterfeit currency count, up to 10 years in prison on each passport fraud count, up to five years in prison on each conspiracy counts, and a mandatory consecutive two-year sentence on each aggravated identity theft count.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Ryan McSeveney of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement. The Costa Rican government provided valuable assistance in securing the extradition of Morales Obando.
The DSS Miami Field Office and HSI Miami are investigating the case, with assistance from the DSS Overseas Criminal Investigations Unit at U.S. Embassy San José, and U.S. Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Maultasch is prosecuting both cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 24-cr-20431 and 24-cr-20552.
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Two Charged in Multi-Year Conspiracy to Buy and Sell Stolen Medicare Beneficiary Information from Major South Florida Health Care NetworkRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned a multi-count indictment charging a Miami woman for allegedly orchestrating a years-long scheme to obtain and sell the confidential Medicare beneficiary identifier numbers (BINs) of thousands of patients for use in Medicare fraud schemes. A related criminal information was also filed charging a former health care network employee with conspiring to unlawfully disclose the protected patient information.
According to court documents, Kenia Marrero, 46, of Miami, paid Joan Navarro Bruguet, 51, of Miami, a former employee of a Miami-based regional health care provider network identified in court filings as “Provider A,” to secretly provide Marrero with confidential patient information, including names, dates of birth, and Medicare BINs. Beginning in or around January 2022 and continuing through February 2025, Navarro Bruguet allegedly accessed Provider A’s confidential patient records using his work computer, photographed patient information displayed on his screen using his personal cellphone, and sent the images to Marrero through an encrypted messaging application.
Court records allege that Marrero paid Navarro Bruguet approximately $500 for each patient list containing around 100 Medicare beneficiaries. Marrero then allegedly worked with others, including Juan Carlos Cardella — who has already been sentenced in this district on related charges — to redistribute and resell the stolen patient information, for as much as $7,000 per list, to individuals involved in Medicare fraud schemes.
According to the court records, the scheme resulted in the unlawful disclosure of confidential Medicare information belonging to more than 6,000 beneficiaries.
The indictment further alleges that Marrero participated in a durable medical equipment (DME) fraud scheme that submitted more than $5 million in fraudulent Medicare claims using patient identifiers obtained through the conspiracy. Court documents also allege that Marrero deposited more than $460,000 in Medicare fraud proceeds into a bank account associated with the fraudulent DME company.
In addition, the indictment alleges that during a recorded in-person meeting in January 2026, Marrero instructed a Provider A employee to “deny everything,” to “stay strong and deny and never say anything to anyone,” and to do “no more texting on the phone,” but if there were a need to text, that they should “do like we always do and ask me about candles.”
Marrero is charged with conspiracy to buy, sell, and distribute BINs; conspiracy to commit health care fraud; four counts of health care fraud; four counts of aggravated identity theft; and two counts of money laundering. Navarro Bruguet is charged with conspiracy to buy, sell, and distribute BINs.
If convicted, Marrero and Navarro Bruguet each face up to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to buy, sell, and distribute BINs. Marrero also faces up to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and each health care fraud count, up to 10 years for each money laundering count, and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years for each aggravated identity theft count.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Issac Bledsoe of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
HHS-OIG Miami and FBI Miami are investigating the case. Provider A provided early and ongoing assistance in the investigation of this matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eduardo Gardea, Jr. is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice, HHS-OIG, and the FBI encourage members of the public to remain vigilant against any signs of identity theft or suspicious claims submitted to their health insurance plans, including Medicare. Individuals should carefully review their explanation of benefits (“EOB”) documents; and if they see any sign of suspicious or unauthorized claims in their Medicare records, they should call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or Report Medicare Fraud online at https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case numbers 26-cr-20183 (Marrero), 26-cr-20198 (Navarro Bruguet), and 25-cr-20280 (Cardella).
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Passenger Charged After Allegedly Attempting to Open Aircraft Doors Mid-Flight and Assaulting TravelerRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Chicago man made his initial appearance in federal court after allegedly attempting to open an emergency exit door and the flight deck door during a commercial flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Chicago, Illinois, forcing the aircraft to divert to Miami.
According to court records, Juan Gabriel Reyes, 51, of Chicago, Illinois, became disruptive during the flight and repeatedly failed to comply with instructions from flight attendants. Reyes allegedly attempted to open both an emergency exit door and the flight deck door while the aircraft was in flight. He then allegedly assaulted another passenger before passengers and crew members restrained him. The aircraft was diverted to Miami, where Reyes was arrested.
Reyes is charged with interference with flight crew members and attendants and assault within maritime and territorial jurisdiction. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the interference charge and up to one year in prison on the assault charge.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami is investigating the case, with assistance from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Olinghouse is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-mj-02992.
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Three Sentenced to Prison for Laundering Medicare Fraud ProceedsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Three South Florida men were sentenced to prison for their participation in a scheme to defraud Medicare and launder more than $2.2 million in illicit health care fraud proceeds.
Marco Scamarone, 34, of Tamarac, was sentenced to 70 months in prison.
Jose Mendez, 34, of Coral Springs, was sentenced to 78 months in prison.
Renee Vazquez, 33, of Tamarac, was sentenced to 60 months in prison.
“These defendants stole from Medicare, laundered the proceeds through shell companies, and used fraudulent medical equipment businesses to enrich themselves at taxpayer expense,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Medicare exists to serve seniors and vulnerable patients, not to fund kickbacks, shell companies, and criminal profit. Today’s sentences send a clear message: if you steal from federal health care programs in South Florida, you will face prison time, forfeiture, restitution, and federal accountability. Fraud does not pay, and defendants do not get to keep the proceeds of their crimes.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendants owned and operated two fraudulent durable medical equipment (DME) companies: Braces and Orthotics LLC, located in the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stone Oak Durable Medical Equipment LLC, located in the Southern District of Florida. Between January 2022 and February 2023, the fraudulent DME companies submitted approximately $6.9 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for orthotic braces that were medically unnecessary and ineligible for Medicare reimbursement. The conspiracy involved illegal kickbacks and bribes paid to an offshore marketing company exchange for the referral of beneficiaries and fraudulent doctors’ orders. The three men conspired to launder the proceeds of their fraud through a series of shell companies under their control or the control of their associates — ultimately laundering more than $2.2 million in illicit funds for their own benefit and the benefit of their co-conspirators.
In December 2025, Scamarone, Mendez, and Vazquez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. At sentencing, Scamarone and Mendez were ordered to pay $2,217,840.35 in forfeiture and $3,016,324.20 in restitution. Vazquez was ordered to pay $1,723,773.18 in forfeiture and $2,249,392.09 in restitution.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott Lampert for the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles for the FBI Miami Office; and Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito for the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General (DOL-OIG) made the announcement.
HHS-OIG, FBI, and DOL-OIG investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Pogozelski for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Claire Horrell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-60148.
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Coral Gables Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Distributing Sexual Torture and Mutilation Videos of Baby MonkeysRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Francisco Javier Ravelo, of Coral Gables, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release, during which he is not permitted to have any unsupervised contact with animals. Ravelo was sentenced in connection with his involvement with online groups dedicated to distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys in violation of the federal Animal Crushing statute.
Ravelo pleaded guilty in March to distributing more than 40 so-called “animal crush videos.”
According to court documents and statements made during his sentencing hearing, Ravelo owned and administered several online chat groups dedicated to distribution and discussion of sexual and violent videos depicting monkeys being mutilated and tortured. The court ruled that Ravelo controlled access to and moderated his invitation-only private groups, where he was a leader and organizer, which served as a basis for Ravelo’s upward variance prison sentence. The court described the material distributed as “evil.” The court explained that it fashioned the sentence to show that “in society we will not tolerate this kind of material being distributed in any way, shape, or form” and further, that the harshness should serve as a deterrence for others in the monkey hate community.
“The production and distribution of obscene animal crush videos is a felony,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “In passing the Animal Crushing statute, Congress recognized that cruelty to animals desensitizes participants to the suffering of human beings. Today’s sentence is a warning to all future would-be creators and consumers of animal crushing that they risk federal prosecution and imprisonment for these crimes.”
“This case is deeply disturbing, and the 60-month sentence reflects the seriousness of the conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Ravelo did not merely view this material. He owned and administered private online groups dedicated to distributing obscene videos of monkeys being sexually abused, mutilated, and burned. As a former state court judge who presided over domestic violence cases, I know that deliberate cruelty to animals is one of the clearest warning signs of dangerousness. Animal crushing is a serious federal crime, and those who organize, distribute, and celebrate this kind of cruelty will face federal prison.”
“Ravelo’s conviction and today’s sentencing make it clear that those who commit these horrific crimes cannot evade justice,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans. “Even when offenders use advanced technology and exclusive, invitation-only groups to hide their illegal activities, HSI will relentlessly pursue them and ensure they are held accountable. Our team worked tirelessly to stop Ravelo’s egregious crimes and prevent further harm, and we remain committed to bringing others who commit these offenses to justice.”
HSI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke E. Latta for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Emily R. Stone of the ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20477.
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Fort Pierce Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Biofuel Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – The owner of a company that produced and sold renewable fuel and fuel credits was sentenced today to serve 18 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release, and to pay $2,857,029 in restitution and a $150,000 fine, for his role in a scheme that generated over $7 million in fraudulent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) renewable fuel credits and sought over $6 million in fraudulent tax credits connected to the purported production of biodiesel.
According to court documents, Christopher Burdett owned a biofuel company based in Fort Pierce, that claimed to turn various feedstocks into biodiesel. However, when reporting the number of gallons they produced to the IRS and EPA, Burdett and General Manager Royce Gillham vastly overstated their production volume to generate more credits. When auditors sought more information from the company, Burdett and Gillham provided false information about their fuel production and customers.
“This was not a paperwork error or a regulatory misunderstanding. It was fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Burdett inflated biodiesel production numbers, misled auditors, generated more than $7 million in fraudulent EPA renewable fuel credits, and sought more than $6 million in fraudulent tax credits from the American taxpayer. Today’s sentence of 18 months makes clear that fraud against public programs carries real consequences. Public incentive programs depend on honesty. When companies lie to regulators and try to turn environmental programs into vehicles for fraud, they will face federal prosecution, prison time, and financial accountability. Fraud does not pay, and defendants do not get to keep the proceeds of their crimes.”
“The defendant lied to and defrauded the federal government, fuel producers, and fuel consumers of the United States by claiming and profiting from renewable fuel credits for fuel that was never produced or sold. His actions compromised and undermined a program designed to provide an abundant source of clean renewable fuel,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Leslie Carroll of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Florida. “Today’s sentencing shows that there are severe consequences for individuals who defraud the Clean Air Act Renewable Fuel Standards program and their customers.”
“Claiming fraudulent tax credits is not just cheating the system — it’s stealing from the American public,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Scott A. Johnson of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office. “We will remain committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring that those who engage in these schemes are held accountable.”
Burdett previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and to file false claims. For his role in the scheme, Gillham was previously sentenced to 37 months in prison.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, Assistant Administrator Jeffrey Hall of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, and Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker of IRS-CI’s Florida Field Office made the announcement.
The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Funk for the Southern District of Florida and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-14071.
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Florida Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Biofuel Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
The owner of a company that produced and sold renewable fuel and fuel credits was sentenced today to serve 18 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release, and to pay $2,857,029 in restitution and a $150,000 fine, for his role in a scheme that generated over $7 million in fraudulent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) renewable fuel credits and sought over $6 million in fraudulent tax credits connected to the purported production of biodiesel.
According to court documents, Christopher Burdett owned a biofuel company based in Fort Pierce, Florida, that claimed to turn various feedstocks into biodiesel. However, when reporting the number of gallons they produced to the IRS and EPA, Burdett and General Manager Royce Gillham vastly overstated their production volume to generate more credits. When auditors sought more information from the company, Burdett and Gillham provided false information about their fuel production and customers.
Burdett previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and to file false claims. For his role in the scheme, Gillham was previously sentenced to 37 months in prison.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Attorney Jason A Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Administrator Jeffrey Hall of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, and Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)’s Florida Field Office made the announcement.
The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Funk for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Armed Felon Charged after Allegedly Shooting Fort Lauderdale Police K-9Read the Press Release
MIAMI – A grand jury returned an indictment Thursday charging a Fort Lauderdale man with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after allegedly firing at a police K-9 during a pursuit in Fort Lauderdale.
According to court records, on April 18, law enforcement responded to a residential burglary in which a firearm had been stolen. Officers established a perimeter and, with assistance from aviation and K-9 units, located Christian Bouie, 30, of Fort Lauderdale, hiding in a tree in a nearby yard. When ordered to come down, Bouie fled, scaled a fence, and ran into an adjacent property.
As a police K-9 pursued him, Bouie allegedly pulled out a firearm and fired two rounds at the dog, striking the dog. Bouie continued fleeing before officers ultimately apprehended him. After taking Bouie into custody, officers recovered a firearm from his pocket.
“Police K-9s protect our officers, our neighborhoods, and our families,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This indictment alleges that a convicted felon unlawfully possessed a firearm and fired at a police K-9 during a pursuit in Fort Lauderdale. When armed felons allegedly endanger law enforcement and the public, our Office will prosecute those cases to the fullest extent of federal law.”
Bouie has prior felony convictions, including a conviction for robbery with a firearm, and is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
If convicted, Bouie faces up to 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, made the announcement.
ATF Miami Field Division is investigating the case, with assistance from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Ustynoski is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-60143.
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Federal Jury Convicts Armed Multi-Convicted Felon in Explosive Arson and Counterfeit Oxy Fentanyl SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal jury in Fort Lauderdale convicted a multi-convicted felon who ignited a vehicle on fire, loaded with fentanyl disguised as oxycodone pills, crack cocaine, cash, and a firearm while law enforcement officers stood nearby during a Palm Beach County drug trafficking investigation.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Willie James Skipper, Jr., 42, of Boynton Beach, was under law enforcement surveillance on Oct. 31, 2025, after officers observed him engaging in suspected hand-to-hand narcotics exchanges in an area of Palm Beach County known for violent crime and open-air drug trafficking. A narcotics-detection K-9 later alerted to Skipper’s vehicle.
“This case shows the lethal mix we are confronting in South Florida: fentanyl disguised as prescription pills, crack cocaine, cash, firearms, and violence,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The evidence at trial showed that Willie James Skipper Jr., a multi-convicted felon, set fire to a vehicle loaded with drugs and a firearm while law enforcement officers stood just feet away. That explosion could have killed officers and innocent people nearby. Thanks to the courage of our federal, state, and local partners, this defendant was stopped, convicted, and now faces serious federal prison time.”
While officers waited for a tow truck to impound the vehicle, Skipper walked to a nearby gas station, purchased gasoline, returned to the vehicle, poured gasoline onto it, and ignited the vehicle, causing a major explosion while officers were positioned within feet of the vehicle. Skipper then fled on foot before being taken into custody.
A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed distribution quantities of fentanyl disguised as oxycodone pills, crack cocaine, large amounts of cash, and a loaded firearm concealed in hidden compartments.
During trial, expert witnesses and law enforcement officers testified regarding the dangers posed by fentanyl disguised as legitimate prescription medication, the violent nature of the vehicle fire, and the risk of catastrophic injury posed by nearby propane tanks. Additional testimony established that DNA evidence linked Skipper to both the narcotics and the firearm recovered from the vehicle.
The jury convicted Skipper of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and arson.
Skipper faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Certain remaining counts were severed by the Court and are pending. The defendant is presumed innocent of the pending charges unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division; and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) made the announcement.
FBI Miami, ATF Miami Field Office, and PBSO are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shannon O’Shea Darsch and Brian Ralston are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-80049.
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Tennessee Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Attempted Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Tennessee man who paid a minor in Colombia to produce sexually explicit videos and traveled overseas to engage in commercial sex acts with the minor victim has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison.
U.S. District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz II sentenced Ramon Arellano Sandoval, 64, of Antioch, Tennessee, to 360 months in prison after a jury convicted him of attempted sex trafficking of a minor and attempted production of visual depictions involving the sexual exploitation of a minor in February 2026.
“Ramon Arellano Sandoval targeted a 14-year-old child in Colombia, paid her to create child sexual abuse material, and then traveled overseas to exploit her in person,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Today’s 30-year sentence makes clear that distance is no shield from justice. If you use the internet, money, or international travel to prey on a child, we will find you, prosecute you, and seek the full measure of federal punishment.”
“This sentence underscores our unwavering commitment to combating human trafficking and protecting vulnerable children from exploitation,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. “HSI, together with our international partners, will continue to pursue United States citizens who prey on minors, ensuring they are held accountable regardless of their location.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Arellano Sandoval exchanged thousands of text and video messages with the victim, who lived in rural Colombia and was 14 years old at the time. Despite knowing the victim was underage, Arellano Sandoval repeatedly solicited sexually explicit videos from her and directed her to produce child sexual abuse material, often in exchange for electronic payments. Arellano Sandoval also flew to Colombia to have commercial sex with the minor victim.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Special Agent in Charge Figueroa made the announcement.
HSI Miami investigated the case with assistance from HSI Bogota and its Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit (TCIU), as well as the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Human Trafficking Unit (HTU).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tim Farina and Camille Smith prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20519.
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Three Sentenced to Prison for Laundering Medicare Fraud ProceedsRead the Press Release
Three Florida men were sentenced Tuesday to prison for their participation in a scheme to defraud Medicare and launder more than $2.2 million in illicit health care fraud proceeds.
- Marco Scamarone, 34, of Tamarac, Florida, was sentenced to 70 months in prison.
- Jose Mendez, 34, of Coral Springs, Florida, was sentenced to 78 months in prison.
- Renee Vazquez, 33, of Tamarac, Florida, was sentenced to 60 months in prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendants owned and operated two fraudulent durable medical equipment (DME) companies: Braces and Orthotics LLC, located in the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stone Oak Durable Medical Equipment LLC, located in the Southern District of Florida. Between January 2022 and February 2023, the fraudulent DME companies submitted approximately $6.9 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for orthotic braces that were medically unnecessary and ineligible for Medicare reimbursement. The conspiracy involved illegal kickbacks and bribes paid to an offshore marketing company exchange for the referral of beneficiaries and fraudulent doctors’ orders. The three men conspired to launder the proceeds of their fraud through a series of shell companies under their control or the control of their associates — ultimately laundering more than $2.2 million in illicit funds for their own benefit and the benefit of their co-conspirators.
In December 2025, Scamarone, Mendez, and Vazquez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. At sentencing, Scamarone and Mendez were ordered to pay $2,217,840.35 in forfeiture and $3,016,324.20 in restitution. Vazquez was ordered to pay $1,723,773.18 in forfeiture and $2,249,392.09 in restitution.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott Lampert for the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles for the FBI Miami Office; and Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito for the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General (DOL-OIG) made the announcement.
HHS-OIG, FBI, and DOL-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Claire Horrell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Pogozelski for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Miami-Area Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Distributing Sexual Torture and Mutilation Videos of Baby MonkeysRead the Press Release
Francisco Javier Ravelo, of Coral Gables, Florida, was sentenced yesterday to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release, during which he is not permitted to have any unsupervised contact with animals. Ravelo was sentenced in connection with his involvement with online groups dedicated to distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys in violation of the federal Animal Crushing statute.
Ravelo pleaded guilty in March to distributing more than 40 so-called “animal crush videos.”
According to court documents and statements made during his sentencing hearing, Ravelo owned and administered several online chat groups dedicated to distribution and discussion of sexual and violent videos depicting monkeys being mutilated and tortured. The court ruled that Ravelo controlled access to and moderated his invitation-only private groups, where he was a leader and organizer, which served as a basis for Ravelo’s upward variance prison sentence. The court described the material distributed as “evil.” The court explained that it fashioned the sentence to show that “in society we will not tolerate this kind of material being distributed in any way, shape, or form” and further, that the harshness should serve as a deterrence for others in the monkey hate community.
“The production and distribution of obscene animal crush videos is a felony,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “In passing the Animal Crushing statute, Congress recognized that cruelty to animals desensitizes participants to the suffering of human beings. This sentence is a warning to all future would-be creators and consumers of animal crushing that they risk federal prosecution and imprisonment for these crimes.”
“Ravelo’s conviction and this sentencing make it clear that those who commit these horrific crimes cannot evade justice,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans. “Even when offenders use advanced technology and exclusive, invitation-only groups to hide their illegal activities, HSI will relentlessly pursue them and ensure they are held accountable. Our team worked tirelessly to stop Ravelo’s egregious crimes and prevent further harm, and we remain committed to bringing others who commit these offenses to justice.”
HSI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Emily R. Stone of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke E. Latta for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
United States Unseals Superseding Indictment Charging Raul Castro and Five Castro Regime Co-Defendants for 1996 Shoot-Down of Brothers to the Rescue AircraftRead the Press Release
MIAMI – The U.S. Department of Justice today announced the unsealing of a superseding indictment charging Raul Modesto Castro Ruz, 94, of Holguin, Cuba; along with Lorenzo Alberto Perez‑Perez of Las Tunas, Cuba; Emilio José Palacio Blanco; José Fidel Gual Barzaga; Raul Simanca Cardenas; and Luis Raul Gonzalez‑Pardo Rodriguez, for their alleged roles in the Feb. 24, 1996 shoot‑down of two unarmed U.S. civilian aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue (BTTR), also known as Hermanos al Rescate, over international waters.
“Over three decades later, we are committed to holding those accountable for the murders of four brave Americans: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “For the first time in nearly 70 years, senior leadership of the Cuban regime has been charged in the United States for alleged acts of violence resulting in the deaths of American citizens. President Trump and this Justice Department are committed to restoring a simple principle: if you kill Americans, we will pursue you. No matter who you are. No matter what title you hold.”
“Today’s superseding indictment of Raul Castro and five Castro regime co-defendants is a major step toward accountability in the 1996 murders of four Brothers to the Rescue members - including three U.S citizens - Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr, Mario de la Pena, and Pablo Morales,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “For 30 years these families have waited for answers - and this FBI never forgot. We will continue working with our Justice Department partners to bring to justice those who attacked our civilians.”
“For 30 years, the families of these men have waited. The Miami community has waited. Our country has waited. Today is a step toward accountability,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This passage of time does not erase murder. It does not diminish the value of these lives. And it does not weaken our commitment to the rule of law.”
BTTR was an organization based in Miami that conducted humanitarian flight operations across the Florida Straits to search for Cuban migrants in distress. As alleged, beginning in the early 1990s, Cuban intelligence agents infiltrated the organization and relayed detailed information about its flight operations back to the Cuban government. These reports were allegedly used by military leadership in planning the Feb. 24, 1996 operation.
The superseding indictment charges conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, two counts of destruction of aircraft, and four counts of murder.
According to the allegations, on Feb. 24, 1996, three BTTR aircraft flew from South Florida toward Cuba. Cuban military fighter jets under the chain of command overseen by Raul Castro fired air‑to‑air missiles at two unarmed civilian Cessna aircraft — destroying them without warning while they were flying outside Cuban territory, killing four U.S. nationals, including three U.S. citizens: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña and Pablo Morales.
The indictment further alleges that, in the weeks prior to the attack, Cuban military pilots conducted training exercises designed to locate and intercept slow‑moving civilian aircraft. On the day of the incident, three BTTR planes departed from Opa‑locka Airport for a planned humanitarian flight south of the 24th parallel. Two of the aircraft — tail numbers N2456S and N5485S — were allegedly targeted and shot down in international airspace, resulting in the deaths of all four victims.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment on the murder and conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals counts. Castro Ruz and Perez-Perez face up to five years in prison for each of the destruction of aircraft counts. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of any defendant will be determined by a judge.
Luis Raul Gonzalez‑Pardo Rodriguez, 65, of Havana, Cuba, is in U.S. custody pending sentencing later this month in the Middle District of Florida for making false statements in an immigration document.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also acknowledged the assistance of the Florida Attorney General’s Office. “We are grateful for the support provided by Attorney General James Uthmeier and his team during this investigation,” said U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones.
Today’s announcement is in conjunction with a ceremony at the Freedom Tower in Miami to honor the victims. Participants at today’s press conference included Acting Attorney General Blanche, U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, U.S. Senator Ashley Moody, Deputy Director Christopher G. Raia of the FBI, and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abbie D. Waxman and Michael E. Gilfarb for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case, with the investigation led by the FBI Miami Field Office.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 03-cr-20685.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Welcomes Sean M. Lewis to Newly Created Civil Rights SectionRead the Press Release
MIAMI – United States Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones announced today that Sean M. Lewis has been sworn in as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Lewis will serve in the Office’s newly created Civil Rights Section within the Criminal Division, under the leadership of Joe diGenova, and will be based in the Fort Pierce office.
Lewis brings nearly two decades of trial, appellate, and judicial experience to the Southern District of Florida. He previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in both the District of Columbia and the Western District of Michigan, where he prosecuted violent crime, narcotics, white collar, child exploitation, and sexual assault cases. During his federal prosecutorial career, Lewis tried dozens of cases to verdict, handled substantial appellate work, and argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
Lewis is widely recognized for his work as the federal prosecutor in the case against Lawrence Gerard Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor whose crimes shocked the nation. Nassar was sentenced in federal court to 60 years in prison for child-pornography and obstruction-of-justice offenses, with the federal sentence ordered to run consecutive to any state sentences. The Department of Justice’s Western District of Michigan release identified Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Lewis as the prosecutor in that case.
“Sean Lewis is exactly the kind of prosecutor we want helping lead this work in South Florida,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “He has stood in court for victims in some of the most serious and nationally significant cases in the country, including the federal prosecution of Larry Nassar, where justice required courage, precision, and an unwavering commitment to the vulnerable. Sean brings deep trial experience, appellate judgment, and a prosecutor’s heart to our newly created Civil Rights Section. Under Joe diGenova’s leadership, this section will protect constitutional rights, pursue those who abuse power or target others because of who they are, and ensure that every community in our district receives the full protection of federal law.”
Before joining the Southern District of Florida, Lewis served as a General Magistrate in Florida’s Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, where he presided over trials and evidentiary hearings, resolved civil pretrial matters, conducted Baker Act and Marchman Act hearings, and prepared findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommended orders for circuit court judges.
Lewis previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Michigan from 2012 to 2021 and in the District of Columbia from 2008 to 2012. In those roles, he prosecuted and tried serious federal and local offenses, briefed and argued criminal appeals, mentored younger attorneys, trained law enforcement officers, and served as liaison to the 11 federally recognized Indian Tribes in the Western District of Michigan.
Earlier in his career, Lewis was an associate at Covington & Burling LLP, where he worked on white collar investigations, complex civil litigation, and pro bono matters. He also served as a law clerk to Judge James L. Ryan of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Lewis earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School, where he graduated cum laude, was elected to the Order of the Coif, and served on the University of Michigan Law Review. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, from Grove City College, with studies in political science and French.
The newly created Civil Rights Section will focus on enforcing federal criminal civil rights laws throughout the Southern District of Florida, including cases involving hate crimes, official misconduct, human trafficking, threats, and other offenses that strike at the dignity, safety, and constitutional rights of victims.
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Homeland Security Task Force Arrests Maduro Regime Ally Alex Saab on Money Laundering Charges Involving Venezuelan Food Contracts and OilRead the Press Release
Note: See the indictment here.
MIAMI – Venezuela’s former Minister of Industry and National Production made his initial appearance in court today pursuant to an indictment unsealed in the Southern District of Florida charging him for his alleged role in a sprawling international money laundering conspiracy involving the corruption and exploitation of a Venezuelan public welfare program intended to provide food to vulnerable Venezuelans.
According to court records, Alex Nain Saab Moran, 55, of Colombia, allegedly conspired with others to bribe Venezuelan public officials to secure lucrative Comité Local de Abastecimiento y Producción (CLAP) contracts to import food into Venezuela. Saab is accused of conspiring with others to fraudulently misrepresent the nature and source of the food supplies, including falsely documenting imports from Colombia and Mexico.
“Thanks to the efforts of the Homeland Security Task Force, Alex Saab will be prosecuted and held fully accountable under U.S. law for his alleged role in this scheme,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
“Alex Saab allegedly used American banks to launder hundreds of millions of dollars stolen from a Venezuelan food program meant for the poor and proceeds from the illegal sale of Venezuelan oil,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This is unacceptable. The Criminal Division will not allow foreign actors to exploit the American financial system and use it as a safe haven for the proceeds of their corruption.”
“This indictment alleges that a humanitarian food program intended to support vulnerable Venezuelans was instead manipulated for massive personal enrichment,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “According to the charges, the defendant used bribery, shell companies, and fraudulent documents to siphon hundreds of millions of dollars for personal gain. When illicit proceeds are moved through the United States financial system, our courts have jurisdiction and our prosecutors will act. The charges are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
“DEA has long investigated the alleged financial crimes and networks tied to Alex Saab and the former Maduro regime,” said Administrator Terrance Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “These charges are a direct result of DEA’s continued commitment to dismantle the corrupt networks operating throughout Venezuela. This Administration’s support of law enforcement and DEA’s relentless pursuit of those enabling cartel activities allowed us, along with our HSTF partners, to return Alex Saab back to the United States to face justice once again.”
“The FBI remains deeply committed to dismantling complex financial networks that fund illicit activities,” said Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office. “By working closely with our federal partners, we have successfully disrupted a sophisticated operation facilitated by Alex Saab and his co-conspirators designed to conceal the origins of illegally obtained wealth. We will continue to deploy every investigative resource at our disposal to track dirty money, protect the integrity of our financial institutions, and ensure that those who profit from crime are held fully accountable under the law.”
“This indictment underscores Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) ongoing commitment to follow the money, expose foreign corruption, and hold accountable those who exploit vulnerable people for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of HSI Miami. “HSI will continue to leverage the full capabilities of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) to aggressively pursue transnational criminal networks that attempt to exploit the U.S. financial system to hide illicit profits and erode public trust.”
Rather than fulfilling the contracts, Saab and his co-conspirators secretly used shell companies, fraudulent invoices, falsified shipping records, and other fabricated documents — along with a network of bribes and kickbacks — to siphon off hundreds of millions of dollars that were intended to be used to purchase food for needy Venezuelans. Portions of the illicit proceeds were allegedly spent or concealed through transfers to and through bank accounts in the U.S.
The indictment further alleges that, from 2019 through at least January 2026, the conspiracy expanded as U.S. economic sanctions crippled Venezuelan exports, especially oil, placing severe strain on the country’s finances and its ability to meet its foreign debt obligations, including payments to Saab and his co-conspirators as part of the CLAP program. Exploiting their corrupt relationships with government officials, Saab and his co-conspirators allegedly gained access to billions of dollars’ worth of oil owned by Venezuelan state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) and sold it under false pretenses.
Proceeds from those illegal sales were then transferred to and through U.S. bank accounts to further promote and conceal the CLAP scheme.
Saab is charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
DEA Miami Field Division is investigating the case, with assistance from FBI Miami and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monique Botero for the Southern District of Florida and Deputy Chief Joseph Palazzo from the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises of agents and officers from the DEA Miami Field Division, FBI Miami, and HSI Miami with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Miami.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20020.
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Homeland Security Task Force Arrests Maduro Regime Ally Alex Saab on Money Laundering Charges Involving Venezuelan Food Contracts and OilRead the Press Release
Note: See the indictment here.
Venezuela’s former Minister of Industry and National Production made his initial appearance in court today pursuant to an indictment unsealed in the Southern District of Florida charging him for his alleged role in a sprawling international money laundering conspiracy involving the corruption and exploitation of a Venezuelan public welfare program intended to provide food to vulnerable Venezuelans.
According to court records, Alex Nain Saab Moran, 55, of Colombia, allegedly conspired with others to bribe Venezuelan public officials to secure lucrative Comité Local de Abastecimiento y Producción (CLAP) contracts to import food into Venezuela. Saab is accused of conspiring with others to fraudulently misrepresent the nature and source of the food supplies, including falsely documenting imports from Colombia and Mexico.
“Thanks to the efforts of the Homeland Security Task Force, Alex Saab will be prosecuted and held fully accountable under U.S. law for his alleged role in this scheme,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
“Alex Saab allegedly used American banks to launder hundreds of millions of dollars stolen from a Venezuelan food program meant for the poor and proceeds from the illegal sale of Venezuelan oil,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This is unacceptable. The Criminal Division will not allow foreign actors to exploit the American financial system and use it as a safe haven for the proceeds of their corruption.”
“This indictment alleges that a humanitarian food program intended to support vulnerable Venezuelans was instead manipulated for massive personal enrichment,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “According to the charges, the defendant used bribery, shell companies, and fraudulent documents to siphon hundreds of millions of dollars for personal gain. When illicit proceeds are moved through the United States financial system, our courts have jurisdiction and our prosecutors will act. The charges are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
“DEA has long investigated the alleged financial crimes and networks tied to Alex Saab and the former Maduro regime,” said Administrator Terrance Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “These charges are a direct result of DEA’s continued commitment to dismantle the corrupt networks operating throughout Venezuela. This Administration’s support of law enforcement and DEA’s relentless pursuit of those enabling cartel activities allowed us, along with our HSTF partners, to return Alex Saab back to the United States to face justice once again.”
“The FBI remains deeply committed to dismantling complex financial networks that fund illicit activities,” said Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office. “By working closely with our federal partners, we have successfully disrupted a sophisticated operation facilitated by Alex Saab and his co-conspirators designed to conceal the origins of illegally obtained wealth. We will continue to deploy every investigative resource at our disposal to track dirty money, protect the integrity of our financial institutions, and ensure that those who profit from crime are held fully accountable under the law.”
“This indictment underscores Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) ongoing commitment to follow the money, expose foreign corruption, and hold accountable those who exploit vulnerable people for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of HSI Miami. “HSI will continue to leverage the full capabilities of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) to aggressively pursue transnational criminal networks that attempt to exploit the U.S. financial system to hide illicit profits and erode public trust.”
Rather than fulfilling the contracts, Saab and his co-conspirators secretly used shell companies, fraudulent invoices, falsified shipping records, and other fabricated documents — along with a network of bribes and kickbacks — to siphon off hundreds of millions of dollars that were intended to be used to purchase food for needy Venezuelans. Portions of the illicit proceeds were allegedly spent or concealed through transfers to and through bank accounts in the U.S.
The indictment further alleges that, from 2019 through at least January 2026, the conspiracy expanded as U.S. economic sanctions crippled Venezuelan exports, especially oil, placing severe strain on the country’s finances and its ability to meet its foreign debt obligations, including payments to Saab and his co-conspirators as part of the CLAP program. Exploiting their corrupt relationships with government officials, Saab and his co-conspirators allegedly gained access to billions of dollars’ worth of oil owned by Venezuelan state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) and sold it under false pretenses.
Proceeds from those illegal sales were then transferred to and through U.S. bank accounts to further promote and conceal the CLAP scheme.
Saab is charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
DEA Miami Field Division is investigating the case, with assistance from FBI Miami and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monique Botero for the Southern District of Florida and Deputy Chief Joseph Palazzo from the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises of agents and officers from the DEA Miami Field Division, FBI Miami, and HSI Miami with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Miami.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Luxury Yacht Companies Plead Guilty to Violating Lacey Act for Using Illegally Obtained Burmese Teak on Multimillion Dollar Yachts; Agree to Pay $200,000 FineRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Sunseeker International Limited and Sunseeker USA Sales Co. Inc. (Sunseeker) pleaded guilty this week to two violations of the Lacey Act for using illegally obtained Burmese Teak on yachts that it imported into the U.S. Sunseeker agreed to pay a fine of $200,000, and to implement a compliance plan, among other penalties. Sunseeker manufactures luxury performance motor yachts and superyachts.
“Congress amended the Lacey Act in 2008 to prohibit the importation of illegally harvested timber,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “By enforcing the law, we ensure a level playing field for companies that follow the law. Timber trafficking is the third most lucrative form of transnational crime, so enforcing the law keeps money from flowing into criminal enterprises.”
“South Florida is one of the world’s great gateways for luxury vessels, but our ports are not open to illegal goods,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Sunseeker admitted that illegally obtained Burmese teak was used on yachts imported into the United States. That matters. Trafficking in illegal timber, wildlife, and other protected natural resources harms legitimate businesses, supports corrupt supply chains, and turns the natural world into profit for criminal organizations. This guilty plea, fine, and compliance requirements are a direct step toward accountability.”
“Timber trafficking is a transnational crime that damages forests and puts legitimate businesses at a disadvantage,” said Assistant Director Doug Ault of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “We are actively disrupting illegal timber supply chains and holding violators accountable under the Lacey Act. This case is part of our ongoing work to protect natural resources and ensure American markets aren’t a destination for illegal goods.”
Sunseeker manufactures its vessels in the United Kingdom (U.K.) and sells them internationally, including in the U.S. Sunseeker pleaded guilty to using Burmese Teak on their yachts, specifically, a Teak balcony door intended to be incorporated into a yacht, and Teak parts incorporated into two yachts priced at approximately $2.98 million and $1.07 million, respectively.
The illegal logging of Teak in Myanmar has been a known problem since at least 2017. Both the U.S. and the U.K. have imposed sanctions against Myanmar and the U.S. has sanctioned the Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE), the sole authorized seller of export Teak harvested in Myanmar. U.S. sanctions prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or those transiting the U.S. that involve any property or interest in property associated with the MTE. The U.K. has concluded that timber harvesting, specifically Teak, has financially supported dictatorships in Myanmar.
Sunseeker was previously charged in the U.K. and pleaded guilty in 2023 to three criminal violations of the U.K.’s Timber and Timber Products Regulations (UKTR). The company was sentenced and fined approximately $450,000. The Teak imports that Sunseeker imported into the U.S. came from the illegal Teak imports charged in the U.K. case.
Sunseeker is set to be sentenced on Aug. 20.
Last month, ENRD hosted a TIMBER Working Group roundtable where ENRD PDAAG Gustafson outlined ENRD’s commitment to enforcing timber trafficking laws. It is estimated that the U.S. Forest products industry loses $500 million annually to trafficking through depressed wood prices and lost export opportunities.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosenfeld for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Emily R. Stone of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.
ENRD is a member of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the Criminal and Civil Divisions’ Fraud Sections, ENRD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at [email protected] using the form available here.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20181.
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Luxury Yacht Companies Plead Guilty to Violating Lacey Act for Using Illegally Obtained Burmese Teak on Multimillion Dollar Yachts; Agree to Pay $200,000 FineRead the Press Release
Sunseeker International Limited and Sunseeker USA Sales Co. Inc. (Sunseeker) pleaded guilty this week to two violations of the Lacey Act for using illegally obtained Burmese Teak on yachts that it imported into the United States. Sunseeker agreed to pay a fine of $200,000, and to implement a compliance plan, among other penalties. Sunseeker manufactures luxury performance motor yachts and superyachts.
“Congress amended the Lacey Act in 2008 to prohibit the importation of illegally harvested timber,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “By enforcing the law, we ensure a level playing field for companies that follow the law. Timber trafficking is the third most lucrative form of transnational crime, so enforcing the law keeps money from flowing into criminal enterprises.”
“South Florida is one of the world’s great gateways for luxury vessels, but our ports are not open to illegal goods,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Sunseeker admitted that illegally obtained Burmese teak was used on yachts imported into the United States. That matters. Trafficking in illegal timber, wildlife, and other protected natural resources harms legitimate businesses, supports corrupt supply chains, and turns the natural world into profit for criminal organizations. This guilty plea, fine, and compliance requirements are a direct step toward accountability.”
“Timber trafficking is a transnational crime that damages forests and puts legitimate businesses at a disadvantage,” said Assistant Director Doug Ault, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “We are actively disrupting illegal timber supply chains and holding violators accountable under the Lacey Act. This case is part of our ongoing work to protect natural resources and ensure American markets aren’t a destination for illegal goods.”
Sunseeker manufactures its vessels in the United Kingdom (U.K.) and sells them internationally, including in the United States. Sunseeker pleaded guilty to using Burmese Teak on their yachts, specifically, a Teak balcony door intended to be incorporated into a yacht, and Teak parts incorporated into two yachts priced at approximately $2.98 million and $1.07 million, respectively.
The illegal logging of Teak in Myanmar has been a known problem since at least 2017. Both the U.S. and the U.K. have imposed sanctions against Myanmar and the U.S. has sanctioned the Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE), the sole authorized seller of export Teak harvested in Myanmar. U.S. sanctions prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or those transiting the U.S. that involve any property or interest in property associated with the MTE. The U.K. has concluded that timber harvesting, specifically Teak, has financially supported dictatorships in Myanmar.
Sunseeker was previously charged in the U.K. and pleaded guilty in 2023 to three criminal violations of the U.K.’s Timber and Timber Products Regulations (UKTR). The company was sentenced and fined approximately $450,000. The Teak imports that Sunseeker imported into the U.S. came from the illegal Teak imports charged in the U.K. case.
Sunseeker is set to be sentenced on Aug. 20.
Last month, ENRD hosted a TIMBER Working Group roundtable where ENRD PDAAG Gustafson outlined ENRD’s commitment to enforcing timber trafficking laws. It is estimated that the U.S. forest products industry loses $500 million annually to trafficking through depressed wood prices and lost export opportunities.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Emily R. Stone of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosenfeld for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
ENRD is a member of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the Criminal and Civil Divisions’ Fraud Sections, ENRD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at [email protected] using the form available here.
Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Firearms from the U.S.Read the Press Release
MIAMI – A Jamaican national pleaded guilty to illegally exporting dozens of firearms, magazines, and ammunition from the U.S. to Jamaica by concealing them inside furniture and shipping them overseas.
Taugea Ubert Dayes, 33, who performs under his stage name “Countree Hype,” pleaded guilty to one count of smuggling goods from the U.S. and one count of delivering a firearm to a common carrier without written notice.
“Illegal firearms trafficking fuels violence far beyond our borders,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This defendant concealed dozens of firearms inside furniture and attempted to ship them overseas to evade detection and arm the black market in Jamaica. Firearms smuggling is not a paperwork offense. It is a public safety threat that fuels violence, empowers criminal organizations, and destabilizes communities. We will continue working with our international law enforcement partners to stop the flow of illegal weapons at its source.”
According to court records, on March 7 and 8, 2025, Dayes concealed 30 firearms, 32 magazines, and over 100 rounds of ammunition inside five office chairs. He wrapped the items in tinfoil and foam and sewed them into the seat cushions. On March 10, 2025, Dayes shipped the chairs from the U.S. to Jamaica using a freight shipping service. Jamaican law enforcement seized the firearms in Kingston eight days later.
Dayes faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.
HSI Miami is investigating with assistance from the HSI Kingston Attaché, HSI Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit (TCIU), and the Firearms and Narcotics Investigation Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Roca Shaw and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kseniya Smychkouskaya are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is a part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through the PSN program a broad spectrum of law enforcement and community stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs to reduce violence crime and gun violence, and to make our local neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20344.
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United States Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones Appointed to Attorney General’s Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – United States Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida announced today his appointment to the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of United States Attorneys (AGAC), a select body of United States Attorneys chosen by the Attorney General to advise Department leadership on national law enforcement priorities, Department policy, and the administration of justice.
On September 30, 1973, Attorney General Elliot Richardson took a historic step by appointing fifteen United States Attorneys to serve on the very first Advisory Committee of United States Attorneys. The Committee’s purpose was to give United States Attorneys a powerful voice in Department policies and to advise the Attorney General of the United States. That foundational mission remains as vital today as it was more than five decades ago. Its members represent a broad cross-section of federal judicial districts, geographic locations, and offices of every size — small, medium, and large. The Committee meets approximately eight times each year with the Attorney General and works hand-in-hand to advance the law enforcement goals set by the President of the United States. Operating solely at the discretion and pleasure of the Attorney General. The Advisory Committee was formally institutionalized on February 20, 1976, by Attorney General Order 640-76, cementing its enduring role as a cornerstone of Department of Justice strategy.
Established in 1973 and formalized by federal regulation, the AGAC is the principal advisory body through which United States Attorneys provide direct recommendations to the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, and the Associate Attorney General on federal prosecution, public safety, and Department operations. Its work includes recommending policy reforms, improving coordination between Main Justice and United States Attorneys’ Offices, promoting consistency in the application of federal law, and helping shape national criminal justice initiatives.
The AGAC is composed of a group of United States Attorneys from across the country and is designed to ensure broad geographic, operational, and subject-matter representation. Members work through subcommittees and working groups on issues including violent crime, national security, immigration enforcement, cybercrime, fraud, victim services, and intergovernmental coordination. Under United States Department of Justice policy and regulation, the Committee plays a central role in ensuring that the experience of federal prosecutors in the field informs national Department strategy.
“This is a significant honor and a serious responsibility,” said United States Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “The Attorney General’s Advisory Committee helps shape how the Department of Justice confronts the most urgent threats facing the American people, from violent crime and cartel activity to cybercrime, fraud, and national security threats. I am honored by the trust placed in me and look forward to bringing the perspective of the Southern District of Florida to that work. South Florida sits at the crossroads of global commerce, international travel, immigration, finance, and national security. The lessons we learn here matter nationally, and I intend to ensure our experience strengthens the Department’s mission to protect Americans, restore impartial justice, and defend the rule of law.”
As United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Reding Quiñones has prioritized violent crime reduction, criminal immigration enforcement, public corruption, cyber-enabled/crypto fraud, and transnational criminal organizations. His appointment to the AGAC reflects both his leadership in one of the nation’s most complex federal districts and the important role the Southern District of Florida plays in confronting emerging threats to public safety and national security.
Reding Quiñones was sworn in on August 13, 2025, as the first U.S. Attorney confirmed during President Trump’s second administration. An Air Force colonel with more than 23 years of military service, he previously served as a Florida trial judge, as a national security official in the Department of Justice’s National Security Division focused on counterterrorism and intelligence, and as a federal prosecutor in both the Eastern District of Virginia and the Southern District of Florida.
The Executive Office for United States Attorneys provides operational support to the AGAC and coordinates its work with Department leadership to ensure the nation’s 94 United States Attorneys’ Offices remain aligned in carrying out federal law enforcement priorities.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.
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Maryland Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned a six-count indictment today charging Brandon Sartor, 33, of Hyattsville, Maryland, with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and related charges.
According to court documents, Sartor compelled two adult women to perform commercial sex acts in Miami and elsewhere for his financial benefit from December 2024 until April 2025 and transported these two victims across state lines with the intent that they engage in prostitution.
Sartor is charged with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; using a facility of interstate commerce to facilitate the promotion of a prostitution business enterprise; transporting individuals across state lines with the intent that they engage in prostitution or other criminal sexual activities; and felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison along with mandatory restitution.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.
FBI Miami and the Anne Arundel County Sheriff’s Office in Maryland are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne Williams for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20188.
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Maryland Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned a six-count indictment today charging Brandon Sartor, 33, of Hyattsville, Maryland, with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and related charges.
According to court documents, Sartor compelled two adult women to perform commercial sex acts in Miami and elsewhere for his financial benefit from December 2024 until April 2025 and transported these two victims across state lines with the intent that they engage in prostitution.
Sartor is charged with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; using a facility of interstate commerce to facilitate the promotion of a prostitution business enterprise; transporting individuals across state lines with the intent that they engage in prostitution or other criminal sexual activities; and felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison along with mandatory restitution.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.
FBI Miami and the Anne Arundel County Police Department in Maryland are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne Williams for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Five Charged in Connection with Alien Smuggling Interdiction Off the Coast of Miami-Dade CountyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A grand jury in Miami returned an indictment Wednesday charging five illegal aliens for their roles in an attempted smuggling venture that sought to bring dozens of undocumented migrants into the U.S. aboard a small, overloaded vessel off the coast of Miami-Dade County.
According to court records, Verdant Roosevelt Scott, 38, of The Bahamas; Zamfir Nitu, 50, of Romania; Donald Coote, 37, of Jamaica; Sergio Alejandro Correa Ramirez, 30, of Colombia; and Gheorghe Ion Chiperi, 43, of Moldova, made their initial appearances in federal court on April 30 and May 1.
Law enforcement detected the suspect vessel on radar traveling west toward Miami-Dade County. Shortly after midnight on April 26, a law enforcement vessel interdicted the boat approximately five miles offshore.
When law enforcement approached, the vessel was operating without navigation lights. After law enforcement activated their lights and sirens, the vessel slowed and ultimately stopped. Roosevelt, who was operating the vessel, was taken into custody.
Agents identified 25 aliens onboard the small center-console vessel, including Roosevelt. All were transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter WINSLOW GRIESSER for biometric screening and records checks.
Those checks revealed that Coote, Correa Ramirez, Nitu, and Chiperi had previously been deported from the U.S.
Roosevelt is charged with 24 counts of encouraging and inducing aliens to enter the U.S. and two counts of aiding or assisting certain aliens to enter based on his role as the vessel’s operator. The remaining four defendants are charged with illegal reentry of a deported alien. If convicted, Roosevelt faces up to 10 years in prison. Zitu and Coote face up to 20 years in prison because of their prior aggravated felony convictions and Correa Ramirez, and Chiperi face up to two years in prison.
The remaining 20 aliens were not charged and were repatriated to The Bahamas.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.
HSI Miami is investigating the case, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations and the USCG.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting the case.
An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20178.
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HSTF: Chinese National and Las Vegas Man Charged in Scheme to Import Deadly Synthetic Opioid into USRead the Press Release
Law Enforcement in the People’s Republic of China Confirmed That a Defendant Was Arrested as Part of a Parallel Investigation
MIAMI – A Chinese national and a Las Vegas man have been charged by federal indictment for their roles in a scheme to import large quantities of the powerful synthetic opioid protonitazene in the U.S. and distribute it as counterfeit pills. These charges stem from an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), with assistance and collaboration with the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Public Security.
According to court records, beginning in approximately September 2024, Jia Guo, a/k/a “idmaster21,” a/k/a “imyourBDOguy,” a/k/a “OXY GUY,” of China, and Seven Schmidt, a/k/a “Vegas,” of Nevada, operated a drug trafficking organization that sourced protonitazene overseas and shipped it into the U.S. for distribution. Protonitazene — often used in counterfeit pill production — is significantly more potent than fentanyl. A quantity as small as 200 grams can produce hundreds of thousands of pills, each potentially lethal.
“This case shows why President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Force matters,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The indictment alleges that a China-based supplier and a domestic distributor worked together to bring a deadly synthetic opioid into the United States and turn it into counterfeit pills for distribution across the country. These pills are made to look familiar, but one pill can kill. If you use South Florida as a gateway to import synthetic opioids, make counterfeit pills, or profit from addiction, you will face federal prosecution. The charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”
“The bilateral investigation with the Chinese Ministry of Public Security underscores DEA Asia Pacific Division’s unwavering commitment to the protection of American lives: disrupting criminal organizations responsible for distributing dangerous synthetic opioids across the United States is one of DEA’s main priorities,” said Special Agent in Charge David L. King of the DEA Asia Pacific Division. “We commend the Chinese Ministry of Public Security for their thorough and swift investigative work on this case, which was initially presented at the February 2026 Bilateral Drug Enforcement Intelligence Working Group, hosted by DEA Asia Pacific Division in Colorado.”
“This was the very definition of agents and officers working in unison to bring these criminals to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Miles Aley of the DEA, Miami Field Division. “Lives will be saved because of their efforts.”
“The US Postal Inspection service remains committed to removing these poisons from our communities,” said Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the USPIS, Miami Division. “These charges serve as a warning to others that, using the US Mail to distribute dangerous drugs has consequences.”
Guo allegedly coordinated the illegal procurement and shipment of protonitazene from China to co-conspirators, including an associate in Miami-Dade County. That associate allegedly used pill presses to manufacture counterfeit pills, which were then distributed to drug dealers throughout the U.S.
Schmidt allegedly ordered distribution quantities of the counterfeit pills and arranged for their shipment from South Florida to Nevada using the U.S. Postal Service.
As part of the investigation, China’s Ministry of Public Security took law enforcement action in China against Guo. In April 2026, Chinese officials arrested Guo and the freight forwarder, who Guo conspired with to send controlled substance parcels to the U.S. As part of the investigation, the Ministry of Public Security seized 10 parcels filled with controlled substances that Guo sent which were for recipients in the U.S. The Justice Department thanks the Ministry of Public Security for its assistance and coordinated efforts.
Guo and Schmidt are charged with conspiracy to import protonitazene into the United States from China and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute protonitazene. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the two counts.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, Special Agent in Charge Aley, Special Agent in Charge King, and Inspector in Charge Rojo made the announcement.
DEA Miami, USPIS Miami, and DEA Beijing are investigating the case with the assistance from and in collaboration with China’s Ministry of Public Security. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Homestead (FL) Police Department, the Henderson (NV) Police Department, DEA Dallas, DEA Las Vegas, DEA Seattle, the Miami-Dade Sherriff’s Office, and the Miami Beach Police Department also provided invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monique Botero is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman is handling asset forfeiture. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Prosecutorial, Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) Beijing Resident Legal Advisor, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada, and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this matter.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises of agents and officers from DEA and USPIS with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20161.
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Canadian Illegal Alien and Co-Conspirator Charged in $13 Million Cryptocurrency Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned an indictment charging a Canadian illegal alien and his alleged co-conspirator for their roles in a cryptocurrency fraud and money laundering scheme that caused more than $13 million in losses.
According to court documents, Trenton Richard David Johnston, 19, of Canada, who overstayed his visa and remained in the U.S. unlawfully, operated a sophisticated fraud scheme while living in the Miami area. Johnston and other co-conspirators allegedly impersonated support representatives from a popular search engine and cryptocurrency-related companies to gain unauthorized access to victims’ digital accounts and cryptocurrency wallets. Once access was obtained, the conspirators allegedly transferred victims’ cryptocurrency holdings for their own benefit. Investigators estimate that victims have suffered losses exceeding $13 million, with additional victims continuing to be identified.
The indictment further alleges that Brandon Michael Tardibone, 28, of Miami, knowingly harbored Johnston while Johnston was unlawfully present in the U.S. by providing him lodging at a luxury Miami-area residence in an effort to evade immigration authorities.
In addition, Johnston and Tardibone are accused of laundering proceeds of the fraud scheme through a series of financial transactions designed to conceal the nature and source of the funds. Trenton and Tardibone allegedly used more than $1 million in illicit proceeds to lease luxury vehicles, purchase high-end jewelry, and finance an extravagant nightlife and entertainment lifestyle.
Johnston is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Tardibone is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and harboring an alien in the U.S. If convicted, Johnston faces up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering counts. Tardibone faces up to 20 years in prison on the money laundering conspiracy charge and up to 10 years in prison on the harboring charge.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.
HSI Miami is investigating the case, with assistance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Golden Beach Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jackson K. Dering V and Robert F. Moore are prosecuting the case.
An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20181.
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Justice Department Sues to Revoke US Citizenship of Convicted Cuban SpyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil denaturalization complaint yesterday against Victor Manuel Rocha in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Rocha is a native of Colombia who was convicted of serving as an unregistered agent for the Republic of Cuba.
“Under no circumstances should an agent of a foreign adversary be permitted to hold the title of American citizen,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate. “Our mission is clear: to root out these fraudsters and preserve the sanctity of the naturalization process for those who adhere to our laws. Any individual who lied during the naturalization process to gain a foothold in this country will be met with the full weight of the Department of Justice.”
“Victor Manuel Rocha was not a low-level operative. He was a former United States Ambassador and senior government official who admitted he secretly served the Cuban regime for decades,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The Southern District of Florida helped take down one of the most prolific Cuban spies ever uncovered in the United States. This civil denaturalization case is about finishing the job. The complaint alleges that Rocha obtained American citizenship through lies, concealment, and betrayal. A person who secretly serves communist Cuba should not keep the privilege of United States citizenship, even while in prison.”
The U.S. seeks an order revoking Rocha’s naturalization based on his admission in criminal proceedings that he began spying for Cuba in 1973 before he naturalized in 1978. When he applied for naturalization, Rocha represented under penalty of perjury that he had not committed crimes for which he had not been arrested; he was not affiliated with the Communist Party of Cuba; he had not advocated, believed in, or knowingly supported and furthered the interests of Communism; and he believed in the U.S. Constitution and the form of government of the U.S. None of these were true.
In 2023, Rocha was charged with several counts related to spying for the Republic of Cuba and passport fraud. U.S. v. Rocha, No. 1:23-cr-20464-Bloom (S.D. Fla. Dec. 5, 2023). In April 2024, Rocha admitted that, starting in or around 1973, he secretly supported the Republic of Cuba and its clandestine intelligence-gathering mission against the U.S. by serving as a covert agent of Cuba’s intelligence services. He pleaded guilty and was convicted of Conspiracy to Act as an Agent of a Foreign Government and to Defraud the United States and Acting as an Illegal Agent of a Foreign Government. He was sentenced to and is serving a 15-year sentence.
The U.S. will bring seven independent counts seeking the revocation of his U.S. citizenship. Rocha was not qualified for naturalization for several reasons, including that he committed unlawful acts, gave false testimony during his naturalization examination, was not attached to the principles of the U.S. Constitution and not well-disposed to the good order and happiness of the U.S., was affiliated with the Communist Party of Cuba, and advocated for communism. The U.S. will also seek the revocation of his naturalization because he procured his citizenship by concealing material facts or willful misrepresenting several facts in naturalization proceedings related to spying for Cuba.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Denaturalization Unit of the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida are litigating the case.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cv-23236.
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Four Defendants Convicted in Plot to Kill Haitian President Jovenel MoïseRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Miami today convicted four defendants for their roles in the July 7, 2021, assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.
Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla, and James Solages were convicted of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to carry out a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 956, resulting in death; providing material support and resources to carry out a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 956, resulting in death; conspiracy to kill and kidnap a person outside the United States; conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States; and expedition against a friendly nation. Intriago was also convicted of a third count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the U.S.; smuggling goods from the U.S.; and submitting false or misleading export information.
“These defendants conspired to replace and ultimately to assassinate Haitian President Jovenel Moïse,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Using U.S. soil as a staging ground for a violent plot overseas is a grave violation of our laws and, more fundamentally, our sovereignty. We commend the investigative and prosecution team for their exceptional work.”
“This verdict delivers justice for the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and holds accountable those who helped turn South Florida into a staging ground for a deadly foreign plot,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants pursued power, influence, and profit through violence. They supported a conspiracy that crossed borders, destabilized a friendly nation, and ended with the murder of a sitting president. The jury has spoken, and the rule of law has answered.”
“The FBI is going to leverage everything at its disposal to go after conspirators of assassinations,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “Those convicted today played key roles in furthering the capacity for political violence with the aim of reaping the financial benefits of the disorder that followed. We would like to thank our partners who helped ensure that those involved faced justice for their disregard for the rule of law and the life of another human being.”
“Today’s verdict sends an unequivocal message: the United States will not serve as a staging ground for those seeking to destabilize foreign nations through violence. While the assassination of President Moïse was carried out on Haitian soil, the conspiracy was fueled by greed and orchestrated within our own borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami. “By holding these four men accountable for their roles in this cold-blooded attack, we are honoring the rule of law and ensuring that those who profit from political chaos find no refuge.”
“This case exposed a far-reaching criminal conspiracy driven by power, profit, and political ambition that extended well beyond Haiti’s borders,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. “HSI and our partners followed the evidence across jurisdictions and international boundaries to help hold accountable those responsible for this heinous plot to assassinate a sitting president and destabilize a partner nation.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Pretel Ortiz, Intriago, Veintemilla, and Solages embarked on a scheme in early 2021 to violently overthrow President Moïse and install their handpicked successor so that the defendants could obtain lucrative government contracts in Haiti. To carry out the plot, the defendants recruited allies in the U.S., Colombia, and Haiti, including 22 former Colombian Army soldiers and Haitian gang leaders. Eight of the co-conspirators, including two of the Colombian mercenaries and several of the group’s Haitian and American allies, pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy, and six of them testified at trial.
Between April and July 2021, the defendants developed and refined multiple plans to kidnap or kill President Moïse. From late May to early June 2021, the group discussed a plan to kidnap President Moïse at his sister’s house, drug him, and force him to resign. When that failed, the defendants switched tactics and developed a new strategy for kidnapping President Moïse when he returned from an international trip on June 19, 2021. Many of these schemes relied on the defendants’ putative Haitian gang allies. Ultimately, the defendants decided to order their Colombian mercenaries to attack President Moïse’s home and kill him. In preparation, co-conspirators in Haiti obtained black-market weapons and ammunition for the Colombian mercenaries.
On July 7, 2021, Solages and a team of Colombian mercenaries carried out the attack on President Moïse’s residence with the help of several Haitian allies. During the assault, a squad of former Colombian special forces soldiers, called the Delta Team, along with other mercenaries stormed the residence, fatally shot President Moïse in his bedroom, and seriously wounded the First Lady of Haiti, Martine Moïse. Trial evidence established that bullets recovered from President Moïse during the autopsy, and another recovered from First Lady Moïse during surgery, matched a rifle carried and used by the Colombian Delta Team. Extensive digital communications introduced at trial further showed that the defendants spent months discussing and coordinating plans to kidnap or kill President Moïse.
Veintemilla played a central role in financing the conspiracy. Starting in April 2021, Veintemilla agreed to finance the scheme through a $175,000 loan agreement financed with proceeds derived from others’ Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) funds that were funneled through an account controlled by a co-conspirator. Trial evidence also showed that Veintemilla was involved in the operational details. After learning of the assassination in the early morning hours of July 7, 2021, Veintemilla immediately called a co-conspirator and proclaimed: “the rat (President Moïse) is in the box.”
Pretel Ortiz, who referred to himself as “Colonel Gabriel” and routinely wore fake U.S. military-style uniforms, rank, and insignia, directed the plot’s tactical planning and operation, including coordinating with the Colombian mercenaries. Hours before the assassination, Pretel Ortiz told his co-defendants: “I put my men on the ground and we are still fighting to reach the objective.”
Intriago, Pretel Ortiz’s business partner, handled the day-to-day logistical aspects of the plot, including payroll, equipment, and provisions for the co-conspirators. On June 10, 2021, Intriago helped smuggle bulletproof vests and other tactical equipment—including radios, flashlights, and goggles—from Miami to Haiti for use by the Colombian mercenaries during the assassination. In late June 2021, Intriago traveled to Haiti and photographed himself with the group’s Haitian allies. On the eve of the assassination, Intriago messaged his co-conspirators: “We finally got the tools to do the work.”
Solages served as the defendants’ primary liaison in Haiti and repeatedly traveled between South Florida and Haiti to coordinate with Haitian gang leaders, obtain weapons and ammunition in Haiti, and conduct surveillance of President Moïse’s residence. Solages also accompanied the Colombian mercenaries during the attack and instructed them to kill everyone inside the house, including “the dog, the cat, and parrot.”
All four defendants face maximum penalties of life in prison. U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra for the Southern District of Florida will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
FBI Miami and HSI Miami investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Department of State; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement; and the Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean McLaughlin, Jason Wu, and Altanese Phenelus for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Andrew Briggs of the Justice Department’s National Security Division Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Four Defendants Convicted in Plot to Kill Haitian President Jovenel MoïseRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal jury in Miami convicted four defendants for their roles in the July 7, 2021, assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.
Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla, and James Solages were convicted of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to carry out a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 956, resulting in death; providing material support and resources to carry out a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 956, resulting in death; conspiracy to kill and kidnap a person outside the United States; conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States; and expedition against a friendly nation. Intriago was also convicted of a third count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the U.S.; smuggling goods from the U.S.; and submitting false or misleading export information. All four defendants face life in prison. U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“These defendants conspired to replace and ultimately to assassinate Haitian President Jovenel Moïse,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Using U.S. soil as a staging ground for a violent plot overseas is a grave violation of our laws and, more fundamentally, our sovereignty. We commend the investigative and prosecution team for their exceptional work.”
“This verdict delivers justice for the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and holds accountable those who helped turn South Florida into a staging ground for a deadly foreign plot,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants pursued power, influence, and profit through violence. They supported a conspiracy that crossed borders, destabilized a friendly nation, and ended with the murder of a sitting president. The jury has spoken, and the rule of law has answered.”
“The FBI is going to leverage everything at its disposal to go after conspirators of assassinations,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “Those convicted today played key roles in furthering the capacity for political violence with the aim of reaping the financial benefits of the disorder that followed. We would like to thank our partners who helped ensure that those involved faced justice for their disregard for the rule of law and the life of another human being.”
“Today’s verdict sends an unequivocal message: the United States will not serve as a staging ground for those seeking to destabilize foreign nations through violence. While the assassination of President Moïse was carried out on Haitian soil, the conspiracy was fueled by greed and orchestrated within our own borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami. “By holding these four men accountable for their roles in this cold-blooded attack, we are honoring the rule of law and ensuring that those who profit from political chaos find no refuge.”
“This case exposed a far-reaching criminal conspiracy driven by power, profit, and political ambition that extended well beyond Haiti’s borders,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. “HSI and our partners followed the evidence across jurisdictions and international boundaries to help hold accountable those responsible for this heinous plot to assassinate a sitting president and destabilize a partner nation.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Pretel Ortiz, Intriago, Veintemilla, and Solages embarked on a scheme in early 2021 to violently overthrow President Moïse and install their handpicked successor so that the defendants could obtain lucrative government contracts in Haiti. To carry out the plot, the defendants recruited allies in the U.S., Colombia, and Haiti, including 22 former Colombian Army soldiers and Haitian gang leaders. Eight of the co-conspirators, including two of the Colombian mercenaries and several of the group’s Haitian and American allies, pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy, and six of them testified at trial.
Between April and July 2021, the defendants developed and refined multiple plans to kidnap or kill President Moïse. From late May to early June 2021, the group discussed a plan to kidnap President Moïse at his sister’s house, drug him, and force him to resign. When that failed, the defendants switched tactics and developed a new strategy for kidnapping President Moïse when he returned from an international trip on June 19, 2021. Many of these schemes relied on the defendants’ putative Haitian gang allies. Ultimately, the defendants decided to order their Colombian mercenaries to attack President Moïse’s home and kill him. In preparation, co-conspirators in Haiti obtained black-market weapons and ammunition for the Colombian mercenaries.
On July 7, 2021, Solages and a team of Colombian mercenaries carried out the attack on President Moïse’s residence with the help of several Haitian allies. During the assault, a squad of former Colombian special forces soldiers, called the Delta Team, along with other mercenaries stormed the residence, fatally shot President Moïse in his bedroom, and seriously wounded the First Lady of Haiti, Martine Moïse. Trial evidence established that bullets recovered from President Moïse during the autopsy, and another recovered from First Lady Moïse during surgery, matched a rifle carried and used by the Colombian Delta Team. Extensive digital communications introduced at trial further showed that the defendants spent months discussing and coordinating plans to kidnap or kill President Moïse.
Veintemilla played a central role in financing the conspiracy. Starting in April 2021, Veintemilla agreed to finance the scheme through a $175,000 loan agreement financed with proceeds derived from others’ Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) funds that were funneled through an account controlled by a co-conspirator. Trial evidence also showed that Veintemilla was involved in the operational details. After learning of the assassination in the early morning hours of July 7, 2021, Veintemilla immediately called a co-conspirator and proclaimed: “the rat (President Moïse) is in the box.”
Pretel Ortiz, who referred to himself as “Colonel Gabriel” and routinely wore fake U.S. military-style uniforms, rank, and insignia, directed the plot’s tactical planning and operation, including coordinating with the Colombian mercenaries. Hours before the assassination, Pretel Ortiz told his co-defendants: “I put my men on the ground and we are still fighting to reach the objective.”
Intriago, Pretel Ortiz’s business partner, handled the day-to-day logistical aspects of the plot, including payroll, equipment, and provisions for the co-conspirators. On June 10, 2021, Intriago helped smuggle bulletproof vests and other tactical equipment—including radios, flashlights, and goggles—from Miami to Haiti for use by the Colombian mercenaries during the assassination. In late June 2021, Intriago traveled to Haiti and photographed himself with the group’s Haitian allies. On the eve of the assassination, Intriago messaged his co-conspirators: “We finally got the tools to do the work.”
Solages served as the defendants’ primary liaison in Haiti and repeatedly traveled between South Florida and Haiti to coordinate with Haitian gang leaders, obtain weapons and ammunition in Haiti, and conduct surveillance of President Moïse’s residence. Solages also accompanied the Colombian mercenaries during the attack and instructed them to kill everyone inside the house, including “the dog, the cat, and parrot.”
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, Special Agent in Charge Skiles, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Figueroa made the announcement.
FBI Miami and HSI Miami investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Department of State; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement; and the Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean McLaughlin, Jason Wu, and Altanese Phenelus for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Andrew Briggs of the Justice Department’s National Security Division Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-20104.
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South Florida Tax Preparer Admits to Wire Fraud in $4.1 Million PPP Loan SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal judge accepted the guilty plea of a South Florida tax preparer who prepared and submitted false tax forms to support more than 200 fraudulent loan applications under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court documents, Roody Metelus, 47, of Westlake, owned and operated JRS Tax Services, LLC, in Dania Beach. From approximately January 2021 through January 2022, Metelus worked with others to fabricate tax documents for clients — many of whom were wage earners — to falsely portray them as self-employed business owners eligible for PPP funds.
“Pandemic relief programs were created to help small businesses survive an economic crisis, not to enrich tax preparers through fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This defendant fabricated tax records, exploited his clients’ trust, and helped generate more than $4.1 million in fraudulent loan applications to steal taxpayer-funded relief. Those who abuse emergency government programs for personal gain will be prosecuted, and they will not keep the proceeds of their crimes.”
“Tax fraud is fraud, and this defendant is now a felon,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office. “I caution anyone thinking of submitting false documents to the United States Government or defrauding federal relief programs, you will face a similar fate.”
Using these false records, Metelus and his co-conspirators sought more than $4.1 million in PPP loans. Approximately 116 of those applications were funded, resulting in roughly $2.3 million in proceeds. Metelus required clients to pay him a percentage of the loan funds once disbursed.
Metelus pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Loecker made the announcement.
The IRS-CI, Florida Field Office, is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aimee Jimenez is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-60019.
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Port St. Lucie Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Port St. Lucie man who attempted to obtain thousands of fentanyl pills through the mail and kept a firearm alongside drug proceeds was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison.
U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon imposed the sentence on Juneem Jermain Barnes, 34, after he pleaded guilty to attempting to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“Fentanyl is killing Americans every day, and those who distribute it are fueling that crisis for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This defendant trafficked thousands of counterfeit pills designed to look like legitimate prescription medication and kept a loaded firearm alongside drug proceeds and distribution tools. That combination of fentanyl and firearms is a direct threat to public safety. In South Florida, if you poison our communities for profit, you will be prosecuted and sent to federal prison.”
According to court documents, Barnes attempted to receive a mail parcel containing at least 15,000 fentanyl pills at his residence. The pills were pressed to resemble pharmaceutical oxycodone. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Barnes’s home and discovered an additional parcel containing fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone, three pounds of marijuana, more than $35,000 in cash, a money counting machine, and other items used to package and distribute narcotics. Law enforcement also located a Glock Model 19X 9mm handgun near the cash and counting machine. In total, law enforcement seized approximately 2,000 grams of fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, Special Agent in Charge Miles Aley of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, made the announcement.
DEA Miami Field Division, West Palm Beach District Office, and USPIS Miami investigated the case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, West Palm Beach Resident Agency, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Palm Beach Gardens Police Department, and Jupiter Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Funk prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-14065.
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Two U.S. Nationals Sentenced for Facilitating Fraudulent Remote Information Technology Worker Schemes to Generate Revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of KoreaRead the Press Release
MIAMI – The Justice Department today announced the sentencings in separate cases of two U.S. nationals, Matthew Issac Knoot, of Nashville, Tennessee, and Erick Ntekereze Prince, of New York, for their roles in facilitating Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) remote information technology (IT) workers. Knoot was sentenced to 18 months in prison and Prince was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Both men received and hosted laptop computers at their residences that victim U.S. companies shipped to IT workers they had hired and who the victim companies believed were located at the defendants’ residences.
Knoot and Prince also installed remote desktop applications on laptops that enabled their co-conspirators to work from locations overseas while appearing to the victim companies to be working from the defendants’ residences. In total, the defendants’ separate fraudulent schemes generated more than $1.2 million in revenue for the DPRK and impacted nearly 70 victim companies in the U.S.
“These sentences hold accountable U.S nationals who enabled North Korea’s illicit efforts to infiltrate U.S. networks and profit on the back of U.S. companies,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “These defendants helped North Korean ‘IT workers’ masquerade as legitimate employees, compromising U.S. corporate networks and helping generate revenue for a heavily sanctioned and rogue regime. The National Security Division will continue to pursue those who, through deception and cyber-enabled fraud, threaten our national security.”
“This scheme shows how national security threats now enter through ordinary business systems,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants helped North Korean IT workers pose as legitimate employees, gain access to American companies, and generate money for a sanctioned regime. These were not paperwork violations. They were deliberate acts that exposed U.S. businesses, compromised trust, and supported one of the world’s most dangerous adversaries. These sentences send a clear message: if you help foreign actors infiltrate American companies for profit, you will face federal prison and lose the money you made.”
“These kind of foreign-based attacks on American businesses will not be tolerated and those involved will be held accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “This case demonstrates our coordinated effort with federal law enforcement to protect businesses in Tennessee and across the country.”
“The FBI and our partners will continue to disrupt North Korea’s ability to circumvent sanctions and fund its totalitarian regime,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “These cases should leave no doubt that Americans who choose to facilitate these schemes will be identified and held accountable. Hosting laptops for DPRK IT workers is a federal crime which directly impacts our national security, and these sentences should serve as a warning to anyone considering it.”
Southern District of Florida: U.S. v. Erick Ntekereze Prince
Today, U.S. District Court Judge Darrin P. Gayles for the Southern District of Florida sentenced Prince to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Prince was also ordered to forfeit $89,000, which is the amount the DPRK IT workers paid him for his assistance with the scheme.
According to court documents, Prince enabled at least three DPRK IT workers to obtain remote employment at U.S. companies from approximately June 2020 through August 2024. In furtherance of the scheme, Prince used his company Taggcar Inc. to fraudulently supply “certified” IT workers to victim U.S. companies, knowing that the IT workers were located outside the U.S. and using false and stolen identities to gain employment. In addition, Prince hosted victim U.S. company-provided laptops at New York residences and installed remote access software on those laptops without authorization so that the DPRK IT workers could create the false appearance that they were remote working from Prince’s residence.
On Jan. 21, 2025, Prince, U.S. national Emanuel Ashtor, Mexican national Pedro Ernesto Alonso de los Reyes, and North Korean nationals Jin Sung-il and Pak Jin-Song were charged by indictment alleging their participation in a criminal scheme that obtained work for North Korean IT workers from more than 64 U.S. companies. The victim companies paid the DPRK IT workers associated in this case more than $943,069 in salary payments, the vast majority of which were sent to the IT workers overseas. Prince and his conspirators’ actions also caused the victim companies more than $1 million in costs associated with auditing and remediating their devices, systems, and networks. Ashtor is awaiting trial, de los Reyes is in custody in The Netherlands awaiting extradition, and the Sung-il and Jin-Song are fugitives.
The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Cronin for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia Jr. of the National Security Division (NSD)’s National Security Cyber Section prosecuted the case.
Middle District of Tennessee: U.S. v. Matthew Isaac Knoot
On May 1, U.S. District Court Judge Eli Richardson for the Middle District of Tennessee sentenced Knoot to 18 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Knoot was also ordered to pay $15,100 in restitution to the victim companies, and to forfeit an additional $15,100, which is the amount the DPRK IT workers paid him for his assistance with the scheme.
According to court documents, Knoot ran a laptop farm from his Nashville residences between approximately July 2022 and August 2023. The victim companies shipped laptops addressed to “Andrew M.” to Knoot’s residences. Following receipt of the laptops, and without authorization, Knoot logged on to the laptops, downloaded and installed unauthorized remote desktop applications, and accessed the victim companies’ networks. The remote desktop applications enabled a North Korean IT worker to work from locations in China, while appearing to the victim companies that “Andrew M.” was working from Knoot’s residences in Nashville.
On Aug. 7, 2024, Knoot was charged by indictment alleging his participation in a criminal scheme that obtained work for North Korean IT workers from at least four U.S. companies. The victim companies paid the DPRK IT workers associated with Knoot’s laptop farm more than $250,000 for their work between approximately July 2022 and August 2023. Most, if not all, of this sum was falsely reported to the IRS and Social Security Administration in the name of the actual U.S. person, Andrew M., whose identity the conspirators had stolen. Knoot and his conspirators’ actions also caused the victim companies more than $500,000 in costs associated with auditing and remediating their devices, systems, and networks. Knoot and the DPRK IT workers conspired to receive payments from the victim companies and transfer those funds to Knoot and to accounts outside of the U.S., including accounts associated with North Korean and Chinese individuals. Knoot’s role in this scheme ended when the FBI executed a court-authorized search of his home on Aug. 8, 2023, after which Knoot made multiple false and misleading statements and destroyed evidence to obstruct the investigation.
The FBI Nashville Field Office investigated the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Kurtzman for the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia Jr. of NSD’s National Security Cyber Section prosecuted the case, with significant assistance from Paralegal Specialist Shelby Duty.
Today’s announcement represents the Department’s latest actions to combat North Korean IT worker schemes as part of a joint NSD and FBI Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions effort, the DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative. This effort prioritizes targeting and disrupting the DPRK’s illicit revenue generation schemes and its U.S.-based enablers. The Department previously announced other actions pursuant to the initiative, including in January 2025, June 2025, November 2025, and April 2026.
As described in Public Service Announcements published in May 2024, January 2025, and July 2025, North Korean remote IT workers posing as legitimate remote IT workers have committed data extortion and exfiltrated the proprietary and sensitive data from U.S. companies. DPRK IT worker schemes typically involve the use of stolen identities, alias emails, social media, online cross-border payment platforms, and online job site accounts, as well as false websites, proxy computers, and witting and unwitting third parties located in the U.S. and elsewhere. North Korean IT workers leverage these third parties, which include U.S.-based individuals, to gain fraudulent employment and access to U.S. company networks to generate this revenue.
Other public advisories about the threats, red flag indicators, and potential mitigation measures for these schemes include a May 2022 advisory released by the FBI, Department of the Treasury, and Department of State; a July 2023 advisory from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence; and guidance issued in October 2023 by the United States and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). As described the May 2022 advisory, North Korean IT workers have been known individually to earn up to $300,000 annually, generating hundreds of millions of dollars collectively each year, on behalf of designated entities, such as the North Korean Ministry of Defense and others directly involved in the DPRK’s weapons programs.
The U.S. Department of State has offered potential rewards for up to $5 million in support of international efforts to disrupt the DPRK’s illicit financial activities, including for cybercrimes, money laundering, and sanctions evasion.
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Two U.S. Nationals Sentenced for Facilitating Fraudulent Remote Information Technology Worker Schemes to Generate Revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of KoreaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department today announced the sentencings in separate cases of two U.S. nationals, Matthew Issac Knoot, of Nashville, Tennessee, and Erick Ntekereze Prince, of New York, for their roles in facilitating Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) remote information technology (IT) workers. Knoot was sentenced to 18 months in prison and Prince was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Both men received and hosted laptop computers at their residences that victim U.S. companies shipped to IT workers they had hired and who the victim companies believed were located at the defendants’ residences.
Knoot and Prince also installed remote desktop applications on laptops that enabled their co-conspirators to work from locations overseas while appearing to the victim companies to be working from the defendants’ residences. In total, the defendants’ separate fraudulent schemes generated more than $1.2 million in revenue for the DPRK and impacted nearly 70 victim companies in the United States.
“These sentences hold accountable U.S nationals who enabled North Korea’s illicit efforts to infiltrate U.S. networks and profit on the back of U.S. companies,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “These defendants helped North Korean ‘IT workers’ masquerade as legitimate employees, compromising U.S. corporate networks and helping generate revenue for a heavily sanctioned and rogue regime. The National Security Division will continue to pursue those who, through deception and cyber-enabled fraud, threaten our national security.”
“These kind of foreign-based attacks on American businesses will not be tolerated and those involved will be held accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “This case demonstrates our coordinated effort with federal law enforcement to protect businesses in Tennessee and across the country.”
“This scheme shows how national security threats now enter through ordinary business systems,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants helped North Korean IT workers pose as legitimate employees, gain access to American companies, and generate money for a sanctioned regime. These were not paperwork violations. They were deliberate acts that exposed U.S. businesses, compromised trust, and supported one of the world’s most dangerous adversaries. These sentences send a clear message: if you help foreign actors infiltrate American companies for profit, you will face federal prison and lose the money you made.”
“The FBI and our partners will continue to disrupt North Korea’s ability to circumvent sanctions and fund its totalitarian regime,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “These cases should leave no doubt that Americans who choose to facilitate these schemes will be identified and held accountable. Hosting laptops for DPRK IT workers is a federal crime which directly impacts our national security, and these sentences should serve as a warning to anyone considering it.”
Southern District of Florida: U.S. v. Erick Ntekereze Prince
Today, U.S. District Court Judge Darrin P. Gayles for the Southern District of Florida sentenced Prince to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Prince was also ordered to forfeit $89,000, which is the amount the DPRK IT workers paid him for his assistance with the scheme.
According to court documents, Prince enabled at least three DPRK IT workers to obtain remote employment at U.S. companies from approximately June 2020 through August 2024. In furtherance of the scheme, Prince used his company Taggcar Inc. to fraudulently supply “certified” IT workers to victim U.S. companies, knowing that the IT workers were located outside the United States and using false and stolen identities to gain employment. In addition, Prince hosted victim U.S. company-provided laptops at New York residences and installed remote access software on those laptops without authorization so that the DPRK IT workers could create the false appearance that they were remote working from Prince’s residence.
On Jan. 21, 2025, Prince, U.S. national Emanuel Ashtor, Mexican national Pedro Ernesto Alonso de los Reyes, and North Korean nationals Jin Sung-il and Pak Jin-Song were charged by indictment alleging their participation in a criminal scheme that obtained work for North Korean IT workers from more than 64 U.S. companies. The victim companies paid the DPRK IT workers associated in this case more than $943,069 in salary payments, the vast majority of which were sent to the IT workers overseas. Prince’s and his conspirators’ actions also caused the victim companies more than $1 million in costs associated with auditing and remediating their devices, systems, and networks. Ashtor is awaiting trial, de los Reyes is in custody in The Netherlands awaiting extradition, and the Sung-il and Jin-Song are fugitives.
The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Cronin for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia Jr. of NSD’s National Security Cyber Section prosecuted the case.
Today’s announcement represents the Department’s latest actions to combat North Korean IT worker schemes as part of a joint NSD and FBI Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions effort, the DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative. This effort prioritizes targeting and disrupting the DPRK’s illicit revenue generation schemes and its U.S.-based enablers. The Department previously announced other actions pursuant to the initiative, including in January 2025, June 2025, November 2025, and April 2026.
As described in Public Service Announcements published in May 2024, January 2025, and July 2025, North Korean remote IT workers posing as legitimate remote IT workers have committed data extortion and exfiltrated the proprietary and sensitive data from U.S. companies. DPRK IT worker schemes typically involve the use of stolen identities, alias emails, social media, online cross-border payment platforms, and online job site accounts, as well as false websites, proxy computers, and witting and unwitting third parties located in the U.S. and elsewhere. North Korean IT workers leverage these third parties, which include U.S.-based individuals, to gain fraudulent employment and access to U.S. company networks to generate this revenue.
Other public advisories about the threats, red flag indicators, and potential mitigation measures for these schemes include a May 2022 advisory released by the FBI, Department of the Treasury, and Department of State; a July 2023 advisory from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence; and guidance issued in October 2023 by the United States and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). As described the May 2022 advisory, North Korean IT workers have been known individually to earn up to $300,000 annually, generating hundreds of millions of dollars collectively each year, on behalf of designated entities, such as the North Korean Ministry of Defense and others directly involved in the DPRK’s weapons programs.
The U.S. Department of State has offered potential rewards for up to $5 million in support of international efforts to disrupt the DPRK’s illicit financial activities, including for cybercrimes, money laundering, and sanctions evasion.
Middle District of Tennessee: U.S. v. Matthew Isaac Knoot
On May 1, the U.S. District Court Judge Eli Richardson for the Middle District of Tennessee sentenced Knoot to 18 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Knoot was also ordered to pay $15,100 in restitution to the victim companies, and to forfeit an additional $15,100, which is the amount the DPRK IT workers paid him for his assistance with the scheme.
According to court documents, Knoot ran a laptop farm from his Nashville residences between approximately July 2022 and August 2023. The victim companies shipped laptops addressed to “Andrew M.” to Knoot’s residences. Following receipt of the laptops, and without authorization, Knoot logged on to the laptops, downloaded and installed unauthorized remote desktop applications, and accessed the victim companies’ networks. The remote desktop applications enabled a North Korean IT worker to work from locations in China, while appearing to the victim companies that “Andrew M.” was working from Knoot’s residences in Nashville.
On Aug. 7, 2024, Knoot was charged by indictment alleging his participation in a criminal scheme that obtained work for North Korean IT workers from at least four U.S. companies. The victim companies paid the DPRK IT workers associated with Knoot’s laptop farm more than $250,000 for their work between approximately July 2022 and August 2023. Most, if not all, of this sum was falsely reported to the IRS and Social Security Administration in the name of the actual U.S. person, Andrew M., whose identity the conspirators had stolen. Knoot’s and his conspirators’ actions also caused the victim companies more than $500,000 in costs associated with auditing and remediating their devices, systems, and networks. Knoot and the DPRK IT workers conspired to receive payments from the victim companies and transfer those funds to Knoot and to accounts outside of the United States, including accounts associated with North Korean and Chinese individuals. Knoot’s role in this scheme ended when the FBI executed a court-authorized search of his home on Aug. 8, 2023, after which Knoot made multiple false and misleading statements and destroyed evidence to obstruct the investigation.
The FBI Nashville Field Office investigated the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Kurtzman for the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia Jr. of the National Security Division (NSD)’s National Security Cyber Section prosecuted the case, with significant assistance from Paralegal Specialist Shelby Duty.
HSTF: Three Dominican Nationals Plead Guilty to Cocaine Conspiracy Charges After Importation of 1,694 kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Three Dominican nationals pleaded guilty for their roles in importing approximately 1,694 kilograms of cocaine into South Florida.
Erasme Catalino Paulino Rodriguez, 35; Joseito Diaz De Oleo, 48; and Ober Alexander Villavicencio Jimenez, 36 — all of the Dominican Republic — pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import a controlled substance.
“This was a large-scale maritime cocaine smuggling operation aimed at bringing nearly 1.7 metric tons of poison into South Florida,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “That amount of cocaine fuels addiction, violence, and cartel profits on a massive scale. These guilty pleas disrupted a major trafficking pipeline and reflect the strength of coordinated federal enforcement at sea and on land. If you move narcotics toward our shores, you will be intercepted, prosecuted, and sent to federal prison.”
According to court documents, on Dec. 2, 2025, approximately six nautical miles off the coast of Government Cut in Miami-Dade County, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) interdicted the M/V Best Bet, a 65-foot sport-fishing vessel. After escorting the vessel to U.S. Coast Guard Station Miami Beach, law enforcement discovered 1,694 kilograms of cocaine concealed in hidden compartments.
Rodriguez, De Oleo, and Jimenez admitted they piloted the Best Bet east from Miami to a pre-determined location near the Turks and Caicos, where they met a smaller vessel carrying four Dominican men who transferred duffle bags filled with cocaine. The defendants then concealed the drugs on board and began the return trip to Miami, where they were intercepted.
Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, Special Agent in Charge Miles Aley of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, made the announcement.
DEA Miami Field Division and HSI Miami are investigating the case, with assistance from the USCG, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (AMO), and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Miami Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Kirkpatrick is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises of agents and officers from DEA Miami, HSI Miami, USCG, U.S. Customs and Border Protection AMO, and FBI Miami with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20541.
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Miami Beach Man Charged with Making Online Death Threats Against President Trump and Senior US OfficialsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Miami Beach man appeared in federal court Monday after allegedly posting repeated threats on social media to assassinate the President of the United States and other officials.
According to court records, from at least January through April 2026, Nathaniel Sanders II, 32, of Miami Beach, used X and Instagram to make numerous posts threatening the lives of President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of State and Acting National Security Advisor Marco Rubio, and former Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
“Threats against public officials are not political speech,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “They are serious federal crimes that endanger public safety and the rule of law. The complaint alleges that this defendant repeatedly threatened to assassinate the President of the United States and other senior officials. Those allegations will now be tested in court. Our Office will continue working with the U.S. Secret Service and our law enforcement partners to investigate threats, protect public officials, and ensure that those who violate federal law are held accountable. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
“Making threats against the President of the United States is a federal crime, and we treat it with the seriousness it deserves every time,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office. “It does not matter where the threat is made or what platform is used, our agents will identify you, investigate you, and work alongside our federal and local partners to bring charges when appropriate. We remain relentless in our mission to protect the President and to act swiftly against anyone who puts others at risk.”
Sanders is charged with threatening the President of the United States and transmitting threats in interstate commerce. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Townsend made the announcement.
The USSS Miami Field Office is investigating the case with valuable assistance from the U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, and Miami Beach Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Meckler Silverberg is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-mj-02772.
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HSTF: Jury Convicts Bahamian National in South Florida Cocaine Trafficking and Alien Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A jury in Fort Lauderdale convicted a Bahamian national for his role in a multi-vessel smuggling operation that transported hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and dozens of unauthorized migrants from the Bahamas to South Florida.
Terrance Wallace, 32, was found guilty of conspiracy to import cocaine, importing cocaine, and alien smuggling offenses following a jury trial.
“This defendant helped operate a transnational smuggling pipeline that brought both cocaine and unlawful migrants into South Florida by boat,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “That combination of narcotics trafficking and human smuggling poses a direct threat to public safety and the integrity of our borders. The jury’s verdict makes clear that those who work with criminal smuggling organizations to move drugs and people into this country will be prosecuted and held accountable.”
“Combatting transnational criminal organizations involved in narcotics and alien smuggling is a significant priority for HSI and the Homeland Security Task Force,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami. “Working alongside our HSTF federal, state, and local partners, HSI will utilize every resource at our disposal to pursue and dismantle these criminal organizations to protect our communities and defend our borders. This verdict sends a clear message: HSI will continue to pursue and hold traffickers accountable for endangering lives and threatening public safety.”
Five co-defendants — Malik Delancy, 23; Fiero Cooper, 33; Darren Sears, 25; Ivan Curry, 52; and Jeremiah Russell, 19 — previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced on June 8.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Aug. 30, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations, working alongside a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) cutter, detected three go-fast vessels traveling from the Bahamas toward South Florida. Once the vessels entered U.S. waters, CBP, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and USCG units moved to intercept. Officers activated emergency lights and sirens and ordered the drivers to stop. One vessel ignored multiple commands, prompting officers to fire warning shots before disabling the boat.
Upon boarding, officers encountered Delancy, Cooper, Sears, Ivan Curry, and Russell. Law enforcement discovered approximately 168 kilograms of cocaine and 31 Chinese nationals on board, none of whom were authorized to enter the U.S.
Separately, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents observed Wallace and Teshawn Curry conducting counter-surveillance near the Fort Pierce Inlet on behalf of the drug trafficking and alien smuggling organization.
The investigation also revealed that Wallace participated in at least two prior successful drug smuggling ventures at the same location, bringing his involvement to more than 500 kilograms of cocaine. Text messages and videos recovered from Wallace’s cellphone showed him acting as a lookout during all three operations.
Wallace faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, Acting Special Agent in Charge Figueroa, and Special Agent in Charge Miles Aley of the DEA, Miami Field Division, and made the announcement.
DEA West Palm Beach District Office and HSI West Palm Beach investigated the case, with assistance from CBP, USCG, the 7th Coast Guard District, the Davie Police Department, and the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Ustynoski, Ajay Alexander, and Catherine Koontz are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises of agents and officers from the DEA, HSI, CBP, USCG, the Davie Police Department, and the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-60233.
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Previously Deported Nicaraguan National Receives 15-Year Sentence for $29 Million Bank Impersonation SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A previously deported Nicaraguan national was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his role in a cyber-enabled international bank impersonation scheme that resulted in more than $29 million in losses to victims across the United States.
U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom sentenced Ernesto Ortega Padgett, 41, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to transport stolen property.
“Ortega built a sophisticated international fraud scheme on deception, stolen trust, and technology, draining more than $29 million from victims across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “He impersonated banks, exploited fear and urgency, and used an international laundering network and cryptocurrency to move and conceal the proceeds. Today’s 15-year sentence sends a clear message: if you steal from Americans through fraud and hide behind borders, technology, or shell accounts, we will find you, extradite you, and hold you accountable. And you will not keep the proceeds of your crimes.”
“Ortega believed his sophistication, his use of technology, and the distance between him and his victims would allow him to operate without consequence,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office. “He was wrong. As criminals evolve their methods, the U.S. Secret Service is evolving faster, working alongside our law enforcement and international partners to strengthen our intelligence and investigative capabilities to identify, track, and apprehend those who exploit innocent people. This case shows that no level of deception or complexity will shield criminals from accountability. The Secret Service will continue to protect hardworking Americans and go to great lengths to bring those responsible to justice. I want to commend our agents, our partners, and our prosecutors for their exceptional work in bringing this case to a successful conclusion.”
Beginning in 2020, Ortega and his co-conspirators posed as bank representatives and used a combination of technology and social engineering to trick victims into disclosing sensitive financial information. Ortega then used that information to access victims’ accounts and initiate unauthorized wire transfers.
To conceal and move the stolen funds, Ortega relied on an international network of money launderers who withdrew proceeds in cash and transferred funds to accounts under his control, often converting them into cryptocurrency. The scheme also involved threats and coercion to force certain individuals to participate in laundering activities.
Ortega used the proceeds to finance a lavish lifestyle, including renting luxury apartments in Madrid and beach homes in Marbella, Spain, spending up to $30,000 per month, and purchasing high-end watches, jewelry, electronics, and designer goods.
The scheme spanned multiple countries and continents and resulted in losses exceeding $29 million. Several co-conspirators have already been sentenced for their roles.
Ortega had been charged in Spain for related criminal conduct and had pending charges in Panama. After his arrest in Spain, Ortega violated the conditions of his release and remained a fugitive for nearly a year. In December 2023, law enforcement learned he planned to travel to Paris, France. Authorities apprehended Ortega at Charles de Gaulle International Airport, and he was later extradited to the U.S. on June 13, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Special Agent in Charge Jason Scalzo of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) Electronic Crimes Unit; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
The FDIC-OIG Electronic Crimes Unit and the USSS Miami Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing Ortega’s arrest and extradition. Law enforcement partners in Spain and France, as well as the USSS offices in Madrid and Paris and the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Panama City, provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moore prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-20049.
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HSTF: Operation Mousetrap Leads to Midtown Takedown: Multiple Charged in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Connected to 540-Kilogram Cocaine Seizure in MiamiRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal grand jury has charged five South Florida defendants for their roles in a cocaine trafficking organization tied to an international network moving narcotics from Colombia through the Dominican Republic into South Florida.
The indictment charges Daniel “Mickey” Hernandez, 38, of Miami; Frank Gonzalez, 45, of Hialeah; Alexander “Al Biggs” Walker Caraballo, 50, of Miami; Jose Luis “Lil Cuz” Diaz, Jr., also known as “Pri,” 33, of Miami Gardens; and Humberto “Kiki” Moreno, 42, of Miami, with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Hernandez and Diaz are also charged with distribution offenses. Walker and Gonzalez face additional charges for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of firearms and ammunition as convicted felons.
According to court documents, the defendants were part of a Miami-based drug distribution network responsible for kilogram-level cocaine trafficking. Investigators identified Hernandez as a key distributor, with Moreno, Caraballo, and Gonzalez among his suppliers and associates. Agents traced the operation to a high-rise in Midtown Miami, where cocaine was stored and prepared for distribution.
The investigation builds on prior High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) efforts targeting cocaine routes between Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and South Florida, including Operation Final Voyage, which led to the prosecution of high-level traffickers and cooperation from more than 90 defendants.
As part of those efforts, Operation Horseman’s Voyage targeted maritime trafficking networks responsible for importing large quantities of cocaine into South Florida, while Operation Mouse Trap focused on local retail and wholesale distributors. Investigators identified a network importing up to 1,700 kilograms of cocaine aboard high-end fishing vessels traveling from the Dominican Republic to Miami.
The Miami-based distribution operation was allegedly led by Andy Gabriel Mercedes-Hernandez, who directed the receipt, storage, and distribution of cocaine shipments with the assistance of approximately 20 associates, including boat captains, enforcers, and street-level distributors.
The investigation led to multiple enforcement actions. In October 2025, law enforcement arrested two defendants and seized more than $250,000 in drug proceeds concealed in a vehicle. In a separate interdiction, law enforcement seized more than 1,600 kilograms of cocaine from a vessel.
The investigation culminated in a search warrant executed at a Midtown Miami luxury high-rise apartment, where agents seized approximately 536 kilograms of cocaine, 14 firearms — including an unserialized AK-47 — and roughly $3.1 million in cash. Walker was later arrested, and agents recovered additional cocaine packaged for street-level distribution, along with bulk cash concealed in hidden compartments in his vehicle.
In the days that followed, law enforcement arrested additional members of the organization, including Jesus Alberto Salcedo-Perez, Keisy Estibet Peguero, Enmanuel Amauris Rivera-Cabrera, and Mario Joel Rijo-Jimenez. A federal grand jury had already charged several co-conspirators, and additional charges have been filed against others, including cocaine suppliers based in the Dominican Republic and Colombia.
If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life for the conspiracy charge. Walker and Gonzalez also face additional consecutive sentences of up to life for firearms offenses and up to 15 years for possessing firearms as convicted felons.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Miles Aley of the DEA Miami Field Office made the announcement.
DEA Miami is leading the investigation, with support from the ATF Street Terror Offender Program (STOP) Team, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, City of Miami Police Department, Miami Beach Police Department, City of Homestead Police Department, City of Aventura Police Department, Sunny Isles Beach Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Customs and Border Protection, and the Florida National Guard.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Almas Abdulla is prosecuting the case against the Operation Mouse Trap defendants, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Anika Miranda handling asset forfeiture. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Kirkpatrick is prosecuting the Operation Horseman’s Voyage defendants, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Raemy Charest-Turken overseeing asset forfeiture.
This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises agents and officers from ATF, DEA, HSI, BSO, USMS, and USPIS.
An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 26-cr-20092 and 26-cr-20135.
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Former U.S. Congressman and Lobbyist Convicted of Acting as Unregistered Agents of Venezuela in Connection with $50 Million ContractRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal jury in Miami found a former U.S. Congressman and lobbyist guilty of secretly lobbying on behalf of the Venezuelan government and laundering millions of dollars tied to that work, in violation of the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA).
“These convictions expose a simple truth: the defendants sold access and influence to a hostile foreign regime for money,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “They accepted millions tied to the Maduro regime, concealed that relationship from the United States government, and used trusted personal and political relationships to secretly advance the interests of Venezuela’s regime. In South Florida, where so many families fled communist oppression, that kind of betrayal carries real weight. The Foreign Agents Registration Act exists to protect transparency and safeguard our democracy from covert foreign influence. If you secretly act on behalf of a foreign government in violation of federal law, you will be investigated, prosecuted, and convicted.”
"Today’s verdict sends a clear and powerful message: our democratic processes are not for sale to foreign adversaries. Choosing to prioritize personal greed over legal transparency, David Rivera and Esther Nuhfer violated the Foreign Agent Registration Act by lobbying for the interests and benefit of the Venezuelan government,” said Brett Skiles, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “Using coded messages and laundering millions of dollars to fund personal lifestyles and political campaigns, these defendants thought they could operate in the shadows. This conviction proves that no matter how much 'coded language' is used or how high-ranking the conspirators may be, the FBI and its partners will remain steadfast in identifying and investigating those who covertly serve foreign interests at the expense of the American public's trust."
“This verdict underscores what can be achieved when federal partners combine their investigative strengths,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “Following the money is what IRS Criminal Investigation does best, and our agents worked tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to uncover the illegal activity driving this foreign influence scheme. IRS Special Agents will continue to pursue criminals, regardless of how sophisticated the scheme or influential the individuals involved.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, David Rivera, 60, and Esther Nuhfer, 51, obtained a $50 million contract with a subsidiary of Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), to advance the interests of the Venezuelan regime in the U.S. Without registering as foreign agents as required by law, Rivera and Nuhfer lobbied U.S. officials — including then-U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and U.S. Representative Pete Sessions — and arranged meetings between U.S. policymakers and high-ranking Venezuelan officials, including then-President Nicolas Maduro and then-Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez. In text message exchanges, Rivera and Nuhfer used coded language to describe their activities.
The evidence further showed that Rivera used approximately $600,000 from the contract proceeds to fund his Florida state congressional campaign, among other personal uses. Nuhfer used approximately $455,000 of the proceeds for the purchase of a residence in Key Colony Beach.
The jury found Rivera guilty of conspiracy to violate FARA, a violation of FARA, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and four counts of engaging in transactions in criminally derived property. Nuhfer was convicted of conspiracy to violate FARA, a violation of FARA, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of engaging in transactions in criminally derived property.
Rivera faces a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison. Nuhfer faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office, made the announcement.
Senior Trial Counsel Harold Schimkat, Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Cruz, and Trial Attorney David Ryan of the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-20552.
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Colombian Transnational Robbery Crew Member Sentenced to 57 MonthsRead the Press Release
The last member of a transnational Colombian robbery crew in Miami was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for his role in a series of robberies of and thefts from jewelry couriers that targeted high-end retailers and resulted in losses exceeding $5 million. Leroy Ortega, also known as “el Enano,” 43, of Miami, was the last of 11 defendants to be sentenced as part of a series of indictments targeting a South American theft group operating in the Southern District of Florida.
The 11 defendants were each convicted as part of Operation Boujee Bandits, an investigation of a Colombian South American theft group targeting jewelry salespersons in South Florida and elsewhere. The investigation resulted in three indictments and an information that charged robberies and money laundering activity from September 2019 to July 2021.
According to court documents, Ortega was part of a group that forcefully took jewelry and other property from victims they believed were in the business of buying and selling jewelry throughout South Florida. To commit the robberies, defendants rented vehicles using false identification documents to follow jewelry salespersons from the International Jewelry Exchanges or the Seybold Jewelry Building. They would then rob victims of the jewelry that they were transporting, sometimes brandishing a knife-like weapon to ensure victims’ compliance.
Ortega admitted that he committed two robberies. On Oct. 16, 2019, Ortega and his co-defendants identified a person they believed was carrying a case of jewelry. In fact, the victim was not a jewelry courier but rather a professional photographer who had been photographing jewelry. Following the victim to a shopping center, co-defendant Allan Lucas, 33, of Miami, pushed the photographer and Ortega grabbed the photographer’s case, which contained photography equipment and a computer. The photographer chased Ortega and Lucas to their get-away car. When the photographer tried to open the car door to get his case back, Ortega reversed the car, causing injury as the photographer was thrown to the ground.
Then, on Nov. 7, 2019, Ortega and his co-conspirators, including defendants Andres Barahona Poveda, 51, a national of Colombia, and Edwin Castillo, 45, of Pembroke Pines, robbed a jewelry salesman of approximately $125,000 of assorted jewelry. Ortega and his co-conspirators followed the salesman to his business in Miami Beach. As the salesman sat in the vehicle, Ortega approached and smashed the salesman’s windows while another co-conspirator took the salesman’s backpack containing the jewelry. When the salesman tried to exit the vehicle, Ortega held the salesman’s door shut trapping him inside the vehicle. To conduct the robbery, defendant Carlos Morales, 47, of Miami rented a vehicle using a fraudulent Venezuelan driver’s license.
Ortega pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy and two counts of Hobbs Act robbery.
Defendants convicted under this operation, in addition to Ortega, include:
- Allan Lucas, 34, of California, who was sentenced to 168 months in prison;
- Diana Grisales Basto, 41, a national of Colombia, who was sentenced to 97 months in prison;
- Carlos Morales, 48, of Florida, who was sentenced to 60 months in prison;
- Giovanni Cardenas, also known as “El Mono,” 40, a national of Colombia, who was sentenced to 110 months in prison;
- Andres Barahona Poveda, 51, a national of Colombia, who was sentenced to 87 months in prison;
- Edwin Castillo, 45, a national of Colombia, who was sentenced to 108 months in prison;
- Demian Gonzalez Contreras, 30, a national of Colombia, who was sentenced to 74 months in prison;
- Victor Fabian Valenzuela, 39, a national of Colombia, who was sentenced to 57 months in prison;
- Hernando Rodriguez Mahecha, also known as “Nando,” 42, a national of Colombia, who was sentenced to 60 months in prison; and
- Mark Simon, 57, of New York, was sentenced to 57 months in prison.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.
The FBI Tampa Field Office is leading the investigation of the case with valuable assistance from the FBI Miami Field Office, Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, Miami-Dade Police Department, Miami Beach Police Department, Tampa Police Department, Boca Raton Police Department, Palm Beach Sherriff’s Office, Boynton Beach Police Department, Fort Pierce Police Department, and the Jewelry Security Alliance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, provided significant assistance.
Trial Attorneys Lakeita F. Rox-Love and Deputy Chief Kelly Pearson of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Dobbins for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Two Men Who Attacked Multiple U.S. Victims Using ALPHV BlackCat Ransomware Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Two cybersecurity professionals were sentenced today to four years each in prison for their role in a conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce through extortion in connection with ransomware attacks occurring in 2023.
Ryan Goldberg, 40, of Georgia, and Kevin Martin, 36, of Texas, were sentenced. According to court documents, they and another co-conspirator, Angelo Martino, 41, of Land O’Lakes, successfully deployed the ransomware known as ALPHV BlackCat between April 2023 and December 2023 against multiple victims located throughout the U.S. The three men agreed to pay the ALPHV BlackCat administrators a 20% share of any ransoms received in exchange for access to the ransomware and ALPHV BlackCat’s extortion platform. All three men worked in the cybersecurity industry — meaning that they had special skills and experience in securing computer systems against harm, including the type of harm they themselves were committing against the victims in this case. After successfully extorting one victim for approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin, the men split their 80% share of this ransom three ways and laundered the funds through various means.
According to court documents, ALPHV BlackCat targeted the computer networks of more than 1,000 victims around the world. The group used a ransomware-as-a-service model in which developers were responsible for creating and updating ransomware and for maintaining the illicit internet infrastructure. Affiliates were responsible for identifying and attacking high-value victim institutions with the ransomware. After a victim paid, developers and affiliates shared the ransom.
“The court’s sentences today reflect the damage that these defendants inflicted during their cyberattacks on victim companies throughout the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “They harmed important firms who were providing medical and engineering services. They played hardball with them, going so far as to cause the leak of patient data from a doctor’s office victim. They also split the ransoms they were paid, and laundered the illicit proceeds. These were supposed to be cybersecurity specialists who did good and helped businesses and people. Instead, they used their high-level cyber skills to feed their greed. Ransomware attackers like this should be punished and removed from society to serve their lawful sentences so they cannot harm others.”
“These defendants exploited specialized cybersecurity knowledge not to protect victims, but to extort them,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “They used ransomware to lock down critical systems, steal sensitive data, and pressure American businesses into paying to regain access to their own information. Today’s sentence of four years reflects not only the scale of this scheme, but the real harm inflicted on businesses, employees, and victims whose private information was weaponized for profit. In this District, cybercriminals will face federal prison and forfeit the proceeds of their crimes.”
“Today’s sentencings show that ransomware criminals can operate anywhere, including right here in the United States, and that the FBI is actively working to track them down and dismantle their networks — wherever they exist,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Goldberg and Martin leveraged their technical skills and cyber security knowledge to extort millions from victims across the U.S., but the FBI’s global reach ensured that they ultimately faced justice. When Goldberg sought to flee abroad and escape prosecution, the FBI tracked him through 10 countries, demonstrating the lengths we will go to hold cyber criminals accountable and protect victims. The FBI thanks our DOJ partners for their help securing today’s outcome.”
Today’s announcement follows the Justice Department’s prior actions in December 2023 to disrupt ALPHV BlackCat ransomware, in which the FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer hundreds of victims the capability of restoring their systems, saving victims approximately $99 million in ransom payments. At that time, the FBI also seized several websites operated by ALPHV BlackCat.
In December 2025, Goldberg and Martin each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion. In April 2026, co-conspirator Angelo Martino also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion. In addition to conspiring with Goldberg and Martin to attack victims with ransomware, Martino also abused his role as a negotiator for victims of ransomware by sharing confidential victim information with threat actors to increase the value of the ransom paid. His sentencing is set for July 9.
The FBI Miami Field Office is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Haggerty and Quinshawna Landon for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Jorge Gonzalez of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul B. Morris for the Eastern District of Texas and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel W.A. Peach for the Middle District of Georgia. Additional assistance was provided by the Policía de Investigación of the Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México.
Private sector organizations can report any suspicious activities and threats to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), visiting www.tips.fbi.gov or contacting their local FBI field office.
If you are a victim of ransomware, contact your local FBI field office or file a report at ic3.gov. If you have information about ALPHV BlackCat, their affiliates or activities, you may be eligible for a reward through the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards program or Rewards for Justice program. Information can be submitted through the following Tor-based tip line (Tor browser required):
he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20443.
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Two Americans Who Attacked Multiple U.S. Victims Using ALPHV BlackCat Ransomware Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Two American cybersecurity professionals were sentenced today to four years each in prison for their role in a conspiracy to obstruct, delay, or affect commerce through extortion in connection with ransomware attacks occurring in 2023.
Ryan Goldberg, 40, of Georgia, and Kevin Martin, 36, of Texas, were sentenced. According to court documents, they and another co-conspirator, Angelo Martino, 41, of Florida, successfully deployed the ransomware known as ALPHV BlackCat between April 2023 and December 2023 against multiple victims located throughout the United States. The three men agreed to pay the ALPHV BlackCat administrators a 20% share of any ransoms received in exchange for access to the ransomware and ALPHV BlackCat’s extortion platform. All three men worked in the cybersecurity industry — meaning that they had special skills and experience in securing computer systems against harm, including the type of harm they themselves were committing against the victims in this case. After successfully extorting one victim for approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin, the men split their 80% share of this ransom three ways and laundered the funds through various means.
According to court documents, ALPHV BlackCat targeted the computer networks of more than 1,000 victims around the world. The group used a ransomware-as-a-service model in which developers were responsible for creating and updating ransomware and for maintaining the illicit internet infrastructure. Affiliates were responsible for identifying and attacking high-value victim institutions with the ransomware. After a victim paid, developers and affiliates shared the ransom.
“The court’s sentences today reflect the damage that these defendants inflicted during their cyberattacks on victim companies throughout the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “They harmed important firms who were providing medical and engineering services. They played hardball with them, going so far as to cause the leak of patient data from a doctor’s office victim. They also split the ransoms they were paid, and laundered the illicit proceeds. These were supposed to be cybersecurity specialists who did good and helped businesses and people. Instead, they used their high-level cyber skills to feed their greed. Ransomware attackers like this should be punished and removed from society to serve their lawful sentences so they cannot harm others.”
“These defendants exploited specialized cybersecurity knowledge not to protect victims, but to extort them,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “They used ransomware to lock down critical systems, steal sensitive data, and pressure American businesses into paying to regain access to their own information. Today’s sentence of four years reflects not only the scale of this scheme, but the real harm inflicted on businesses, employees, and victims whose private information was weaponized for profit. In this District, cybercriminals will face federal prison and forfeit the proceeds of their crimes.”
“Today’s sentencings show that ransomware criminals can operate anywhere, including right here in the United States, and that the FBI is actively working to track them down and dismantle their networks — wherever they exist,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Goldberg and Martin leveraged their technical skills and cyber security knowledge to extort millions from victims across the U.S., but the FBI’s global reach ensured that they ultimately faced justice. When Goldberg sought to flee abroad and escape prosecution, the FBI tracked him through 10 countries, demonstrating the lengths we will go to hold cyber criminals accountable and protect victims. The FBI thanks our DOJ partners for their help securing today’s outcome.”
Today’s announcement follows the Justice Department’s prior actions in December 2023 to disrupt ALPHV BlackCat ransomware, in which the FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer hundreds of victims the capability of restoring their systems, saving victims approximately $99 million in ransom payments. At that time, the FBI also seized several websites operated by ALPHV BlackCat.
In December 2025, Goldberg and Martin each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion. In April 2026, co-conspirator Angelo Martino also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion. In addition to conspiring with Goldberg and Martin to attack victims with ransomware, Martino also abused his role as a negotiator for victims of ransomware by sharing confidential victim information with threat actors to increase the value of the ransom paid. His sentencing is set for July 9.
The FBI Miami Field Office is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service.
Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Jorge Gonzalez of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Haggerty and Quinshawna Landon for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul B. Morris for the Eastern District of Texas and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel W.A. Peach for the Middle District of Georgia. Additional assistance was provided by the Policía de Investigación of the Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México.
Private sector organizations can report any suspicious activities and threats to the FBI’s National
Threat Operations Center by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), visiting www.tips.fbi.gov or contacting their local FBI field office.
If you are a victim of ransomware, contact your local FBI field office or file a report at ic3.gov. If you have information about ALPHV BlackCat, their affiliates or activities, you may be eligible for a reward through the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards program or Rewards for Justice program. Information can be submitted through the following Tor-based tip line (Tor browser required): he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion.
Transnational Email Fraud Scheme Nets Prison Terms for Four DefendantsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Four defendants have been sentenced for their roles in a transnational business email compromise (BEC) scheme that stole more than $38 million from victims across the U.S. and abroad.
Kelvin Owusu Nkwantabisa, also known as “Kevin Brown” and “KO,” 33, of Georgia, and John Jouissance, 33, of Ohio, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, while Leshea Moore, also known as “Deborah Green,” 29, of Georgia, and Justice Amoh, “Samuel Andrews,” 37, of New York, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to court records, beginning at least in August 2022, the defendants were members of a transnational criminal organization (TCO) that carried out a sophisticated BEC fraud targeting individuals and businesses. The group gained unauthorized access to victims’ email accounts, monitored communications involving legitimate financial transactions, and then impersonated trusted business partners to redirect payments to bank accounts controlled by the TCO. The stolen funds were then moved through multiple accounts to conceal their origin and avoid detection.
“This was organized international fraud carried out through deception, stolen trust, and financial manipulation,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants infiltrated legitimate business communications, diverted millions of dollars, and laundered the proceeds through shell companies and fraudulent bank accounts to conceal their crimes. Business email compromise schemes can devastate companies and individuals in a matter of hours. Today’s sentences send a clear message: if you use our financial system to steal and launder money, we will find you, follow the money, and hold you accountable.”
Nkwantabisa led the U.S.-based operation. He coordinated with overseas co-conspirators, directed the creation of bank accounts across multiple states to receive victim funds, tracked incoming payments, and instructed others on how to launder the proceeds. Nkwantabisa was sentenced to 17 years in prison.
Moore established shell companies, opened bank accounts using fictitious identities, and conducted financial transactions to launder fraud proceeds. She also managed others involved in creating false identities and communicated with financial institutions about victim payments. Moore was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison.
Amoh opened bank accounts using fictitious identities to receive victim funds and carried out financial transactions at Nkwantabisa’s direction to launder proceeds. He was sentenced to three years in prison.
Jouissance established shell companies, opened bank accounts to receive victim funds, and conducted financial transactions to launder the proceeds. He was sentenced to four years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.
HSI Fort Lauderdale investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Quin Landon prosecuted the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon handled asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-60061.
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Payment Processing Broker Pleads Guilty to Fraudulent Bank DebitsRead the Press Release
An Oregon man who worked as a payment processing broker pleaded guilty today to wire fraud for his role in using fraudulent, unauthorized debits to steal money from victims’ bank accounts.
According to court documents, Jeremy Todd Briley, 46, of Oregon, worked as a payment processing broker. Acting on behalf of clients (merchants), Briley identified payment processors in the United States for his clients to use in processing charges. Briley’s two largest clients were sham companies that falsely represented that they provided online marketing services to businesses. Instead, they stole from victims by fraudulently debiting their bank accounts, causing over $14 million in unauthorized debits and attempted debits.
From February 2017 to December 2023, Briley obtained and maintained payment processing relationships for those sham companies so that they could process fraudulent debits, knowing that the sham companies were fraudulently debiting bank accounts. Despite repeatedly receiving information that the debits processed on behalf of the sham companies were not authorized by the victims, Briley concealed the fraudulent activities of the sham companies in various ways, and he arranged for a payment processor to deceive banks by manipulating return rates on the fraudulent debits.
Briley pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group; and Special Agent in Charge Vincent R. Zehme of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Chicago Region made the announcement.
The USPIS and FDIC-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Daniel Zytnick of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff for the Southern District of Florida is handling forfeiture.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
United States Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones Promoted to Colonel in the United States Air Force ReserveRead the Press Release
MIAMI – United States Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones, for the Southern District of Florida, has been promoted to the rank of Colonel in the United States Air Force Reserve, marking more than twenty-three years of military service spanning infantry, operational law, national security, and combat advising.
Colonel Reding Quiñones currently serves as the senior reserve legal advisor to the Staff Judge Advocate at United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), where he advises the 4-star Combatant Commander and senior military leadership on the legal authorities governing combat operations, maritime interdiction, intelligence activities, force protection, and national security operations.
Since the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks in Israel, Colonel Reding Quiñones has advised on kinetic military operations across the Central Command theater, helping provide legal oversight and operational guidance during some of the most consequential military actions in the region, including sustained regional defense operations, the twelve-day conflict between Iran and Israel, and current U.S. naval blockade and maritime interdiction operations targeting Iranian commercial and military vessels.
In this current military role, Colonel Reding Quiñones has served as a senior law advisor during combat operations, advising commanders on the lawful employment of force, rules of engagement, targeting authorities, maritime seizure operations, and escalation response.
His operational experience builds on a military career that began as an Army cavalry scout and infantry officer before transferring into the Air Force Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Over the course of his career, he has served in key legal billets supporting Air Force Special Operations Command, Pacific Air Forces, United States European Command, and now USCENTCOM.
His military decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, reflecting outstanding service across combat support, operational law, and joint military missions.
“Military service has shaped every part of my adult life,” said Colonel Reding Quiñones. “From leading soldiers as a young infantry officer, to advising commanders in combat, to serving as a federal prosecutor and Florida trial judge, the mission has always been the same: serve the country, protect Americans, and defend the rule of law.”
Colonel Reding Quiñones was promoted effective April 1, 2026. The rank of Colonel represents the senior field-grade rank in the United States Air Force and reflects sustained superior performance, leadership, and trust across more than two decades of military service.
A Miami native and the son of a Cuban political refugee, Colonel Reding Quiñones earned his undergraduate degree from University of Florida and his law degree from Florida International University before building parallel careers in military service, prosecution, and the judiciary over a lifetime of public service.
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