Northern District of Illinois
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Fourth Member of Chicago Carjacking and Robbery Crew Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man who committed multiple carjackings and robberies in Chicago, including carjacking a vehicle with an infant in the back seat, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
DWIGHT HASBERRY, 32, of Chicago, and three others engaged in a series of carjackings and robberies in the overnight hours of Sept. 28 and 29, 2022. The defendants have been in law enforcement custody since 2022. On July 10, 2025, U.S. District Judge Manish Shah sentenced Hasberry to 15 years in federal prison. Earlier this year, Judge Shah sentenced the three other members of the carjacking and robbery crew—DAMANDRE HENLEY, TYLER OATES-NELSON, and DAVARIO MCDOWELL, all of Chicago—to prison terms ranging from 15 to 22 years.
The sentences were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.
The carjacking involving the infant occurred late on the evening of Sept. 28, 2022, when the four men carjacked a Volkswagen Tiguan SUV in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood. Henley, Hasberry, and McDowell pointed guns at the driver and the infant in a rear car seat and ordered them out of the vehicle. The driver removed the infant from the car before Henley, Hasberry, and McDowell got into the Volkswagen SUV and drove away.
A short time later, the four men, now all traveling in the stolen SUV, drove to Chicago’s Ravenswood Manor neighborhood, where Henley, McDowell, and Hasberry robbed one victim at gunpoint of their cell phone, wallet, and keys, and another victim of their backpack.
The crew then robbed a nearby 7-Eleven convenience store. With Oates-Nelson waiting in the stolen SUV, Henley, McDowell, and Hasberry entered the store carrying guns. Henley used his gun to strike a store clerk in the head while forcing him to open the cash register. The defendants fled the store with cash, cigarettes, and liquor bottles.
“Defendant’s crimes terrorized innocent Chicagoans and showed a complete disregard for human life, for societal norms, and for the law,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner argued in the government’s memorandum filed with the Court ahead of Hasberry’s sentencing hearing. “Robberies scare away businesses and ruin neighborhoods. Carjackings like those here not only leave the victims scarred and perhaps looking for new places to live and new jobs, but they impact the sense of safety and security for all Chicagoans.”
Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Threatening FEMA Employees and Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for threatening Federal Emergency Management Agency employees and local law enforcement officers.
DARREN D. WALTON, 31, of Midlothian, Ill., made more than 100 phone calls to FEMA employees in connection with an application for disaster assistance that Walton filed with the agency for alleged damage to his vehicle due to flooding in 2023. Many of the calls contained threats of violent and destructive behavior against FEMA and its employees. In one call, Walton told a FEMA employee, “Y’all better stop [expletive] playing with me, bro. Before there be a mass shooting in a little bit, bro. Real talk. And I’ll smile in court on camera on the news, letting ‘em knowing I killed them [expletive] ‘cause you was playing with me, bro.”
When FEMA reported the calls to local law enforcement, Midlothian Police Department officers performed a welfare check at Walton’s residence, after which his calls began to reference police officers. In a call to FEMA on the day after the welfare check, Walton stated, “Send ‘em again. And I’ll kill the [expletive]. Tell them I kill they [expletive] this time. I’m ready to kill. And I’m going to kill. And I’m gonna make sure I kill. I’m going to kill a good four, five officers before the police even take me out the [expletive], guaranteed.”
Walton pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal charge of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger imposed the two-year prison sentence during a hearing on Wednesday in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. The investigation was led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security / Federal Protective Service-Region 5. Valuable assistance was provided by the Midlothian Police Department.
“Defendant’s threats were terrifying to the FEMA employees who received them,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Rosenbloom argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The FEMA employees who received the calls were public servants doing their job. They did not deserve to be exposed to the terrifying threats contained in defendant’s calls.”
Ovidio Guzman Lopez—Son of “El Chapo” and a Head of Sinaloa Cartel—Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Charges in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – OVIDIO GUZMAN LOPEZ, who succeeded his father—Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as “El Chapo”—as one of the heads of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Chicago to federal drug charges.
Guzman Lopez, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of drug conspiracy and two counts of knowingly engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. The guilty plea was entered as part of a multi-district plea agreement with the government that resolves charges against Guzman Lopez brought by grand juries in the Northern District of Illinois and the Southern District of New York.
U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman did not set a sentencing date. Guzman Lopez has been detained without bond following his extradition from Mexico to the United States in 2023.
The guilty plea is the result of a collaboration between the Justice Department's Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and prosecutors from the Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of New York, and Southern District of California, as well as law enforcement partners from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Adam Gordon, United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, Jose A. Perez, Assistant Director of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, Steven Jensen, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Ray Rede, Acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in Arizona, and Robert Murphy, Acting Administrator of the DEA. Substantial assistance in the investigation was provided by IRS Criminal Investigation, the Justice Department’s Offices of International Affairs and Enforcement Operations, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Erskine, Erika Csicsila, and Michelle Parthum of the Northern District of Illinois; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley, Jane Y. Chong, Sarah L. Kushner, and David J. Robles of the Southern District of New York; Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sutton of the Southern District of California; and Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of NDDS.
The guilty plea was announced as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve various law enforcement goals, including the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), as well as protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs).
“Today’s historic guilty plea sends yet another crystal-clear message that this Administration is going to shut down and hold accountable transnational criminal organizations and their highest-ranking members and associates,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Under my leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of drug cartels, several of which, including the Sinaloa Cartel, have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations. Our enforcement work will also extend to drug trafficking organizations, narcotics traffickers, and other dangerous criminal enterprises that seek to poison the American public with illegal and harmful drugs. Our successes stem from our close partnership with federal prosecutors across the country as well as our tight collaboration with our many law enforcement partners.”
As heirs to the Sinaloa Cartel, Guzman Lopez stated in his plea agreement that he and his three brothers, collectively known as “the Chapitos,” assumed their father’s leadership role following El Chapo’s arrest in 2016 and subsequent conviction in the Eastern District of New York. Guzman Lopez admitted in the plea agreement that he coordinated the transportation of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs and precursor chemicals from Mexico to the United States border, at times in shipments of hundreds or thousands of kilograms. Guzman Lopez used a network of couriers affiliated with the cartel to smuggle the drugs into the United States using vehicles, rail cars, tunnels, aircraft, and other means, the plea agreement states.
After the drugs were distributed throughout the United States, individuals working for Guzman Lopez used bulk cash transport, wire transfers, trade of goods, and cryptocurrency to launder the illicit proceeds and ensure that the money was transmitted to Guzman Lopez and other members of the cartel in Mexico, the plea agreement states. Guzman Lopez admitted that he and his cartel associates perpetrated violence against law enforcement officials, civilians, and rival drug traffickers in order to protect the cartel’s drug trafficking activities.
As part of his plea agreement, Guzman Lopez agreed to the entry of an $80 million forfeiture money judgment.
“Today’s guilty plea is another major step toward holding the Sinaloa Cartel and its leaders accountable for their role in fueling the fentanyl epidemic that has plagued so many Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Clayton. “We remain committed to dismantling the Cartel’s entire fentanyl infrastructure and ensuring that the Chapitos and their violent organization can no longer flood our communities with this poison.”
“With each passing day, you are seeing the sunset of the Sinaloa cartel,” said U.S. Attorney Gordon. “The Chapitos’ latest violence reflects their fading future. Their leaders who remain free are now paranoid, distrusted and desperate.”
“The guilty plea by Ovidio Guzman Lopez, son of ‘El Chapo,’ is a real victory for both the United States and Mexico but also a clear win for the rule of law,” said HSI Acting SAC Rede. “So much blood and violence lay with the Guzman family as well as spreading terror and plaguing both sides of the border with deadly drugs and weapons–no more. It’s impossible to measure the amount of work HSI and partner agencies have spent in securing this guilty verdict, but what is clear and evident is that no one is beyond the reach of law enforcement and our nation’s laws. Deliberate and coordinated teamwork resulted in today’s victory.”
Guzman Lopez’s three brothers—IVAN ARCHIVALDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, JESUS ALFREDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, and JOAQUIN GUZMAN LOPEZ—were also charged with drug trafficking in U.S. indictments. Joaquin Guzman Lopez was arrested last year and remains detained in U.S. custody without bond. He pleaded not guilty to charges filed in the Northern District of Illinois and is awaiting trial. Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar are charged in both the Northern District of Illinois and Southern District of New York. They are not in custody and warrants have been issued for their arrests. The U.S. State Department has issued rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to their arrests and convictions. [See the reward information here and here.]
The public is reminded that the charges against Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
ovidio_guzman_lopez_plea_agreement.pdfFederal Judge in Chicago Sentences Corrupt Confidential Informant to 13 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man who cultivated a corrupt relationship with a federal law enforcement agent while trafficking cocaine has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison.
In 2018, GARY HOWARD, 48, of Oak Lawn, Ill., attempted to purchase ten kilograms of cocaine. Unbeknownst to Howard, the seller was confidentially working on behalf of law enforcement. When the pair met in the parking lot of a furniture store in Chicago, Howard possessed more than $133,000 in a backpack and offered to buy half of the cocaine. Howard was arrested, and a subsequent search of his residence turned up more than $106,000 in cash, a drug ledger, and a loaded handgun.
At the time of the attempted drug deal, Howard was a registered confidential informant for Homeland Security Investigations and his handler was Special Agent Anthony Sabaini. Howard and Sabaini had cultivated a corrupt relationship in which Howard paid Sabaini thousands of dollars in exchange for sensitive law enforcement information and protection from other law enforcement agencies.
A federal jury last year convicted Howard of drug conspiracy and attempted drug possession. On July 2, 2025, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger sentenced Howard to 13 years in federal prison.
Sabaini was convicted in 2023 of illegally structuring financial transactions, concealing material facts from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and filing false federal tax returns. He was sentenced in October 2023 to more than six years in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the DEA Chicago Field Division. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and IRS Criminal Investigation.
“The Sabaini-Howard partnership stained the reputation of HSI and law enforcement at large, as their actions eroded the public trust,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan L. Shih and Jared Hasten argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Corrupt confidential informants and those who work to corrupt federal law enforcement will be held accountable.”
Federal Inmate Sentenced to Additional Seven Years in Prison for Threatening U.S. Probation Officer in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal inmate has been sentenced to an additional seven consecutive years in prison for threatening a U.S. Probation officer in Chicago.
GLENN BOWDEN was incarcerated in a federal prison in 2023 when he mailed a letter threatening to injure a U.S. Probation officer. The officer had conducted a presentence investigation of Bowden prior to Bowden’s sentencing on a federal robbery conviction in 2022. Bowden was serving a nine-year federal sentence in the robbery case.
In addition to the threatening letter, Bowden authored a letter purportedly from his prison chaplain and caused it to be filed with the Court in support of a motion for compassionate release. The chaplain had no knowledge of the letter. When interviewed by the FBI, Bowden falsely claimed that he did not type or send the letter to the Probation officer and that he knew nothing about the Chaplain’s letter or who wrote it.
Bowden, 64, most recently of Riverdale, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to mailing a threatening communication, obstructing an official proceeding, and willfully making false statements to the FBI. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold sentenced Bowden to seven years and three months in prison, which must be served after the completion of his sentence for the robbery case.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and LaDon A. Reynolds, United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois. The Federal Bureau of Prisons provided valuable assistance. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Merin and Kirsten Moran.
“Threats against Court personnel and other federal staff have no place in our system of justice,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The sentence that the Court imposed in this case should send a clear message that such reprehensible conduct will be met with harsh punishment.”
“Threatening to assault federal personnel is a grave offense that risks the safety of all those who selflessly choose to protect and serve our communities,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “Any attempt to elicit violence against the federal workforce will be met with swift and full action by our dedicated law enforcement and prosecutorial partners.”
Federal Grand Jury in Chicago Indicts Three Individuals for Alleged Covid-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted three individuals for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $2 million in small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.
TANIKA ECHOLS, ANTONIO ECHOLS, and TAMIA THOMPSON DAVIS engaged in fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL)–two sources of relief under the CARES Act, according to an indictment returned in the Northern District of Illinois. The indictment charges Tanika Echols, 45, of Austin, Texas, and formerly of South Holland, Ill., with 13 counts of wire fraud and seven counts of money laundering. Antonio Echols, 50, of Austin, Texas, and formerly of South Holland, Ill., who is Tanika Echols’s husband, is charged with three counts of wire fraud, while Davis, 27, of Austin, Texas, who is Tanika Echols’s daughter, is charged with four counts of wire fraud.
The indictment alleges that the defendants defrauded lenders of approximately $1.7 million in PPP loans and defrauded the SBA of approximately $307,000 in EIDL funds. Much of the money was used for the defendants’ personal benefit, including the purchase of mink coats from Andriana Furs in Chicago, the indictment states.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges during their arraignments last week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert. A status hearing was scheduled for Aug. 13, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Basil Demczak, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Central Region of Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General, and Mark Reeves, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board’s Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner.
Pursuant to the CARES Act, a PPP loan allowed the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spent a certain amount of the proceeds on essential expenses, such as payroll, rent, and utilities, while the EIDL program provided loan assistance or grants to cover working capital and other operating expenses.
According to the indictment, the defendants from 2020 to 2022 submitted more than 100 fraudulent applications to lenders, loan service providers, and the Small Business Administration, on behalf of themselves, seven other individuals, and two businesses owned by Tanika Echols and Antonio Echols. The applications and supporting documents contained materially false statements and misrepresentations about the defendants’ companies, including the number of purported employees, revenue and payroll amounts, and other expenses, the indictment states.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Each wire fraud charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, while the maximum penalty for each count of money laundering is ten years. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving Covid-19 is encouraged to report it to the Department of Justice by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or filing an online complaint at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
echols_et_al_indictment.pdfMan Charged with Robbing Post Office in Rockford, Ill.Read the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for robbing a post office in Rockford, Ill. in May.
ANTHONY M. JOHNSON, 58, of Rockford, was charged with one count of robbing a person having lawful charge, control, and custody of money of the United States and putting said person’s life in jeopardy by the use of a dangerous weapon. The count carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in federal prison. Arraignment in U.S. District Court in Rockford has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ruth Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Chicago Division. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Kim.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
johnson_indictment.pdfSeven Individuals Charged in Drug and Firearm Investigation Centered on South Side of ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A drug and firearm investigation centered on the South Side of Chicago has resulted in federal criminal charges against seven individuals.
A superseding indictment returned by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago accuses the seven defendants of participating in a criminal conspiracy that utilized armed security to protect drug trafficking activities in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. The law enforcement investigation, led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Chicago Police Department, U.S. Secret Service, and U.S. Marshals Service, targeted an open-air marijuana market in the 1200 block of West 73rd Place in Chicago. Under the protection of the armed security, the defendants sold large quantities of marijuana in the area and stored drugs, guns, and cash in nearby houses, the indictment alleges. As part of the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 2,000 pounds of marijuana, approximately 81 firearms, including five assault-style rifles, approximately $425,000 in cash, and jewelry valued at approximately $300,000.
Charged with federal drug conspiracy are KEJUAN BRYANT, 31, of Chicago, JAMARI GOODMAN, 29, of Chicago, JOSEPH ALBERT HEATH, 32, of Chicago, MATTHEW FURDGE, 22, of Chicago, KEWANN WHITAKER, 32, of Chicago, IGOR DZE, 44, of Miami Beach, Fla., and KHIRY STRICKLAND, 34, of Lemont, Ill. Bryant faces an individual drug distribution count and is also charged, along with Goodman and Heath, with illegally possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Most of the defendants were arrested last week and have made their initial appearances in federal court in Chicago.
In addition to the federal charges, 15 individuals were charged in state court as a result of this investigation.
The federal charges were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the DEA Chicago Field Division, Larry Snelling, Superintendent of CPD, Dai Tran, Special Agent-in-Charge of the USSS Chicago Field Office, and LaDon A. Reynolds, United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force (HIDTA) and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Schied represents the government in the federal cases.
The federal superseding indictment is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, among other areas of focus. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The drug conspiracy charge is punishable by up to life in federal prison for Bryant, and up to forty years for Goodman, Furdge, Whitaker, Dze, and Strickland. The firearm charge against Bryant, Goodman, and Heath carries a maximum sentence of life, with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years per defendant. The individual drug distribution count against Bryant is punishable by up to 20 years.
bryant_et_al_superseding_indictment.pdfCalifornia Businessman Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Orchestrating $14 Million Covid-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A California businessman has pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge for fraudulently obtaining more than $14 million in small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.
DARREN CARLYLE SADLER participated in a scheme to fraudulently apply for loans pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), which was created by the CARES Act to provide financial relief for small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. A PPP loan allowed for the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spent a certain amount of the proceeds on essential expenses, such as payroll. Sadler admitted in a plea agreement that in 2020 he submitted and caused the submission of at least 63 PPP loan applications for himself and his clients. The applications falsely represented the number of employees, if any, and the average monthly payroll of the purported businesses. The false applications resulted in the issuance of more than $14 million in loan funds to Sadler and his clients. Sadler also received more than $1.9 million in fees from clients for fraudulently obtaining the loans on their behalf.
Sadler used the fraud proceeds to rent a villa for several months during the pandemic and to travel across the country on private jets to meet clients at bank branches to secure fund transfers. He also purchased luxury vehicles, including a Rolls Royce, multiple Mercedes-Benzes, and a Land Rover, and purchased designer clothing, a luxury watch, and numerous meals at expensive restaurants.
Sadler, 38, of Costa Mesa, Calif., pleaded guilty on Monday to a federal wire fraud charge, which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin has not yet set a sentencing date.
The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The investigation was worked jointly with the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman.
sadler_plea_agreement.pdfSuburban Chicago Businessman Convicted for Role in Bank Fraud and PPP Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted an Illinois businessman yesterday for his role in schemes to fraudulently obtain over $55 million in commercial loans and lines of credit and for submitting fraudulent applications to obtain COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Rahul Shah, 56, of Evanston, the owner and operator of several information technology companies in the Chicago area, fraudulently obtained funds from loans and lines of credit for which he was not eligible from federally insured financial institutions and later defaulted on at least one such line of credit and one such loan. Shah submitted to federally insured financial institutions falsified bank statements that fraudulently inflated deposits, falsified balance sheets that overstated revenues, and fabricated audited financial statements with forged signatures. Shah also engaged in monetary transactions with proceeds from the bank fraud.
Shah also submitted to a federally insured bank an application for a $441,138 loan guaranteed by the SBA that significantly overstated the payroll expenses of a company he controlled. In support of the loan application, he submitted to the lender several fraudulent IRS documents, which falsely represented that the company made payments to multiple individuals who had not received such payments. He also used stolen identities to carry out the fraud, using the names and taxpayer identification numbers of individuals that he knew had not received payments from the company in the PPP loan applications.
In addition, Shah signed and caused to be submitted to the lender what purported to be IRS Forms 941 representing his company’s quarterly payroll expenses for 2019. A comparison between the documents submitted to the lender and the company’s IRS and state tax filings revealed that Shah’s company reported significantly lower payroll expenses to the tax authorities.
Shah was convicted of seven counts of bank fraud, five counts of making false statements to a financial institution, two counts of money laundering, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13. Shah faces up to 30 years in prison on each count of bank fraud and false statements to a financial institution, up to 10 years in prison on each count of money laundering, and up to two years in prison for each aggravated identity theft count. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois, Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Brady Ipock of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG) Chicago Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Chicago Field Office and SBA OIG Chicago Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Patrick Mott and Trial Attorney Lindsey Carson of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmina Vajzovic for the Northern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/cares-act-fraud
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Six Defendants Indicted in Federal Investigation Targeting Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine Sales in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal investigation into fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine sales in Chicago has resulted in a grand jury returning multiple drug and/or firearm charges against six individuals.
A superseding indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago accuses the six defendants of conspiring to distribute the drugs in Chicago in 2024. Two of the defendants are charged with firearm offenses for illegally possessing semiautomatic handguns as previously convicted felons.
Charged with drug conspiracy are ANDRE DEBRUCE, 40, of Schiller Park, Ill., TERRANCE PATTON, 40, of Chicago, CRAIG CALDWELL, 43, of Chicago, TIMOTHY BELIN, 48, of Chicago, JENNIFER WORD, 39, of Chicago, and DENOMOIUS WELLS, 41, of Chicago. Patton and Caldwell are the previously convicted felons charged with illegal firearm possession. Caldwell also faces an additional gun charge for allegedly possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The charges against Caldwell carry a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years. Patton and Debruce face maximum sentences of 40 years, with a mandatory minimum of five years. Belin, Word, and Wells each face up to 20 years, with no mandatory minimum.
Wells pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment on Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman. The five other defendants have also been arraigned and also pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The superseding indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance was provided by IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago, the Chicago Police Department, and the Evanston, Ill. Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hayley Altabef and Adam Rosenbloom.
The superseding indictment in this case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, among other areas of focus. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
debruce_et_al_superseding_indictment.pdfNational Health Care Fraud Takedown Results in Charges Against 324 Individuals, Including 13 in Northern District of IllinoisRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Thirteen defendants in the Northern District of Illinois are facing federal criminal charges as part of the largest national health care fraud enforcement action in Department of Justice history–and the largest ever in the Northern District of Illinois. The Administration has identified health care fraud as a top priority for white-collar enforcement.
More than 320 defendants were charged nationwide for allegedly participating in various health care fraud schemes involving more than $14.6 billion in intended losses. The government seized more than $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and other assets as part of the national enforcement effort. The takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represented an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit both patients and taxpayers.
In the Northern District of Illinois, the 13 defendants are charged with various crimes related to health care, with some allegedly participating in fraud schemes involving more than $1.83 billion billed to government programs and private health insurers. The fraud schemes caused the Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Medicare, and other insurers to pay more than $865 million in fraudulent reimbursements.
The nationwide takedown was led and coordinated by the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and its core partners from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The cases were investigated by agents from HHS-OIG, FBI, DEA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and other federal and state law enforcement agencies. The cases are being prosecuted by Health Care Fraud Strike Force teams from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, 48 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide, and nine State Attorney Generals’ Offices.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois is proud to partner with the Department of Justice and multiple law enforcement agencies in the largest health care fraud takedown in our District’s history,” said Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “Health care fraud is an insidious crime that siphons off hard-earned tax dollars meant to provide care for people of limited means as well as the vulnerable and disabled. It leads to increased health care costs, including higher insurance premiums and taxes, as well as potentially jeopardizing the quality and safety of treatment. At nearly $2 billion, the alleged combined fraud at issue in these cases is staggering. This type of criminal conduct not only undermines the very fabric of our health care system, but also can lead to mistrust between patient and health care provider, especially when the criminal conduct is committed by medical professionals in a position of trust. Our Office will continue to vigorously pursue those who seek to exploit these critically important health care programs by placing greed and profits above patient care.”
“This record-setting health care fraud takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake–this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”
The thirteen defendants in northern Illinois were charged in five cases filed in the Northern District of Illinois:
U.S. v. Charolia, et al
RUKNUDDIN “RICK” CHAROLIA, 43, AAMIR ALI ARIF, 32, SHEARYAR ARIF, 28, and FIZZA FARID, 29, all foreign citizens, were indicted for their alleged participation in a $700 million health care fraud scheme in which false and fraudulent claims were submitted to Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans for over-the-counter Covid-19 test kits, durable medical equipment products, and genetic tests that were not requested, not medically necessary, and/or not provided to the beneficiaries. As alleged in the indictment, Charolia and Aamir Ali Arif operated a call center in Pakistan called Hello International Marketing Solutions (“HIMS”), that obtained Medicare beneficiary information, including Medicare beneficiary identification numbers, through theft and deception. HIMS then purportedly contacted beneficiaries to obtain patient consent for the durable medical equipment products, Covid-19 test kits, and genetic tests, even though the products and services were often not requested or medically necessary. The purported consent for the Covid-19 test kits was sometimes even faked through artificial intelligence. Charolia, Aamir Ali Arif, Shearyar Arif, and Farid allegedly caused the durable medical equipment providers and laboratories to submit approximately $703 million in fraudulent claims for products and services that were not requested, not medically necessary, or not provided to beneficiaries, receiving at least approximately $418 million from Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans. Additionally, Charolia, Aamir Ali Arif, and FAIZAN SALEEM, 28, also a foreign national, were charged for their alleged participation in a conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the Anti-Kickback Statute for their sale and distribution of Medicare beneficiary information, including Medicare BINs, to durable medical equipment providers and laboratories in the United States.
All five defendants were also charged with participating in a money laundering conspiracy in which fraud proceeds were transferred to various U.S. accounts controlled by the defendants in an effort to conceal the source, location, ownership, and control of the funds. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Kelly M. Warner and Claire Sobczak Pacelli of the Midwest Strike Force, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmina Vajzovic of the Northern District of Illinois.
U.S. v. Ahmed, et al
ANOSH AHMED, 41, formerly of Chicago and Houston, Texas, MOHAMED SIRAJUDEEN, 53, of Chicago, MAHMOOD SAMI KHAN, 36, of Houston, Texas, and SUHAIB AHMAD CHAUDHRY, 34, of Houston, Texas, were indicted for their roles in an alleged $894 million fraudulent Covid-19 testing scheme. As alleged in the indictment, Ahmed, Sirajudeen, and Khan caused clinical laboratories in Illinois and Texas to submit false and fraudulent claims to the U.S. government’s HRSA Covid-19 Uninsured Program seeking reimbursement in the amount of approximately $894 million for Covid-19 testing, of which approximately $293 million was paid.
According to the indictment, Ahmed was a physician who used patient information obtained from a variety of sources, including a patient list from a hospital where he previously worked, to generate false claims that were submitted through a laboratory in Illinois. Dr. Ahmed allegedly falsely represented that the identifiers were associated with uninsured individuals who had submitted biological samples for Covid-19 testing, knowing that the purported patients had not submitted any samples. Ahmed allegedly also submitted false claims through labs in Texas that he owned but which were not operational. According to the indictment, Ahmed, Sirajudeen, Khan, and Chaudhry then laundered the fraud proceeds through various bank accounts to conceal the origin of the funds. Ahmed and Khan were charged with wire fraud and, along with Chaudhry, with conspiracy to commit money laundering. Ahmed was also charged with conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, obtaining individually identifiable health information without authorization and for commercial advantage, and money laundering. Sirajudeen was charged with money laundering.
The government has seized approximately $100 million in assets in this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sheri Mecklenburg and Kelly Guzman of the Northern District of Illinois, and Trial Attorney Claire Sobczak Pacelli of the Midwest Strike Force.
U.S. v. Elkoussa
JAMIL ELKOUSSA, 35, of Orland Park, Ill., was charged with five counts of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud the U.S. government’s HRSA Covid-19 Uninsured Program. As alleged in the indictment, Elkoussa operated Meridian Medical Staffing, which purported to collect samples for Covid-19 tests at numerous sites in Illinois and Florida. Elkoussa allegedly caused a laboratory to submit approximately $233 million in fraudulent claims to the HRSA Uninsured Program for Covid-19 test specimens purportedly collected from patients, even though he knew that such test specimens had not been collected from the purported patients, and many of those patients did not exist. According to the indictment, Elkoussa’s fraudulent conduct resulted in approximately $154 million in HRSA payments to the laboratory, for which Elkoussa received more than $60 million.
Approximately $6 million in assets have been seized in this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Claire Sobczak Pacelli of the Midwest Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Guzman of the Northern District of Illinois.
U.S. v. Muhammad, et al
MINHAJ FEROZ MUHAMMAD, 37, and SUFYAN FEROZE, 34, both of Naperville, Ill., were charged in connection with their involvement with FZ Medical Inc., d/b/a Next Labs Inc., which allegedly submitted more than $72 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois for Covid-19 laboratory testing services that were not provided to insureds. According to the indictment, the lab was paid more than $9.7 million for these claims. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Kelly M. Warner, with substantial assistance by former Trial Attorney Victor B. Yanz of the Midwest Strike Force.
U.S. v. Farley
CHER FARLEY, 52, of Earlville, Ill., was charged in connection with her acquisition of foreign-sourced drugs labeled as Botox and Sotox, and the subsequent dispensing of those drugs without a prescription. As alleged in a criminal information, Farley caused foreign-sourced Botox and Sotox without proper labeling to be introduced into interstate commerce from China and dispensed without a prescription to multiple victims. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly of the Northern District of Illinois.
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The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which works in partnership with U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. Prior to the charges announced as part of today’s nationwide takedown and since its inception in March 2007, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which operates in 27 districts, charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively billed Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurers more than $27 billion.
The public is reminded that charges are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
elkoussa_indictment.pdf muhammad_et_al_indictment.pdf farley_information.pdf charolia_et_al_indictment.pdf ahmed_et_al_indictment.pdfMan Indicted in Federal Court for Allegedly Carjacking Two Vehicles and Robbing Two Credit Unions in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a man for allegedly carjacking two vehicles and robbing two credit unions in Chicago.
MAURICE D. LEE, JR., committed the carjackings and robberies in May of last year, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The first carjacking and robbery occurred on May 10, 2024, when Lee took a Toyota from a driver and robbed a credit union at the University of Illinois Chicago, the indictment alleges. The second carjacking and robbery occurred on May 17, 2024, when Lee took a Toyota and robbed another credit union at the University of Illinois Chicago, the indictment states. Lee allegedly brandished a handgun in all the carjackings and robberies.
The indictment charges Lee, 32, of Chicago, with two counts of carjacking, two counts of robbery, and four counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Each firearm count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years, resulting in a total mandatory minimum sentence of 28 years in federal prison. Each robbery count is punishable by up to 20 years, while each carjacking count is punishable by up to 15 years.
Lee was arrested two days after the second robbery. He was in state custody until his arrest last month in the federal case. He remains detained without bond awaiting trial in federal court. Arraignment is set for July 7, 2025, at 9:45 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the University of Illinois Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Asheeka Desai.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
lee_indictment.pdfU.S. Attorney’s Office Charges Man with Assaulting Federal Employee Outside Federal Courthouse in Downtown ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged a man with assaulting a federal employee outside of the federal courthouse in downtown Chicago.
The assault occurred on Tuesday afternoon as the victim was standing on the sidewalk outside of the Dirksen Federal Building in the Loop neighborhood of Chicago. JOSHUA ROWELL, 36, of Chicago, approached the victim from behind and punched her on the side of her face, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The force of Rowell’s punch sent the victim stumbling into the street onto Jackson Boulevard, the complaint states.
The victim is an employee of the federal judiciary and was working in her official capacity as a federal employee when the assault occurred, the complaint states. She suffered a concussion and received treatment at a Chicago hospital.
Chicago Police arrested Rowell about an hour after the alleged assault. He remains detained in law enforcement custody. The complaint charges Rowell with one count of forcible assault of a federal employee, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of eight years in federal prison. His initial appearance in federal court has not yet been scheduled.
The complaint was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, LaDon A. Reynolds, United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Maione.
“Under my leadership, there will be zero tolerance for attacks against federal employees or attacks at the federal courthouse or any other federal government building or land in the Northern District of Illinois,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Our federal employees and the people of the Northern District of Illinois deserve to be able to go to and from work and enjoy all that downtown and Chicagoland have to offer without looking over their shoulders out of fear of being attacked. When assailants cross the line, they will be swiftly prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
The public is reminded that U.S. Attorney Boutros earlier this month created new Project Safe Neighborhoods enforcement zones in the economic centers of Chicago and the entire rail system operated by the Chicago Transit Authority, which was a first for the nation.
A complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
rowell_complaint.pdfMan Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison for Assaulting and Robbing Mail Carrier in Chicago SuburbRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A United States District Court judge sitting in Chicago has sentenced a man to nearly six years in federal prison for assaulting and robbing a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier in a Chicago suburb.
MALIK WASHINGTON robbed the mail carrier on Oct. 23, 2023, in Harvey, Ill. The mail carrier was delivering mail on his route when Washington approached and initially asked for rubber bands. Washington then reached out to grab a box from a bag the mail carrier wore around his shoulder, prompting the mail carrier to pull away. Washington drew a semiautomatic handgun from his sweatshirt and pointed it at the mail carrier’s stomach, telling him to give up his USPS-issued Arrow Key, which is a universal key that opens postal collection boxes. The mail carrier complied with the demand, and Washington fled the area with the key. Law enforcement arrested Washington four days later and recovered the stolen key.
Washington, 26, of Calumet City, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal robbery charge. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly sentenced Washington to five years and ten months in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ruth Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The Harvey, Ill. Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Merin.
“The U.S. Postal Service is a critical government function and its employees must be allowed to deliver mail to the American people safely and securely,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Our office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure that individuals who use violence against postal carriers to gain access to the public's mail will be held accountable.”
“The recent conviction and sentencing of Malik Washington demonstrate the tenacity and determination of the United States Postal Inspection Service in the agency’s pursuit for justice,” said USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Mendonça. “Safety of Postal Service employees and protection of our nation’s mail system is paramount to the mission of the Inspection Service. U.S. Postal Inspectors will continue to aggressively investigate those individuals who wish to do harm to public servants of the Postal Service. With the help of our local, state, and federal partners, we will safeguard the public’s trust in the U.S. Mail system.”
Chicago Man Convicted of Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
A Chicago man was convicted today of conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) by using social media to encourage attacks on ISIS’s enemies and recruit new ISIS members.
According to court documents, Ashraf Al Safoo, 41, was a leader of Khattab Media Foundation, a sophisticated online organization that swore allegiance to ISIS and created and disseminated threats and ISIS propaganda on social media and other online platforms. Al Safoo and other members of Khattab created and posted pro-ISIS videos, articles, essays, and infographics at the direction of, and in coordination with, ISIS. Much of Khattab’s propaganda promoted violent jihad on behalf of the terrorist group.
In one posting, Al Safoo encouraged Khattab members to post pro-ISIS information “to cause confusion and spread terror within the hearts of those who disbelieved.” In another posting, Al Safoo wrote, “Work hard, brothers, edit the issue into short clips, take the pictures out of it and publish the efforts of your brothers in the pages of the apostates. Participate in the war, and spread terror, the [Islamic] State does not want you to watch it only, rather, it incites you, and if you are unable to, use it to incite others.”
Many of Khattab’s postings included images of violence, celebrations of terrorist attacks and mass shootings in the United States, and encouragement for “lone wolf” attacks in western countries.
Al Safoo was arrested in Chicago in 2018. After a bench trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey found Al Safoo guilty of one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, one count of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate commerce, one count of conspiracy to intentionally access a protected computer without authorization, four counts of intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization, and four counts of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
The convictions carry a maximum penalty of 130 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 9. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois, and Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division made the announcement.
The FBI Chicago Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Wells, Barry Jonas, and Thomas P. Peabody for the Northern District of Illinois, and Trial Attorney Andrew J. Dixon of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Chicago Man Convicted of Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man was convicted in federal court today of conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) by using social media to encourage attacks on ISIS’s enemies and recruit new ISIS members.
ASHRAF AL SAFOO was a leader of Khattab Media Foundation, a sophisticated online organization that swore allegiance to ISIS and created and disseminated threats and ISIS propaganda on social media and other online platforms. Al Safoo and other members of Khattab created and posted pro-ISIS videos, articles, essays, and infographics at the direction of, and in coordination with, ISIS. Much of Khattab’s propaganda promoted violent jihad on behalf of ISIS, which has been designated by the United States government as a foreign terrorist organization. In one posting, Al Safoo encouraged Khattab members to post pro-ISIS information “to cause confusion and spread terror within the hearts of those who disbelieved.” In another posting, Al Safoo wrote, “Work hard, brothers, edit the issue into short clips, take the pictures out of it and publish the efforts of your brothers in the pages of the apostates. Participate in the war, and spread terror, the [Islamic] State does not want you to watch it only, rather, it incites you, and if you are unable to, use it to incite others.”
Many of Khattab’s postings included images of violence, celebrations of terrorist attacks and mass shootings in the United States, and encouragement for “lone wolf” attacks in western countries.
Al Safoo, 41, was arrested in Chicago in 2018. After a bench trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago in 2025, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey today announced his verdicts, finding Al Safoo guilty of one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, one count of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate commerce, one count of conspiracy to intentionally access a protected computer without authorization, four counts of intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization, and four counts of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
The convictions carry a maximum sentence of 130 years in federal prison. Judge Blakey set sentencing for Oct. 9, 2025.
The convictions were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the Department of Justice, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melody Wells, Barry Jonas, and Thomas P. Peabody of the Northern District of Illinois, and Trial Attorney Andrew J. Dixon of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
“Today’s conviction demonstrates that the safety and security of the American public is always a top priority for me and my entire Office,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The prosecution of Ashraf Al Safoo is a testament to the vigilance and dedication of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners who stand watch to disrupt and prevent dangerous threats before they materialize. We will vigorously pursue and bring to justice those who provide material support–in whatever form–to terrorist organizations.”
“The conviction of Al Safoo affirms the FBI’s strong commitment to protecting and defending the United States from anyone who seeks to harm our citizens,” said FBI Chicago SAC DePodesta. “Those who willingly associate with terrorist organizations or support violent extremism will be investigated, disrupted, and held accountable. It is thanks to the FBI Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force and its partner agencies that our community is safe from those who pose a fundamental threat to our nation.”
Suburban Chicago Man Indicted for Allegedly Fraudulently Obtaining Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been charged in federal court with fraudulently obtaining Social Security benefits in the name of his deceased father.
A grand jury sitting in Chicago has indicted RICHARD YOUNG, JR., 61, of Maywood, Ill., on four counts of bank fraud and one count of embezzlement of government funds. Young pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim in Chicago. A status hearing before U.S. District Judge John F. Kness has been scheduled for July 23, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.
According to the indictment, Young’s father died in 2006. Seven years later, Young filed an application with the Social Security Administration for benefits in the name of his deceased father. Unaware that the purported applicant was deceased, the Social Security Administration granted the application and began issuing benefits, eventually paying them via direct deposit into a bank account in the deceased father’s name, the indictment states. From 2015 to 2021, Young accessed approximately $178,683 from the account and used the money to make purchases at casinos, restaurants, gas stations, retail stores, and elsewhere, the indictment states.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Michelle L. Anderson, Assistant Inspector General for Audit at the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani.
“The indictment accuses Mr. Young of fraudulently obtaining benefits for years from a critically important retirement program,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Social Security fraud threatens the very foundation of a program that many millions of hard-working Americans depend upon in retirement—and which taxpayers fund through their hard-earned income. My Office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute anyone who seeks to fraudulently obtain Social Security or other program benefits.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count of bank fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison, while the embezzlement count is punishable by up to ten years.
young_indictment.pdfRockford Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison on Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
JOVINO RAMIREZ, 35, pleaded guilty earlier this year to knowingly and intentionally possessing cocaine and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and possessing a loaded handgun in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Ramirez to 78 months in federal prison.
Ramirez admitted in a plea agreement that following a traffic stop in May 2024 he was in possession of a bag containing 19.1 grams of cocaine and 1.9 grams of methamphetamine, which he tried to conceal during his encounter with the police. He also possessed a loaded handgun beneath the driver’s seat of his vehicle. Ramirez admitted he intended to sell the cocaine that he possessed.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher C. Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The Illinois State Police provided assistance in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Rosati and Lisa R. Munch.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Foreign National Sentenced to Prison for Conducting Cyber Scams That Victimized U.S. Citizens and BusinessesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A foreign national has been sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for conducting a variety of cyber fraud schemes that victimized U.S. citizens and businesses.
RIDWAN ADELEKE ADEPOJU and co-schemers operated multiple fraud schemes from Nigeria, including phishing scams, romance scams, and the submission of fraudulent tax returns. The scams involved multiple spoofed email addresses, fictional social media personas, and unwitting money mules. Adepoju’s schemes victimized numerous U.S. citizens and businesses, including individuals and companies in the Chicago area.
Adepoju, 33, of Lagos, Nigeria, was arrested last year in the United Kingdom and extradited to the United States. He pleaded guilty in March to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly imposed a 43-month prison sentence.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.
"Defendant’s offense involved a years-long, complex scheme, involving several types of scams and many victims,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Marie E. Ursini argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant chose to be a willing participant in the scheme over and over again.”
Chicago Lab Owner Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison in Connection with $14 Million Covid-19 Testing Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The owner of a Chicago laboratory was sentenced today to seven years in federal prison for his role in a Covid-19 testing fraud scheme.
ZISHAN ALVI, 46, of Inverness, Ill., owned and operated a laboratory in Chicago that performed testing for Covid-19. In 2021 and 2022, Alvi caused tens of thousands of claims to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for Covid-19 tests that were not performed as billed. As part of the scheme, the laboratory released negative test results to patients, even though the laboratory either had not tested the specimens or the results were inconclusive because Alvi diluted the tests to save on costs while making them unreliable. Alvi knew that the laboratory was releasing negative results for Covid-19 tests that were not performed or were inconclusive, but still caused the laboratory to submit claims to HRSA for those tests. Alvi also lied to laboratory directors to conceal his fraud. HRSA paid the laboratory more than $14 million because of the fraudulent claims that Alvi caused to be submitted.
Alvi pleaded guilty last year to one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr. imposed the prison sentence during a hearing today in federal court in Chicago. Judge Tharp also ordered Alvi to pay more than $14.1 million in restitution and forfeit more than $8 million in cash, a 2021 Range Rover HSE, a 2022 Tesla X, and a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLB250W4, all of which were previously seized by law enforcement.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Mario Pinto, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Region of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Hasten of the Northern District of Illinois, and Claire T. Sobczak, Trial Attorney of the Department of Justice's Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
“At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Zishan Alvi disregarded public health concerns in favor of greed and his own financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The government’s pandemic-relief programs were intended to keep people safe, not provide an avenue for fraud and illegal profits. Our Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to root out abuse of these important programs and hold accountable those who seek to fraudulently profit from them.”
“In the midst of economic uncertainty for many Americans, the defendant chose to cash in on a global pandemic by stealing millions of dollars and committing extensive fraud,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “Further, he placed patients and the public at risk by releasing false Covid-19 test results. The FBI and our dedicated partners are committed to investigating Covid con artists and ensuring they are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
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 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, 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.
Freeport, Ill. Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Distribution of CocaineRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Freeport, Ill. man has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for knowingly and intentionally distributing cocaine.
PARIS WALKER, 39, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of distribution of a controlled substance. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the sentence during a hearing on Thursday in federal court in Rockford.
Walker admitted that from 2019 to 2022, he knowingly and intentionally distributed cocaine to a confidential informant for the government. Additionally, Walker possessed cocaine on multiple occasions with the intent to distribute it. The total amount of cocaine involved in the offense of conviction and relevant conduct was at least 30.3 grams.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.
Former Illinois Speaker of the House Michael J. Madigan Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Prison After Corruption ConvictionRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge in Chicago today sentenced former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives MICHAEL J. MADIGAN to seven and a half years in federal prison for using his official position to corruptly solicit and receive personal financial rewards for himself and his associates.
A jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago earlier this year convicted Madigan of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States; using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity; wire fraud; and bribery. Evidence at the four-month trial revealed that Madigan, who served as House Speaker and occupied a number of other political roles, conspired with others to cause the utility company Commonwealth Edison to make monetary payments to Madigan’s associates as a reward for their loyalty to Madigan, in return for performing little or no legitimate work for the business. The true nature of the payments was to influence and reward Madigan in connection with specific legislation ComEd sought in the Illinois General Assembly.
Madigan, 83, of Chicago, also schemed with an Alderman of the Chicago City Council to steer legal work to Madigan’s private law firm and Madigan’s son, in exchange for Madigan’s assistance in inducing the Governor of Illinois to appoint the Alderman to a compensated state board position.
After reviewing Madigan’s criminal conduct and finding that Madigan perjured himself repeatedly in his trial testimony, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey imposed the seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence and fined Madigan $2.5 million.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government was represented today by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Streicker, Diane MacArthur, and Julia Schwartz.
“Corruption at the highest level of the state legislature tears at the fabric of a vital governing body,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “It was the grit and determination of our team of prosecutors and law enforcement agents, led by our former colleague, Amarjeet S. Bhachu, who served as the Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Public Corruption and Organized Crime Section until earlier this year, that allowed this case to reach a jury and send a clear message that the criminal conduct by former Speaker Madigan was unacceptable. I couldn’t be prouder of the strong commitment of our law enforcement partners at the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. Our Office and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to vigorously prosecute corruption at all levels of government and hold public officials accountable for violating the public trust.”
“Mr. Madigan was elected to serve the people of Illinois, but his actions demonstrated time and time again that his priority was his own personal interests and gain,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “Thanks to the dedicated investigative and prosecutorial teams, he will now be held accountable for those criminal actions. The FBI remains dedicated to aggressively investigating corruption and fraud to ensure that the public has faith in our democratic institutions and elected leaders who are truly honest and fair.”
“Today’s sentencing marks a pivotal moment in our commitment to uphold the integrity of public service,” said IRS-CI SAC Covington. “Through meticulously tracing the flow of illicit funds tied to legislative influence and no‑show jobs, our team has demonstrated that no individual—regardless of stature or tenure—is beyond the reach of the law. Holding Michael J. Madigan accountable today reinforces the core principle that public trust is sacred, and those who betray it will be brought to justice.”
Federal Law Enforcement Seizes Fentanyl and 25 Firearms from Suburban Chicago Residences and Storage Unit; Two Individuals ArrestedRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Federal law enforcement this week arrested two individuals after seizing multiple kilograms of fentanyl and approximately 25 firearms from their suburban Chicago residences and storage unit.
A criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges JAMES HOWARD, 32, of Frankfort, Ill., and SHANTEL ROBINSON, 31, of Oak Lawn, Ill., with drug conspiracy. Howard and Robinson were arrested on Thursday. They are scheduled to make initial appearances today in federal court in Chicago.
According to the complaint, law enforcement last week covertly discovered approximately 1.5 kilograms of suspected fentanyl and approximately 850 grams of suspected cocaine from a comforter blanket package that Howard had placed in the common area of Robinson’s apartment complex. A subsequent court-authorized search of Robinson’s apartment revealed that it contained multiple firearms and was being used as a drug laboratory, the complaint states. Law enforcement later conducted court-authorized searches of Howard’s residence and a storage unit Robinson leased in Alsip, Ill., and discovered additional kilograms of suspected narcotics, drug manufacturing paraphernalia, additional firearms, and two packages containing Glock “conversion devices,” which make handguns capable of firing multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger, the complaint states.
The complaint and arrests were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Valuable assistance was provided by the Illinois State Police, Will County Sheriff’s Office, Justice, Ill. Police Department, Woodridge, Ill. Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Elmhurst, Ill. Police Department, Chicago Police Department, Elgin, Ill. Police Department, Buffalo Grove, Ill. Police Department, Frankfort, Ill. Police Department, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kurt Siegal and Minje Shin. The officials noted that the investigation remains ongoing.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
howard_and_robinson_complaint.pdfUndocumented Immigrant Charged with Illegally Re-Entering United States After Multiple DeportationsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An undocumented immigrant residing in northern Illinois has been arrested on a federal immigration charge for allegedly unlawfully re-entering the United States after multiple deportations.
An indictment returned Monday in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges SALVADOR GUERRERO-LOPEZ, also known as “Jovani Hernandez Pina,” 42, with one count of unlawful re-entry after removal. Guerrero-Lopez, a Mexican national residing in Island Lake, Ill., was arrested on May 30, 2025. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
Guerrero-Lopez was deported from the United States to Mexico in 2004, 2011, and 2021 after criminal convictions for unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor in California and narcotics distribution in Arkansas, according to the indictment and a criminal complaint previously filed in the case. Most recently, he was taken into federal custody last month after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Eagle Pass, Texas, requested assistance from law enforcement in the Chicago area to locate and apprehend Guerrero-Lopez, who is under investigation in Texas for suspected criminal offenses, the complaint states.
The unlawful re-entry charge is punishable by up to twenty years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Defendants convicted of this offense are subject to deportation.
The indictment and arrest were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of ICE-HSI in Chicago. Substantial assistance was provided by ICE-HSI in Eagle Pass, Texas. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Havey.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
guerrero-lopez_indictment.pdf guerrero-lopez_complaint.pdfFive Defendants Charged in Federal Investigation Targeting Fentanyl Sales in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal investigation into fentanyl sales in Chicago has resulted in drug or firearm charges against five individuals.
An indictment unsealed this week in federal court in Chicago accuses four of the defendants of conspiring to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin in the city in 2023 and 2024. Three defendants are charged with illegally possessing firearms, including handguns equipped with a “switch” device, making them capable of firing multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger.
Charged with drug conspiracy and distribution are JARED DANIELS, 33, of Chicago, CRISTINE SERRANO, 34, of Chicago, SHERNELL ANDERSON, 35, of Chicago, and LARRY LEMON, 43, of Brookfield, Ill. Daniels, Serrano, and JONATHAN COLLINS, 33, of Chicago, are also charged with federal firearm offenses.
All five defendants are in law enforcement custody. The charges against Daniels, Serrano, Anderson, and Lemon carry a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, as well as mandatory minimums ranging from ten to 15 years. The charge against Collins is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Brookfield, Ill. Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago, FBI Minneapolis, Minn. Field Office, and the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Satellite Office of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
daniels_et_al_indictment.pdfRockford Woman Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Prison for Straw Purchasing FirearmsRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford woman has been sentenced to thirty-two months in federal prison for straw purchasing five firearms.
JESSICA BARRERA, 56, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of knowingly providing a false and fictitious written statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. The statement misrepresented that Barrera was the actual buyer of the firearms, when, in fact, she knew she was not the actual buyer.
Barrera admitted that in 2021 and 2022, she purchased five firearms in four separate transactions for her son, ANGEL BARRERA-ESTEVES, who was legally prohibited from owning a firearm and did not have a valid Firearm Owners Identification. Barrera completed firearm-transaction records indicating that she was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearms. She then provided the firearms to her son, knowing that he intended to sell the guns to others without a license. Barrera also purchased firearm ammunition for her son at his direction.
Barrera was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston in federal court in Rockford.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincenza L. Tomlinson.
Angel Barrera-Esteves, 27, of Rockford, pleaded guilty to federal firearm offenses and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 10, 2025.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney's Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to tackle a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Suburban Chicago Physician Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago physician has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for billing Medicaid and private insurers for nonexistent and unnecessary services.
MONA GHOSH owned and operated Progressive Women’s Healthcare, S.C., a medical office in Hoffman Estates, Ill., specializing in obstetrics and gynecology services. From 2018 to 2022, Ghosh submitted and caused her employees to submit fraudulent claims to Medicaid, TRICARE, and numerous other insurers for procedures and services that were not medically necessary, including endometrial ablations and biopsies, ultrasounds, vaccinations, laboratory blood tests, and tests for sexually transmitted diseases. Some of the procedures were performed without patient consent. Ghosh also fraudulently overstated the length and complexity of in-office and telemedicine visits and submitted claims using billing codes for which the visits did not qualify in order to seek higher reimbursement rates. Ghosh prepared false patient medical records to support the fraudulent reimbursement claims.
Ghosh, 52, of Inverness, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to two counts of health care fraud. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Franklin U. Valderrama imposed the ten-year prison sentence and ordered Ghosh to pay approximately $1.5 million in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Mario Pinto, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Jason Sargenski, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office; and Kwame Raoul, Illinois Attorney General. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kavitha Babu and Hayley Altabef.
“When physicians submit fraudulent claims to federal health care programs, they divert taxpayer-funded resources away from those who truly need them,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Dr. Ghosh’s fraud scheme was particularly egregious because she endangered the health of her patients by performing unnecessary medical procedures, including procedures that severely limited some patients' ability to have children in the future. We applaud the victims’ strength to come forward and confront this defendant. Our Office will fight tirelessly for victims and work diligently with our law enforcement partners to safeguard taxpayer funds and hold accountable those who steal from the American public.”
“Dr. Ghosh spent years traumatizing patients, lying to insurers, and stealing taxpayer money to feed her greed,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “The depraved conduct uncovered in this case represents an extreme betrayal of trust toward patients who were simply seeking care and integrity from their doctor. The FBI will continue to aggressively pursue and hold accountable any medical professional who seeks to harm patients for their personal enrichment.”
“Physicians and other medical professionals who place profits ahead of patient care do so at the expense of the very people they swore an oath to protect,” said HHS-OIG SAC Pinto. “The sentence imposed in this case reflects the severity of the defendant’s crimes and the harm inflicted on numerous patients. This investigation underscores our agency’s commitment to aggressively pursuing those who fraudulently submit claims to federal health care programs and put patients at risk.”
“It is imperative that our service members have full confidence that the medical care they receive is both legitimate and delivered by healthcare providers who are unwaveringly committed to their well-being,” said DCIS SAC Sargenski. “Today’s outcome should reassure the public that DCIS, alongside our investigative partners, remains steadfast in our pursuit of those who harm the health, safety, and readiness of our men and women in uniform.”
Federal Jury Convicts Man of Trafficking Multiple Rifles in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted a man of trafficking six rifles, including AR-15 semiautomatic rifles, and a handgun in Chicago.
CEDRIC CURTIS, 32, of Chicago, sold the six rifles and handgun to a buyer in 2018 and 2019. Unbeknownst to Curtis, the buyer was cooperating with federal law enforcement. Curtis was not a licensed firearms dealer and, having been previously convicted of a felony offense, could not legally possess a firearm.
The jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago last week convicted Curtis on one count of dealing firearms without a license and six counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso set sentencing for Oct. 1, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.
The conviction was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn D. McCarthy and Margaret A. Steindorf.
A co-defendant, DEONTA MOORE, 31, of Chicago, pleaded guilty prior to trial to a charge of illegal firearm possession by a previously convicted felon. Moore was sentenced to three years and a month in federal prison.
Holding illegal firearm dealers accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods. In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has deployed the PSN program to tackle a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Federal Jury Convicts Man of Robbing Bank in Lake County, Ill.Read the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago has convicted a man of robbing a bank in Lake County, Ill.
FRANCISCO MARTINEZ entered a First Midwest Bank branch in Round Lake, Ill., on Dec. 20, 2021, and handed the teller a folded piece of paper that read, “40k, 30 seconds, no tricks, go now.” Martinez then raised his shirt, showing what appeared to be the handle of a firearm tucked into his waistband. Martinez briefly grabbed a customer and threatened to take her with him from the bank. The teller complied with Martinez’s demands and handed him cash before Martinez fled the bank.
Martinez, 32, of Des Plaines, Ill., was arrested in June 2022 and has remained in law enforcement custody since then. Martinez committed the robbery while on court-supervised release following a prior bank robbery conviction.
On Monday, the jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago convicted him of one count of bank robbery, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger set sentencing for Aug. 29, 2025.
The conviction was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance was provided by the Round Lake Beach, Ill. Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The government has been represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jimmy Arce, Adam L. Rosenbloom, and Caitlin S. Walgamuth.
California Attorney Guilty of Federal Contempt Charge for Failing to Ensure Distribution of Settlement Funds to Relatives of Victims of Lion Air Flight 610Read the Press Release
CHICAGO — A California attorney has pleaded guilty to a contempt of court charge for willfully disobeying a court order that called for settlement funds to be distributed to relatives of victims killed in the crash of Lion Air Flight 610.
DAVID R. LIRA, 65, of Pasadena, Calif., entered the plea on Thursday before U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland in the Northern District of Illinois. Judge Rowland set sentencing for Oct. 8, 2025.
Lira worked for the California personal injury law firm Girardi Keese, which represented five clients who were relatives of passengers killed in the 2018 crash in the Java Sea. Girardi Keese filed lawsuits in federal court in Chicago against the plane’s manufacturer, Boeing Co., and settled the suits in 2020. In connection with the settlements, U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin ordered that the settlement funds, which included a total of $7.5 million for four of the clients, be sent to each client as soon as practicable. Although Boeing wired the settlement funds for those four victims into Girardi Keese’s client trust account, Lira admitted in a plea agreement that he knew for several months that the firm failed to distribute the money to the clients, in contravention of Judge Durkin’s order.
During those months, Lira admitted that the victims demanded their money but were not paid, and that there was nothing about the Covid-19 pandemic that precluded the firm from paying the money. Lira confronted another attorney at the firm, THOMAS GIRARDI, who was also Lira’s father-in-law, and demanded that Girardi pay the money to the clients, Lira’s plea agreement states. Lira admitted in his plea that he knew Girardi had misappropriated the money and that Lira was willfully violating Judge Durkin’s orders.
Lira ultimately resigned from the firm. The Lion Air Victims eventually received their settlement funds following a hearing before Judge Durkin when another law firm’s insurer paid the amount that Girardi had misappropriated.
Girardi, 86, of Seal Beach, Calif., was convicted last year by a federal jury in Los Angeles of embezzling millions of dollars in settlement funds from other clients. In connection with Girardi’s sentencing in that case, prosecutors in Los Angeles apprised the Court about Girardi’s misappropriation of settlement funds in the Lion Air matter. Girardi was sentenced earlier this week to more than seven years in federal prison.
Lira’s guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Hasten, Emily Vermylen, and Thomas Peabody.
“The willful failure to ensure distribution of settlement funds compounded the grief and anguish of the clients who lost loved ones in the Lion Air crash,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Attorneys who violate the trust of their clients and breach the fiduciary duty that is paramount to the practice of law will be held accountable.”
“The FBI stands committed to protecting victims of crime and holding those who have violated federal laws accountable, no matter how much time may have passed,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “The FBI is thankful for our continuing partnerships with law enforcement and our prosecutorial partners who have ensured justice in this case.”
u.s._v._lira_no._23_cr_54-3_-_plea_agreement.pdfU.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Expansion of Project Safe Neighborhoods in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today announced an expansion of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”)—a key component of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy—to include the economic centers in downtown Chicago and the entire rail system operated by the Chicago Transit Authority, including all train lines operating in every neighborhood from every part of the city.
The PSN program is a federally funded, nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. Until today, the PSN program was deployed in seven Chicago neighborhoods on the West and South sides of the city. The expansion announced today will implement the program in parts of three police districts in downtown financial zones that represent the economic engines of the city and region, as well as on the CTA trains that bring residents and visitors to those areas from every neighborhood of Chicago and from the city’s two international airports. Today’s announcement represents the first time anywhere in the country that the program will be deployed on mass transit.
The PSN expansion was announced by U.S. Attorney Boutros and members of the PSN Chicago Task Force, including the Chicago Police Department. Substantial assistance to the PSN program is provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.
“Downtown Chicago is the capital of the region’s economy and the cultural and civic heart of the Midwest, where interstate commerce runs strong,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros, who was sworn in as the United States Attorney on April 7, 2025. “Many billions of dollars of revenue, taxes, and investments are anchored in our city’s financial districts, and when violence and criminal activity cause our residents, businesses, and tourists not to feel safe to live, invest, and shop in Chicago, everyone suffers, whether at the federal, state, or local level. By investing PSN resources in our urban economic centers and the public transit system that feeds into them, we will help foster a downtown that is both safe and friendly to economic vitality for everyone. This initiative could not happen without a deep collaboration and shared commitment between the Department of Justice and our PSN partners to dedicate the resources necessary to support the downtown economic zones and the many millions of people who annually visit them, as well as the scores of businesses both large and small who serve them.”
“Partnership and collaboration with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners are vital in reducing violence and making Chicago safer for all,” said Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling. “Project Safe Neighborhoods reflects this spirit of collaboration and serves as an important tool in addressing crime in one of the busiest areas of our city. The expansion of this program builds on the progress CPD is making in combating crime citywide.”
“This new investment of federal resources is critically needed to address the threat that crime—including organized retail theft, carjacking, and armed robberies—pose to the heart of Chicago’s economy and to the transportation systems that tens of thousands of Chicagoans use to travel to and from the downtown,” said Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart. “For years, my office has devoted significant resources to aggressively combat crime throughout downtown Chicago, the Magnificent Mile, and the surrounding areas, and we welcome the much-needed expansion of Project Safe Neighborhoods to these areas.”
“ATF is proud to work with our federal, state, and local partners on the expansion of Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said ATF Chicago Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher Amon. “By combining resources and expertise, we are proactively taking steps to disrupt violent crime in key transit and economic areas to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors.”
“The FBI remains steadfast in our dogged pursuit of eliminating violent crime,” said FBI Chicago Special Agent-in-Charge Douglas S. DePodesta. “We continue to be thankful for the powerful collaboration between our many law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in this fight. Our combined efforts reflect our unwavering commitment to ensure that anyone who seeks to endanger our community will be held accountable.”
Originally launched in 2001, PSN is an evidence-based program that focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders, and partners with local prevention and reentry programs to pursue lasting reductions in crime. PSN follows four key design elements: focused and strategic enforcement; prevention and intervention; accountability; and community engagement.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office works closely with its Chicago PSN Task Force partners to assist with applying for and obtaining federal PSN grants to support anti-violence strategies in Chicago. By designating the downtown economic centers and CTA trains as PSN Enforcement Zones, PSN funds can now be deployed in various ways to help reduce violent crime in those areas, including:
Aggressively prosecuting violent offenders.
Hiring law enforcement personnel.
Paying certain overtime costs for law enforcement officers and others working downtown and aboard CTA trains.
Purchasing equipment to assist with violent crime reduction efforts.
Supporting multi-jurisdictional task forces.
Providing training and technical assistance under the national PSN program.
Expanding messaging to deter violence, including signage aboard CTA trains.
The enforcement efforts in the newly designated PSN Enforcement Zones will focus on the investigation and prosecution of individuals and organized groups who engage in illegal firearm possession, drug trafficking, robberies, carjackings, and other violent offenses. For violent offenders arrested downtown or aboard CTA trains, criminal prosecutors will bring appropriate charges to achieve maximum deterrence and will seek pretrial detention and substantial prison sentences for defendants who pose a danger to the community.
In addition to all of the CTA rail lines in every neighborhood in Chicago, the newly designated PSN Enforcement Zone, depicted on this map (reproduced below), extends from Division Street on the Near North Side, between Lake Michigan and La Salle Drive (e.g., Magnificent Mile and Oak Street shopping corridors, Navy Pier, Loop, and Millennium Park), to I-55 between Clark Street and Lake Michigan on the Near South Side (e.g., Museum Campus and McCormick Place), and extends west to Ogden and Ashland Avenues, between Grand Avenue and I-290 (e.g., Fulton Market and West Loop business corridors).
psn_economic_zone_map_june_2025.pdfInvestment Advisor Charged in Federal Court with Defrauding ClientRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An investment advisor has been charged in federal court with defrauding a suburban Chicago client out of approximately $500,000.
JORDAN ROMAN, 47, of Rancho Park, Calif., is charged with wire fraud in a criminal information filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Arraignment in federal court has not yet been scheduled.
According to the information, Roman operated Illinois-based Drumstick Timpani Fund L.P., through which he solicited and obtained funds from clients. Per the information, from 2012 to 2024, Roman fraudulently obtained funds from an investor in a Chicago suburb. He allegedly did so by misrepresenting the intended use of the investment and falsely boasting of the investment’s performance and value. In addition, Roman falsely told the victim that he would invest the money on the victim’s behalf, even though Roman knew some of the money would be used for Roman’s personal benefit, including paying utility and credit card bills, the information states.
Roman concealed his misappropriation by creating bogus account statements and tax forms that falsely represented the victim’s investment was greater than its actual value, the information states.
The information was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Hasten and Paige Nutini.
The public is reminded that an information is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
roman_information.pdfU.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago Obtains Forfeiture of $214 Million in Proceeds from Alleged “Pump and Dump” Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The U.S. Attorney’s Office has successfully obtained forfeiture to the government of approximately $214 million in proceeds from an alleged “pump-and-dump” investment fraud scheme that previously resulted in charges against seven individuals.
From November 2024 to February 2025, the defendants engaged in misleading promotion and coordinated trading of shares of China Liberal Education Holdings, Ltd., a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands that purported to provide educational services in China, according to an indictment returned in March in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The scheme, known as a “pump-and-dump,” allegedly involved individuals in China posing as U.S.-based investment advisors on social media and messaging platforms and falsely promising significant returns from investments in the company. The misleading promotion and coordinated trading caused the stock price to artificially rise, at which point the defendants sold thousands of shares and made millions of dollars in profits, the indictment states. The stock price ultimately decreased significantly, at the expense of other investors, some of whom lost almost the entirety of their investment.
During the investigation, federal law enforcement seized approximately $214 million in alleged proceeds from the fraud scheme. The funds are currently in U.S. custody. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso granted a motion by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago to have the money permanently forfeited to the United States. The order allows for the government to return the money to victim investors.
The forfeiture order was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Regional Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the SEC’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Hasten represents the government.
“As alleged in the indictment and forfeiture complaint, the defendants defrauded U.S. investors through deceitful and coordinated trading activities," said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Our attorneys and staff in this case placed a high priority on recovering funds for victims. The large forfeiture order of more than $200 million should serve as a warning that federal law enforcement will aggressively pursue fraudulent profits from those who seek to prey upon investors by manipulating the U.S. stock market.”
“Despite the overwhelming manipulation as alleged in this case, this serves as one of the premier FBI investigations in which the federal government was able to successfully recover victims’ hard-earned money before it disappeared into overseas bank accounts,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “This elaborate fraud scheme boasting bogus profit potentials has caused extensive harm to unsuspecting Americans. The FBI will continue to work with our partner networks to ensure that justice is served against anyone who seeks to weaponize financial systems to gain personal profit.”
Seven individuals were charged in the criminal indictment with wire fraud and securities fraud: LIM XIANG JIE CEDRIC, of Malaysia, MING-SHEN CHENG, of Taiwan, KO SEN CHAI, of Malaysia, KING SUNG WONG, of Malaysia, SIONG WEE VUN, of Malaysia, CHIEN LUNG MA, of Taiwan, and KOK WAH WONG, of Malaysia. The defendants are not in custody and warrants have been issued for their arrests. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If you believe you or someone you know may have been victimized by the fraud scheme charged in the indictment, you are encouraged to notify the FBI by completing this online form or calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
Ohio Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting Child He Met OnlineRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced an Ohio man to 30 years in prison for sexually exploiting a Chicago-area girl with whom he communicated on social media.
ANDREW BOLTZ began communicating with the then-16-year-old girl in 2020 on the social media application Omegle. Boltz continued communicating with the girl via text messaging and the social media application Snapchat. During these communications, Boltz enticed the victim into sending him sexually explicit images of herself. Boltz instructed the girl on what type of sexually explicit conduct should be portrayed in the images.
A federal jury in 2023 convicted Boltz, 27, of Kenton, Ohio, on exploitation and child pornography charges. The victim bravely testified at trial about being manipulated and degraded by Boltz.
U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey imposed the 30-year prison sentence during a hearing on Friday in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Peru, Ill. Police Department, LaSalle County, Ill. State’s Attorney’s Office, Wilmington, Ill. Police Department, Will County, Ill. State’s Attorney’s Office, Will County, Ill. Children's Advocacy Center, DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, Norwalk, Ohio Police Department, and the Cleveland, Ohio Field Office of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward A. Liva, Jr., Elly Moheb, and Kavitha Babu represented the government.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, while also providing critical services to victims.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to https://www.missingkids.org/ or calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Suburban Chicago Businessman Charged with Swindling Investors out of $3.6 MillionRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago businessman has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly swindling investors in his purported refining business out of at least $3.6 million.
An indictment returned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges AWAD ODEH, 41, of Palos Hills, Ill., with four counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Arraignment in federal court has not yet been scheduled.
According to the indictment, Odeh operated North American Refinery (NAR) in Bridgeview, Ill. The company was purportedly in the business of precious metals refining. From 2017 to 2020, Odeh fraudulently obtained funds from multiple investors by falsely representing that they would receive guaranteed annualized returns on their investments of ten to 50%. Odeh also falsely told victims that in the event NAR defaulted in making payments to investors, he would personally repay the full amount of their investments and their returns, the indictment states. In support of his fraudulent representations, Odeh allegedly provided investors with false documents that made it appear NAR was financially sound and able to meet its financial commitments.
In reality, the indictment states that investor funds were not used for NAR’s purported precious metals business. Odeh instead fraudulently used the funds for personal use and other non-NAR-related purposes, including funding an unrelated car company that Odeh owned and operated in Burr Ridge, Ill., the indictment states.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago, and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Prashant Kolluri.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
odeh_indictment.pdfRockford Woman Pleads Guilty to Preparing and Filing False Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford woman pleaded guilty on Tuesday in federal court to preparing and filing false income tax returns for others.
GRETCHEN ALVAREZ, 49, operated a tax preparation business called Sick Credit Repair Tax and Legal Services. Alvarez represented herself as an income tax preparer and held herself out to clients as a person trained in and knowledgeable about the preparation and filing of federal income tax returns. Alvarez did not have an IRS-issued Preparer Tax Identification Number to prepare federal income tax returns.
Alvarez admitted in a plea agreement that in 2019 and 2020 she misrepresented taxpayers’ eligibility for education tax credits and deducted fictitious business expenses from their taxable income. Alvarez fraudulently reduced the taxpayers’ tax liabilities and improperly qualified taxpayers for refunds that were greater than those to which the taxpayers were entitled. The total tax loss was $356,881.00.
Alvarez faces a maximum sentence of three years’ imprisonment. This offense also carries a maximum fine of $100,000. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston set sentencing for Sept. 17, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.
The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of IRS Criminal Investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Kim.
Federal Indictment Charges Rockford Man with ArsonRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly maliciously destroying - by means of fire and explosive materials - a building at 201 15th Ave. in Rockford.
JAMES PURIFOY, 50, committed the arson on Jan. 22, 2023, according to an indictment returned today in U.S. District Court in Rockford. Arraignment has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Rockford Fire Department and Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Maveus.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The minimum sentence for the arson count is five years in federal prison, while the maximum sentence is 20 years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
purifoy_indictment.pdfMan Sentenced to More Than Ten Years in Prison for Possessing Multiple Firearms While Trafficking Fentanyl in Chicago SuburbsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a man to more than a decade in prison for possessing multiple guns, including a semiautomatic rifle, while trafficking fentanyl and other narcotics in the Chicago suburbs.
A jury last year found OMARI ANDREWS, JR. guilty of possessing an AR-15 style firearm and three handguns while trafficking fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana in Mt. Prospect, Ill., in 2023. Andrews also pleaded guilty prior to trial to distributing fentanyl and heroin in Westmont, Ill., Villa Park, Ill., Des Plaines, Ill., and Hillside, Ill., in late 2022 and early 2023.
Andrews, 26, of Mt. Prospect, Ill., has been detained in federal custody since his arrest in 2023. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang sentenced Andrews to ten years and three months in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago. The Skokie, Ill. and Evanston, Ill. Police Departments provided valuable assistance.
“The defendant possessed a small arsenal of guns and ammunition in his apartment to protect his drug trafficking activity,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandro G. Ortega argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Drugs, and especially fentanyl, are a scourge to the public health and to law enforcement across the country, and a stain on the community.”
Holding firearm and drug offenders accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Kidnapping, Carjacking, and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for kidnapping three drivers and sexually assaulting two of them at gunpoint.
ANDREW ANANIA, 29, kidnapped an Uber driver on March 8, 2021, in Darien, Ill. Anania showed the driver a gun and forced her to drive to Chicago and park in alleys, where he sexually assaulted her before fleeing on foot. On March 10, 2021, Anania and another man, WALTER MORAN, kidnapped a woman who was on her way to work in Cicero, Ill. Anania pointed a gun at the driver and instructed her to drive to Chicago, where Moran exchanged gunfire with others on the street. The pair eventually released the victim and took her car. A jury earlier this year convicted Anania on kidnapping, carjacking, and firearm charges in connection with those incidents.
Anania pleaded guilty prior to trial to another kidnapping and carjacking. That incident occurred on Feb. 27, 2021, in Chicago, when Anania got in a vehicle with the driver, claimed he had a gun, and sexually assaulted her. The woman escaped when the car stopped at an intersection. Anania fled in the vehicle and crashed it a short time later.
Anania committed all of the offenses while awaiting trial in a separate, unrelated federal firearm case not assigned to the sentencing judge in this matter. Anania had been released on bond in that case after multiple court hearings at which the government repeatedly sought pre-trial detention.
U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang imposed the 50-year prison sentence during a hearing on May 13, 2025, in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance was provided by the Cicero, Ill. Police Department, Darien, Ill. Police Department, Summit, Ill. Police Department, Stickney, Ill. Police Department, Chicago Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cornelius Vandenberg, Megan Donohue, and Hayley Altabef.
Moran, of Cicero, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to kidnapping and carjacking charges. Judge Chang sentenced Moran in April to 15 years and eight months in federal prison.
Federal Judge Sentences Chicago Street Gang Member to 34 Years in Prison for Murdering a Man and Threatening a WitnessRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A member of a violent Chicago street gang has been sentenced to 34 years in federal prison for murdering a man to maintain and increase his position in the gang.
DIONTAE HARPER, 25, of Chicago, admitted in a plea agreement that he murdered Paul Harris on May 13, 2020. Harper and another man fired multiple shots at Harris as he sat in a vehicle at a gas station in the 8600 block of South Halsted Street in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood. Harper stated in the plea agreement that he committed the murder to maintain and increase his position in the Faceworld street gang, a criminal organization based on the South Side of Chicago whose members engaged in violent crimes and trafficked narcotics.
While Harper was detained in law enforcement custody earlier this year, he made threatening statements directed toward a witness.
Harper pleaded guilty in January to a federal charge of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, causing Harris’s death. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah imposed the 34-year prison sentence during a hearing on May 8, 2025, in federal court in Chicago.
Harper’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia Schwartz, Sushma Raju, and Matthew Moyer.
Two other individuals – the other shooter of Harris and the getaway driver – pleaded guilty to committing murder in aid of racketeering and are awaiting sentencing.
Twelve Years in Prison for Suburban Chicago Man Who Trafficked Fentanyl and Illegally Possessed HandgunRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man who trafficked fentanyl and cocaine and illegally possessed a loaded handgun has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.
WILLIAM FILLYAW possessed the drugs and gun on Oct. 28, 2022, in the parking lot of his apartment complex in Gurnee, Ill. Fillyaw carried a backpack that contained the cocaine packaged in quarter-ounce quantities, the fentanyl wrapped in three square bricks, and the handgun. Fillyaw intended to sell the fentanyl and cocaine on the streets, and he acknowledged possessing the gun in connection with his drug trafficking activities. The firearm had no serial number and had been assembled from a gun kit, making it an untraceable “ghost gun.”
Fillyaw, 47, pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal drug and firearm charges. U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly imposed the 12-year prison sentence during a hearing on Friday in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Michael E. Hensle, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Milwaukee, Wis., Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Milwaukee Police Department, Cudahy, Wis. Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol.
“Narcotics distribution and firearm offenses are serious crimes that adversely impact the people who live and work in the Northern District of Illinois,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirsten Moran and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The increased presence of ghost guns in Chicago, and the country in general, is troubling, as they are often used in crimes and are difficult to trace.”
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Federal Jury Convicts Prison Inmate of Murder and Hate Crime in Death of Fellow InmateRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — An inmate at Thomson Penitentiary in Thomson, Ill., has been convicted of murder and hate crime in the death of a fellow inmate.
After a seven-day trial, the jury in U.S. District Court in Rockford on Tuesday found BRANDON SIMONSON, also known as “Whitey,” 41, of Moorhead, Minn., guilty of all four counts against him, including second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, hate crime, and assault relating to the death of Matthew Phillips. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston set sentencing for Aug. 22, 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, Simonson conspired with a co-defendant, KRISTOPHER MARTIN, to beat Phillips because he was Jewish. Simonson and Martin assaulted Phillips to gain recognition and membership into a white supremacist anti-semitic prison gang called the Valhalla Bound Skinheads. Evidence showed Simonson punched and kicked Phillips in the face and head, despite Phillips being knocked unconscious and unable to defend himself. The assault on March 2, 2020, led to Phillips’ death three days later.
Martin, also known as “No Luck,” 43, of Brazil, Ind., pleaded guilty earlier this year and is awaiting sentencing.
The convictions were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincenza L. Tomlinson and Ronald DeWald.
“We are grateful to the jury for delivering justice in a very difficult case for Mr. Phillips’ family and the people of the Northern District of Illinois,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The significant convictions in this case are the result of the extraordinary dedication and commitment of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners. We will not tolerate criminal acts such as these anywhere in our district, including in our prison system.”
“The FBI and our law enforcement partners hold those accountable who compromise the safety or lives of others, even those serving sentences in prison,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “We continue to ask the public to help keep our communities safe from any acts of violence like those detailed in this case by reporting threatening or suspicious behavior immediately to local law enforcement or the FBI.”
Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Participating in Violent Kidnappings in the Chicago SuburbsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for conspiring to abduct several victims at gunpoint in the Chicago suburbs.
SEDGWICK WILLIAMS participated in kidnappings in Naperville, Ill., and Westchester, Ill., in the fall of 2019. Williams and a co-conspirator also attempted a third kidnapping in South Holland, Ill., but they were unsuccessful and were arrested fleeing from the intended victim’s residence.
A federal jury last year convicted Williams, 48, of Chicago, and co-defendant TAI HON LA, 35, of Beach Park, Ill., of participating in the kidnapping conspiracy and other related charges. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso sentenced Williams to 50 years in federal prison. La is scheduled to be sentenced on June 3, 2025.
Two other defendants pleaded guilty in the case. IVAN AYERS, 37, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to participating in the kidnapping conspiracy and is set to be sentenced on June 10, 2025. JONATHAN VARGAS, 38, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to kidnapping the first victim in Naperville and is set to be sentenced on June 5, 2025.
Williams’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The case was investigated with assistance from the Naperville Police Department, Westchester Police Department, South Holland Police Department, Chicago Police Department, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office.
According to evidence presented at trial, the first kidnapping occurred in Naperville on Oct. 17, 2019. The conspirators posed as law enforcement officers to handcuff and abduct a man at gunpoint outside of his electronics store, which they then burglarized. The conspirators forced the victim into a car and transported him to Chicago, where they assaulted him and extorted his family.
The conspirators carried out the kidnapping in Westchester on Nov. 16, 2019. Posing as federal agents, the conspirators handcuffed and abducted a man at gunpoint outside of his residence. The conspirators forced the victim into his home, where they seized another victim and forced them both into the basement. Two other victims later arrived at the residence and were also forced into the basement at gunpoint. The conspirators stole cash and jewelry before fleeing.
The conspirators attempted the third kidnapping in South Holland on Dec. 11, 2019, but the intended victim was able to call 911 and the South Holland Police arrived before the conspirators could gain access to the house.
“Williams orchestrated a series of incredibly violent abductions and armed robberies throughout Chicago and the neighboring suburbs,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Jodrey and Kate McClelland argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Williams and his co-conspirators ruthlessly threatened, restrained, beat, robbed, kidnapped, terrorized, and tortured people for their own personal gain.”
Federal Indictment Charges Three Alleged Members or Associates of Chicago Street Gang with Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Multiple Murders and CarjackingsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal superseding indictment returned today charges three alleged members or associates of a Chicago street gang with conspiring to commit multiple murders and carjackings in the city and suburbs.
EDSON RESENDEZ, MAVERICK CELA, and PREZILA APREZA committed the violence as part of their membership or association with the Spanish Gangster Disciples street gang, a criminal organization based on the Northwest Side of Chicago, according to a second superseding indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Cela was among the leaders of the gang, the indictment states. The indictment alleges that in furtherance of a racketeering conspiracy, Resendez, Cela, Apreza, and other gang members and associates committed three murders, two attempted murders, four carjackings, an attempted carjacking, and an act of arson. The violence occurred in a two-week period in 2020, the charges allege.
Resendez, 23, Cela, 24, and Apreza, 24, all of Chicago, are in law enforcement custody. Arraignments on the new superseding charges have not yet been scheduled.
The superseding indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Skokie, Ill. Police Department, Chicago Police Department, Morton Grove, Ill. Police Department, and Berwyn, Ill. Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cornelius A. Vandenberg and Simar Khera.
“Combating the unacceptable level of gang violence in the Chicago area has been and will continue to be a top priority in our Office,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “As I mark my first 30 days as the United States Attorney, I want to emphasize that we are using every available federal law enforcement tool to bring impactful cases that hold violent gang members accountable and reduce violent crime.”
"The FBI is committed to eradicating neighborhood street gangs and the violence unleashed in our communities,” said FBI Chicago SAC DePodesta. “This investigation is just one of many cases worked by FBI Chicago’s Violent Crime Task Force along with our dedicated Task Force Officers (TFOs) and local law enforcement partners. We remain united in using all available resources to ensure that groups like these can no longer harm Chicago’s residents.”
The second superseding indictment in this case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
resendez_et_al_second_superseding_indictment.pdfSuburban Chicago Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Cyberstalking Victim He Met OnlineRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for cyberstalking a victim he met on an online dating platform.
KEVIN CRUZ met the victim in 2021 on the dating application Grindr. While the pair communicated about a potential intimate relationship, the victim sent Cruz explicit photographs of himself. Cruz and the victim met in person on several occasions, but while Cruz expressed an interest in pursuing a romantic relationship, the victim did not.
From December 2021 to mid-2023, Cruz engaged in a course of harassing and intimidating conduct toward the victim. Cruz created numerous profiles on Grindr and other dating applications in which he impersonated the victim. Cruz, pretending to be the victim, arranged for men to travel to the victim’s home for sexual encounters. In some instances, Cruz, pretending to be the victim, instructed the men to enter the victim’s residence and attempt to have sex with the victim even if he resisted, as Cruz said the resistance would be part of a role-playing scenario. Numerous men arrived at the victim’s residence seeking sex as a result of their communications with Cruz.
Cruz also sent the victim’s explicit photographs to the victim’s family members, including his mother, brother, and cousins. In a text message sent by Cruz to the victim’s mother from a spoofed phone number, Cruz falsely suggested that the victim had committed suicide.
Cruz, 34, of Oak Park, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to a federal cyberstalking charge. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger on Wednesday ordered Cruz to pay $17,313.18 in restitution to the victim.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.
“Defendant’s conduct shocks the conscience,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan L. Shih argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “He created significant risks that the victim would be hurt, injured, and raped.”
Rockford Man Sentenced to Eleven Years in Prison for Attempting to Import More Than Half a Kilogram of FentanylRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was sentenced today to eleven years in federal prison for attempting to import more than half a kilogram of fentanyl into the United States from Mexico.
BENIGNO SANCHEZ, 47, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of attempting to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the sentence during a hearing in federal court in Rockford.
Sanchez admitted that in March 2023 he expected a package containing controlled substances to be delivered to him at an address in Rockford via FedEx from Mexico. Law enforcement agents intercepted the package, which contained more than 500 grams of fentanyl pressed into pills (designed to imitate opioid pills) that were hidden inside a wooden tortilla press. After detecting the fentanyl inside the package, law enforcement agents removed the drugs and delivered the package to Sanchez. Once delivered, Sanchez took custody of the package, drove it to another location, and opened it to take possession of what he believed to be the drugs.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.
Real Estate Developer Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison for Embezzling Millions from the Failed Washington Federal Bank in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge in Chicago has sentenced a real estate developer to more than six years in prison for participating in a conspiracy that embezzled millions of dollars from the failed Washington Federal Bank for Savings in Chicago.
Washington Federal, which was based in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, was shut down in 2017 after the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency determined that the bank was insolvent and had at least $66 million in nonperforming loans. For more than a decade, developer MIROSLAW KREJZA was part of a conspiracy that embezzled millions of dollars in bank funds. The embezzled funds were disguised as purported real estate development loan disbursements to Krejza and others. The conspirators were not required to repay these purported loans, and they never did.
A federal jury in 2023 convicted Krejza, 67, of Chicago, of conspiring to commit embezzlement and falsify bank records, and aiding and abetting embezzlement by bank employees. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall sentenced Krejza to six years and eight months in prison and ordered him to pay more than $2 million in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Vincent R. Zehme, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Region of the FDIC’s Office of Inspector General; Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Machelle L. Jindra, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General in Chicago; Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago; Korey Brinkman, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Central Region of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General; Andrea Peacock, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General; Deborah Witzburg, City of Chicago Inspector General; and Kathryn B. Richards, Chicago Housing Authority Inspector General. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Trustee Program. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Petersen, Kristin Pinkston, and Jeffrey Snell, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Netols.
The federal investigation into the collapse of Washington Federal led to criminal charges against 16 defendants, including the bank’s Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and other high-ranking employees, for conspiring to embezzle at least $31 million in bank funds. Krejza and three others were convicted after jury trials, while ten defendants pleaded guilty and two entered into deferred prosecution agreements.
Much of the embezzled money was transferred to Chicago attorney ROBERT M. KOWALSKI, real estate developer MAREK MATCZUK, and other individuals outside the bank without all of the required documentation and often without any documentation whatsoever. A jury convicted Robert Kowalski on bankruptcy fraud, bank embezzlement, and tax charges, while Matczuk was convicted of conspiring to commit embezzlement and falsify bank records, as well as aiding and abetting embezzlement by bank employees. Judge Kendall last year sentenced Robert Kowalski to 25 years in federal prison and Matczuk to nearly 13 years.
Robert Kowalski’s sister, JAN R. KOWALSKI, also an attorney, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to more than three years in prison for fraudulently enabling her brother to conceal more than $357,000 from creditors and the trustee in his bankruptcy case.
Three former members of Washington Federal’s Board of Directors pleaded guilty to conspiring to falsify bank records to deceive the OCC. WILLIAM M. MAHON was sentenced to 18 months in prison; GEORGE F. KOZDEMBA was sentenced to a year in prison; and JANICE M. WESTON was sentenced to three months in prison.
Owner of Chicago-Area Convenience Stores Convicted of Defrauding Low-Income Food Program for Women and ChildrenRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted the owner of several Chicago-area convenience stores of scheming to defraud a low-income food program for women and children.
HASSAN ABDELLATIF, also known as “Eric,” 36, of Chicago, was convicted of all five counts against him, including two counts of wire fraud, one count of fraudulently obtaining government benefits, and two counts of willfully failing to file corporate tax returns. The jury returned its verdicts on Monday after a week-long trial in federal court in Chicago. U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso set sentencing for Aug. 26, 2025.
Evidence at trial revealed that Abdellatif, who owned or operated El Milagro Mini Market, Supermercado El Grande, Star Mini Market, In & Out Grocery, and Harding Grocery, schemed with eight other store owners or workers to fraudulently redeem checks from the Women, Infants, and Children (“WIC”) program, a federally funded initiative designed to provide a nutritious diet to moderate and low-income infants, children up to five years of age, and pregnant, breastfeeding, and post-partum women. Over a period of several years, Abdellatif and the others knowingly allowed customers to provide their WIC checks as payment for ineligible items at the stores, often at inflated prices. Abdellatif and a co-defendant redeemed more than $6.5 million in WIC checks at two of the stores alone, before law enforcement searched those premises and shut down the fraud scheme.
The evidence established that ten stores involved in the scheme redeemed more than $19 million in WIC checks over an eight-year period. All eight of Abdellatif’s co-defendants pleaded guilty prior to his trial.
The convictions were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Shantel R. Robinson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Midwest Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kartik Raman, Rick Young, and Matthew Moyer.
California Truck Driver Sentenced to Eleven Years in Prison for Trafficking $2.5 Million Worth of CocaineRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A California truck driver was sentenced today to eleven years in federal prison for trafficking $2.5 million worth of cocaine that was destined for Chicago.
RONALD COLEMAN, 45, of Barstow, Calif., pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the sentence during a hearing in federal court in Rockford.
Coleman admitted in a plea agreement that in April 2023 he was the driver of a semi-truck and trailer traveling through Whiteside County, Ill. on Interstate 88. Inside his semi-trailer, he knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute more than 91 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $2.5 million. Coleman was transporting the cocaine to a warehouse in Chicago, where he was to exchange the drugs for cash and transport the money back to California. Inside his semi-truck, Coleman also possessed a firearm to protect himself, the cocaine, and the cash during the transport. Coleman expected to be paid for transporting the cocaine from California to Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The Illinois State Police provided assistance in the investigation.
The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Ladd.