Northern District of Illinois
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Chinese Telecommunications Company Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Steal Technology from Illinois-Based Motorola SolutionsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chinese telecommunications company has admitted in federal court in Chicago that it conspired to steal digital mobile radio technology developed by Illinois-based Motorola Solutions, Inc.
HYTERA COMMUNICATIONS CORP. LTD. pleaded guilty on Monday in the Northern District of Illinois to a federal charge of conspiracy to steal trade secrets. Under the terms of a plea agreement, Hytera may be fined up to $60 million. The Court must also order Hytera to make full restitution to Motorola, in an amount to be determined by the Court at sentencing.
The sentencing hearing is set for Nov. 6, 2025, before U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr.
According to the plea agreement, Hytera, through the acts of individuals acting to benefit the company, knowingly conspired to steal at least one trade secret from Motorola. In 2008, the individuals agreed to take documents and source code related to Motorola’s digital mobile radio technology, and then used some of that information to develop Hytera products, some of which were later sold in Illinois, the plea agreement states. Hytera stated in the plea agreement that the individuals knew and/or reasonably believed that some of the information they agreed to steal was reasonably protected and kept secret by Motorola, and that taking at least one trade secret would potentially injure Motorola.
The plea agreement was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 Steven J. Dollear, Melody Wells, Thomas P. Peabody, and Wesley Morrissette.
hytera_plea_agreement.pdfMan Charged in Federal Court with Robbing Postal Carrier at Gunpoint in Chicago Suburb; Second Man Charged with Firing at Investigating AgentsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been charged in federal court with robbing a United States Postal Service carrier at gunpoint in a Chicago suburb last week. A second man has been charged with firing shots at investigators near the scene of the robbery.
AHMEL HOLMES, 18, of Kankakee, Ill., robbed the postal carrier on Jan. 8, 2025, in Harvey, Ill., according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The postal carrier was on duty that morning delivering mail along East 158th Street near Union Avenue when Holmes approached her with a gun equipped with a drum magazine and demanded her belongings, the complaint states. Holmes then demanded and obtained access to the victim’s postal vehicle, from which he took a USPS tub containing mail, the complaint states.
Shortly after the robbery, two Postal Inspectors from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service were canvassing the area when they observed three individuals near an alley. When the inspectors moved toward them to speak with them, one of the men – JESUS SANTILLAN, 19, of Harvey, Ill. – pointed a handgun at the inspectors and fired shots, the complaint states. The inspectors were not wounded and did not return fire, but they chased Santillan into a nearby residence, where they arrested him, the complaint states. The inspectors also found Holmes in the residence and took him into custody.
Holmes is charged with armed robbery of a postal carrier, which is punishable by up to 25 years in federal prison. Santillan is charged with using a deadly and dangerous weapon to assault postal inspectors and impede performance of their official duties, which is punishable by up to 20 years.
A detention hearing for Holmes is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffery T. Gilbert. Santillan waived his right to a detention hearing at this stage of the case and was ordered to remain held in federal custody.
The complaint was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Maione.
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.
holmes_and_santillan_complaint.pdfFour Chicago Residents Charged in Federal Court as Part of Drug Trafficking InvestigationRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A drug trafficking investigation centered on the Northwest Side of Chicago has resulted in federal narcotics and firearm charges against four individuals.
The investigation, led by Homeland Security Investigations and the Chicago Police Department, utilized covert surveillance operations, undercover narcotics purchases, and wiretapped communications to shut down an open-air drug market in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood. As part of the investigation, law enforcement on Wednesday executed a court-authorized search of a residence in Chicago and discovered multi-kilogram quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine packaged for distribution.
Charged with federal drug offenses are JAUAN BROWN, 38, BRIUANNA MOORE, 26, and EYANNA ROSS, 21, all of Chicago. Charged with illegal firearm possession are Brown and WILLIAM DAVIS, 38, of Chicago. The four defendants made their initial appearances on Wednesday in federal court in Chicago.
In addition to the federal charges, 20 individuals were charged in state court as a result of this investigation.
The federal charges were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of HSI in Chicago, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of CPD. Valuable assistance was provided by the IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office and the Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force (HIDTA). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian F. Williamson and Kate McClelland represent the government in the federal cases.
The case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies.
The public is reminded that a complaint 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.
ross_complaint.pdf moore_complaint.pdf davis_et_al_complaint.pdf brown_complaint_2.pdf brown_complaint.pdfMan Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl and illegally possessing a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston on Tuesday sentenced MICHAEL MALLETT, 27, to 103 months in federal prison. Mallett pleaded guilty late last year to possession of a controlled substance and the unlawful possession of a firearm.
Mallet admitted in a plea agreement that on Aug. 19, 2020, he knowingly and intentionally possessed 7.39 grams of fentanyl and that he planned to sell it on the streets. Mallett also admitted that during the time he intended to distribute the fentanyl, he was in possession of a Glock Model 32, which had been converted into a machinegun by an after-market device known as an “auto sear.”
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 & Explosives, and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. 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.
Former Head of Suburban Chicago Public Library Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Embezzling More Than $770,000Read the Press Release
CHICAGO — The former director of the Markham, Ill. Public Library has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for embezzling more than $770,000 from the library over a decade.
From 2009 to 2019, XAVIER MENZIES misappropriated approximately $770,715 from the library. Much of the money was initially received by the Markham library from the public library district in nearby Posen, Ill., which paid Markham for allowing Posen residents to access the library and use its services. Menzies opened bank accounts in the name of Markham Public Library and deposited checks made out to the library. He later withdrew the funds and used the money for personal expenses, including mortgage payments, ticket purchases, and auto repairs. Menzies concealed the scheme by routinely misrepresenting the library’s financial condition to the Markham Public Library’s Board of Trustees.
As part of the fraud scheme, Menzies also increased his annual salary as library director without the approval or knowledge of the Board of Trustees and continued to receive the higher salary for approximately three years.
Menzies, 52, of Glenwood, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal wire fraud charge. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins imposed the prison sentence and ordered Menzies to pay $770,715 in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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.
“Fraud such as this one involving the misappropriation of public funds can be difficult to detect and lucrative to the participant,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Prashant Kolluri argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Greed and an arrogant belief that he would not be caught or significantly punished are the only explanations for why Menzies chose to engage in this fraud.”
Chicago Attorney Indicted on Immigration Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago attorney has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly providing false and fraudulent information to U.S. authorities to obtain immigration benefits for his foreign national clients.
GERARDO DEAN owned a law office in Chicago and represented a company that operated skilled-nursing facilities. An indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago alleges that Dean conspired with a company employee, FELICITAS CORDERO, to provide false and fraudulent information to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on behalf of individuals in the Philippines who were seeking U.S. visas. Specifically, Dean and Cordero filed and caused to be filed fraudulent H-1B and EB-2 visa petitions representing that the foreign nationals had managerial, supervisory, or higher-level jobs waiting for them at the company, when in actuality Dean and Cordero knew that the foreign nationals would work for the company as staff or registered nurses at lower rates of pay than what was stated in the visa petitions, the indictment states. Dean and Cordero also allegedly instructed the foreign nationals to provide false information about the purported managerial, supervisory, or higher-level jobs during their overseas consular interviews. Dean and Cordero did so knowing that U.S. immigration officials had a higher likelihood of approving H-1B or EB-2 visa petitions that stated the employer would hire a foreign national in a managerial, supervisory, or other higher level position, the indictment states.
The charges allege that Dean and Cordero collected money from foreign nationals whom they helped fraudulently obtain the visas to work at the company, and that Dean also collected money from the company for his fraudulent conduct.
The indictment charges Dean, 58, of Park Ridge, Ill., and Cordero, 76, of Buffalo Grove, Ill., with one count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud and three individual counts of immigration fraud. Dean and Cordero were arraigned Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago, Mark Woods-Hawkins, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service’s Chicago Field Office, and James Mead, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Prashant Kolluri.
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.
0001_-_0000_-_indictment_as_to_gerardo_dean_1_counts_1-4_felicitas.pdfSuburban Chicago Man Charged with Embezzling Millions from Nonprofit OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The former Executive Director of a Chicago-area nonprofit organization has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly embezzling millions of dollars in cash and real estate interests belonging to the organization.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER served as executive director of a nonprofit organization that developed and provided affordable housing to low-income residents and senior citizens in the Chicago area and Florida. From 2018 to 2022, Schneider fraudulently transferred cash and real estate interests from the nonprofit to himself, concealing the fraud by fabricating documents that falsely reflected the transfers had been authorized, according to an indictment returned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The real estate interests included the rights to use the roof of a senior living facility owned by the nonprofit in Northlake, Ill., as a location for a cell phone tower, the indictment states. In early 2022, Schneider caused the nonprofit to assign its interest in a cell phone tower lease to a company owned and controlled by Schneider, in exchange for no money or other consideration, the indictment states. Shortly thereafter, Schneider sold the interest in the roof to a third-party real estate company for approximately $500,000, the indictment states.
The charges also allege that Schneider solicited and obtained kickbacks or bribes from brokerage and architectural firms retained by the nonprofit for development projects in Illinois and Florida. Schneider also schemed to take complete financial control of a senior living facility in Calumet Park, Ill. that had been owned and developed by the nonprofit, the charges allege.
The indictment charges Schneider, 54, of Antioch, Ill., with five counts of wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud. Arraignment in U.S. District Court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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. Attorney Corey B. Rubenstein.
Each count in the indictment is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. 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.
schneider_indictment.pdfReal Estate Developer Sentenced to Nearly 13 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 nearly 13 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 MAREK MATCZUK 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 Matczuk and others. The conspirators were not required to repay these purported loans, and they never did.
A jury in federal court last year convicted Matczuk, 61, of Park Ridge, Ill., of conspiring to commit embezzlement and falsify bank records, and aiding and abetting embezzlement by bank employees. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall sentenced Matczuk to 12 years and eleven months in prison and ordered him to pay more than $5.9 million in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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; 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 Chicago Field Office; Korey Brinkman, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Central Region of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General; Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; 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. Matczuk 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 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 false statement charges. Judge Kendall in August sentenced Robert Kowalski to 25 years in federal prison. 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.
Chicago attorney PATRICK D. THOMPSON was convicted by a jury in 2022 of making false statements to the FDIC regarding the amount of money he received from Washington Federal via a purported loan and other unsecured payments. He was also convicted of filing tax returns in which he falsely deducted interest that he had not actually paid to Washington Federal. Thompson was sentenced to four months in federal prison.
Chinese National Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Laundering $62 Million in Drug Proceeds on Behalf of Mexican TraffickersRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge in Chicago has sentenced a Chinese national to a decade in prison for laundering $62 million in illegal drug proceeds on behalf of traffickers in Mexico.
From 2016 to 2018, HAIPING PAN schemed with others to launder up to $3 million per month in drug proceeds using secretive money pickups in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and other parts of the United States, followed by a series of currency swaps between the United States and China, and China and Mexico. Pan played a significant role in the money laundering process, using his international financial expertise and relationships with members or associates of Mexican drug cartels to facilitate the clandestine flow of drug money through businesses and banks around the world. The illicit proceeds ultimately were remitted to the traffickers in Mexico.
During the conspiracy, Pan and his co-conspirators completed an average of one to two pickups per week, with the amounts ranging from $150,000 to $1 million per pickup. In total, Pan knowingly participated in the laundering and attempted laundering of approximately $62 million in drug proceeds.
Pan, 44, is a Chinese national who facilitated the money transfers while residing in Guadalajara, Mexico. He was arrested in Mexico and extradited to the U.S. in 2022. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman imposed the ten-year prison sentence during a hearing on Thursday in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago, and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Rothblatt.
“The defendant was a significant part of a recent phenomenon in which a relatively small network of Chinese money brokers based in Mexico have come to dominate international money laundering markets,” the government argued in its sentencing memorandum. “Defendant’s crimes allowed his drug trafficking clients to secure the fruits of their pernicious trade faster, cheaper, and more securely than ever before.”
Numerous other money launderers were convicted as part of the federal investigation, including Pan’s co-conspirators XIANBING GAN, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison, and HUANXIN LONG, who was sentenced to five and a half years.
Federal Indictment Charges Four Men with Robbery and Firearm Offenses in Connection with Heist of Electronics Equipment in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Four men have been indicted on federal robbery and firearm charges for allegedly participating in a heist of electronics equipment in Chicago.
KAHDAFFIE GREEN, JAHJUAN GREEN, CHAQWON BIRDEN, and MARQUISE RAMYYEH conspired to rob Meade Electrical Company on the South Side of Chicago on Dec. 6, 2023, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Wearing hoods and ski masks, the four defendants brandished firearms and robbed employees of a RIDGID camera and a Digitrak locator box, the indictment states.
The indictment charges Kahdaffie Green, 25, Jahjuan Green, 27, Birden, 26, and Ramyyeh, 20, all of Chicago, with robbery conspiracy and brandishing firearms during a crime of violence. Kahdaffie Green and Ramyyeh are also charged with illegally possessing firearms as previously convicted felons.
Arraignments in federal court in Chicago are scheduled for Jan. 2, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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. Attorney Emily C.R. Vermylen.
Valuable assistance was provided by ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago. The CGIC is a centralized law enforcement hub that focuses exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in Chicago and throughout northern Illinois. The CGIC is an interagency collaboration that brings together - under one roof - federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and intelligence analysts to move quickly to investigate and prosecute violent crimes.
Holding firearm offenders accountable through federal prosecution is the centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative that brings together law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders, and other stakeholders to develop comprehensive solutions to the most pressing violent crime problems in a community. 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.
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. Brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence is punishable by a minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a maximum of life. The robbery conspiracy charge is punishable by up to 20 years, while illegal possession of a firearm by a felon carries a maximum of 15 years.
0001_-_0000_-_indictment_as_to_kahdaffie_green_1_counts_1-2.pdfSuburban Chicago Man Sentenced to More Than 19 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to more than 19 years in federal prison for enticing numerous children to produce and record sexually explicit conduct.
Using the screennames “coreyjohnsonnn” and “jayyyjansen,” GLENN CLIFFORD MESSMER communicated with children on the social media platforms Telegram and Snapchat and paid them to produce sexually explicit material in accordance with his instructions. Messmer maintained detailed notes about his victims, identifying their names, ages, friends, years in school, physical features, and willingness to engage with him.
A law enforcement search of Messmer’s electronic devices after his arrest in 2023 showed that he possessed more than 350,000 images and nearly 18,000 videos depicting child sexual abuse. Many of the images and videos depicted sexual abuse of prepubescent children, including some as young as four years old.
Messmer, 48, of Darien, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal child pornography charge. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Franklin U. Valderrama sentenced Messmer to 19 years and seven months in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of Homeland Security Investigations. The Darien, Ill. Police Department provided valuable assistance.
The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sushma Raju and Adam L. Rosenbloom.
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 www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Suburban Chicago Businessman Charged with Covid-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – A suburban Chicago businessman has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly scheming with a California man to fraudulently obtain more than $6.3 million in small business loans and grants under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”).
FRANCESCO DISTEFANO, 28, of Addison, Ill., and SARGIS URUMIEH, 57, of Glendale, Calif., allegedly engaged in fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL), two sources of relief under the CARES Act. Pursuant to the Act, a PPP loan allowed the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spend a certain amount of the proceeds on essential expenses, such as payroll and rent. The EIDL Program provided loan assistance or grants to cover working capital and other operating expenses.
According to a superseding indictment returned in the Northern District of Illinois, Distefano and Urumieh applied for and obtained loans and grants for West Coast POS Inc. and National POS Inc., two companies where Urumieh served as a corporate officer. Distefano also applied for and obtained loans for Distefano Enterprises LLC, an entity that he owned and controlled, the indictment states. The applications contained numerous false statements and misrepresentations regarding the companies’ operations, including the number of employees, gross revenues, and payroll expenses, the indictment states.
The indictment alleges that Distefano used the fraud proceeds to purchase, among other things, numerous luxury automobiles, including a Lamborghini Huracan, Maserati Ghibli, and Porsche 911. The indictment also accuses Distefano and Urumieh of using fraud proceeds and a fraudulent mortgage application to purchase a residential property in Glendale, Calif.
The indictment charges Distefano with eleven counts of wire fraud, five counts of money laundering, and one count of knowingly making a false statement to a bank. Urumieh is charged with eight counts of wire fraud. Arraignments in federal court in Chicago have not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 Chicago Field Office, and Hannibal “Mike” Ware, Inspector General of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey S. Snell.
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. Each count of wire fraud and money laundering is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, while the maximum sentence for the false statement count is 30 years.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving Covid-19 can report it to the Department of Justice by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud at (866) 720-5721, or by filing a complaint online at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
0039_-_0000_-_second_superseding_indictment_as_to_francesco_distefano.pdfChicago Man Charged in Federal Court with Trafficking Dozens of Firearms to West AfricaRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been charged with federal firearm violations for allegedly trafficking dozens of firearms from the United States to the West African nation of Ghana.
A criminal complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges ANTHONY NEE AMOO, 54, with willfully exporting firearms in violation of U.S. laws and regulations. Nee Amoo was arrested on Monday and remains in federal custody. A detention hearing is set for Thursday at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole.
According to the complaint, Nee Amoo purchased 71 firearms in northern Illinois from 2006 to 2024 and exported them to Ghana by either personally traveling with the guns or shipping them in vehicles or barrels. The complaint alleges that Nee Amoo did not declare the firearms or inform the shippers about them. He also lacked a U.S. license to export the guns, the complaint states. For each of the 29 firearms Nee Amoo purchased since October 2020, he signed a federal form warning him that exporting a firearm without proper authorization from the U.S. government subjects him to a fine or imprisonment, the charges allege.
The complaint was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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. Attorneys LeighAnn M. Thomas and Michael Maione.
The investigation is being conducted in coordination with ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago. The CGIC is a centralized law enforcement hub that focuses exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in Chicago and throughout northern Illinois. The CGIC is an interagency collaboration that brings together - under one roof - federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and intelligence analysts to move quickly to investigate and prosecute violent crimes.
Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is a centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s cross-jurisdictional strike force aimed at reducing gun violence. As part of the Chicago firearms trafficking strike force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with the FBI, ATF, Chicago Police Department, and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes.
Holding firearm offenders accountable through federal prosecution is also a focus of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. 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.
The public is reminded that a complaint 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 charge in the complaint is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison.
nee_amoo_complaint.pdfChicago Attorney Convicted of Tax Fraud and Witness Tampering ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted a Chicago attorney of committing tax fraud, attempting to tamper with a witness, and violating a court order.
MICHAEL ABRAMSON, 75, of Wilmette Ill., was convicted Tuesday on all 15 tax fraud, witness tampering, and violation of court order charges against him. The jury returned the verdicts after a week-long trial in federal court in Chicago. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah set sentencing for May 1, 2024.
Abramson was an attorney in Chicago when he filed and caused to be filed false individual tax returns for himself and false corporate returns for a company in which he held an ownership interest – Illinois-based Leasing Employment Services Co., Inc. Evidence at trial revealed that Abramson provided more than $1 million for personal expenses to a woman with whom he was romantically involved. He then took deductions on what were falsely characterized as commissions or loans and included the fraudulent loans as an asset on the company’s tax returns. The expenses Abramson characterized as purported loans included funds expended on behalf of the woman related to a condo in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood, several luxury automobiles, and payments for travel, shopping, and restaurants.
Following the indictment in this case, the Court ordered Abramson not to have any contact with witnesses, including Abramson’s bookkeeper, whom Abramson knew would be an important witness at trial. Weeks before trial was initially set to begin on Feb. 5, 2024, Abramson gave the bookkeeper a copy of her previous court testimony, on which he had made handwritten notes changing, supplementing, or otherwise scripting her answers, and told her to review it before trial. Although Abramson told the bookkeeper not to bring the notes to a meeting with law enforcement, the bookkeeper nonetheless turned the scripted transcript over to law enforcement.
The jury convictions were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office, 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 Richard M. Rothblatt and Edward A. Liva, Jr.
Three Men Sentenced to Federal Prison in Connection with Violent Kidnapping in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Three men have been sentenced to federal prison terms for their roles in abducting a man in broad daylight and holding him for ransom in a Chicago auto body shop.
In 2015, ANTONIO SALGADO, OCTAVIO ALEJANDRE JR., and ARMANDO DELGADO planned to kidnap a man suspected of involvement in drug trafficking. The kidnapping plan went awry after the abductors realized they kidnapped the wrong man. The victim of the kidnapping was a relative of the intended target. After being taken at gunpoint outside of his suburban Chicago home, the victim was blindfolded, held at gunpoint, and beaten for nearly two days in the auto body shop in Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood. The kidnappers contacted another of the victim’s relatives and demanded drugs or cash.
Unbeknownst to the defendants, several of their phones had previously been intercepted by federal authorities who were conducting an unrelated investigation. In a recorded call between Salgado and Delgado on the day after the kidnapping, Delgado told Salgado, “There is a little situation. It’s the wrong guy because it’s his brother . . . that we’re trying to get.” Salgado replied, “Let the guy go, but beat the [expletive] out of him.” The victim was eventually released.
The three kidnappers pleaded guilty to a federal extortion charge. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood sentenced Salgado, 42, of Chicago, to ten and a half years in prison. On Dec. 3, 2024, Judge Wood sentenced Alejandre Jr., 41, of Chicago, to ten and a half years. On Nov. 26, 2024, Judge Wood sentenced Delgado, 44, of Chicago, to 14 years and seven months in prison.
During the prosecution of the kidnapping case, Salgado failed to appear for court proceedings and became a fugitive for nearly eight months, until he was located and arrested. Salgado was charged in a separate criminal case with contempt of court.
The sentences were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 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 Berwyn, Ill. Police Department and the Chicago Police Department.
“There is perhaps nothing more serious than grabbing a person off the street at gunpoint, using force and intimidation and beatings to detain them,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kartik K. Raman and Erika L. Csicsila argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The kidnapping involved in this case was violent, involved guns and other implements, and resulted in the detention of a victim for over 24 hours.”
Criminal Charges Unsealed in Chicago Against Two Former High-Ranking Syrian Government Intelligence Officials for War Crimes Against Americans and Other CiviliansRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An indictment was unsealed today in Chicago charging two high-ranking Syrian officials under former President Bashar al-Assad with war crimes. The indictment charges the former Syrian intelligence officials with engaging in a conspiracy to commit cruel and inhuman treatment of civilian detainees, including U.S. citizens, during the course of the Syrian civil war.
Former Syrian Air Force Intelligence officers Jamil Hassan, 72, and Abdul Salam Mahmoud, 65, were each charged in connection with a conspiracy to commit war crimes through the infliction of cruel and inhuman treatment on detainees under their control, including U.S. citizens, in detention facilities at the Mezzeh Military Airport near Damascus, Syria. Warrants for the defendants’ arrest have been issued, and they remain at large.
“The perpetrators of the Assad regime’s atrocities against American citizens and other civilians during the Syrian civil war must answer for their heinous crimes,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As alleged, these Assad regime intelligence officials whipped, kicked, electrocuted, and burned their victims; hung them by their wrists for prolonged periods of time; threatened them with rape and death; and falsely told them that their family members had been killed. The Justice Department has a long memory, and we will never stop working to find and bring to justice those who tortured Americans.”
“The Assad regime may have fallen, but our commitment to accountability continues unabated,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “For the second time in a year, the Department of Justice has brought charges against those who committed war crimes against U.S. citizens, deploying a previously unused federal law to hold accountable individuals who engaged in cruel and inhuman atrocities during armed conflict.”
“The serious human rights abuses set forth in this indictment must not go unpunished,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois. “The United States Attorney’s Office in Chicago remains steadfastly committed to bringing justice to the victims of these heinous crimes, no matter where the perpetrators are or how long it takes.”
“Torture is one of the most egregious crimes that the FBI investigates, and this historic indictment memorializes our commitment to accountability and justice,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “This multi-year investigation is the culmination of the tireless work by FBI personnel, both in the US and overseas, and the courage of countless victims and witnesses affected by the Assad Regime in Syria.”
“Hassan and Mahmoud allegedly oversaw the systematic use of torture and cruelty on perceived enemies of the Syrian regime, including American citizens,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI is fully committed to working with our law enforcement partners around the world to ensure these alleged war criminals are held accountable for their actions and justice is brought to the victims of these atrocities.”
“The defendants are alleged to have committed atrocities against political dissidents, including U.S. citizens, opposing a brutal and now-deposed dictatorial regime,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “War crimes such as the torture described in this indictment strike at the basic human rights that we all share. This historic indictment — the second brought under the U.S. War Crimes statute — demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to pursue accountability for those who commit war crimes and other atrocities wherever they may occur.”
According to the indictment, Hassan was the Director of Syrian Air Force Intelligence and oversaw a network of detention facilities, including the Mezzeh Prison in Damascus, where civilians perceived to be opponents of the Syrian regime were detained and subjected to cruel and inhuman treatment. Mahmoud was a Brigadier General in the Syrian Air Force Intelligence and directed operations at the Mezzeh Prison.
The indictment alleges that from 2012 to 2019, Hassan and Mahmoud conspired to identify, intimidate, threaten, punish, and kill people detained at Mezzeh Prison suspected of aiding or supporting opponents of the regime, such as those who protested, provided medical aid to opponents of the regime, or publicly criticized the regime. According to the indictment, detainees in the defendants’ custody, including U.S. citizens, were mercilessly beaten, electrocuted, and had their toenails removed. Detainees were also allegedly hung from the ceiling by their wrists and were burned with acid. The defendants allegedly conspired to create an atmosphere of terror at Mezzeh, forcing detainees to listen to the screams of tortured prisoners and share cells with the dead bodies of other detainees, while guards threatened to kill and sexually assault their family members. The detainees were also allegedly deprived of adequate food, water, and medical care.
The defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit the war crime of cruel and inhuman treatment. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Chicago Field Office investigated the war crimes allegations in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), and Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. The Justice Department thanks the United Nations International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism for Syria, as well as French and German authorities, for their assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Dollear, Barry Jonas, and Ann Marie Ursini for the Northern District of Illinois, and HRSP Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Nielsen and Frank Rangoussis. HRSP historian Phil Hoffman provided assistance in the investigation and prosecution.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States or the location of the defendants named in this indictment are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or through the FBI online tip form. All are staffed around the clock, and tips may be provided anonymously.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
us_v._hassan.indictment.filed_.pdfCriminal Charges Unsealed Against Two Former High-Ranking Syrian Government Intelligence Officials for War Crimes against Americans and Other CiviliansRead the Press Release
A copy of the indictment can be found here.
An indictment was unsealed today in the Northern District of Illinois charging two high-ranking Syrian officials under former President Bashar al-Assad with war crimes. The indictment charges the former Syrian intelligence officials with engaging in a conspiracy to commit cruel and inhuman treatment of civilian detainees, including U.S. citizens, during the course of the Syrian civil war.
Former Syrian Air Force Intelligence officers Jamil Hassan, 72, and Abdul Salam Mahmoud, 65, were each charged in connection with a conspiracy to commit war crimes through the infliction of cruel and inhuman treatment on detainees under their control, including U.S. citizens, in detention facilities at the Mezzeh Military Airport (Mezzeh Prison), near Damascus, Syria. Warrants for the defendants’ arrest have been issued, and they remain at large.
“The perpetrators of the Assad regime’s atrocities against American citizens and other civilians during the Syrian civil war must answer for their heinous crimes,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As alleged, these Assad regime intelligence officials whipped, kicked, electrocuted, and burned their victims; hung them by their wrists for prolonged periods of time; threatened them with rape and death; and falsely told them that their family members had been killed. The Justice Department has a long memory, and we will never stop working to find and bring to justice those who tortured Americans.”
“The Assad regime may have fallen, but our commitment to accountability continues unabated,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “For the second time in a year, the Department of Justice has brought charges against those who committed war crimes against U.S. citizens, deploying a previously unused federal law to hold accountable individuals who engaged in cruel and inhuman atrocities during armed conflict.”
“Hassan and Mahmoud allegedly oversaw the systematic use of cruel and inhumane treatment on perceived enemies of the Syrian regime, including American citizens,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI is fully committed to working with our law enforcement partners around the world to ensure these alleged war criminals are held accountable for their actions and justice is brought to the victims of these atrocities.”
“The defendants are alleged to have committed atrocities against political dissidents, including U.S. citizens, opposing a brutal and now-deposed dictatorial regime,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “War crimes such as the torture described in this indictment strike at the basic human rights that we all share. This historic indictment — the second brought under the U.S. War Crimes statute — demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to pursue accountability for those who commit war crimes and other atrocities wherever they may occur.”
“The serious human rights abuses set forth in this indictment must not go unpunished,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois. “The United States Attorney’s Office in Chicago remains steadfastly committed to bringing justice to the victims of these heinous crimes, no matter where the perpetrators are or how long it takes.”
“Human rights abuses are among the most egregious crimes that the FBI investigates, and this historic indictment memorializes our commitment to accountability and justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “This multi-year investigation is the culmination of the tireless work by FBI personnel, both in the United States and overseas, and the courage of countless victims and witnesses affected by the Assad Regime in Syria.”
According to the indictment, Hassan was the Director of Syrian Air Force Intelligence and oversaw a network of detention facilities, including the Mezzeh Prison in Damascus, where civilians perceived to be opponents of the Syrian regime were detained and subjected to cruel and inhuman treatment. Mahmoud was a Brigadier General in the Syrian Air Force Intelligence and directed operations at the Mezzeh Prison.
The indictment alleges that, between January 2012 and July 2019, Hassan and Mahmoud conspired to identify, intimidate, threaten, punish, and kill people detained at Mezzeh Prison suspected of aiding or supporting opponents of the regime, such as those who protested, provided medical aid to opponents of the regime, or publicly criticized the regime. According to the indictment, detainees in the defendants’ custody, including U.S. citizens, were mercilessly beaten, electrocuted, and had their toenails removed. Detainees were also allegedly hung from the ceiling by their wrists and were burned with acid. The defendants allegedly conspired to create an atmosphere of terror at Mezzeh, forcing detainees to listen to the screams of tortured prisoners and share cells with the dead bodies of other detainees, while guards threatened to kill and sexually assault their family members. The detainees were also allegedly deprived of adequate food, water, and medical care.
The defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit the war crime of cruel and inhuman treatment. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Chicago Field Office investigated the war crimes allegations in partnership with the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, and Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. The Justice Department thanks the United Nations International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism for Syria, as well as French authorities, for their assistance.
HRSP Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Nielsen and Frank Rangoussis and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Dollear, Barry Jonas, and Ann Marie Ursini for the Northern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case. HRSP historian Phil Hoffman provided substantial assistance in the investigation and prosecution.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States or the location of the defendants named in this indictment are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or through the FBI online tip form. All are staffed around the clock, and tips may be provided anonymously.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking, Possession of Child Pornography, and Escaping from CustodyRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a man to 35 years in prison for sex trafficking seven women in the Chicago area, escaping from custody while awaiting trial on those charges, and possessing child pornography.
BRIAN JOHNSON, 59, of Evergreen Park, Ill., used multiple aliases to pose as the male owner or female employee of an art gallery and film production company with purported connections to major magazines, overseas distributors, and film producers. He sought amateurs seeking to start a career in artistic nude modeling and film, enticing his victims with false promises of full-time employment at a lucrative salary, professional connections, and foreign travel. In preparation for what he told the women would be an “audition,” Johnson provided alcohol and encouraged the women to drink it. During the “audition,” he took explicit photos and videos of the victims and had sex with them. Afterward, Johnson claimed that his distributor found the photos and videos unsatisfactory and that the women would need to pose and have sex with him again in a “re-shoot” in order to get paid. In reality, there was no gallery, film company, or distributor.
When victims expressed reluctance to re-shoot the video, Johnson threatened to distribute their images, and did, in fact, distribute their images online. Johnson continued to harass his victims, even years later, by sending them the explicit photos and reminding them of their encounters with him. None of the victims ever received any money from Johnson.
A jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago earlier this year heard testimony from seven of Johnson’s victims before convicting him of sex trafficking and other offenses. Johnson also pleaded guilty prior to trial to an escape charge for failing to return to a federal jail in Chicago after being granted a three-hour furlough to attend his mother’s visitation. After briefly attending the visitation, Johnson returned to his home, packed a suitcase, and fled. Among the possessions he took with him were numerous images of the sex trafficking victims, including images which he knew were child pornography. After a three-day search, the FBI found and arrested Johnson at a restaurant near Midway Airport in Chicago.
U.S. District Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer imposed the 35-year prison sentence on Monday in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Phillip Arnold, Chief of the Shorewood, Ill. Police Department, and Michael Saunders, Chief of the Evergreen Park, Ill. Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elly Moheb and Maureen M. Merin.
If you or someone you know may have been a victim of human trafficking, you are encouraged to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline by logging on to https://humantraffickinghotline.org or by calling 1-888-373-7888. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Operations Manager at McCormick Place in Chicago Charged with Pocketing Kickbacks from Snowplow VendorRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An operations manager at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly pocketing kickbacks from a company contracted to provide snowplow services at the facility.
DOMINICK GIRONDA was employed on behalf of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, which operates McCormick Place. Gironda managed contracts with vendors that provided services at the McCormick Place campus, which consists of multiple buildings, parking lots, and other spaces for conventions and trade shows. According to an indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago, Gironda schemed with an associate, JAMES SANSONE, to approve inflated invoices for services that were not actually provided at McCormick Place. The false invoices included compensation for individuals who had not worked on particular snow removal projects and equipment that had not been utilized, the indictment states.
After Gironda approved full payment of the false invoices, cash was kicked back to Sansone, who then passed on some or all of the money to Gironda, the indictment states. From 2022 to earlier this year, Gironda and Sansone allegedly received kickbacks totaling approximately $26,700. The indictment alleges that when Gironda, Sansone, and others texted with each other about the scam, they used coded language that referred to the kickback payments as bottles of wine.
Gironda, 54, of Bloomingdale, Ill., and Sansone, 38, of Batavia, Ill., were arrested this morning. Gironda is scheduled to make an initial appearance in federal court today at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila M. Finnegan, followed by Sansone at 2:15 p.m. The indictment charges them with three counts of mail fraud, each of which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 Sushma Raju and Richard Rothblatt.
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.
gironda_et_al_indictment.pdfFederal Judge Sentences Man to More Than 14 Years in Prison for Carjacking Vehicles at Gunpoint in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a man to fourteen and a half years in prison for carjacking multiple vehicles at gunpoint in Chicago.
On a single afternoon in April 2018, EARRIOUS MOORE stole three cars, attempted to steal two others, and shot two people during a series of crimes in Chicago. In the final attempted carjacking, a victim sitting in a Mercedes-Benz in the 1400 block of North DuSable Lake Shore Drive in the city’s Gold Coast neighborhood was shot in the back of the shoulder and subsequently treated at a hospital. Moore ran from that vehicle and was apprehended by Chicago Police officers in the lobby of a nearby building.
Moore, 30, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to carjacking, attempted carjacking, and firearm charges. U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo imposed the sentence on Friday during a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 & Explosives, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.
“The violence and terror the defendant wrought on the victims of his carjacking spree will likely never be forgotten by his victims and those who witnessed these appalling events,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandro G. Ortega argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.
Two Chicago-Area Residents Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conducting Online Inheritance and Romance ScamsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An undercover law enforcement investigation has resulted in federal prison sentences for two Nigerian nationals residing in the Chicago suburbs who conducted online inheritance scams and other fraud schemes.
Using aliases, ANTHONY EMEKA IBEKIE and SAMUEL ANIUKWU communicated with victims throughout the United States, convincing them they had received substantial inheritances and needed to send money to individuals associated with the defendants in order to claim it. In addition to the inheritance scam, the pair carried out an online romance scam that involved communicating with victims via social media and dating websites, building trust with the victims through a purported online romance, and convincing them to send money to a predetermined recipient. Aniukwu and Ibekie also orchestrated a “business email compromise” scam that targeted corporate email accounts.
The fraud schemes were uncovered by a covert law enforcement investigation. The scams resulted in losses to victims of at least $3.5 million.
A federal jury earlier this year convicted Ibekie, 59, of Oswego, Ill., on all 14 counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, making false statements to a bank, and passport fraud. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger on Thursday sentenced Ibekie to 20 years in federal prison.
Aniukwu, 50, of Romeoville, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to wire fraud and money laundering charges. Judge Seeger on Nov. 8, 2024, sentenced Aniukwu to ten years in prison.
A third defendant, JENNIFER GOSHA, 52, a U.S. citizen from Oak Park, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of wire fraud and making false statements to a federal agent. Gosha is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Seeger on Dec. 18, 2024.
Aniukwu’s and Ibekie’s sentencings were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office, Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago, and Ruth Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago. Valuable assistance was provided by the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige A. Nutini and Megan DeMarco represent the government.
Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Prison for Illegally Exporting Firearm Parts to IsraelRead the Press Release
CHICAGO —A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison for illegally shipping firearm parts to Israel.
AMIN BETUNI shipped the firearm parts to individuals in Israel on at least three occasions in 2022. The parts included rifle barrels, gas blocks for rifles, and bolt carrier groups. Betuni put false information on the shipping labels and concealed the firearm parts in packages containing auto parts or George Foreman grills. The firearm parts were on the United States Commerce Control List and subject to federal export regulations. As such, their export from the U.S. to Israel required a license or written approval from the Department of Commerce, neither of which was obtained by Betuni prior to his shipments.
During a court-authorized search of Betuni’s residence in Palos Hills, Ill., in December 2022, law enforcement discovered more than 1,200 rounds of assorted ammunition, a shotgun, rifle, and handgun, additional bolt carrier groups, and three firearm conversion devices, also known as “Glock switches,” which equip firearms to fire multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger.
Betuni, 37, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal charge of knowingly and fraudulently exporting firearm parts in violation of U.S. laws and regulations. U.S. District Judge John F. Kness on Thursday sentenced Betuni to 46 months in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations, and Aaron Tambrini, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Palos Hills, Ill. Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn D. McCarthy.
“Export-control violations are critically important because they undermine federal laws and regulations that seek to protect international security,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to relentlessly pursue those who seek to exploit U.S. export-control laws for financial gain.”
"The sentencing of Betuni to 46 months in federal prison for illegally shipping firearm parts highlights the serious consequences of violating export control laws,” said SAC Fitzgerald. “This case underscores the critical importance of strong law enforcement partnerships. By working together, we can effectively investigate and prosecute those who stand in the way of public safety.”
“The sentencing of Amin Betuni sends a strong message to those that violate export controls,” said SAC Tambrini. “This multi-agency investigation demonstrates the commitment by law enforcement to intercept firearms hidden in small appliances to thwart the illegal trade of firearms around the globe.”
Man Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Federal Prison for Threatening Law Enforcement and Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Machesney Park, Ill. man has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for threatening to assault and murder federal law enforcement officers and unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition.
JACOB BALABUSZKO, 28, admitted in a plea agreement that after an FBI Task Force Officer and an FBI Special Agent interviewed him in 2020 and 2021 as part of an official investigation, he threatened, “Next time you two come to my house unannounced, I’m going to shoot you on sight, that is a threat.” Balabuszko made additional threats in a Signal chat group, inciting others in the group to kill law enforcement officers and collect their badges, shoot out their tires, and burn down their homes. Balabuszko admitted in the plea agreement that he had the capacity to carry out these threats by illegally possessing firearms, ammunition, and body armor in his home.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Balabuszko to 41 months in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 Illinois State Police assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.
Illinois Man Arrested for Allegedly Plotting to Abduct a Child in FloridaRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An Illinois man has been arrested in Chicago for allegedly plotting to abduct a child from a school in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
DEVONTAY SHIELDS, 35, of Danville, Ill., is charged with one count of attempted kidnapping, according to a criminal complaint filed Sunday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Shields was arrested on Saturday at Union Station in Chicago as he attempted to board an Amtrak train to Miami, Fla. He remains detained in federal custody. A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 25, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman.
According to the federal complaint, Shields plotted to kidnap a boy from a school in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and hold him for a $100,000 ransom. Shields communicated his plans to individuals who, unbeknownst to Shields, were cooperating with law enforcement. At the direction of law enforcement, the cooperating individuals surreptitiously recorded a conversation with Shields, during which Shields stated that he planned to “get me a little boy” from the Florida school, the complaint states. Prior to leaving for Florida, Shields went to retail stores and purchased two children’s toys and zip ties. He was in possession of those items when he was arrested at Union Station.
The complaint was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations. Substantial assistance was provided by the HSI Fort Lauderdale office, Chicago Police Department, Amtrak Police Department, Chicago Metropolitan Rail Police Department, Carpentersville, Ill. Police Department, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirsten Moran.
The attempted kidnapping charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The public is reminded that a complaint 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.
shields_complaint.pdfMan Sentenced to More Than Eleven Years in Prison for Participating in Two Robberies in RockfordRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to more than eleven years in federal prison for participating in two robberies in Rockford.
THOMAS L. HAWKINS, 38, pleaded guilty earlier this year to robbing a Red Roof Inn and a Mobil gas station, both of which were located in Rockford.
Hawkins admitted in a plea agreement that on Sept. 26, 2020, he was armed with a dangerous weapon that resembled a firearm and pointed it at an employee of the Red Roof Inn while a co-conspirator forced the employee to a rear counter. Hawkins and the co-conspirator stole approximately $1,600 before fleeing the Red Roof Inn.
Hawkins and a co-conspirator robbed the Mobil gas station on Oct. 20, 2020. Hawkins was armed with a firearm and pointed it at an employee while the co-conspirator pushed the employee to a rear area of the store. Hawkins and the co-conspirator stole approximately $1,100 before fleeing the gas station.
U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston on Friday sentenced Hawkins to eleven years and three months in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Chicago Field Office. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Kim.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Three Banks at GunpointRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for robbing three banks at gunpoint.
In 2020 and 2021, CHRISTOPHER PORTER, 53, robbed a bank in Evergreen Park, Ill., and two banks in Chicago. In all of the robberies, Porter pointed a gun at tellers and customers. In the third robbery, Porter put a customer in a headlock, pointed a gun at his head, and pinned him against a wall.
A federal jury in 2022 convicted Porter of all three robberies, as well as a firearm charge. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman imposed the sentence on Thursday during a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 Cook County Sheriff’s Office.
“Defendant terrorized innocent bank tellers and customers,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas P. Peabody and Paige A. Nutini argued to the Court at sentencing. “His short spree of bank robberies was serious, violent, criminal conduct.”
Federal Grand Jury in Chicago Indicts High-Ranking Member of Sinaloa Cartel on Drug Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel on a drug conspiracy charge for allegedly manufacturing cocaine, fentanyl, and other drugs in Mexico and importing them into the United States.
According to an indictment returned Monday in the Northern District of Illinois, JOSE ANGEL CANOBBIO INZUNZA served as a principal advisor, lieutenant, and security chief for Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, who along with his three brothers allegedly led a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico after the arrest and imprisonment of their father, Joaquin Guzman Loera. The indictment accuses Canobbio Inzunza of conspiring with the brothers – who are known as the “Chapitos” – and others to manufacture cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana in Mexico and import the drugs into the United States for further distribution. Canobbio Inzunza financed and led an armed security group known as Los Chimales, which provided security for the Guzman faction of the Sinaloa Cartel and engaged in armed conflict to assist the Chapitos in importing drugs into the United States, the indictment states. The Chapitos were charged last year in other U.S. indictments.
The indictment against Canobbio Inzunza, 44, charges him with drug conspiracy. The charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Canobbio Inzunza is believed to be residing in Mexico and a U.S. warrant has been issued for his arrest.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Nicole M. Argentieri, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Tara K. McGrath, United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, Stacey Moy, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office, and Francisco B. Burrola, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Arizona Field Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Erskine and Michelle Parthum of the Northern District of Illinois, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sutton of the Southern District of California, and Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of the Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
canobbio_inzunza_indictment.pdfJustice Department Announces Settlement and Consent Decree with Chicago Cubs over Alleged Americans with Disabilities Act Violations at Wrigley FieldRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced a settlement and proposed consent decree with the Chicago Cubs to resolve alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at Wrigley Field.
“The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that sports venues like Wrigley Field be accessible to people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have full and equal access to public accommodations, including our ballparks.”
“As a result of this settlement, baseball fans with physical disabilities will have vastly improved options at Wrigley Field — on par with those available to all other patrons,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois. “The Chicago Cubs are to be commended for working collaboratively with our office to find solutions, demonstrating their commitment to providing accessibility for people with disabilities.”
The department filed a lawsuit in 2022 against the Cubs, alleging that the organization’s renovation and reconstruction of Wrigley Field — a multi-year undertaking known as “the 1060 Project” — discriminated against individuals with disabilities. The lawsuit alleged, among other things, that the Cubs failed to provide wheelchair users with adequate sightlines as compared to standing patrons and failed to incorporate wheelchair seating into premium clubs and group seating areas.
Under the settlement, the Cubs will make numerous remediations to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities, including by removing noncompliant wheelchair spaces and companion seats and replacing them with wheelchair spaces that have significantly improved views of the field and fully compliant sightlines. The remediations will take place in every area of the stadium, including incorporating wheelchair spaces and companion seats into premium club areas at the front of the grandstand that will, for the first time, provide some front-row access for fans in wheelchairs. The Cubs have also agreed to modify protruding objects along circulation paths within Wrigley Field and ensure that certain parking and shuttle services outside the stadium are compliant. All Cubs employees and contractors whose job responsibilities involve contact with patrons with disabilities will receive training on the settlement before each of the next three baseball seasons.
The settlement and proposed consent decree have been submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for final approval. Over the next several years, the Cubs will submit to the United States written reports detailing their compliance with certain obligations in the consent decree. The United States may review compliance with the consent decree, including by inspecting Wrigley Field, at any time during the next three years.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham J. Souza and Patrick W. Johnson for the Northern District of Illinois handled the case.
For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat discrimination in public accommodations, please visit the ADA’s government website.
Justice Department Announces Settlement and Consent Decree with Chicago Cubs over Alleged Americans with Disabilities Act Violations at Wrigley FieldRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – The Justice Department today announced a settlement and proposed consent decree with the Chicago Cubs to resolve alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at Wrigley Field.
“As a result of this settlement, baseball fans with physical disabilities will have vastly improved options at Wrigley Field — on par with those available to all other patrons,” said Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “The Chicago Cubs are to be commended for working collaboratively with our office to find solutions, demonstrating their commitment to providing accessibility for people with disabilities.”
“The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that sports venues like Wrigley Field be accessible to people with disabilities,” said Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have full and equal access to public accommodations, including our ballparks.”
The department filed a lawsuit in 2022 against the Cubs, alleging that the organization’s renovation and reconstruction of Wrigley Field — a multi-year undertaking known as “the 1060 Project” — discriminated against individuals with disabilities. The lawsuit alleged, among other things, that the Cubs failed to provide wheelchair users with adequate sightlines as compared to standing patrons and failed to incorporate wheelchair seating into premium clubs and group seating areas.
Under the settlement, the Cubs will make numerous remediations to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities, including by removing noncompliant wheelchair spaces and companion seats and replacing them with wheelchair spaces that have significantly improved views of the field and fully compliant sightlines. The remediations will take place in every area of the stadium, including incorporating wheelchair spaces and companion seats into premium club areas at the front of the grandstand that will, for the first time, provide some front-row access for fans in wheelchairs. The Cubs have also agreed to modify protruding objects along circulation paths within Wrigley Field and ensure that certain parking and shuttle services outside the stadium are compliant. All Cubs employees and contractors whose job responsibilities involve contact with patrons with disabilities will receive training on the settlement before each of the next three baseball seasons.
The settlement and proposed consent decree have been submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for final approval. Over the next several years, the Cubs will submit to the United States written reports detailing their compliance with certain obligations in the consent decree. The United States may review compliance with the consent decree, including by inspecting Wrigley Field, at any time during the next three years.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham J. Souza and Patrick W. Johnson for the Northern District of Illinois handled the case.
For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat discrimination in public accommodations, please visit the ADA government website.
The claims resolved by the consent decree are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
consent_decree.pdfU.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago Announces Telephone Hotline to Report Voting Rights Complaints on Election DayRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will operate a telephone hotline on Election Day (Nov. 5, 2024) to receive complaints related to the voting process.
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing a local point of contact for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination, and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys and other staff will monitor the hotline. The hotline numbers, staffed on Election Day only, are (312) 469-6157 and (312) 469-6158. The Office’s Election Day Program will be supervised by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan DeMarco.
In addition, the FBI Chicago Field Office will have Special Agents and staff available on Election Day to receive allegations of election fraud or other election-related complaints. The phone number for the FBI Chicago Field Office is (312) 421-6700.
Complaints can also be made to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by phone at (800) 253-3931 or online at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
Federal laws protect the rights of voters to mark their own ballot or be assisted by a person of their choice. Federal laws protect against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes. Violations of federal election laws could result in prison time and monetary fines.
In the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, voters are advised to call 911 before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over such incidents at polling sites and will almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
For information about the location and hours of polling sites, Illinois residents are advised to contact the Illinois State Board of Elections by logging on to www.elections.il.gov or by calling (312) 814-6440.
Federal Indictment Charges Three Men with Chicago CarjackingRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted three men on carjacking and firearm charges for allegedly violently stealing a vehicle in Chicago.
MARQUELL DAVIS, 22, RAMONE BRADLEY, 26, and EDMUND SINGLETON, 34, all of Chicago, conspired to take an Infiniti Q50 and a BMW X6 on Nov. 3, 2022, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Davis carried a firearm while the trio carjacked the Infiniti’s driver at a gas station in the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago, the indictment states. Later that day, Bradley and Davis carried firearms while they attempted to carjack the BMW at a gas station in Chicago’s Douglas neighborhood, the indictment states. Davis took the BMW driver’s car key, but he and Bradley were not successful in stealing the vehicle, the indictment states.
All three defendants are currently in law enforcement custody. Bradley faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. Davis and Singleton face mandatory minimum sentences of seven years and a maximum of life. Arraignments are scheduled for Nov. 5, 2024, at 1:15 p.m., before U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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. Attorney Margaret A. Steindorf.
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.
davis_et_al_indictment.pdfEight Defendants Charged in Federal Drug Trafficking Probe Targeting Fentanyl and Cocaine Sales in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal investigation has resulted in federal drug and firearm charges against eight individuals for allegedly trafficking fentanyl and cocaine on the South Side of Chicago.
An indictment unsealed Friday in federal court in Chicago accuses the eight defendants of conspiring to traffic fentanyl and cocaine from March 2023 to July 2024. During the conspiracy, the defendants used a residence in the 2000 block of West 69th Place in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago to carry out their illicit activities, the indictment states. The defendants possessed loaded handguns while engaged in their drug trafficking crimes, the indictment states.
During the investigation, law enforcement seized distribution quantities of suspected fentanyl-laced heroin and crack cocaine, as well as more than a dozen firearms and associated ammunition.
Charged with federal drug and firearm offenses are PATRICK TUCKER, 33, THOMAS CUNNINGHAM, 29, DARIUS JOHNSON, 23, KYWANTE SHUMAKE, 26, KEONTIS SHUMAKE, 23, KAMARI ROSS, 26, DREQUAN BASS, 26, and LACOLA WILLIAMS, 26, all of Chicago. The charges in the indictment carry a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Tucker and Cunningham also face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, while the others face a mandatory minimum of ten years. The defendants were arraigned in U.S. District Court in Chicago and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen B. McCurry and Michael Maione.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers and other criminal offenders that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement against criminal networks.
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.
tucker_et_al_indictment.pdfRockford Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for sex trafficking.
TRAVIS THOMAS, 34, was convicted in June of sex trafficking, including multiple counts of coercing and transporting the victim across state lines to engage in prostitution. U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr. imposed the sentence Friday during a hearing in federal court in Rockford.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 Rockford Police Department, Hoffman Estates, Ill. Police Department, and Winnebago County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincenza L. Tomlinson and Jessica S. Maveus, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica V. Mallory.
In 2017 and 2018, Thomas targeted the victim, supplied her with crack cocaine that kept her dependent on him, and manipulated her drug addiction to force and coerce her to engage in commercial sex acts for Thomas’s financial benefit. Thomas transported the victim to hotels in Rockford, Wisconsin, and Texas for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts. Thomas also used and threatened physical violence against the victim to force and coerce her to continue to engage in commercial sex. Thomas then kept all of the proceeds and spent it on himself and others, including a new vehicle, gambling, clothing, and food.
In addition to the commercial sex, Thomas also used fraud and financial coercion to take the victim’s credit cards, file fraudulent tax returns and insurance claims in her name, empty her bank accounts, and sell her belongings. The victim was finally able to escape in April 2018, with the help of an individual who took the victim to a hospital after she was severely beaten by Thomas. While at the hospital, a trained nurse identified her as a victim of sex trafficking and called law enforcement.
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 www.missingkids.com or by calling 1 800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Owner of Suburban Chicago Medical Supply Company Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Procurement Fraud at U.S. Department of Veterans AffairsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The owner of a suburban Chicago medical supply company has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for paying kickbacks to a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs employee in exchange for procuring orders of medical equipment.
DARREN A. SMITH operated a medical distribution company based in Bolingbrook, Ill. From 2017 to 2020, Smith schemed with a procurement clerk in the Veterans Health Administration Prosthetics Service in Chicago to have the VA order costly medical equipment from Smith’s company in exchange for concealed kickbacks to the clerk. The orders placed by the clerk involved unnecessary and more expensive rentals of certain medical equipment from Smith’s company instead of purchasing the equipment outright, as VA physicians had instructed. The VA spent more than $2.7 million at Smith’s company and fraudulently overpaid it by more than $1.3 million. In exchange, the clerk pocketed kickbacks from Smith of at least $220,000.
A federal jury earlier this year convicted Smith, 60, of Hazel Crest, Ill., on eight counts of wire fraud. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang on Wednesday fined Smith $10,000 and ordered him to pay more than $1.3 million in restitution.
The VA procurement clerk, ANDREW LEE, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to a wire fraud charge prior to trial. He is awaiting sentencing.
Smith’s sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Gregory Billingsley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Central Field Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Manschreck and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Christenson.
“Instead of paying for essential equipment and supplies for veterans, the defendants used the VA’s money to line their own pockets,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “Our office remains committed to preserving the integrity of the VA health care system.”
“This sentence should send a message that corrupt VA employees will be rooted out and prosecuted,” said SAC Billingsley. “These fraudulent activities erode public trust and divert taxpayer money intended for our nation’s deserving veterans. The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this investigation.”
Federal Indictment Charges Man with Assaulting and Robbing Two Postal Carriers in Chicago SuburbRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a man for allegedly assaulting and robbing two U.S. Postal Service carriers in a Chicago suburb.
DEVAN FLAX, 21, of Chicago, assaulted and robbed a postal carrier on Nov. 25, 2023, and another on Nov. 28, 2023, in Forest Park, Ill., according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Flax robbed the carriers of a U.S. Postal Service key, the indictment states.
The indictment also accuses Flax of robbing an employee of a Berwyn, Ill. pizzeria on Nov. 26, 2023.
Flax is currently detained in law enforcement custody. He was arraigned on Oct. 16, 2024, in federal court in Chicago and pleaded not guilty to assault, robbery, and firearm charges. A status hearing is set for Nov. 20, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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. Substantial assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department, Forest Park, Ill. Police Department, and Lombard, Ill. Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Stone and Simar Khera.
“U.S. Postal Service employees delivering mail to the American people must be allowed to do so safely and securely,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “Individuals who use violence against postal carriers to gain access to the public's mail must be held accountable.”
“This indictment is another example of the roles Postal Inspectors and our law enforcement partners play in protecting Postal Service employees and customers,” said Inspector-in-Charge Mendonça. “As Postal Service employees continue to play an integral role in our communities, we are clear in our resolve to aggressively investigate anyone who brings harm to these invaluable public servants.”
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.
flax_indictment.pdfFederal Complaint Charges Chicago Man with Illegally Possessing Machine Gun Conversion DeviceRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been charged in federal court with illegally possessing a machine gun conversion device in his Chicago residence last week.
Federal law enforcement on Thursday executed a court-authorized search of LATAVION JOHNSON’s residence on the South Side of Chicago and discovered the conversion device in a tool bag in Johnson’s bedroom, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. When equipped to a firearm, the conversion device, also known as a “Glock switch” or “auto sear,” allows the gun to fire multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger.
The complaint alleges that Johnson posted videos on social media showing himself possessing a firearm equipped with a conversion device. Johnson also allegedly posted a photograph of a conversion device next to a stack of $20 bills.
The complaint charges Johnson, 22, with one count of possession of a machine gun, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison. Johnson was arrested on Friday and remains in federal custody. A detention hearing is set for Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila M. Finnegan. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will seek Johnson’s continued pre-trial detention.
The complaint and arrest were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Saqib M. Hussain.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted in coordination with ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago. The CGIC is a centralized law enforcement hub that focuses exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in Chicago and throughout northern Illinois. The CGIC is an interagency collaboration that brings together - under one roof - federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and intelligence analysts to move quickly to investigate and prosecute violent crimes.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is also a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. 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.
The public is reminded that 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.
johnson_complaint.pdfSuburban Chicago Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and Attempting to Support ISISRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, also known as ISIS.
On three occasions in 2019, JASON BROWN provided $500 in cash to an individual with the understanding that the money would be wired to an ISIS soldier engaged in terrorist activity in Syria. Unbeknownst to Brown, the individual to whom he provided the money was confidentially working with law enforcement, and the purported ISIS fighter was actually an undercover law enforcement officer.
Also in 2019, Brown trafficked fentanyl and other drugs from California to the Chicago suburbs and illegally possessed several loaded handguns in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Brown, 42, of Lombard, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, one count of distributing fentanyl, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland imposed the sentence on Oct. 16, 2024, during a hearing in federal court in Chicago. Brown has been in law enforcement custody since his arrest in 2019.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the U.S. Department of Justice, 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 Chicago Field Office, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Substantial assistance was provided by the Illinois State Police, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, Lombard, Ill. Police Department, Addison, Ill. Police Department, and FBI Field Offices in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and San Diego. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn McCarthy of the Northern District of Illinois and S. Elisa Poteat, Trial Attorney from the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking a MinorRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a man to 12 years in prison for sex trafficking a minor in the Chicago area.
The victim was 15 years old in December 2015 when WILLIAM MCBETH enticed her to engage in commercial sex acts. McBeth advertised the sex services online and arranged for the victim to meet individuals who responded. McBeth transported the girl to hotels and residences in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs to engage in commercial sex, and on at least one occasion brought her from Wisconsin back to Illinois for that purpose. He provided the victim with illicit drugs and alcohol to keep her working. McBeth kept most of the proceeds from the encounters, spending some of the money on a new car for himself.
McBeth, 39, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of interstate transportation of an individual with the intent that she engage in prostitution. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Franklin U. Valderrama on Thursday ordered McBeth to pay $66,594.50 in restitution to his victim.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Petersen.
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 www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
California Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Orchestrating $23 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A California man has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for orchestrating a fraudulent investment scheme that swindled investors out of $23.1 million.
SEAN GRUSD formed three funds that he claimed would invest in private financial technology companies. Beginning in 2021, Grusd provided potential investors with marketing materials containing numerous falsehoods about the funds’ purported investment history and successes. Among other things, the promotional materials falsely claimed that one of Grusd’s funds had been an early investor in successful startup companies, such as Instacart, Coinbase, and Shippo. Grusd also falsely claimed that he had graduated from a prestigious law school and that he managed the personal portfolio of the CEO of a large investment management firm. Based on these and other false representations, more than a dozen victims invested $23.1 million in Grusd’s funds.
Instead of investing the victims’ money, Grusd transferred the funds to his personal bank accounts and spent the money on a lavish lifestyle, including high-end automobiles, luxurious condos in Chicago and Montreal, and lavish travel and entertainment expenses. Many of the victims had invested a significant portion of their life savings with Grusd.
Grusd, 32, of Los Angeles, Calif., pleaded guilty last year in federal court in Chicago to a wire fraud charge. In addition to the seven-year prison term, U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis on Wednesday ordered Grusd to pay more than $21 million in restitution to his victims.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 fraud was brazen and unmitigated,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey B. Rubenstein argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “It was an appalling stream of deliberate choices over almost two years targeting numerous victims and resulting in huge losses.”
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man in Connection with Robberies of Suburban Chicago BanksRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a man with robbing six banks in the Chicago suburbs.
GERMAN CAMPOS JR., 24, of Franklin Park, Ill., committed the robberies in 2023 and 2024, according to an indictment returned Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The indictment alleges that Campos Jr. brandished a handgun in five of the robberies.
The indictment identifies the six bank robberies as follows:
- Oct. 18, 2023: U.S. Bank in Schaumburg, Ill.
- Dec. 16, 2023: U.S. Bank in Elmhurst, Ill.
- March 6, 2024: U.S. Bank in Schaumburg, Ill.
- June 13, 2024: U.S. Bank in Elmhurst, Ill.
- Aug. 9, 2024: BMO Bank in Park Ridge, Ill.
- Aug. 28, 2024: U.S. Bank in Niles, Ill.
The indictment charges Campos Jr. with six counts of bank robbery, each of which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, and five counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, each of which would impose a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years. Campos Jr. is currently detained in law enforcement custody. Arraignment is set for Oct. 24, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 in the investigation was provided by the Schaumburg Police Department, Elmhurst Police Department, Park Ridge Police Department, Niles Police Department, and Franklin Park Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie C. Stern.
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.
campos_indictment.pdfSuburban Chicago Man Charged with Possessing and Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man who allegedly possessed and transported sexually explicit images of children has been indicted on federal child pornography charges.
EMAD SAGHIR, 42, of Evanston, Ill., is charged with possession and transportation of child pornography, according to an indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. According to the indictment, Saghir last year possessed in his Google account an image of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor. On several occasions last year Saghir also transported images of child pornography via his computer, the indictment states.
Saghir was arrested this morning. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment today in federal court in Chicago. A detention hearing was set for Tuesday at noon.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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. Attorney Michael Maione.
Transportation of child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years. Possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor is punishable by up to 20 years. 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.
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 www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
saghir_indictment.pdfFormer Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Hospital Added to Federal Indictment Alleging Corruption and EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An ongoing federal investigation into alleged corruption and embezzlement at a Chicago hospital has resulted in a conspiracy charge against the hospital’s former Chief Executive Officer.
A 45-count, second superseding indictment accuses former CEO GEORGE MILLER, JR., 73, of Dallas, Texas, of conspiring with the hospital’s then-Chief Financial Officer, ANOSH AHMED, 40, of Houston, Texas, to corruptly steer vendor contracts and other hospital business to certain medical supply companies in exchange for cash from the companies’ owner, SAMEER SUHAIL, 47, of Chicago. Ahmed, Suhail, and the hospital’s former Chief Transformation Officer, HEATHER BERGDAHL, 37, of Houston, Texas, were originally indicted earlier this year on fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering counts. The charges accused them of causing the hospital to issue payments to purported vendor companies for goods and services that they knew had not been provided. Many of the purported vendor companies were created by Suhail and Ahmed under various names to conceal their association with the fraudulent payments, the charges alleged. Bergdahl allegedly opened bank accounts in the names of two legitimate hospital vendors and caused the hospital to deposit fraudulent payments into those accounts.
The second superseding indictment, which was returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago, renews the prior charges against Ahmed, Suhail, and Bergdahl, adds Miller as a defendant, and includes new tax charges against Ahmed for allegedly underreporting income in his individual tax returns. The newly returned indictment alleges that from 2018 to 2021, Suhail paid Miller and Ahmed a share of $19 million in payments that he received from the hospital, in return for Miller and Ahmed steering those contracts and business to him. The payments to Miller and Ahmed were in addition to the millions of dollars in fraudulent payments charged in the prior indictment.
Arraignments on the second superseding indictment have not yet been scheduled.
The second superseding indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 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 Sheri H. Mecklenburg and Kelly L. Guzman.
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.
ahmed_et_al_second_superseding_indictment.pdfFederal Judge Sentences Rockford Man to Eight Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A federal judge has sentenced a Rockford man to eight years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm in Rockford.
TYRONE SMITH, 37, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of illegal firearm possession. As a previously convicted felon, Smith was prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm. Smith admitted in a plea agreement that while in Rockford in September 2022, he possessed a handgun that was loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition, including one in the chamber.
U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins imposed the sentence Monday in U.S. District Court in Rockford.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 & Explosives, and Carla Redd, Chief of the Rockford Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. 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.
Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Joliet, Ill. man has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison for sex trafficking and facilitating the sex trafficking of multiple women.
KENDALL GUYTON admitted in a plea agreement that he recruited three women to engage in commercial sex acts from 2017 to 2020. Guyton admitted that he advertised commercial sex acts online and arranged for the victims to meet individuals in various locations in the Chicago area. He provided the victims with illicit drugs, including heroin or cocaine, and often beat his victims to force them to comply with his demands.
At sentencing, the government presented evidence that Guyton facilitated the trafficking of at least five other victims, including a minor, by beating and sexually assaulting them.
Guyton, 29, pleaded guilty last year to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis imposed the 27-year sentence on Thursday during a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
A co-defendant, GREGORY INGRAM, 45, of Richton Park, Ill., also pleaded guilty to his role in the trafficking of multiple victims, including a minor whom he invited to live in his home while he trafficked her. Ingram controlled the 14-year-old victim using drugs and threats of harm. Judge Ellis in May sentenced Ingram to 20 years in federal prison.
The sentences were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 Carol Stream, Ill. Police Department, Lisle, Ill. Police Department, Will County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office, Joliet Police Department, Richton Park Police Department, and Downers Grove, Ill. Police Department.
“Defendant’s crimes were incredibly serious and had long-lasting impacts on his victims,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine M. O’Neill and Prashant Kolluri argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum in Guyton’s case. “Defendant knew these women were vulnerable and he preyed upon these vulnerabilities.”
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-843-5678 or logging on to http://www.missingkids.com. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Chicago Lab Owner Pleads Guilty to $14 Million Covid-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The owner of a Chicago laboratory has pleaded guilty in federal court for his role in a COVID-19 testing fraud scheme.
ZISHAN ALVI, 45, of Inverness, Ill., owned and operated a laboratory in Chicago that performed testing for Covid-19. From February 2021 through February 2022, Alvi caused 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 actually tested the specimens or the results were inconclusive. Alvi knew that the laboratory was releasing negative results for tests that were not performed or were inconclusive, but still caused the laboratory to submit claims to HRSA for those tests. HRSA paid the laboratory more than $14 million as a result of the fraudulent claims Alvi caused to be submitted to HRSA.
Alvi pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of wire fraud, which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7, 2025, by U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr. in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
The guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Nicole M. Argentieri, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Chad Yarbrough, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Mario Pinto, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Hasten and Misty Wright of the Northern District of Illinois, and Claire T. Sobczak, Trial Attorney of the Department of Justice's Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
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 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 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.
u.s._v._alvi_-_plea_agreement.pdfLeader of International Drug Trafficking Group’s Chicago Operations Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The leader of an international drug trafficking group’s Chicago operations has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison.
ANTONIO CARRAZCO-MARTINEZ ran the Chicago operations of a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization allegedly led by PABLO ANIBAL VAZQUEZ-DUARTE. In 2016 and 2017, Carrazco-Martinez conspired with members of the organization to traffic cocaine and heroin from Mexico to the Chicago area. Carrazco-Martinez was responsible for receiving large amounts of drugs, maintaining a stash house, distributing the drugs to the group’s customers, and sending illicit cash proceeds back to Mexico.
A federal jury in Chicago last year convicted Carrazco-Martinez, 43, of Fort Valley, Ga., on drug trafficking charges. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman imposed the 16-year sentence on Thursday during a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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. Substantial assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department, Illinois State Police, Waukegan, Ill. Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and IRS Criminal Investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Erskine, Alejandro Ortega, and Kirsten Moran.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers and other criminal offenders that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement against criminal networks.
Carrazco-Martinez is one of nine defendants convicted as part of the investigation. Three other defendants, including Vazquez-Duarte, are considered fugitives and believed to be residing in Mexico.
Lab Owner Pleads Guilty to $14M COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An Illinois man pleaded guilty today for his role in a COVID-19 testing fraud scheme.
According to court documents, Zishan Alvi, 45, of Inverness, owned and operated a laboratory in Chicago that performed testing for COVID-19. From February 2021 through February 2022, Alvi caused claims to be submitted to the 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 COVID-19 test results to patients, even though the laboratory either had not actually tested the specimens or the results were inconclusive. Alvi knew that the laboratory was releasing negative results for tests that were not performed or were inconclusive, but still caused the laboratory to submit claims to HRSA for those tests. HRSA paid the laboratory over $14 million as a result of the fraudulent claims Alvi caused to be submitted to HRSA.
Alvi pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois; Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Claire T. Sobczak of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Hasten and Misty Wright for the Northern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case.
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 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 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.
Woman and Her Two Daughters Sentenced to Federal Prison for Labor Trafficking Conspiracy in Chicago SuburbsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A woman and her two daughters were sentenced to federal prison terms today for conspiring to force undocumented West African children to work in the Chicago suburbs.
NAWOMI AWOGA and her two daughters, MARINA OKE and ASSIBA LEA FANDOHAN, were convicted last year of conspiring to conceal, harbor, and shield from detection two children from the West African country of Benin. Awoga coached the victims, then age 14 and 12, in Benin to lie to U.S. immigration authorities about their family relationships in order to obtain tourist visas. Awoga then accompanied the children into the United States. Once in the U.S., Awoga, Oke, and Fandohan harbored the victims in residences in the Chicago suburbs of Country Club Hills and Hazel Crest while forcing the victims to provide labor and services for the defendants’ financial gain. The defendants used violence against the victims to force them to work both inside the residences and at a nearby hair salon.
U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey imposed the prison sentences today in federal court in Chicago. Awoga, 75, of Hazel Crest, Ill., was sentenced to eight and a half years. Oke, 38, of Country Club Hills, Ill., was sentenced to seven years and ten months. Fandohan, 35, of Hazel Crest, Ill., was sentenced to six years and eight months.
The sentences were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Sean Fitzgerald, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations; James Mead, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Mark Woods-Hawkins, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service’s Chicago Field Office. Substantial assistance in the investigation was provided by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Chicago Police Department, U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking, and the U.S. Embassy’s Regional Security Office in Cotonou, Benin. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barry Jonas and Tiffany Ardam, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin M. Linsley.
“Labor traffickers exploit and endanger some of the most vulnerable members of our society and cause unimaginable harm,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual. “My office is committed to using every available resource to combat labor trafficking and support victims and survivors.”
“The conviction of Awoga and her daughters underscores our unwavering commitment to bringing justice to the most vulnerable among us,” said HSI SAC Fitzgerald. “These defendants not only exploited and abused two young children, but they also coerced them into lying to authorities to facilitate their heinous scheme. This case highlights the relentless efforts of our law enforcement partners to dismantle such criminal networks and ensure that those who perpetrate these despicable acts are held accountable.”
“Nawomi Awoga, Marina Oke, and Assiba Lea Fandohan trafficked two children who they forced to work for them,” said DOL-OIG SAC Mead. “The Office of Inspector General is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and bring to justice those who engage in labor trafficking and involuntary servitude, particularly when minors are involved.”
“Combating trafficking requires a strong coalition of local and global partners to share resources and information, better equip front-line workers, and track and respond to evolving trafficking trends,” said DSS SAC Woods-Hawkins. “I’m proud to say that justice was finally served in this child labor trafficking case that has spanned nearly a decade. It was through our successful partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Benin, Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Justice that we were able to secure this verdict and move closer to delivering justice for the victims.”
Anyone with information about a potential human trafficking situation is encouraged to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline by calling 1-888-373-7888 or texting 233733. More information about the Justice Department’s work to combat human trafficking can be found here.
Trucking Company Owner Sentenced to Prison as Part of Federal Investigation That Dismantled Mexico-to-Chicago Drug PipelineRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The owner of a Texas trucking company has been sentenced to 25 years in prison as part of a federal investigation that dismantled a Mexico-to-Chicago drug pipeline.
JOSE FARIAS owned a trucking company in McAllen, Texas, and resided in Mexico. In 2015 and 2016, Farias arranged with truck drivers to transport dozens of kilograms of narcotics to the Chicago area hidden in the hollowed-out wheel axles of tractor-trailers. Farias supervised numerous traffickers who unloaded the trucks in the Chicago area and distributed the drugs to sellers. The traffickers then hid narcotics proceeds in the trucks for transport back to Texas and Mexico.
Farias’s drug trafficking organization used warehouses in Naperville, Ill. and Sugar Grove, Ill., as well as an abandoned auto lot in the West Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago and an auto repair shop in Channahon, Ill. During the investigation, law enforcement searched these locations and seized approximately 54 kilograms of heroin and nearly 17 kilograms of cocaine, as well as $630,200 in illicit cash proceeds.
In all, the drug trafficking organization distributed approximately 130 kilograms of heroin and approximately 45 kilograms of cocaine in the Chicago area. Seven other defendants were also convicted in federal and state courts as part of the investigation.
A federal jury in Chicago in 2021 convicted Farias, 44, on drug conspiracy and possession charges. U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey on Monday sentenced Farias to 25 years in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting 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 drugs defendant caused to be distributed were resold to thousands of people, fueling addiction, tearing families apart, and decimating communities — all for the profit of defendant and his co-conspirators,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard M. Rothblatt and Kristen Totten argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.
Rockford Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for His Role in Retail Store RobberiesRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to over seven years in federal prison for conspiring to commit robberies of electronic stores.
KATRAIL BRIDGES, 32, was convicted after a four-day jury trial in March of conspiracy to commit robbery. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston on Thursday sentenced Bridges to 87 months in federal prison.
Bridges joined the conspiracy and agreed to participate in the robberies of electronic stores at two locations: a Best Buy store in DeKalb, Ill. on Dec. 2, 2016, and a Simply Mac store in Cherry Valley, Ill. on December 16, 2016. During these robberies, the members of the group used pepper-spray against employees to gain compliance and to escape with merchandise. The group stole over $22,000 worth of merchandise during these two robberies.
Eight other alleged conspirators were charged as part of the federal investigation.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the FBI. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, Cherry Valley Police Department, and DeKalb Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirstin J. Krivanec.